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REP fitness Deep Knurl power bar vs Technique bar

Written by Pascal Landshoeft | Jun 8, 2021 4:00:00 PM

REP fitness Deep Knurl power bar vs Technique bar

This is a comparison between the REP fitness deep knurl power bar and the REP fitness technique bar. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the REP fitness Technique bar

This is an overview of the REP fitness Technique bar including the pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally posted in which barbell to buy from REP Fitness. Follow the links for more information.

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Rep Technique Bar $119

 
Technique bars are a helpful tool for Olympic weightlifting to get the technique right and progress to a full bar. Especially when you work with children or a lot of lightweight beginners for Olympic weightlifting than this is something you might want to consider. For most home gyms this means that this is an option they will not get a lot of use out of unless your children are training with you. The full specifications of this bar are:
 
  • 72" long
  • 51.5" between collars (fits on squat racks)
  • Bushings in sleeves for smooth spin
  • Bright zinc finish on bar shaft, black zinc on sleeves
  • Dual knurl markings
  • 200 lb max load
  • 28mm diameter
 
This bar does what it says on the tin. Nothing too fancy to use and not too pricey to regret not using enough.
 

Pros of the Rep Technique Bar

 
The pros of the REP fitness technique bar are:
 
  • Full control over the bar path for beginners
  • Good for speed drills
  • Good for child athletes
 
When you are learning the correct technique for the clean and jerk and the snatch it can be beneficial to start with a barbell that is lighter than 20kg or 15kg. A trainer would usually start beginners on a broomstick or PVC pipe and progress from there and a technique bar has some weight to it while it is not the full 20kg of an unloaded barbell which can be a big jump for some. More experienced athletes also might work on speed or a weakness in the different phases on the lifts with a lighter barbell, also it is probably better to stick with the bar you will actually lift on, once you progressed that far. The sea logic applies to children that start oly lifting at a very young age.
 

Cons of the Rep Technique Bar

 
The cons of a technique bar are:
 
  • Limited use
  • Limited sleeve space
  • Limited weight capacity
 
If you are looking into building your own home gym chances are high that you have already surpassed the beginner stage. Especially if we are talking Olympic lifts, because if you want to do that home without ever having instructions in person before I would highly recommend that you reconsider. This makes technique bars limited in their use for a home gym. In a commercial gym, they can be a good purchase if you have specialized in Olympic lifting. Based on the size of your beginner classes you might want to stock up on half the class for technique bars and half regular bars or broom sticks.
 

Alternatives to the Rep Technique Bar

 
Alternatives to the REP fitness technique bar are:
 
  • Rogue Technique bar
  • TITAN Technique bar
 
These barbells basically do the same, except that they are from other vendors. The Rogue Technique bar comes in more different tastes than the REP fitness bar and is made in the US whereas the TITAN fitness portfolio is more limited and is imported from China.
 

Conclusion for the Rep Technique Bar

 
If you own an Oly lift-focused commercial gym it is a good idea to stock some of these depending on the size of your classes. If you want to get a barbell for your little ones I personally think Rogue has better options. 

Overview and review of the REP fitness Deep Knurl power bar

This is an overview of the REP fitness Deep knurl power bar including the pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally posted in which barbell to buy from REP Fitness. Follow the links for more information.


 

Rep Deep knurl power bar EX $399

 
The REP deep knurl power bar is the upper end of the spectrum in Olympic barbells which you can get from REP fitness. The main distinguishing features of this bar are its aggressive knurling and the full stainless steel construction covering the sleeves and the bar itself. The full specifications are:
 
  • 29mm diameter.
  • Knurl Markings: Powerlifting - 32" between markings.
  • Knurl Depth: 75% deeper than any standard offering
  • Tensile Strength: 200k
  • Bushing design with snap rings.
  • Shaft: Stainless Steel.
  • Sleeves: Stainless Steel.
  • Bushing design with snap rings for optimal Powerlifting performance.
  • Warranty: Lifetime*
 
This is a great barbell for the serious powerlifter who does not mind getting calluses on their hands. For most commercial gms this barbell might be a bit too much in price per item and the uncompromising design.
 

Pros of the Rep Deep knurl power bar EX

 
The pros of the REP deep knurl power bar are:
 
  • Deep knurling
  • Full stainless steel construction
  • 29mm shaft
 
This bar is great if you mainly train the squat, bench press, and deadlift and you know that you are serious about it. With this bar you go uncompromising for the next record on your total to provide maximum grip to your hands. Even at the cost of tearing the skin.
 

Cons of the Rep Deep knurl power bar EX

 
The cons of the REP deep knurl bar are:
 
  • Imported
  • Pricing
  • Color options
  • Knurling
  • No bearing
  • No Whip
 
This barbell comes imported from overseas to save costs. That being said I am personally surprised at the price point of $400 for this barbell. This is not enough of an advantage to make me want to switch from Rogue Fitness who on top of that produces locally in the US. If you are looking at a rack and plates also you can make some considerable savings, but if it is just between the Rogue Ohio power bar and the Deep Knurl from REP I am not convinced.
 
Stainless steel is not available from most vendors to be powder coated with some other color. Why ruin the high-quality steel with some kind of spray-on tan? Compared to other vendors REP fitness still has a noticeable lack of colored barbells, which they will probably fix once their overseas producer figures at how to get cerakote on the barbells. I think that is only a matter of time, but for now, the only colored option in the REP fitness lineup is the Black sabre bar.
 
The knurling on this bar is aggressive which rules it out for most commercial uses. If you have a cheap rack with cheap J Cups I would also recommend an upgrade as this bar will quickly eat into inferior metal and rubber.
 
If you are looking for a barbell for your home gym/garage gym or commercial establishment this is not the bar to get. It does not provide any whip and also has no bearing. This bar is high priced and only good for powerlifting, so buy it as such. Otherwise, opt for the all-round Sabre bar, or for the Gladiator series if your focus is on Olympic weightlifting.
 
 

Alternatives to the Rep Deep knurl power bar EX

 
Alternatives to the REP Deep knurl bar are:
 
 
The Rogue Ohio power bar in the stainless steel version is currently hailed as the Ferrari amongst the powerlifting barbells. There are some other barbells from Kabuki strength and EliteFTS that specifically pander to the powerlifting community, but these are more niche. As the price gap is not that noticeable I personally would go with the Ohio power bar instead of the deep knurl unless your entire gym is already REP fitness-themed.
 
The Blues city power bar is TITAN fitness's approach to the world of powerlifting bars with heavy knurling. TITAN is known for minor quality issues in return for the lowest prices amongst their competitors. As you are specifically buying this barbell for their knurling I would watch out for TITAN, as this is exactly the kind of detail that lower standard quality procedures would give a pass when they should not.
 
If you are into stainless steel but like Olympic weightlifting a lot better than powerlifting, then you should go for the REP fitness Gladiator stainless steel bar. This bar provides more whip, has a less aggressive knurl, ad the sleeves rotate on bearing. This makes this bar netter suited for Olympic weightlifting than powerlifting.
 

Conclusion for the Rep Deep knurl power bar EX

 
This is the top bar to get from REP fitness when you are into powerlifting. There is not a lot you can do wrong with this so be confident and move ahead if you have the money. The only reconsideration would be if you are planning on having one brand scheme rather than multiple brands in your gym. Then a decision between TITAN, Rep fitness, and Rogue fitness would need to be made before loading up the shopping cart.
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