REP fitness Gladiator WL barbell vs MX

This is a comparison between the REP fitness Gladiator WL bar and the REP fitness MX bar. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the REP fitness Gladiator MX bar

This is an overview of the REP fitness Gladiator MX barbell 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 Gladiator MX $299

The REP Gladiator MX barbell is REP fitness's premium barbell to tailor to the masses. This barbell decides to be a bit thicker in diameter than a regular weightlifting barbell while still having bearing sleeves. This makes it a good hybrid across powerlifting, weightlifting, and CrossFit. The full specifications are:

28.5mm diameter
Length: 87.4"
20 kg (45lb)
1500 lb static rating
5 needle bearings
Hard Chrome coating - most rust-resistant available
Ribbed sleeves to keep weights from sliding while training
No Center Knurl - Ideal for doing high rep clean workouts without tearing up your neck
MildDepth Knurl
Single Knurl Markings - Weightlifting - move faster on lifts
230k tensile, 200k yield
5-year warranty

This is a solid design to cover all you could possibly need in a home gym or professional gym. The only drawback is that this bar is not stainless steel. But there is an option if that is what you wish for from REP fitness.

Pros of the Rep Gladiator MX

The Pros of the GLadiator MX barbell are:

Clear "one size fits all" design
Reasonable price

This is a clear design for all purposes which is well thought out. If you are looking for a balanced barbell for your home gym without being cheap, look no further. This is the right choice for you from REP fitness.

Cons of the Rep Gladiator MX

The cons of the Gladiator MX barbell are:

Not 29mm
Not 28mm
No Aggressive knurling
Imported
No color options
No stainless steel

When you decide to make a design that is tailoring to all needs, you will not cover the specific needs of the subsets. A powerlifting bar would ideally be 29mm and have aggressive knurling. A weightlifting barbell would ideally be 28mm and also have a center knurl. These options are also out there, just not the approach of the MX

To get bearing at this price point from REP fitness you are giving up stainless steel as a material. You can upgrade to the Gladiator Stainless steel barbell if you want both for a higher price.

The biggest cons of the Gladiator MX are the limited color options and that the barbells are produced and shipped from China. That is, of course, only if you are strictly patriotic and want to keep your dollars in the USA.

Alternatives to the Rep Gladiator MX

Alternatives to the Gladiator MX bar are:

The REP Gladiator Stainless steel model has the same specifications as the Gladiator MX with one exception. You are upgrading the material of the barbell to stainless steel for higher longevity and fewer problems with rust for some extra cash.

The REP Gladiator WL is very similar in price to the Gladiator MX with a few exceptions. The diameter is 28mm which complies with weightlifting standards. You will also get a center knurl for more grip when performing front squats or clean and jerks. In return for the center knurl the sleeves are a mix of bushing and bearing to keep the cost of this barbell under $300. A solid choice for the home gym warrior who will mainly do Oly lifts.

The Rogue Chan bar is in my opinion the best all-around barbell you can get from Rogue. It works for oly lifts and powerlifting while also giving you a more interesting design which you currently can not get out of the REP fitness portfolio. If you want to feel badass and do everything, I think the Rogue Chan bar is absolutely worth a look before checking out at REP fitness.

The TITAN blues city weightlifting barbell is the approach of the low-cost provider TITAN to a weightlifting barbell. If you want to keep as many of your hard-earned dollars as possible while building a home gym, TITAN fitness is a good address. Just be prepared that minor quality issues a lot more likely to happen with TITAN than with REP fitness or Rogue.

Conclusion for the Rep Gladiator MX

The REP Gladiator MX barbell is a solid mixed barbell and therefore does what it says on the tin. If you want something nice for your home gym and you are doing everything this is a great barbell to get. Also good for buying in bulk for a commercial gym, unless you want to keep the cost down as low as possible. Then the sabre bar might be a better choice for you.

Overview and review of the REP fitness Gladiator WL barbell

This is an overview of the REP fitness Gladiator WL barbell 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 Gladiator WL $289

The REP Gladiator WL is a variation on the Gladiator design from REP fitness that provides a center knurl, good tensile strength, and bearing on the sleeves for under $300. If you are looking for a solid weightlifting barbell that does not break the bank, you have probably found your perfect match. The full specifications of this barbell run as following:

28mm diameter (25mm for 15kg bar)
20 kg (45lb) or 15kg (35lb) option
1500 lb static rating
3 Needle bearings and 2 bushings per sleeve
Ribbed sleeves to keep weights from sliding while training.
Hard Chrome coating - rust-resistant coating
Center Knurl on WL and SS barbell
No Center Knurl on MX Gladiator and 15kg
Medium Depth Knurl
230k tensile, 210k yield
5 year warranty

A great barbell maximizes the important ingredients that make a good weightlifting barbell like the tensile strength and center knurl while compromising on some components like the sleeves to keep the cost as low as possible. I love the thought process that went into this to make a good weightlifting barbell affordable for the average Joe.

Pros of the Rep Gladiator WL

The pros of the Gladiator WL:

Price
Design

If you want a weightlifting barbell, but do not want to spend $700 to $1000 just on one piece of equipment for your home gym, then this is a great choice. I love what REP fitness has done her to put the best of the weightlifting world into a piece of steel, without making it too expensive. Yes, you will compromise with this barbell, but you can not have it all when you buy new and want to save money at the same time.

Cons of the Rep Gladiator WL

The cons of the REP Gladiator WL barbell are:

Not IWF approved
No full bearing on the sleeves
Imported
Color options

Currently, this barbell is not IWF approved. If you want to train as close to competition standards as possible you either need to opt for the Rogue weightlifting barbell series or the Eleiko barbells. Most Olympic lifting events on the international stage still use Eleiko equipment, while Rogue fitness is catching up in market share in the United States and international Invitation events. It will be interesting to see whether we will see Rogue equipment on one of the next Olympic events for lifting.

This bar will not spin as smoothly as the fully breed Olympic barbells from Rogue, Eleiko, or REP fitness as the sleeves are a bushing and bearing hybrid. This is a choice for this barbell to keep costs down as bearing is a specialized material that comes at a higher cost.

This barbell is imported and therefore manufactured and packaged in China. If this rubs your patriotic streak up the wring way you will have to opt for Sorinex or Rogue fitness who through lengths to keep their production and supply chain as local to the United States as possible.

There are no color options on this barbell as REP fitness does not provide a wide range of sleeves or Cerakote coating for their barbells. This might change in the future when sales volumes go up and REP fitness gets the chance to invest in the production lines of their overseas vendors.

Alternatives to the Rep Gladiator WL

Alternatives to the REP Gladiator WL bar are:

The REP Gladiator MX barbell is very similar to the Gladiator WL. The main differences are the full bearing sleeves and no center knurl which makes it more of an all-round barbell than the WL. Weigh up between these two barbells what you will actually use it most for and make a decision on what to get.

The REP Excalibur is the better choice if you want a Lifetime warranty instead of a 5-year warranty on your barbell. In return, you make some considerable sacrifices on the features of the barbell which I personally would not be willing to make. But I have never filed a warranty case in my entire life, so I am probably not the best person to advise on this perk.

The Rogue Pyrros bar is the top-of-the-line weightlifting barbell from Rogue. If you want a barbell that is IWF approved and connects you to one of the greatest talents in Olympic weightlifting to date then this is the right piece of metal for you. The only downside is that the price is considerably higher than anything you would find in the REP fitness range.

The TITAN Blues city weightlifting barbell is TITAN's approach to weightlifting barbells with bearing sleeves. If you want to bring the low-cost idea to its final conclusion TITAN is a safe bet. What you get in money saved you might regret shipping and quality control wise by purchasing through TITAN as they have to cut some corners to make the low prices across their entire portfolio feasible.

Conclusion for the Rep Gladiator WL

The REP Gladiator WL barbell is a solid choice for someone who wants to save some money on ha high-quality weightlifting barbell. Thi bar makes some compromises in the design to bring the cost down, but these make sense. Especially if you see oly lifts as a more dynamic alternative to powerlifting for training at home, rather than chasing Olympic medals, then this is the perfect fit of a barbell for you.