Rogue Chan bar vs Camber bar
This is a comparison of the Rogue Chan bar and the Camber bar including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details
Overview and review of the Rogue Camber bar
This overview of the camber bar was originally published in my comprehensive guide on which Rogue barbell to buy. If you are currently considering to buy a Rogue barbell it is worth a read to get input on the latest models. I update the guide on a yearly basis depending on Rogue's new releases.
Price 295$
Overview of the Rogue Camber bar
The
camber bar is another variation of the
specialty bars of
Rogue. It is very similar to the
safety bar with a few differences. The first is that the hands can be placed lower on the frame. This helps even more with athletes suffering from a shoulder injury. The other difference is that the weight swings more during the movement. This helps with bigger core activation. While the
safety bar lets you squat more weight deeper the camber
bar actively works on balance.
The
camber bar comes in at a weight of 85lb. The shafts fit regular clips and plates. The
camber bar comes fully welded. Pay special attention to quality when you buy
specialty bars. The production process is usually less
mechanized than for barbells. You need a good welding job to be safe. Yes, you can get these bars a lot cheaper from craigslist. However, you might end up with a terrible welding job.
Pros of the Camber bar
The
camber bar is unusual and will challenge your athletes. Not a lot of people have ever seen, nevermind used a
camber bar in the real world. Combining the
camber bar and
safety bar is especially useful for strongmen who have to get used to moving weights at different angles and positions. If you want to use this as a cheaper replacement for a
Yoke carry be cautious You can not put this
bar down in the middle of the walk.
Cons of the Camber bar
This
bar already weighs 85lb unloaded. It is also very cumbersome and awkward to store. This is a tool for big gyms with lots of floor space. If you are already constrained for space this is not the
bar to get. It is also more challenging than the safety
bar. If you are a beginner deciding between a safety and camber
bar, go for the
safety bar.
Conclusion
The rogue camber bar is a good tool especially for strongman training.Alternatives can be the Rogue safety bar or a Rhino hip belt squat to take tension off the shoulders and wrists.
Overview and review of the Rogue chan bar
This overview of the Rogue Chan bar was originally published in my comprehensive guide on which Rogue barbell to buy. If you are currently considering to buy a Rogue barbell it is worth a read to get input on the latest models. I update the guide on a yearly basis depending on Rogue's new releases.
Price: 395$
What else to consider from Rogue
Overview of the Rogue Chan bar
The
Matt Chan bar was the first
Rogue barbell to be introduced with an athletes name.
Matt Chan and
Rogue have been working closely in the last few years. You can see this in the many equipment demos done by Matt.
Matt Chan is a former firefighter and finished multiple times in the top ten of the Crossfit games. Since
Rogue updated their Cerakote range they had another go at the
Chan bar design.
The
Chan bar is an
Ohio bar on steroids. You get a better design, a
centre knurl and a stainless steel shaft for 395$. If you want to spend the extra 100$ USD compared to the
Ohio bar this is the all-purpose
barbell to get. The design was created to fit Olympic and powerlifting needs alike.
The bar comes in at 20kg of weight, 200K tensile strength
and a Good whip. The diameter is 28.5mm and the sleeves spin via bushing.
Rogue offers two variations on the sleeves, one being
cerakote the other chrome. It seems that cerakote does not respond well to metal to metal contact. If you want to use
steel plates with the
chan bar maybe opt for the chrome sleéves. The loadable sleeve length is 16.5 which is a bit longer than the other standard bars.
Pros of the Chan bar
This bar has a lot of pros and only a few cons. You get a
stainless steel bar for 100$ USD less compared to the
oly options. The bit of extra knurling helps with front squats. This is
the best value for money bar you can get above 300USD from
rogue. In addition, you also get a cool design. If you want to do everything in your home gym, this is the one to go for.
Cons of the chan bar
If you have to fit out an entire gym with 10 - 20 barbells 100$ a piece does make a difference.
This bar is also too pretty to be used in military installations or with beginners. For these scenarios, you are probably better off buying the
Ohio,
Castro,
C-70 or
operator bar. The training bar might also be a better option if you only want to do Oly lifts, as it has a better whip at a lower price. The bushing might also not be ideal if you are a competitive weightlifter. The bars you will use in your competition have the bearing.
Conclusion
Matt Chan has been with Rogue barbell and CrossFit for years. If a bar is allowed to carry his name you can rest assured that it is the best you can get for CrossFit or all purpose barbell training. This bar is a good value for money option in the Rogue line up. If you have to buy in bulk there is always the Rogue Ohio bar.
