Rogue Chan bar vs Davidsdottir bar
This is a comparison of the Rogue Chan bar and the Davidsdottir bar including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details

Overview and review Rogue Bella bar Davidsdottir
This overview of the Davidsdottir 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 375$
What else to consider from Rogue
Overview of the Rogue bella bar Davidsdottir
The Rogue Bella Davidsdottir edition pays tribute to two times female Crossfit champion
Katrin Davidsdottir. It comes with her sledge dog logo and has the
Rogue logo imprinted. The effects are achieved by
Rogue's cerakote finish which they have adjusted from the gun industry.
The
bar base is derived from the
Bella bar, the "female" version of Rogues flagship
Ohio bar. It is made to IWF standards and comes in at 15kg. The diameter is 25mm and the loadable sleeve length comes to 13.00. The sleeves rotate via bushing and the
bar withstands 190K Tensile strength. The whip is good to accommodate its versatile use.
Pros of the Davidsdottir
A nice design which inspires you to think of
Katrin Davidsdottir's wins in the Crossfit games. It might be bought is a package with the
Thor power bar so that a couple can train in the home gym. It is an all-around
bar which is up to the task.
Cons of the Davidsdottir
The
Davidsdottir bar is currently only available with Cerakote sleeves. These are more likely to show wear and tear from the plates. If you use it at home and want to keep it crisp consider getting
bumper plates instead of
steel plates with this
bar. You can also wait until
Rogue offers it with chrome sleeves like the
chan bar. The design might not flow as nicely then.
Conclusion
If you need a 15kg barbell which looks good and has been built on the solid foundations of the Rogue Bella bar this is the one to go for. On top of that you also get to connect to champions mind whenever you lift. If you do not want to invest the few extra dollars for the Cerakote design there is still the bella bar is a more cost effective alternative.
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$
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.