Rogue Chan bar vs Ohio deadlift bar

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

Overview and review of the Rogue Ohio deadlift bar

This overview of the Ohio deadlift 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: 355$

Overview of the deadlift barbell

The Ohio deadlift bar has been specially designed for deadlifting. With a diameter of 27mm and 190K PSI tensile strength, it bends more than the Ohio bar. This great whip helps powerlifters to deadlift from a more advantageous position. The bar weighs 20kg and the sleeves spin via bushing rather than bearing.

The knurling on this barbell has been made extra aggressive to minimise chalk need or maximize the grip strength when chalk is applied. The loadable sleeve length is 15.50. There is one version in zinc and another with raw steel available.

Overall, this bar gets very good reviews for the purpose of deadlifting. Be aware that when you purchase this bar, it is specially built for deadlifting. It is a great addition to your arsenal when the basic needs are covered. For your first purchase, you might want to look at the Ohio bar, Ohio power bar, freedom bar or chan bar before moving to this piece of equipment.

Pros of the Ohio deadlift bar

The Ohio deadlift bar is special as it is one of the few cheaper bars from Rogue with a great whip. The only other bar which has this is the training bar. This makes it a great tool for anyone who wants to squeeze out the last couple of pounds on the deadlift. The whip is mostly received in a positive way.

Cons of the Ohio deadlift bar

A widespread comment on the deadlift bar is that the knurling is too aggressive. I personally can't see how a professional powerlifter would make this comment, however, they are out there. It is also a barbell which has been build for one purpose only. If you are starting out your home gym or want to appeal to the masses this is not the bar to go for.

Conclusion

The Ohio deadlift bar is a great option as an addition to the existing barbells of a CrossFit gym or as some of the first equipment to buy for a powerlifting gym. You will get a good piece of steel that bends to make the range of motion just that little bit shorter on the deadlift to establish a new PR.

Learn more about the specs of the Rogue Ohio deadlift barbell and purchase on the Rogue website

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.

Learn more about the specs of the Rogue Chan barbell and purchase on the Rogue website