Rogue ring power pin vs cannonball grips
This is a comparison between the Rogue Ring power pin and the cannonball grips including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which grip strength tool to get from Rogue. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the Rogue cannonball grips
This is an overview of the Rogue Cannonball grips including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which grip strength tool to get from Rogue. Follow the links for more details.
Overview of the Rogue cannonball grips
Price $47.25 - $67.50
The Rogue cannonball grips are a great tool to develop better grip strength. They are versatile and can be attached to a rack, kettlebell, dumbbell, or barbell. They come with a 3" diameter and in black or tan color. You can opt to get a carabiner and strap set with it or just the balls themselves. The full specifications are:
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3" diameter spheres with signature Rogue powder coat
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1/4” thick steel tab with a hole to mount to a carabiner
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Length: 12" strap
These are a must for any gym that is serious about strength. Versatile, cheap, and fun to use.
Pros of the Rogue cannonball grips
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Versatile
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Cheap
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Fun
I am personally a huge fan of the cannonball grips as they are good for beginners but can also be used by pros in as many setups as you can come up with. By having less and less of your hand and fingers touch the cannonballs while doing your exercises you can modulate how hard this exercise becomes. Look beyond just gripping the ball in full and you will have a training tool for life for as cheap as a big feast at the fast-food chain of your choice.
Cons of the Rogue cannonball grips
Cons of the Rogue cannonball grips are:
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Set up
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Organic weight lift
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Easy to lose parts
As these need to be set up with straps and a carabiner this is not for everyone. The weights can sometimes hang awkwardly from the balls, depending on how symmetrical the load is. Some people will welcome this as an additional challenge while others will smash in their chins. In addition to that, the parts can be easily lost, especially when people do not take care. If you want to offer grip training without these hassles, the rack attached spheres are a better option.
Alternatives to the Rogue cannonball grips
The Rack mounted spheres are a little more expensive and work with the Monster lite and Infinity series of Rogue. These spheres will be stable and also will not get lost. If you want a stationary setup for grip training with spheres, this is the better option, as long as you have something to attach them to.
The crown pull up bar is the king attachment for straight pull-ups. If you are all about improving your straight pull-ups with different grips, this attachment for the monster lite or monster rack has it all. It comes in at $225 and is a great piece of equipment for a home gym to cover all the bases. The only downside is that it is not great for kipping pull-ups.
If you are into climbing and consider the cannonballs for this purpose you might be better off with the wall climbing cross-member for $85. You get a lot more grip variations than with the cannonballs for just a little more money. The downside is that they can not be attached to other weights.
The pinch blocks and the grandfather clock grip attachments can be seen as separate purchases. The grandfather clock is a little easier while the pinch blocks are a lot harder. I see them as one set. If you consider the cannonballs you want to get a better grip. Then you can get a great system with the pinch block, grandfather clock, and cannonball attachment. Of course, that pushes the price tag to $300 - $500 depending on what combination of loading pins and attachment you get. Worth it. Just pay attention to detail with the straps when your order.
Conclusion for the Rogue cannonball grips
The cannonball grips are a must-have for anyone who wants to get a great grip. Home gym owners can start with this for all kind of carries and pull-ups. Commercial gym owners will find that the cannonballs are the most accessible tool for beginners to get into grip strength training. The grandfather clock grips can be too slippy and not everyone likes using chalk. Captains of Crush grippers can be harsh on the hands and too challenging.
Rogue Ring power pin
This is an overview of the Rogue ring power pin including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which grip strength tool to get from Rogue. Follow the links for more details.
Overview of the Rogue ring power pin
Price: $50 - $136.50
The Rogue ring power pin is a variation of the already existing power pin on the rogue line up. You will get a pin in which you can either slide the ring or t shape handle. If you already own a power pin you only need to pay $50 for the ring. This is a great tool for strongman training and leaves more options for attachments than the t shape power pin. The full specifications are:
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Made in America
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Diameter: 1.96" loading pin, 4.5" ring
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Length: 12" loadable length
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Weight:12.5LB, 500+LB weight capacity
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10 holes spaced 1” on center for an adjustable height range of 19.75” to 28.75”
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Black Powder Coat Finish
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Available as Fully Assembled Unit or Just Handle (for use with original Rogue Power Pin)
A great tool that works by itself and can be easily attached, as long as you already have plates at home or in your gym.
Pros of the Rogue Ring power pin
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Adjustable height
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Work stand alone
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Easy to combine
The Rogue ring power pin is a great tool as it can be adjusted for different heights and simulates competition like the ducks walk or power stairs. While it works stand alone you can also combine it easily with other equipment because of the ring. Compared to the T shaped power pin this leaves you with more options to train for the same money spent. If you consider lifting the dinnie stones or just like a versatile strongman tool in your arsenal, this is a good and simple option.
Cons of the Ring power pin
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Hidden cost
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Not great for swings
The Rogue ring power pin assumes that you already have plates. While that is a fair assumption for most gyms with strongmen in them, it is still not factored into the cost. If you load this pin with a respectable weight, the total setup easily amounts to $300 - $600 depending on which weight you use. This makes one or two heavy kettlebells a more economical choice for a home gym that does not have plates. In addition to this, the pin is easy to adjust the height. Make sure you attach it somehow to the loading pin or the ring.
Alternatives to the Rogue ring power pin
The T-bar power pin comes in at the same price and is just a different way of training. On many heavy events in strongman like safe lifts, you will find a t-bar rather than a ring to hold onto. Serious athletes will probably get the T bar power pin and the ring insert at the same time. Just be careful when you order that you do not order the loading pin double unless you want to.
Rogue also offers a classic loading pin that hooks to a carabiner. Including strap and carabiner, this comes to $39 and is under the price of the Ring power pin. This is the right pin to get if you get the pinch blocks, cannonballs, and grandfather grips for lifts. You can also use the power ring which makes the weights swing a little more when lifted which adds complexity. If you are preparing to lift the Dinnie rings, get the power pin rather than hooking the carabiners directly up to the loading pin. This is a better predictor of the true load.
For any weekend warrior, heavy kettlebells are probably the way better option. They cost less and can also be combined with carabiners for farmers walks and holds. The only downside is that you can not load them incrementally. But that is beside the point if you do not have space, want, or money for plates anyway.
Conclusion for the Rogue ring power pin
I think that the Rogue ring power pin is better to buy than the T bar power pin if you have to make yourself choose. It is more versatile and cost the same. Of course, why make yourself choose and just get both. If you do not have plates, it is probably more economical to get the grip system from rogue and two to three different denominations of kettlebells as that is more space-efficient and leaves you with a wider range of exercises.
