Written by Pascal Landshoeft | Jun 28, 2020 4:00:00 PM
Rogue Squat bar vs Trap bar
This is a comparison of the Rogue Squat bar and the Trap bar including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details
Overview and review of the Rogue Trap bar 1 & 2
This overview of the trap bar 1 & 2 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$/375$
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Overview of the Rogue Trap bars
The trap bar 1 & 2 of Rogue are their take on the trap bar. Trap bars are a great tool for Strongman competitors and powerlifters to get some stress of the posterior chain while still developing deadlift strength. Another application is farmer carries which makes it a very versatile strength tool.
The trap bar 1 comes in at 58lbs while the Trap bar 2 comes in at 60lb. The designs are also a good example of how Rogue handles customer feedback. The first generation of these trap bars was very heavy. This has been remedied in the second generation which you can purchase now. The sleeves come in at 1.91 diameters which means you can use all standard plates from Rogue with these speciality bars.
The difference between the trap bar 1 and trap bar 2 is that you get a pair of extra handles in the more expensive version. I leave this to personal preference. I always found that these extra handles were in the way and rather a hindrance than a help. However, I am 185cm high. If you have taller athletes you might want to get the bar which leaves your team/members with more options.
The production process of a Trap bar involves several welding steps. With Rogue, you can be sure that the production line knows what they are doing as Rogue has the volume of purchases and passion which is needed for a good welding job. You can also be sure that someone in America did the weld job. This can not always be said of other speciality bars in the market. It is unlikely that you will break a bar, However, if the weld is poor, someone will take away substantial injuries if it breaks mid lift.
Pros of the trap bar
Trap bar deadlifts a great addition to your training routine to get more deadlift volume in. You are putting less stress in your back as you would with the straight barbell. Especially if your gym has a lot of seasoned athletes consider a trap bar to have more options to address their needs. If you have lots of space in your home gym this is a good purchase to cover some of the more Strongman reölated exercises.
Cons of the trap bar
The trap bar takes a lot of space to store and train with. Most home gyms will not have the necessary space to do farmers walks and store it unless you actually own a farm. Many members in commercial gyms feel intimidated by the sheer size of a trap bar and it will just sit there and gather dust. Take a hard look at the use case as this is one of these toys which look good when you purchase it and than won't be used.#
Conclusion
The Rogue trap bars have a good finish and the new iteration has less weight to make it easier to use. Trap bars are a good addition to any powerlifting gym to get more volume in for the deadlift.
Overview and review of the squat bar
The Rogue squat bar is a 32mm long sleeved version of Rogue bars to maximize what you can squat. Here are the pros and cons.
The Rogue squat bar is a special design that focuses on squatting at $445. The main differences to regular bars are
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Bigger circumference 32mm
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Longer shaft
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Fully knurled
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Longer sleeves
This makes it a bar that is aimed at big, heavy squatters. It could also be interesting for some deadlift experiments as the elephant bar from the Arnold has not gone into mass production yet. The specifications of the bar are:
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Made in the USA
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Weight: 25 KG
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Diameter: 32mm
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Stainless Steel Shaft - 200,000 PSI
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Aggressive Knurl Pattern along full length of shaft + powerlifting and center knurl marks
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Bar Length: 94.488
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Distance Between Sleeves: 56"
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Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.795"
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Chrome Sleeves
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Bronze Bushings
Pros of the squat bar
The pros of the squat bar compared to other bars are in the name. The design features are inbuilt to maximize big squats.
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Longer sleeves
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Longer shaft
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Full knurling
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32mm
Longer sleeves will enable you to put more weight on the bar with rubber or steel plates. If you see Ray Williams squatting you can get an idea of why he might run out of space on the sleeves.
32mm stainless steel will keep the whip at bay. While you want whip in an Olympic barbell to make use of momentum to get the bar overhead, it is not a desirable feature in a squat bar. You want to minimize 1000 pounds taking a life on their own on your back.
The full knurling will provide more grip to your back. There are other bars out there with center knurls which does almost the same thing for you.
The longer shaft will make it less like for you to bump into the rack when oh are walking out very heavy weights. Depending on your setup this can be annoying. I injured myself twice because of twisting my upper body when walking out of a setup and touching off the j cups.
Cons of the squat bar
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No IPF / IWF approval
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Space requirements
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Limited use
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Price
If you are considering the squat bar because you want to break records, keep in mind that it is not approved for the IPF or IWF. You will still earn respect for posting the first 500kg raw squat, which this bar is basically built for, but it won’t count in these federations.
If you are setting up your home gym in a very crammed place, keep in mind that this bar will protrude even further to the sides. If you have already cut it very thing with the distance of your bar to the wall or another rack, the squat bar might just push it over the edge.
The squat bar is mainly limited to squats. As it has bushing and knurling all across the bar it might not be the best option for Olympic lifts, the bench press, and deadlifts.
For the price you are looking at you can get more versatile barbells for your home gym with a cooler design. If you are setting up your home gym the squat bar might not be the go-to option.
Alternatives to the squat bar
Alternatives to the squat bar are
The Rogue Chan bar is a good alternative for mere mortals who don’t squat 400kg. It is cheaper than the squat bar, has a poppier design and can also be used for Oly lifts. If I was to spend $400 on a starter barbell for my home gym it would be this one.
The duffalo bar is an interesting bar for people who squat 800 pounds plus on a regular basis. This bar has been invented at Kabuki strength which is headed by Chris Duffin. The design is aimed at relieving stress on the shoulder while bench pressing and squatting. This is a very interesting second bar to buy instead of the squat bar, even though it costs $200 more.
Summary for the squat bar
The squat bar is a great bar for someone who actually needs it. This would be people who squat more than 300kg on a regular basis. There are not that many of them around. I personally think for a second barbell in your home gym you are better off going with safety or duffalo bar.vs Squat bar