TITAN EZ Load hex bar vs Rogue IWF olympic bar [Article, Video]

This is a comparison between the TITAN EZ load hex bar and the Rogue IWF olympic bar. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the IWF Olympic women bar

Rogue updated their line up in 2019 with several IWF standard products so you can run weightlifting competitions. Here are the pros and cons.

The IWF Olympic women barbell is the IWF approved women bar from Rogue. The main differences to the men’s bar are the weight, the diameter and the price of $525. This bar meets the standards to be used by Olympians. I n addition rogue added a design with Cerakote which makes it one of the first barbells with IPF approval which is just not plain steel. The specifications of the bar are:

Made in Columbus, OH, USA with US and EU Steel
Women’s Bearing Bar (International Weightlifting Federation standards)
Bar Weight: 15KG
Shaft Diameter: 25MM
215,000 PSI Tensile Strength EU Steel
Olympic Knurl Marks (no center knurl)
Bar Length: 79.14"
Distance Between Sleeves: 51.50"
Loadable Sleeve Length: 12.50"
Black Cerakote Color Finish w/ Chrome Sleeves
Official IWF branding on center of shaft and endcaps

If you always wanted some an Olympic barbell with some extra design this one is for you.

Pros of the Cerakote IWF women bar

The pros of the Cerakote IWF bar are:

IWF approval
Price
Design

The Cerakote women bar is one of the few bars of Rogue which Cary the prestigious IWF approval. This means that it is build to the highest demands which live up to the bar being used by Olympians. The IWF has the strongest demands on sticking to their specifications with a minimum margin for error to keep competitions fair and comparable. Compared to Eleiko bars the Rogue bar is comparatively cheap to achieve the same goal.

Cons of the IWF Cerakote bar

The cons of the IWF Cerakote bar are:

Cerakote coating
Cost
Design

The Cerakote coating is not an ideal combination with steel plates. These bars also do not will with metal rack pins. Cerakote tends to scratch a lot faster than stainless steel on metal to metal contacts.

The cost of the Cerakote IWF women bar is considerable when you combine it to the lower Rogue ranges. If you are looking for an all-purpose bar for your home gym or CrossFit bis you can get more bars for the same money.

If you don’t look at this design it works against rather than for this bar. In commercial settings, you might also want to keel the colors and the design more neutral based on the clientele you would like to attract.

Alternatives to the IWF Cerakote bar

The alternatives to the IWF Cerakote bar are:

The Rogue Ohio bar is the workhorse option from Rogue. This is the all-purpose bar from where the entire Rogue production line started. A solid bet at a reasonable price.

The Rogue Pyrros bar has been finalized by Rogue and the finest Olympic weightlifter of all time to produce the finest Olympic weightlifting bar there is. If you want the household name of the Greek lifting god in your home or gym, this is the bar to go for.

The Rogue Thor bar is another option for someone who wants more than a plain design but leans more towards powerlifting. The Thor bar sleeves are longer and can there fit more plates.

Summary for the IWF Cerakote barbell

If you like the design over stainless steel for an IWF approved barbell this is the way to go. If you are looking for a CrossFit bar save yourself $200 and get the Rogue Ohio barbell.

Overview and review of the TITAN EZ Load Hex bar

The Titan EZ load hex bar will put you back about $150. TITAN is well known for their very good prices compared to their competition and will get you started on your home gym. This review was originally posted in “which barbell to get from TITAN”.

Overview of the EZ load hex bar

The EZ load hex bar is a great tool for experienced athletes who want to train their grip or rehab patients who want to get into the deadlift to reap its benefits. The EZ bar is raised from the floor which makes it easier to load plates. You stand inside the frame to lift the weight which makes it less taxing on your back. The features and specifics are:

EZ hex bar details:

raised plate holders for easy loading
2" Tubing for EZ Load Hex Bar Frame
3 different grip diameters, 1", 1.5", and 2" Just rotate to change grips!
Knurled Handles.
10" of loadable sleeve length
Fits 2" Olympic Plates.
Weight plates holders at 10" off the ground.
Weight: 54 LB
Length: 66.33"
Width: 30.9"
Height: 10"
Sleeve length: 10"

A great bar to experiment and develop different types of strength.

Pros of the EZ hex bar

The EZ hex bar is an innovative concept you do not find in every gym. Different options to train your grip can be especially interesting for Strongman athletes. Additionally, also the easy load option, as they usually have to get a lot of plates on their bar. Beginners will struggle less and still get the benefits of a hex bar.

Cons of the EZ hex bar

There are moving parts which means that it is more prone to break after heavy use. This means gym environments with 100s of reps a day by inexperienced lifters or very, very big guys and ladies. As TITAN is known for shortcuts on their welding and finish this is something to be mindful about with this item.

Alternatives to the TITAN EZ hex bar

The Titan hex bar would be an option with fewer moving parts which makes it more robust and less prone to quality issues.

The Rogue trap bar would be an alternative which costs more and has no options for different grips. In return, the finish of Rogue is usually more consistent in quality.

If you want an easy to load trap bar with an inbuilt jacking system and different grips go for the Trap bar from Kabuki strength. This will be top-notch engineering which comes with a price tag to reflect the craftsmanship going into this bar.

Summary for the EZ hex bar

A great addition for your arsenal, but probably get a normal hex bar first.