TITAN hex bar vs Rogue chan bar [Article, Video]
This is a comparison between the TITAN hex bar and the Rogue chan bar. Follow the links for more details.
Rogue fitness vs TITAN fitness
Rogue Fitness is the current market leader when it comes to a functional home gym and commercial gym equipment. They have one of the widest portfolios including racks, barbells, benches, dumbbells, and apparel for the weekend warrior and dedicated athlete. The biggest downside of Rogue Fitness is their comparatively high prices to the competition.
TITAN Fitness is the clear cost leader when you want to build a home gym on a budget that is still similar to what Rogue offers in function, look, and feel. While you will save about half on the sticker price you will run a higher risk of inconsistencies in quality compared to a purchase from Rogue. The equipment will be safe but is more likely to have blemishes, quality issues with welds or that pieces will not easily fit into place. That makes TITAN a good option for a DIY enthusiast who does not mind tinkering with their equipment, but not the first choice to get the best equipment and treat yourself.
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$
What else to consider from Rogue
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.
Overview and review of the Hex trap bar
The Titan Hex trap bar will put you back about $200. 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 hex trap bar
A
hex trap bar is a great option to introduce beginners to the deadlift or to have a multi-purpose tool to do farmers walks. Lifting the weight from inside the frame while making it less strenuous on your lower back limiting injury risk. The specifications and features of the
hex trap bar are:
Bar details
-
Dual handle design
-
Raised set of handles stands 7.5" from the floor for a raised starting position when lifting.
-
Frame measure 49" across so you can easily rack the bar on your power rack safety system.
-
Solid 48mm weight posts for maximum capacity and long term durability. Tested at 810 LB over a 24 hours period.
-
Overall Length: 87.5"
-
Hexagon Frame Length: 49"
-
Handle Spread: 25"
-
Handle Diameter: 1.25"
-
Handle Length: 24.5"
-
Weight Post Length: 15.75"
-
Weight Post Diameter: 48 mm
-
Weight: 60 LB
Good tool when you have lower back problems or beginners.
Pros of the Hex bar
A
hex bar lets you develop about the same muscle groups as the straight bar for the deadlift with a lesser risk of lower back injuries. It can also be used for farmers walks in Strongman classes.
Cons of the Hex bar
Hex bars are usually hard to store and intimidating to beginners. Because of their higher weight and big frame beginners usually don’t like to set them up. Apart from the farmers walks and deadlifts the applications of the
hex bar are quite limited.
Alternatives to the hex bar
The Titan Atlas bar is a great option from TITAN to save money when you buy in bulk while still providing great service to your clients. The Atlas bar is the all-around workhorse out of the TITAN portfolio.
For only about $100 more you can get a yoke. Most people who consider a hex bar already own a barbell. You might as well consider a yoke as it gives you a lot more options for only slightly more money.
If you are already looking into strongman equipment, you might want to have a look at a log bar. These are great to develop overall body strength and have been a staple of strongman competitions for years.
Summary of the hex bar
The
hex bar is a great tool to get athletes used to the deadlift or lower injury risk for people who are not into powerlifting but want to reap the benefits of the deadlift.