TITAN hex bar vs Rogue IWF women bar [Article, Video]

This is a comparison between the TITAN hex bar and the Rogue IWF women 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 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.