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TITAN Multi grip Camber bar vs Rogue Castro bar [Article, Video]

Posted by Pascal Landshoeft

Jul 8, 2020 9:00:00 AM

TITAN Multi grip Camber bar vs Rogue Castro bar [Article, Video]

This is a comparison between the the TITAN Multi grip Camber and the Rogue castro bar. Follow the links for more details.

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Overview and review of the Rogue Castro bar [Article, Video]

This is an overview of the Rogue Castro bar which is made of bare steel and therefore very cost efficient. This article was originally oublished under "Which Rogue barbell to buy". Follow the links to learn more.

 

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Price 275$

 

Overview

 

The Castro bar is a bare steel bar which comes closest to what you find in most commercial gyms. This is the lowest price tag you can get from Rogue for a full barbell. This makes it a good fit for anyone on a budget who has to buy a lot of barbells or expects them to be stored outside/transported often. For those scenarios, it is a waste of money to get anything that it pretty or elaborate in function.

 

The Castro bar weighs 20kg and comes in at 28.5mm diameter. It can take up to 190K PSI tensile strength with a good whip. The knurling is standard and the sleeves are attached via bushing. The loadable sleeve length is 16.50. Based on this it is the lowest priced multi-purpose bar available from rogue. Other bars are either special use or designed for children.

 

The Castro bar is the option to go for if you want to go spend as little as possible while still maximising the training options. If your gym/facility can also live with the fact, that these bars might look quite beaten up pretty fast, even better. 

 

Pros of the Castro bar

 

The ultimate reason for the Castro bar are the costs. You still get a Rogue bar which is made in the United States at relatively low prices. The bar still goes through the same basic quality checks and holds a warranty. There are other vendors out there who might send you a bar with a lower price tag. Think twice whether you will get the same customer service, warranty and quality checks which only slightly retails over the cost of the raw materials, never mind the labour. 

 

Cons of the Castro bar

 

A big con of the Castro bar is the bare steel. This finish is likely to show corrosion and use. This means you will need to take more care of it and maintain it more often. If you already have the labour and the necessary equipment to clean bare steel, you might even turn this into a plus. If you want to drill discipline into a bunch of new recruits you might get in a barbell cleaning session once a month on top of the other equipment maintenance you do. 

 

Learn more about the specs of the Rogue Castro bar and purchase on the Rogue website

 

Overview and review of the TITAN Multi-grip Camber bar

The Titan multi grip camber 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 TITAN Multi-grip Camber bar

 
A camber bar is a great option to bring your bench press to the next level. It is especially interesting when you have been training for years and have wrist pain or if you want to follow the west side method. The camber bar will enable you to use different variations of hand positioning easily on the bench press to let you work the chest muscles from different angles. This technique is often used by experienced powerlifters and strongman to either push through plateaus or to make sure that they can tackle the same weight from various leverage points. The features and specifics of the TITAN Camber bar are:
 
Camber bar details:
  • 2" Camber for greater range of motion
  • Multiple grips points to target different muscle groups
  • Knurling for a secure grip
  • black powder coat
  • Fits Olympic weight plates
  • Overall Width: 82"
  • Sleeve to Sleeve: 54"
  • Sleeve Length: 13.75"
  • Sleeve Diameter: 49.55 mm | 1.95"
  • Grip Width's: 10" / 20" / 28.5"
  • Grip Diameter: 1.25"
  • Weight: 47 LB
This is a good addition to the existing barbell line up in a commercial gym or as a additional bar for the experienced lifter at home.
 

Pros of the Multi-grip camber bar

 
This is a good tool to throw something new at your constant gym class members in your commercial gym. Experienced lifters might appreciate giving their shoulders a break from the straight bar bench press which can be taxing on the shoulder joints, especially at very high weights. Strongman competitors will see the benefit of variety in grip set up to be prepared for unforeseen bench press variations in competition. 
 

Cons of the Multi-grip camber bar

 
The camber bar is probably not the best idea for beginners as they are confused enough to find the right setup for themselves on a straight barbell. Knuckle down on this one first. The benefits will also be marginal for beginners who are just starting out and can also be achieved with EZ bars and other equipment which is readily available in most commercial gyms. As with the Safety and log bar, the camber bar needs a lot of welds to be finished. Unfortunately, this is an area where TITAN has been reported more than once to be behind the competition when it comes to the finish of their product. Your equipment will still be functional, but more prone to wear and tear and look less aesthetically pleasing. 
 

Alternatives to the Multi-grip camber bar

 
 
If you want to mix things up a little for the bench press you can also use a log bar. This will make the weight feel different and also put less strain on the wrists than a straight bar. 
 
The Bison bar has a slight curve but is still very similar to a straight bar. This bar can be used for squats and bench presses to put less stress on the wrists or the back. 
 
The Rogue Multi-grip bar is a higher-priced alternative to the multi-grip camber bar from TITAN. Ordering from Rogue makes it less likely that the welds and finish will be of inferior quality, but you will pay a price for this security. This is based on averages, you can still be lucky or unlucky with your purchase from either vendor.
 

Summary for the multi-grip camber bar

 
A nice gift for a special occasion or someone who already has a gym. A great addition for a commercial gym to differentiate themselves from the rest of the pack. Not necessarily your first buy. 

Topics: TITAN