I don't love an overly aggressive knurl. So was looking at the regular diamond bar. But if I'm going cerakote, should I go double diamond because the cerakote lessens the knurl?
Dare I say I enjoy your reviews more than GGR these days? Thought this review and your reviews of the new rep benches were more thorough and in depth and actually answered all my burning questions.
Ever since Coop sold to a huge company for God knows how much money, their content has gone downhill. Not only do I not trust what he says anymore, but there are much more honest folks doing reviews now... Like Gluck
I am glad I found Gluck's channel. GGR is trying too hard with the RU-vid influencer vibe and I don't know if I care for his recommendations these days. Ordered the REP AB-5200 2.0 based on Gluck's review. Solid. Just ordered a PR-4000 and fringe sports bumper's based on his videos. Watching the barbell videos now for a recommendation. Thanks Gluck!
I picked up the fully stainless double diamond on pre-order. A couple weeks ago they called me to let me know there was an issue in manufacturing and that my bar had a step skipped that would mean the stainless nature would actually stain and corrode. To reps credit they offered me a 3 super fair remedies. Ultimately I asked them to just ship me a correctly manufactured replacement when they had it in. I have to say I appreciate the proactive nature of them addressing the problem.
Same phone call here. But I went with the cerakote version as my replacement. Even with 2 bars for the price of 1 I still regret not going with the Rogue Ohio Power Bar. Seriously how can they ship a flagship product out without proper QC. I appreciate their effort to make it right, but there is really no excuse for that level of incompetance.
@@operationtruth288 And Rogue uses USA, and still has a rust issue in their latest SS Ohio Bar reviews. I think people give a pass to shit like that with USA-made products, and blame China whenever a similar problem happens to an importer. Look at Titan's USA bars--all crap. The people doing the design and overseeing production matter more than who presses the buttons on the machines and loads the boxes.
I have the black double diamond full stainless. I frickin' love the bar. Once I tried it at Home Gym Con, I knew it was the bar for me, and was the first real big boy bar I bought.
The knurling evolution was awesome. Also, note that now rogue is work hardening their stainless power bars to f10, up from f2. This was first in the hybrid power bar and checked the site the other day and they are all f10 now it seems. Huge win. The unicorn though is a aggro 2X with no cerakote and the hybrid power bars tolerance technology.
How does the Double Black Diamond knurl compare to the old Deep Knurl EX? Do you have that bar to compare? I really wish Rogue would offer a smooth sleeve option on their bars.
Would be cool if you could get info on what kind of SS different companies use. I think REP(and most others) used to do 17-4 for shaft and 304 for sleeves. But maybe REP is using something new now? And i believe AB also use a different grade.
I still love my 28.5 TPB! But I’d love to see you compare the 29 TPB to the bars and the Texas Deadlift Bar to the Hades, Texas Squat Bar to the Helios, etc.
I'll work the TPB into the others when it makes sense but power bar vids aren't very popular atm so I'm not sure we'll see a dedicated video. I think I'll do Rep's Rogue's, and Texas DL bar in one comparison vid.
So a bar that is very comparably built and cheaper is seemingly disappointing (based on the tone of the last few seconds of the review) because it isn’t even cheaper? I get the whole desire to support US made but at some point, one has to accept that quality is quality regardless of origin, IMHO. I’m rooting for all the disruptors in the space, regardless of origin of manufacturing, because competition is good for the space. I’ve had my home gym for well over a decade and the pace of which the space has been innovating in the last 2-3 years since the pandemic is *light years* ahead of what it was when Rogue was arguably the only big player in the space and generally able to rest on their laurels (companies like Prime or Sorinex not withstanding, they’re just generally a whole different ball game). Bring it on REP, Bells of Steel, Mutant Metals, Bulletproof Fitness, etc. etc., it’s exciting to see what comes into the space- even if it’s at the expense of my wallet.
I'm rooting for innovation, quality improvements, competition, and the community to move forward in every aspect but the truth is it doesn't cost nearly as much to manufacture overseas hence the pointing out of the prices being very similar. If everything else is similar I'm going American and a proven barbell manufacturing history vs imported and unproven.
I'm glad someone else noticed this. You would never go onto a MotroTrend or Car & Driver site and have them compare a Ford Mustang and a BMW 4-series, say the 4-series is the better vehicle and cheaper, but then don't buy the BMW because it's a German company or manufactured in Germany. I think Coop and Rogue are tilting the scales for all of the other reviewers and they feel like they have to bring it up and put a lot of weight on it.
@@rjm656 If you watched the video, you would have noted that he said the bars were comparable. Yet Rep achieved little cost savings to pass along to the consumer by using foreign manufacturing. If saving $20 on a comparable product is that important to you, then you may proceed with your choice. Just don't act like there's some conspiracy among reviewers to trick you... The concept of weighting American vs, Chinese manufacturing is easily understandable. Very simple.
@@tbone3291 I agree, I understand the concept. It’s just never done in almost any other legitimate publication comparing products as I pointed out. No one in the rest of the world cares about USA manufacturing besides a minority of people in the USA.
Pretty much what I expected when they announced, wish it were like, $80-100 off a Ohio power bar because I was interested in picking up a stainless steel power bar soon but at only $50 less it’s hard not to justify the extra $50 for something proven and American made. Heck if you compare chrome sleeve options it’s only $30 different.
I went and bought the Helios Squat Bar on a drunken whim one night, and I'm glad I did! I was so impressed, I ended up getting the Hades deadlift bar and a Double Black Diamond bar.
Hmm I'm kind of new to the home gym thing and I bought the cheapest bar i could find from Frey Fitness for $110 on sale and I have 0 complaints about it. Sure the sleeves have some slack but I couldn't care less. Nothing i saw on these bars in your video makes me think they're worth $200 more than what I have. Don't mean to come off as a negative Nancy though. I love your videos and would watch just for your sense of humor and the clips of Wynnie don't hurt either lol
It's probably hard to tell without seeing one. The quality difference at the ~$100 level to this is very different. Once you get around $300 they start to be pretty similar (ignoring finishes) until you break through to the higher tiers.
I’m wondering how Rep can justify for the pricing for their new barbell lineup considering they are made overseas. Their pricing before made them much more appealing compared to Rogue and American Barbell
Not sure what the prices were like when this video was originally posted, but at today's pricing there is a significant savings with Rep over Rogue (at least with the SS bars). Comparing the OPB and DBD, we have $415 vs $350 (SS w/chrome sleeves), and $485 vs $400 (all SS). I'd say this is a pretty good amount of savings, especially if you're going all SS.
@@Syntakk the prices were accurate as of filming. Rep's prices were much higher and Rogue pressured them and Rep had to drop their prices. As consumers we win but it does make me wonder how inflated Rep's prices were beforehand.
When U first showed these bars I mistakenly thought the Black Diamond's price was actually what the stainless steel version was so I thought REP jumped their barbell prices way up and Yes I am now humbled and see that I was wrong about the price list . REP has been my favorite company and they remain that way. Great Job Bud
REP is putting out some nice barbells for sure. That said, my money goes to the made in USA rogue gear. Case in point, the new Hades deadlift bar, looks great but sorry, I bought the ODB and have zero second thoughts. I would have considered the Hades, but only at a minimum 100$ discount over the Rogue.
Man, loved the knurl macro shot all side by side. You can tell yoir rogue OPB gets the most use, all the volcano tips are filled with chalk. Or maybe some other white substance that is difficult to remove once dried... hmmm...
Love how thorough you are! So I can't speak to Rep's bars, but I was curious what you think of Kabuki's power bars. I think they just started to offer free shipping so the effective price has come down a tad? By the way, I do agree that Cerakote does dull the feel of the knurl a little, but for me, it's a nice trade-off for nicer aesthetics.
I'll be interested to see how rep's bars hold up long term (esp the SS) since their last ones had some rusting issues. If you want top dollar, you gotta provide top value.
It isn't top dollar though, but is near top value. The rust issues have been fixed since they improved the grade of stainless steel that they use, and they took out all the bars that still used the old grade.
@@brianhopkins5251 that just comes down to grade of steel. Now that rep has upgraded to a higher grade, it will perform the same as an equivalent North American grade of stainless steel. The Chineseum issue only pops up when steel is ungraded or untested.
My rogue OPB black sleeves didn't stay black long also. I might get the chewy bar next. That looks so incredibly well built. I'd love a power bar competition review.
I totally get not preferring the tpb knurl. Ive got a rogue opb and the original tpb. I prefer the tpb because i like the bite it gives but the rest of my family refuses to use it and uses the rogue instead because it hurts less.
Thanks for the review! Super helpful! Quick question: the only bar I have from REP right now is the Open Trap Bar (bought thanks to your review) - how does the knurl on that fall in the range of bars you have here, or even compared to the DBD?
I only have Rogue bars (both from the boneyard) but REP is doing awesome with their continues innovation. Also I think your bench collection is starting to get jealous of your bar collection haha.
Props to you for posting a video showing your lifting face.. lol. The face I make when going heavy ain't pretty.. 😅. Looking forward to the Colorado bar review.
If you have to choose the GRIPPIEST stainless bar for double overhand chaulkless heavy deadlifts, which bar are you choosing? If it's the hybrid, what 29 mm would you then choose.
I have the Rep stainless steel deep knurl bar, used it as my daily driver for the last 3 years no complaints. How does the knurling on the double black diamond compare? When I bought this bar it was getting rave reviews compared to the Ohio power bar.
Thanks for the Video!!! I am between REP’s Colorado bar and the double black diamond bar. I plan on lifting the big three but I want to flexibility to do some Olympic lifts. If I choose the Colorado bar am I really missing out on any major benefits from the big three that the black diamond would give me?
How’s the double black diamond compare to the Rogue Aggro bar? I’ve had an 2x aggro bar for about a year now and really love it but I want a second bar to add to my gym and am not sure if I should just buy a second rogue bar or try something different.
The aggro 2x is just an Ohio Power bar w/a more aggressive knurl. It's the same knurl as the Hybrid bar but the Hybrid has much tighter tolerances. The DBD knurl is sharper but finer than the Aggro 2x but they're admittedly pretty close in grip. You can probably watch this vid, our OPB review, and the Hybrid and kinda figure all the details out but Rep's DBD and the OPB are similar quality when it comes down to it so it just depends what knurling you're looking for.
How’s this one compare to the previous model though? Only knurl as that what I care about most. Is the DBD not as aggressive as the power bar EX? Thanks man
I bought one of the Rep stainless steel power bars when they were on clearance and I hate to say it, but the materials are not what I expected. It came with some rust and pitting, which I sanded off, but why did that happen? I noticed the stainless is kinda soft since it has dents from use after a couple weeks. If you really want to do a proper review, the metal hardness and strength should be tested in the same way automotive parts are tested. Just comparing stated stats really tells us very little. I have stainless steel revolvers that are forty years old that don’t rest or pit, so we aren’t getting the whole story.
That is a known issue with the older model. RU-vid is about balancing entertainment and information. If I get too technically and detailed people don't watch so there's got to be a balance. If you find someone more in depth and thorough lmk, I'll see what I can learn from them. We're always trying to improve. I beat the crap out of these bars and pieces of equipment so I can see what issues come up and if something does I mention it. That's why these aren't the first vids out and that affects video performance (almost always negatively)
@@GlucksGym I get it, but a hardness test kit costs less than $100 and could be done in less than a minute. I’m just saying there needs to be impartial measurement of claimed metallurgy.
Ok, here’s my big question. I just had a b-day, and my wonderful family pitched together to get me a $500 Rogue gift card because they know I want to build a home gym. Do I use it for a stainless Ohio Power Bar, and get Strength Co Plates? OR do I use the card to get a fair number of Rogue Deep Dish and a Rep DBD?
That's tough because you just mentioned some of my favorite plates and two really good bars... I'm not sure you can choose wrong. With the plates you just have to decide which aesthetic you like best. I love my DD and Wynie uses the SC plates. They're louder but man so those DD look cool and they're the easiest thing to handle because of the deep lip. The finish wears more but I kind of like the battle worn look. SC wears too, don't let anyone tell your otherwise but it's not as dramatic. With the bars they're pretty close. If you want a sharper knurling go with Rep but the SS won't be around for awhile as they sort out a QC issue.
@@GlucksGym I’m glad to hear you’re finding the choice tonight too🤣 I’m waiting until Black Friday to buy everything anyway, so I’ll have some time to ponder… I thibk it’s going to come out to most bang for buck seeing as how they’re all good quality. Thanks for the advice!
Check the Rogue boneyard. I'm very picky about the condition of my equipment, but the boneyard bars would be considered perfect from other manufacturers.
Id deff go with rep dbd or bd for the smooth sleeves. I find the sound of my dd plates going on and off thr opv sounds terrible. Groove sleeves only sound good putting bumpers on.i think it would be a game changer if rogue would offer smooth sleeves.
Habsu knurl is pretty passive for a PB while they're good bars I prefer this for the big 3. If you're in need of a competition style bar Hansu is pretty good
Just waiting for your video where you cut all the bars into pieces. “He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom.” Hey, Gandalf said it not me…
Yeah, that can potentially last you for years and years with proper care in a homeroom setting for multiple different exercises, so picking a solid one in a home gym is very important when factoring price, grip and training style.
@@path4061 A chunk of steel and cars are so vastly different in complexity lol. There's like a dozen different meaningful factors that distinguish the practicality of a car. There's like one meaningful difference in barbells: how much weight its rated for. How much do you squat where the stiffness of the bar makes a noticeable difference?
@@Laocoon283 Starts to make a difference as low as 315 when I'm still warming up. Weight rating doesn't tell the whole story. Knurling, stiffness, fit & finish on the sleeve to bar interface, amount of maintenance required. If a $150 difference is going to make or break your budget, then I guess I can't fault you for wanting the cheapest piece of steel you can find to workout with, the struggle is real out there.
@GlucksGym in a close door session with the subcommittee for Bars, Plates and Asscesories of Choice, reportatedly thanked members for the continued financing, stating 'I am too strong in these streets, I have so many bars I could support all the Spring Breaks in Florida and my bar tab would be cheap' When pressed for comment Chairwomen and COO of Glucks Gym, rolled her eyes so hard the chair of the subcommittee feared for her safety. More at Seven.
