We hate that Coop received the bar damaged like it was. We treat Coop like any other customer (no special treatment, so he gets the actual experience to review), and a new SSB is on the way to him. It has always been important for us to listen to our customers so that we can improve, and this is no different. We appreciate Coop's honest feedback and have worked with our US manufacturer to put extra measures in place to double-check the quality of these bars before they go out so that this doesn't happen again. If anyone has issues with their bar, please let us know, and we will make it right for you too.
Mine came to me perfect and I've been absolutely loving it, I have a lot of trouble doing a full depth squat with a straight bar, so using this makes squats feel completely different.
One would think that any piece being shipped to Coop would be triple checked for quality including by the CEO him or herself. Heck even if Coop has them shipped to Sam or whomever just flag anything going to Missouri.
No company is without their flaws. I think we should encourage more manufacturing in the United States for every company. It certainly looks like Titan is trying to move in the right direction the past couple of years. That's just my opinion of course.
That handle issue would really be a bite in my rear. Reminds me of Titans early days. What kind of inspector would let that ship? They need some sort of jig to assure that never happens when welding on the thread portion of the bar. I’m 100% red blooded but Titan version 2 with chrome sleeves is what I own and I would take it over painted black sleeves any day. To me sleeves with ribbing seem cheap, I prefer smooth when sliding plates on and off.
80% of my garage gym is Titan. I loved the interview you did with their CEO last year, I thought his responses were overall good. I like the direction the company is taking, and overall their mix of quality and value, in general, is exactly what I'm looking for. That said, this video is embarrassing for them. How the heck did they send out a janky bar to the largest equipment reviewers? How is it designed to not fit in standard j cup width? Was anybody paying attention beyond "AMERICA STEEL SUPPORT THE TROOPS"?
It's the bar Titan, REP, and all these other's are ripping their designs from. Dave Take developed that bar for 10 years to make it absolutely perfect before selling it.
This is the exact reason products started going overseas. Same or sometimes even better level of quality at a cheaper price. Titan just gave us the Ford Pinto of SSB. I’ll take the imported REP or Titan V2 over this.
My V2 has the handles welded on at slightly different angles, putting more pressure on one shoulder vs the other. Seems this new version likely has similar QC issues as well.
Just received the Titan Safety Squat bar and it arrived with chrome sleeves instead of black, and also did not come with the honeycomb grip. So two things advertised did not show up. I should clarify that the knurled grips it came with are going to be better and chrome sleeves with grooves are also better. I also dont love the width and I have to use squat stands though id love to have a rack for this. It looks like they're trying to make good adjustments and should likely update their website as these are beneficial updates.
Lmao. Hate to say it, but made in USA doesn’t hold the same weight as it used to. I have an expensive USA made bedroom furniture set from Basset that was advertised as being bench made by expert craftsmen, and while it’s nice that it’s all solid wood, you can tell it was put together pretty sloppily by screws in the back going into nothing and the drawers scraping in a couple spots. Actually had to send one especially sloppy piece back for replacement. Meanwhile, I have West Elm furniture that was made in China from cheaper materials, but was clearly put together with more care. Most workers in US factories are relatively low wage workers that don’t give a crap about their job and put minimal effort into their work.
We definitely don't put emphasis on trade school in the USA, so what you get are generally the people who didn't have the option to go to college. We should promote it as a solid option after high school for a lot of people. It hasn't been though, so it's tough to find well-trained, motivated people.
@@rjm8373 I feel like it’s the motivation that’s hard to come by. I help out with interviews for my employer sometimes, and I’m not usually too concerned with their skill level. If they seem highly motivated and enthusiastic about the job, then they can be trained to do a job well.
Hey Coop, have U done a review on the squatmax MD, I have not been able to find it. If U have done a review, do U remember the title of the video because I'm putting GGR and belt squat and I can't find it. Thnkx
I love the fact that Titan is bringing stuff to the USA. Hopefully more to come in the future. I think their Titan Series bars bells are Made in the USA as well.
I picked up a v2 in titans scratch and dent for around 220$! I already have an elitefts bar but I wanted an economy version for the school I teach at! I will say this after being through several ssb, the elitefts bar is still my favorite! It is a tank and it doesn’t look pretty anymore but it fits in every rack I’ve used it in! The titan fits at my school because I have a titan rack! And the rogue ssb just plain sucks! The handles on the titan are shorter as well! Overall the titan v2 is ok and it will get the job done for what I need it too but I am glad I fronted the money for the elite ssb! But once, cry once!
I've got two products from Titan. A dip horn and a plate-loaded pec deck. Both work great but the pec deck machine arrived with an obvious cosmetic ding. Not a scratch, but bent metal - it did not affect the performance or safety, but still... Quality control is an issue with Titan products. You can get some decent stuff pretty cheap, but it's a little bit of a dice roll with them.
I've got the titan ssb v2 and love it. I got mine 3 weeks ago and my pad was installed like this one. Maybe they are changing the assembly on the newer ones. I would never get the titan series but I would have gone with elite fts if the sleeves would work with non axle collars.
Really like that titan bar and it's made in the USA. Would be cool if you could just add those rep knurled handles to the titan. That new vinyl looks really good too that they are showcasing.
Anyone in Houston go to Bolt Fitness and check out their version. Less than $200, knurled handles, fits on a Rogue rack, rotating sleeves, doesn’t fall off your shoulders even with no plates on it. Only drawback potentially is that the pads are smaller, but it still feels very comfortable in use.
If I can go slightly off topic here, I'd like one day to see Coop make a video about Ivanko barbells in general. I've discovered something strange: Ivanko barbells are the bars that garner the most polarizing opinions ever. I mean, consider Rogue bars. Some people love them, others don't, but they still think they're decent. So the opinions out there on Rogue bars are not *that* dissimilar from each other. Not so with Ivanko barbells. With these, you have opinions going from one extreme of the spectrum to the other one. How could it be? For instance, the gym equipment reviewer at TwoRepCave says that "Ivanko doesn’t sell anything that’s junk." Sounds like a positive comment. The gym equipment reviewer at Garage-Gyms (he sometimes gets mixed up with Coop, LOL!) is even more appreciative: "No other company more thoroughly tests their bars than Ivanko. Each and every premium bar is tested for defects in the steel with no less than three separate tests: x-ray, mag, and ultra-sonic. Ivanko barbells are also straightness tested to ensure that no deviation greater than 0.006/ft over the length of the bar exists. Good luck finding an Ivanko defect!" "Part of what makes Ivanko bars so expensive is that they put each and every bar through a number of tests before shipping them out. They go through a mag test, an ultra-sonic test, and a straigthness test. They do this to ensure that each barbell leaves the factory without a single imperfection." They seem like two competent people looking at their websites, so it would seem safe to say that Ivanko barbells are at least good, perhaps more than that. but then you have big wigs at the Starting Strength message board who are going in the opposite direction, literally trashing Ivanko barbells. Here’s Mark Rippetoe: "The knurling on an Ivanko bar keeps me from recommending it. It’s badly-enough designed to make the bar useless for pulls." Here’s Jordan Feigenbaum chiming in: "The markings make Ivanko barbells less than useless, for example the center spacing is off, and they bend pretty easily too. Evidence? Six bent Ivanko competition bars are floating around where I train right now. Absolutely 100% stay away from Ivanko bars. They are not worth it: for 600 bucks, you’re in premium bar market and the Eleiko, though more expensive, crushes the Ivanko in every way." And here’s Robert Santana venting a similar viewpoint: "My gym has all Ivanko bars and the markings are fucked up. When I first started benching heavy at that gym, something felt off and eventually I ended up missing on weights I can typically manage. So I went back to my previous gym, measure the damned markings, then go and figure out where I needed to be on the Ivanko bars. Needless to say those confusing ass markings caused me to grip too narrow." I don't think the Starting Strength top dogs are ignorant when it comes to barbells. I don't know what to think. How come Ivanko barbells elicit such variety of very different opinions? Coop should tell us his opinion.
I wish there where more local shops for these products. I hate paying for shipping when I return something. And it's just easier to return something in person
Hello Coop For a new home gym what would be better to get, Bumper or Steel plates? I plan on doing the 5x5 routine because I'm new and I'm trying to figure out what kind of plates to get. Any help would be great!
get the nicest steel plates you can afford. bumpers are overpriced and don't do anything but take up too much space on the sleeves of your bars/equipment. Make sure the diameter of the 45's are at least 17.5 inches, 17.78 is preferable.
I had the ssb v2 when it was priced at $220 back in 2020. I think the current price is very expensive for both titans. I wouldn't mind trying out the rep ssb though, it would be an upgrade for me.
The logo faces away from the human on mine as the weight hangs best this way. It is not good to try to squat from the other side of the bar and you can easily figure this out. The pads will be pointed away from you as you get under the bar. You can also flip the vinyl around if you want to see the logo facing you.
The attaching part alone was enough for me to not consider buying this bar. There is no excuse for such a bad fit of the sleeves or the handles, you should definitely get a refund. Detachable handles itself are nice though, the bent bar should be ideal for bench presses or rows with larger range of motion. Not being able to remove the pads (?) would be bad though.
No. REP made sure the handles wouldn't fit on any other bar. You can buy knurled handles that will fit the SS Yoke and Titan bars from other companies, though. baresteelequipment.com/products/ssb-handle-extensions
Major quality issues. Doesn't fit in the jcups. Sleeves look like they are scratching already after their first use. I would never buy this. Doesn't matter where it's made if it's made like trash.
WTF...They really drop the ball on this one. I don't understand how hard is to do quality control on your products with some sense of Pride for your company.
Meh, if I didn't already have the Elite SSB, I would definitely pickup the Rep. Titan is throwing crap at the wall and really failing to innovate like Rep and others.
REP isn't innovating. Their SSB is ripped from EliteFTS. Their new open trap bar is ripped from Eleiko. Their racks are basically ripped from Rogue. All they do is copy.
*He got a brand new bar with a sleeve that doesn't fit to the point it had to be beaten on with a hammer and a wonky handle that screws in at a 90 degree angle and he's out here making excuses for it or just straight up ignoring them lol*
Watching while in my powertec lever gym bench and so thankful I don't have buy bars, safety bars, squat bars , trap bars etc etc ever again or store them and saving $$$$. Thanks powertec.
There is no way this bar competes with the Elite FTS SS Yoke bar - Listen people buy the Elite FTS Bar. No way that Titan or Rep compares- Signed Strength coach for 24 years
Selling my brand new, unopened, and still in shippin, titan ssb, the same one in this video. I am around the LA area and already ready to sell it becuase it doesnt fit in a REGULAR rack. Check out offerup for the deal.
Factually your statement is just incorrect; the bars shaft is welded solid and not being "held together" by a bolt. Secondly, the Marrs Bar (one of the most expensive SSB style bars there is) has the same sleeve system. Since these sleeves don't rotate, there aren't major downsides to the hex screw design and making these things ship out for so much less makes them more financially accessible. Sleeves being attached via a hex is in no way indicative of quality or price point.
Ill be keeping my titan ssb v2. Handles are straight and collars are solid. Love made in america but this bar is a joke. Maybe made in america with cheap labor.
I think it’s a sham, coop. You’re paying more for “made in the USA” but the money is going to the same company that has 99 percent imported products. Beyond that, I think this SSB is no better or maybe worse than the V2 from what you’ve shown here. I don’t think “made in the USA” holds the same weight that it used to. Some of the best products I own are imported: REP fully knurled dumbbells, REP AB5100 bench, titan v2 ssb, inspire FPC-1 rack.. with that being said, I own a few products that are made in the USA which are very solid. MARRS bar, ohio power bar, rogue trap bar.. I think the bottom line is that we should look at the actual quality of the product instead of obsessing over where it’s made. And I understand the argument of supporting American jobs, etc.. can anyone else chime in with relevant thoughts?
Made in the USA means, the money is going to american workers, the logistics it going to Americans. Most things are funneling money into companies that are global meaning everything from the computers these companies buy to non essential items are made in china or some other country. Not one single company can be run by using American made products alone. The world is global but buy spending money on American made products you are in fact supporting the american families and the american economy. That being said, this bar seems like an American made product with china like quality and little to no quality control. I would not buy it personally
If unemployment is at record lows, why do we care so much about subsidizing a job that can be done elsewhere just as good (or better judging by this review) for less money? I'd rather take the money I save and spend it at my local businesses that need the support versus a company subsidizing a factory job that's being done somewhere else for less. We need to compete and win on a global playing field doing work that we can actually do better than other countries' workers. Some industries need support for national security reasons (like chips and medical supplies) but it sure as heck isn't gym equipment manufacturing.
I think it's hilarious when people complain about China. If you don't want China products then you have to complain to your legislators and not companies. No matter where you at on a corporate political party that you praise and worship, they're making money by investing and divesting in China and other countries. Rhetoric used to divide people come from the same hypocrites and when you fall in line like sheep then you are the problem. The people actually making products from China are just normal people trying to make a living by working in the system their Oligarchs have created just like we do the same in the system our Oligarchs have created. I'm sure they get some crappy American products like I were healthcare system..... Oh my bad they have healthcare, okay how about I will vehicles
You don’t have to complain to anyone about where products are made. Vote with your dollars. If no one buys Chinese products, they won’t be imported anymore.
