Intro
This Rackable Curl Bar from Rep Fitness is a beautiful piece of equipment, and it can be used more than just curls. The overall experience is much smoother with the ability to rack. With a rackable curl bar, loading weights is much easier, and it makes certain lifts like skull crushers, overhead press, and a close grip bench more comfortable. It’s unlikely that you’ll have a preacher curl laying around, and racking weight from the floor is not ideal, so it’s helpful to be able to have the ability to do this.
This Rackable Curl Bar is one of the premium curl bars available on the market today.
Let’s talk about it.
Key Specs include:
- The diameter of the bar is 30mm, which is 1mm larger than most power bars. It also includes a lighter knurl that feels similar to a standard multi-purpose barbell. The knurl is in the primary spots necessary, grippy, and feels solid in the hands. It may be beneficial to have some knurl added just on the outside for wider grip movements.
- It weighs 35 pounds, the length is 74″ and loadable sleeve lengths are 10″, which is enough room for quite a bit of weight. The distance between sleeves is 53.”
- The finish on this curl bar comes in either stainless steel or hard chrome. Why Hard Chrome? Because some of us are on a budget. There is a $100 difference between this option and the Stainless Steel one. The barbell shown in these pictures is the hard chrome option. In about 2 years, only a few spots of rust have formed.
- One needle bearing and bushing are included on each sleeve, which allows the bar to rotate easily. The overall rotation on the bar is smooth, and it does reduce some strain on your wrists.
- The angles are easy on the joints for multiple exercises.
Vs. Titan Rackable Curl Bar
Titan Fitness offers a more budget-friendly rackable curl bar ($40 cheaper + Free Shipping). It is a nice option, but the Titan version is not quite in the same class as this version from REP. The grip diameter, the distance between sleeves, and overall length are a bit smaller. There is also some “rattle” around the sleeves, which you don’t find on the REP option. The price variation between these two curl bars is valid, and the “overall value” seems about the same.
Conclusion
For home gym owners, it’s okay to curl in the squat rack because you are not taking up one of the precious spaces for others to actually squat. With so many benefits, this is an ideal upgrade for many, and is worth saving up rather than purchasing a traditional EZ curl bar that cannot be racked. This Rackable Curl Bar checks just about all of the boxes. It includes premium finish options, has a solid knurl, angles that are easy on the joints, has a smooth spin, and can be racked.
