REP Health Colorado Bar Overview

Discovering a barbell that performs properly for powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, and normal energy coaching with out burning a deep gap in your pocket might be difficult. Fortunately, REP Health leveled up its barbell lineup in the summertime of 2023 with a high-quality mannequin that checks these bins (and plenty of extra): the Colorado Bar. Our Breaking Muscle group of licensed private trainers, CrossFit lovers, and energy and conditioning coaches completely examined this multi-purpose bar’s potential to deal with conventional powerlifting actions like squats and deadlifts, in addition to dynamic lifts like cleans and snatches.  

Sturdy, reliable, and numerous, the brand new flagship barbell from probably the most respected health gear producers delivers critical bang in your buck. On this REP Health Colorado Bar overview, we’ll dive deeper into what makes this mannequin the most effective values available on the market by breaking down its specs, highlighting its strengths, and seeing the way it stacks up in opposition to the competitors.

Key Takeaways

• The Colorado Bar checks in at an affordable worth level of $319.99 to $329.99 for the 20-kilogram (44-pound) mannequin. There’s additionally a 15-kilogram (33-pound) model that prices between $269.99 and $279.99.
• You’ve got two end choices with this barbell: a tough chrome shaft with chrome sleeves, or a Cerakote shaft with Duracoat sleeves. Plus, the Cerakote model provides you the liberty to flex your inventive muscle groups with 5 shade selections for the shaft.
• Whereas IPF knurl markings and a 1,500-pound weight capability give it an influence bar really feel, the inclusion of IWF knurl markings and the absence of a middle knurl additionally make the Colorado Bar well-suited for Olympic lifts. As well as, composite bushings make for an total quieter lifting expertise.

REP Health Colorado Bar Professionals

• The power to buy a Cerakote model of the Colorado Bar ought to attraction to residence health club house owners who prepare in a non-climate-controlled surroundings. As a result of such a shaft coating supplies superior safety from the weather than exhausting chrome, those that prepare open air or in humid garages will admire higher corrosion resistance courtesy of Cerakote.
• The Colorado Bar’s composite bushings not solely enable for a easy and regular spin but additionally give it a tighter tolerance. One other good thing about choosing composite over bronze bushings is much less noise when your weight plates hit the ground.
• Between its versatility and construct high quality, the Colorado bar can function the one barbell in your house health club. Should you don’t have an enormous funds for health club gear, you possibly can cowl a number of bases by investing in a multi-use bar that’s able to dealing with a variety of lifts.

REP Health Colorado Bar Cons

• An absence of aggressive knurling and a solid-but-not-elite tensile energy of 190,000 PSI make this barbell simply an okay alternative for powerlifters. In case your exercises primarily revolve across the squat, deadlift, and bench press, a specialty bar tailor-made to your coaching fashion could also be a wiser alternative.
• Paying north of $300 for a barbell produced outdoors of the USA may forestall some folks from going the Colorado route. There are American firms that provide comparable options at a extra tolerable worth level.
• Though Cerakote shaft coating affords higher corrosion resistance than exhausting chrome, it nonetheless falls wanting a stainless-steel end. Those that desire the high-end look and distinct knurling of a stainless-steel bar ought to cross on the Colorado barbell. Nevertheless, be ready to pay a premium for these benefits.

REP Health Colorado Bar Specs

REP Health Colorado Bar Score

From specialty bars designed for energy racks to Olympic barbells made for extra dynamic actions, the Breaking Muscle group has put varied barbells by the wringer to find out what separates the most effective from the remaining. Testing greater than 75 fashions utilizing a gauntlet of squats, cleans, presses, and different lifts, we developed a proprietary scoring system to rank them based mostly on a number of elements, resembling worth, knurling, versatility, and sturdiness.

Right here’s how the REP Colorado Bar scored throughout every class.

REP Health Colorado Bar In-Depth Overview

The Colorado Bar is probably not a real famous person at one activity, however its versatility is what makes it shine. With a number of end choices, high-quality construct supplies, and enough tensile energy for many lifters, we consider it’s an awesome choice for anybody who likes to modify up their kind of coaching. Most significantly, REP’s flagship barbell supplies glorious worth since it will possibly fulfill a number of duties.

Value and Worth

The value for the Colorado Bar varies relying on what measurement and end you favor. The 15-kilogram (33-pound) mannequin, which is greatest fitted to newbies, feminine lifters, and smaller athletes, begins at $269.99 for the exhausting chrome end. For $10 extra, you possibly can select a black or pink Cerakote shaft coating with Duracoat sleeves.

However, the bottom worth for the 20-kilogram Colorado Bar is $319.99. For a mixed-use barbell in a tough chrome end, the price falls about in step with the trade common. For instance, the Rogue Health Ohio Bar ranges between $275 to $415, relying on the end. Nevertheless, it might be price upping your funds a bit to get higher corrosion resistance and longevity. At $329.99, the Cerakote-finished Colorado Bar nonetheless brings loads of worth, particularly since you possibly can select between 5 shaft coating colours so as to add some inventive aptitude to your house health club setup.

Furthermore, you don’t have to stress about freight prices. As of this writing, REP Health affords free transport, which might prevent not less than $25. General, the Colorado bar packs a ton of customizable choices right into a well-priced piece of health club gear, making it our choose for the best budget barbell. We rated it 4 out of 5 stars for the worth.

Supply

Let’s simply say ordering a barbell on Amazon is usually a bit like enjoying with fireplace. After I ordered a budget-friendly one for my residence health club, the supply course of ended up being a significant dud, with a low-quality bar from a wholly totally different model than I had chosen arriving in broken packaging that left the endcaps uncovered. Evidently, that disappointing expertise left a bitter style in my mouth about having a barbell shipped to my entrance door.

Fortunately for our product testers, REP Health made positive the Colorado Bar arrived at our warehouse in Springfield, MO, with zero points. I used to be happy to listen to it suffered no harm throughout its journey. Effectively-packaged and well-protected, we gave REP 5 out of 5 stars for a easy, painless supply course of.

Development, Supplies, and Coating

With a 28.5-millimeter shaft, the 20-kilogram Colorado Bar comes near the 29-millimeter mark you’ll discover in most energy bars. A part of its attraction is that it has a shaft diameter that falls proper in between Olympic and powerlifting requirements.

REP provides you ample end choices with the Colorado Bar, together with Cerakote (which is available in black, blue, inexperienced, pink, or white) or exhausting chrome with exhausting chrome sleeves. Nevertheless, understand that chrome plating can scale back the longevity of a bar by 50 p.c, which isn’t excellent in the event you drop the bar quite a bit. Based mostly on our collective data about barbells and the particular metal every model makes use of, we’d estimate that the Colorado bar can final not less than 30 years in a house health club setting.

In the meantime, the Cerakote bars have a lifespan of greater than 50 years because of their F2-R ranking. In contrast to the F1-R-rated chrome model, they function Duracoat sleeves that present greater ranges of scratch and corrosion resistance by a chemical course of that hardens the skin of the metal to create a easy black end.

Talking of seamless, the Colorado Bar’s easy sleeves make loading and unloading your weight plates a breeze. Whereas I benefit from the effectivity of easy sleeves, different Breaking Muscle workers members like our Evaluations Editor Amanda Dvorak desire ribbed sleeves for the reason that plates keep in place higher even with out collars.

Mix that with an aesthetic endcap design that has the corporate brand, title, and weight of the bar laser-etched on the within of the sleeve, and you’ve got all of the makings of a premium bar at a non-premium worth. General, the Colorado scored 4.5 out of 5 stars for development.

Knurling

As a mixed-use bar, the Colorado comes with twin knurl markings for Worldwide Weightlifting Federation (IWF) and Worldwide Powerlifting Federation (IPF) specs. This makes it straightforward to determine the place to put your arms when bench urgent or performing different lifts, like snatches. On the similar time, the absence of a middle knurl permits you to comfortably carry out Olympic-style actions (like cleans) or high-volume overhead presses with out having to fret about scraping up your throat.

The knurling sample on the Colorado Bar isn’t fairly as aggressive as what you would possibly discover in an influence bar like REP’s Double Black Diamond Bar, which options deep mountain-style knurling that makes it excellent for deadlifting however not excellent for extra dynamic actions. As an alternative, REP went with a medium-depth, volcano-style knurling that also supplies satisfactory grip with out tearing up your arms throughout high-repetition coaching periods. For many athletes, volcano knurling works greatest, because it supplies 4 factors of contact on every marking, resulting in a superior grip and fewer slippage.

Creating enough friction with out being too abrasive, the Colorado Bar’s medium knurling sample scored 4.5 out of 5 stars on our grading scale.

Rotation System

REP actually paid consideration to the main points of the Colorado Bar’s rotation system. Fairly than following the trade commonplace of placing bronze bushings in a multi-purpose bar (like Rogue did with each the Ohio Bar and the extra economically priced Echo Bar), they went the additional mile through the use of composite bushings.

Moreover lasting longer than their bronze counterparts, composite bushings scale back the quantity of noise when dropping the bar whereas nonetheless offering good spin — one thing our product testers took observe of throughout their coaching periods with the Colorado. Plus, composite bushings additionally make for tighter tolerances, that means there’s much less wobble between the sleeve and the shaft. 

REP’s determination to make the Colorado Bar with bushings as a substitute of bearings caters on to followers of the large three lifts. Energy bars normally function bushings as a result of the sleeves spin extra slowly, which makes the barbell really feel extra balanced whereas performing deadlifts and bench presses. 

However, weightlifting bars sometimes use faster-spinning bearings that play a vital position when the barbell is shortly altering instructions throughout snatches and cleans. As well as, the superior spin price from bearings additionally helps scale back stress on the joints once you execute the “catch” portion of a clear or snatch. Nonetheless, most multi-purpose bars go away bearings behind for bushings for the reason that latter are extra versatile, quieter, and cheaper. 

Between a easy spin price, enhanced sturdiness, and a quieter lifting expertise, the Colorado Bar earned 4.5 out of 5 stars for its rotation system.

Versatility

Particularly designed to accommodate a wide range of exercise kinds, the Colorado Bar is the final word Swiss military knife. With a tensile energy ranking of 190,000 kilos per sq. inch (PSI), you possibly can confidently crush PRs with none issues. The truth is, the Colorado bar has the identical PSI ranking as rivals just like the TITAN Sequence Cerakote Olympic Barbell from Titan Health and the Rogue Ohio Bar.

Additionally able to getting used for non-powerlifting workouts like curls, overhead presses, and cleans, the Colorado Bar can deal with absolutely anything you throw its means. It might not outperform a specialty bar, however in the event you’re on the lookout for one barbell to rule all of them in your house health club, this all-around beast can actually stand as much as the duty.

All in all, we gave the Colorado Bar 5 out of 5 stars for versatility.

Sturdiness

As one in every of its newer fashions, the Colorado Bar has but to point out the way it can maintain up over time. However based mostly on the supplies and design, we’re assured it’ll proceed to carry out properly and look good for the lengthy haul.

That mentioned, the most secure route — not less than from a sturdiness standpoint — is to go together with the Cerakote model. Different barbells we’ve examined that function this end have lasted greater than six months with out rusting. Contemplating a lot of them are saved in non-temperature-controlled rooms, that speaks volumes concerning the degree of safety Cerakote supplies.

And in the event you’re nonetheless involved about longevity, REP stands behind its barbells with a lifetime guarantee (extra on that under). In the end, we rated the Colorado Bar 5 out of 5 stars for sturdiness.

Guarantee

All REP barbells include a lifetime guarantee. Nevertheless, the coverage solely covers manufacturing defects. So, in case your Colorado Bar will get broken as a consequence of negligent use (i.e., dropping it with iron weight plates loaded on it), you’re a bit out of luck. You’ll additionally run right into a roadblock in the event you retailer your barbell outdoors, as this can routinely void your guarantee. 

In comparison with different producers, REP Health doesn’t provide fairly the identical degree of protection. For instance, Rogue’s lifetime guarantee additionally contains bending that’s not as a consequence of defective use or abusive dropping of the bar.

So, despite the fact that the Colorado Bar features a lifetime guarantee, the defect-only disclaimer led to a rating of 4 out of 5 stars on this class.

REP Health Colorado Bar vs. Rogue Ohio Bar

It’s clear REP had one in every of its rivals in thoughts when developing with the Colorado Bar. Not solely is it named after the placement of the corporate’s headquarters similar to Rogue’s Ohio Bar, but it surely packs comparable options right into a similarly-priced product.

Regardless of minor variations in dimensions (the Colorado bar is 0.15 inches shorter with 0.3 fewer inches of loadable sleeve size), each bars have the identical shaft diameters (28.5 millimeters) and tensile energy ranking (190 KSI). Nevertheless, the Colorado Bar’s composite bushings give it a tighter tolerance and quieter sound than its competitor’s bronze bushings. Plus, our testers discovered it to have a bit extra aggressive knurling than the Ohio Bar.

However, Rogue affords a wider vary of end choices. The Ohio Bar is available in 5 totally different shaft coatings (black oxide, chrome steel, black zinc, E-coat, or Cerakote) and 4 totally different sleeve coatings (chrome, proprietary black matte, shiny zinc, or chrome steel). Consequently, the worth for this American-made barbell ranges from $295 to $465.

General, both bar will work properly along with your squat rack and may stand up to loads of pounding. REP could manufacture their merchandise in China, however they’ve established a rock-solid popularity for high quality within the health gear trade. In the end, although, in order for you a barbell produced within the USA that has a barely extra inclusive lifetime guarantee, Rogue’s Ohio Bar would be the option to go.

Rogue Fitness Ohio Bar

4.5

• Comes with a lifetime assure in opposition to bending
• Weighs 20 kilograms (about 44 kilos) and has a 28.5-millimeter diameter
• 16.4-inch loadable sleeve size
• Twin knurl rings and no middle knurl

Check Price

REP Health Colorado Bar Buyer Evaluations

There’s little doubt REP hit a house run by releasing the Colorado Bar in the course of the summer season of 2023. Inside only a few months, clients have discovered it to be a worthwhile funding for his or her residence gyms based mostly on the overwhelmingly constructive suggestions. With 4.9 stars based mostly on 75 critiques, lifters across the nation have fallen in love with the most recent addition to REP’s line of residence health club gear.

Moreover being impressed with the look and total end of the Colorado Bar, clients additionally admire the medium-aggressive knurling and easy spin price courtesy of the composite bushings. One person famous that the oil out of your fingers exhibits by on the black end, which can make going with one other shade a much less hectic various. 

Closing Verdict: Is the REP Health Colorado Bar Price It?

The REP Health Colorado Bar brings a premium really feel at a reasonably reasonably priced worth. Whereas there are actually cheaper choices accessible, residence health club lovers who worth versatility and a spotlight to element shouldn’t hesitate to tug the set off on REP’s new flagship barbell.

For lower than $330, you will get a high-quality, Cerakote-finished bar that’s designed to deal with nearly any kind of exercise, comes with a lifetime guarantee, and may anchor your storage health club setup all by itself. Though the Rogue Ohio Bar is actually a worthy contender as a consequence of its sturdiness, worth, and efficiency, you possibly can confidently name upon the Colorado Bar that will help you obtain your strength- and muscle-building targets.

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