Rep Fitness Single vs. Double Black Diamond Power Bar | Which To Buy?

[@jonb5331]

Great video it’s exactly what I was looking for. You got me 2nd guessing on getting the black bar now since I have ocd like you lol

[@jayberger7642]

Based on an earlier video, I bought the single black diamond in stainless steel and absolutely love it.

[@GymCrafter]

Awesome! It really is a fantastic bar, glad you like it!

[@Dubuajay]

How sharp is the knurling? The Stainless for the price has me almost buying it but don’t like sharp knurling.

[@GymCrafter]

@@Dubuajay black diamond is grippy, but I wouldn't call it sharp. For sure has some bit too it, especially in stainless. Double black diamond is straight up sharp. I don't have a single client who liked using it.

[@jayberger7642]

@@Dubuajay It is my first true power bar, first barbell was a multipurpose from american barbell. It is significantly more grippy than that but I agree its not too sharp.

[@anca1ag0n37]

Great timing as I’m actually looking at these two now!

[@locsmiths]

Ditto!

[@GymCrafter]

Awesome! Glad the video can hopefully help!

[@jasonmckinney3876]

Love these videos! Commenting for the algorithm :)

[@GymCrafter]

THanks!

[@carps_gym]

Timely video I had a bunch of people asking me this the other day ultimately boils down to preference

[@GymCrafter]

Yup. It's weird how people will fight for that more aggressive knurl, yet literally everyone I train hates that bar. I just sold it yesterday and the Chewy bar is sooo much better!

[@carps_gym]

@@GymCrafter I cwas gonna say if if you want to sell it, I might know a guy

[@TheKurtlocker]

I am actually prepping for my double black diamond review now

[@GymCrafter]

That's cool! I'm looking forward to it as we train so differently. I'm guessing you''ll like it more than I did (not that I didn't like it, but I'm just a huge fan of how AB does aggressive vs. this sharp stuff). What color did you get?

[@farmersgrip]

Thanks i think ya talked me into the stainless black diamond

[@GymCrafter]

Nice! Great bar, you'll enjoy it!

[@S.Critch]

Good advice! Good video! Complete agreement; regular knurl for most people, aggressive for hardcore lifters, no cerakote, go stainless. And might I add, bare steel bars are great too and don’t take that much effort to keep rust at bay, wipe down with oil every week or two. But I’d go stainless if there is a choice and if not bare steel. Listen to Tim! He is steering you straight!

[@GymCrafter]

THanks! I just got a bare steel bar from Bells of Steel and one of the things I'm looking forward to seeing is just how easily it corrodes (or maybe doesn't?)

[@S.Critch]

@@GymCrafterI wipe my bare steel bare down probably once a week for a minute with one of several 3-in-1 oily cloths and I corrosion, but leave it a few weeks in humid conditions probably going to start to rust. It takes effort, but very little effort to maintain. You and I are old enough to recall when bars didn’t come with coatings and coating and color options. I’ve bought a few bars with coatings (nickel) and I’m perpetually worried I’m going to damage the coating. Decided I’d rather go uncoated and not worry about blemishing the bar up. Love my bare steel and stainless steel bars better than any others.

[@GymCrafter]

@@S.Critch Yup! Bare steel was all there was (or painted, which was weird) for a very long time. I'm with you, SS is my preference for sure!

[@Mrwatson185]

Recently went to a commercial gym when out of town. I quickly realized what a quality barbell diva I have become lol. That and using those dinky barbell collar clips quickly made me miss my home gym! My biggest recommendation with barbells is buy the one you really want and it is the area where it is not worth it to go budget on.

[@GymCrafter]

For sure! It's crazy how beat up stuff gets in the big gyms and how so many of them go cheap too. And yeah, I hate spring clips too!

[@bmorale15]

In for one with reps sale that just went live on barbells. Used your link! Ty for the review

[@GymCrafter]

Thank you! ENjoy the new bar!

[@markhalstead2386]

My only cerakote barbell is a blue Texas Deadlift Bar, so it is used on a dedicated deadlift platform, so no chance of banging into the rack or anything else. All other barbells (not counting specialty) are stainless.

[@GymCrafter]

Good call!

[@randir14]

Great video. I've been looking to upgrade from my Cap barbell and I'm now deciding between the Black Diamond and the Rogue Ohio Bar.

[@slothy120]

I have the cerakote Black Diamond. It’s great, but I wish I’d gone for the stainless steel finish.

[@GymCrafter]

@@slothy120 The stainless is awesome, but all the versions are great bars!

[@GymCrafter]

I think the tolerances are a bit better on the Rep, but both are great bars. The Rogue Ohio power bar will be a touch more aggressive, but nothing crazy. The Rogue Ohio Bar will be much less aggressive than the black diamond.

[@AminFaraday-le7lk]

Great, detailed, honest review! Thank you! I am curious - how does the American Barbell Grizzly Bar stack up against the Rep Single Black Diamond Bar?

[@GymCrafter]

Thanks! Grizzly is a much finer knurl that's almost sticky. Great grip, but doesn't feel like it bites so some people don't like it. I think both give great grip, they just feel very different. AB does pretty much everything in their own way, which is why I like them so much. They look at what the goal is and design from there instead of looking at what everyone else is doing and picking things based on that.

[@diegofernandez3230]

I bought the double black diamond and its great. REP offers a 10% on barbells now, what are your thoughts on the HADES deadlift bar?

[@GymCrafter]

For the price, it's a really solid dedicated deadlift bar. I can't deadlift enough to warrant the purchase, but if you are pulling heavy numbers, it could be a great addition to your gym.

[@RubenCherian-k6r]

Review the rep badlands bar! Just got it and it’s great, the knurling is aggressive but not overly so (I’m a novice-intermediate lifter). The website says mountain just like the double black diamond, but i feel like it’s more tame. Would love to see your input on it

[@GymCrafter]

I wish I could, and I was planning to review all of those Rep bars that were released in the second wave of bars. Unfortunately, Rep has stopped helping out the smaller publishers as much as they used to. No more review copies and no more discounts on purchases. I love the company, but since I'm not one of the big channels, I don't know that I can afford to review much Rep any more. And if I have to pay full price (they give us 5% off, but any customer can get that or more if they are smart), I might as well spend my money on other stuff you don't see everywhere else and that I think is better. I've got 2 new American Barbell bars on the way now for just that reason. If things change, I for sure want to check those other Rep bars out, and I still recommend most of their stuff as an amazing choice, but I only have so much money to spend on stuff to review!

[@meanpie13]

People overthink knurling. It doesn't matter at all which one you get. You will grow calluses and your hands will adjust to whichever one you get.

[@Mrwatson185]

Agreed. My main bars are from Texas power bars so I might be a bit spoiled with sharp knurling though lol

[@GymCrafter]

I'll take terrible advice for $1000 please, Alex.

[@Tshannon]

Thanks for the video. Was about to pull the trigger on the OPB SS but saw this and decided on the Single Black Diamond SS. My wallet appreciates you!

[@GymCrafter]

Awesome! Enjoy the bar, it's really really good!

[@bobbyhunt3009]

Great video Love your comparison ones I'd go with the Black Diamond over the Double Black Diamond I never did see the use of aggressive knurl, if a bar slips on me, I just use gloves. To be honest though I wont buy either one because of the black Duracoat sleeves REP uses. I hate those sleeves, why would I want a bar that the first time I load plates it ruins the look of the bar. I'm in love with the gold titanium sleeves from Fringesport and BOS. If REP would let us buy a Cerakote bar with hard chrome sleeves then I'd buy that bar but I dont believe that offer that option or in a perfect world REP will get on board with the gold titanium sleeves Take Care

[@GymCrafter]

Thanks, I've got more comparison videos planned. I think it might help people make decisions better than stand alone reviews.I expect a lot of companies to start releasing bars with PVD and titanium sleeve coatings as those are much more durable than what is out now.

[@TheManic.5-OH]

What about the FringeSport Midas' Revenge barbell? It's pretty damn sweet. I just bought it for black Friday if you want to use it and review it (if you haven't already )

[@GymCrafter]

Great series of bars. Love the Fringe Sport stuff. So many bars... So little money!

[@s_tyagi]

do you like the black diamond over the american chewy bar?

[@GymCrafter]

The Chewy is comparable to the double black diamond. both are very aggressive and not good for your only bar. I love my Chewy bar, but only use if for like 4 different lifts. I use their Grizzly bar (soon to be their Elite power bar) for everything else. If I have to pick for barbells, I pick AB every time. Rep is really really good, but in my opinion, AB is the best. Even when compared to $1200 options from companies like Eleiko.

[@RichInDaGarage]

Where the Force USA C10 review?!? JK love your content, and I’m actually looking for a bar for my son and these are on the list.

[@GymCrafter]

Thanks! C10 stuff coming in a week or two (probably two)

[@matthewtolman4772]

I have the old Rep Stainless Steel Power Bar v2. How does that one compare to the Black Diamond? Worth the upgrade or are they basically the same?

[@GymCrafter]

Definitely not the same. The new one is a more aggressive knurl by quite a bit. That old V2 was def on the passive side. Sleeve spin and aesthetics are much nicer now too. Huge change across their entire lineup of bars.