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You know that excitement you feel when you spot a two-for-one, or even three-for-one deal at a restaurant or store? That’s the same feeling I got when I spotted the REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar. This specialty barbell offers multiple grip options, and can also be used for lat pulldowns, low rows, seal rows, and of course lots of pressing movements.
Our REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar review looks at how well this bar performs in the weight room, as well as how it compares to brands such as Kabuki Strength, Rogue Fitness, and Titan Fitness. In my opinion, it’s one of the best specialty bars that I’d recommend to most home gym owners.
Why You Should Trust Us
The Garage Gym Reviews team has tested and reviewed hundreds (not an exaggeration) of barbells, including specialty barbells such as the REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar. Yes, that’s our job, but we also do it because we just love using barbells for fun. That’s how we’ve been able to put out roundups like the best Olympic barbells, best safety squat bars, best trap bars, and best powerlifting barbell roundups.
In each and every review, we look at everything from how the bar feels during use, to taking super up-close photos of what the knurling looks like while doing our best to describe how it feels in our hands. Trust us, nobody does more thorough gym equipment reviews than us.
REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar
REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar
Product Highlights
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Max weight load of more than 800 pounds
- Easy assembly
- Bar camber allows for better balance during pressing
- At under $300, it’s a great value for a specialty bar
Cons
- The knurling on this bar is on the passive side and inconsistent between the grips
- The sleeves don’t disconnect from the Swiss bar, so they’ll be on there when you’re using it for lat pulldowns (only slightly annoying)
Bottom Line
The REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar is an incredible value for a specialty bar, as it can be used for pressing movements and on a cable machine.
A Quick Look at the REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar
The REP Cambered Swiss Bar was announced with much hype. A multigrip specialty bar that’s cambered, knurled, and doesn’t come with an exorbitant price? Count us in.
A Swiss bar, sometimes called a football bar, offers different grip options on one bar with Olympic sleeves on either end. One thing that I noticed right away is that the sleeves are chrome-plated and not a powder coat, which will reduce scratching when loading and unloading weight plates (I’ve seen this on other Swiss bars).
It’s also rackable, so it can be placed on your squat rack or power rack, which you don’t see on many specialty bars. Each grip has knurled handles, so it feels good whether you’re doing a neutral grip bench press or hitting your triceps with some skull crushers. It also comes with an eye bolt to attach it to a cable machine for use during lat pulldowns.
This is a great bar for those looking to add some versatility to their weightlifting or bodybuilding workouts, those with shoulder pain, or those who need to improve their range of motion.
Coop’s Tips
- I’d remove the eye bolt screw before using this bar as a bench press bar, as it could hit your chest on the way down.
- This is a new item, so it may be sold out or on back order; keep your eye on the site for updates!
My Favorite Things:
- Max weight load of more than 800 pounds
- Easy assembly
- Bar camber allows for better balance during pressing
- At under $300, it’s a great value for a specialty bar
My Callouts:
- The knurling on this bar is on the passive side and inconsistent between the grips
- The sleeves are bolted to the handle section of the Swiss bar, so they’ll be on there when you’re using it for lat pulldowns (only slightly annoying)
Video Review
Is the REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar Worth It?
Does a home gym need a specialty bar like the REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar? No, but once your gym has an Olympic Barbell, specialty bars can provide variety that is very welcome for trainees.
That said, there are a lot of people who could benefit from having a Swiss multi-grip bar. These bars are great for people who focus on pressing movements, those with shoulder injuries (the cambered bar is set up in a way that allows for better muscle alignment and reduces stress on your joints), and bodybuilders who need to target specific muscle groups by changing their grip.
Here’s who else may enjoy this bar, and who could do without it.
Great for:
- Those with shoulder injuries or people who need to improve their general range of motion
- People who focus on pressing movements
- Home gym owners who want a versatile piece of equipment
- Bodybuilders looking to hone in on specific muscle groups
Not recommended for:
- Those who focus on pulling movements like the deadlift (buy a Power bar instead)
- General trainees who don’t need a multi-grip bar
- People without the space to store a specialty bar
REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar Specs
| Total Length | 80.7” |
| Bar Weight | 45 lbs |
| Max Bar Weight | 810 lbs |
| Camber Depth | 2.5” |
| Handle Diameter | 35mm |
| Sleeve Diameter | 50mm |
| Finish | Textured Powder Coat |
Workout Experience With the REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar
One of the first things I noticed about the REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar is that the grips are slightly angled, which I like on a Swiss bar. The best way I can describe it to someone who’s never used one is that it feels like a V-bar attachment when you’re using it for curls.
While I haven’t had this bar for the longest time, I did put it through quite a few movements, including:
- Bench press
- Seal rows
- Skull crushers
- Hammer curls
- Lat pulldowns
Each move felt smooth, and I’ll be using it over the next few months to see how it holds up. One reason for this is because the bar is constructed with round tubing, rather than square, which just feels more comfortable during pressing movements.
Speaking of comfort, the bar’s cambered design is another great feature on a specialty bar. This design, which you also see on Kabuki Strength’s Duffalo Bar, allows the weight plates to sit a little lower than the bar and allows for better muscle alignment–great for people trying to keep their shoulders strong and healthy.
The bar also just looks nice, from the black zinc coating on the Swiss bar to the welds. This obviously doesn’t impact how it feels in use, but it’s nice when a product is functional and aesthetic.
My two complaints about this bar are pretty small, and the first is that the thread for the eye bolt screw is a little too long. If you leave it in while pressing it can hit your chest on the way down, but luckily it’s easily removable by hand (I still wish they made the screw a little shorter so you could keep it in there).
Secondly, the knurling is inconsistent between the grips, but that’s being picky especially since many specialty bars have no knurling at all.
One other thing I’ll note is that the sleeves are Olympic-sized, which allows you to use just about any weight plate and barbell collar on it. REP also gets a point for leaving the powder coat off the sleeves to avoid any chipping as you load and unload plates.
Oh, and did I mention that this bar is rackable? That’s always a win in my book.
Lat Pulldown Attachment
On one hand, it’s fantastic that this bar can be used for lat pulldowns or low rows by simply attaching the eye bolt screw to a cable machine. My only complaint here, though, is the sleeves don’t disconnect quickly, so it’s a little too big compared to a normal Swiss bar. You’d have to break out your toolbox to disconnect the sleeves, but I might find a DIY way to put them on and off when needed.
With all that said, it’s only slightly annoying to use it with the sleeves on and you should have no problem using it in your rack.
Durability
Again, I’ve only had the REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar for a few days at this point so I can’t speak too much about its durability, but the construction gives me hope it will withstand anything you can throw at it. It has a max weight of 810 pounds, which should be more than enough for most home gym owners (unless any strongmen out there are looking for a Swiss bar).
The welds look pretty strong, and the sleeves are bolted on so I don’t see this bar going anywhere.
REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar vs. Kabuki Strength Kadillac Bar
Kabuki Kadillac Bar
Kabuki Strength Kadillac Bar
Product Highlights
- Cambered the same angle as the Duffalo Bar for increased range of motion.
- Machined Sleeves allow the use of regular barbell collars and include our signature end caps.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- The Kadillac Bar is Kabuki Strength’s version of the football bar that utilizes the same curvature as the ever-popular Duffalo Bar.
- Sleeves are machined to the Olympic standard which allows the use of regular collars, and traditional end caps for both tight tolerances on plates, but also a great look. This is something overlooked A LOT by other companies.
- The entire bar, san sleeves, is coated in a highly-textured powder-coat that grips extremely well. This is honestly the best textured powder-coat we’ve seen on a bar. Reminds us of Williams Strength/EliteFTS but with even more grip.
- Various grip angles at 10°, 12.5°, and 15° to “promote optimal, stacked joint position and improve movement mechanics.”
- The camber of the bar matches the Duffalo Bar which increases range of motion.
- Can be used in the standard or reverse grip positions.
- Thinner than many other multi-grip bars which means it’s easier to use for overhead press and curls.
- Shipping cost is lower than other Kabuki Bars due to the removable sleeves, yet it’s just as strong.
Cons
- Although we love the heavily-textured powder-coat, we would have preferred to see the handles knurled. This said, that likely would have increased the cost substantially and we don’t think it would be worth it since the bar won’t be used often for pulling. Some may disagree.
- One reviewer claimed the bar didn’t fit in their rack due to its width. “the diameter of the sleeves doesn’t fit in my bench press rack (I have a Fortis rack with moving bar holder). I had to swap the J cups from my squat rack just to fit the bar onto the cups, and now it slides around.” We have not had this issue.
Bottom Line
The Kabuki Strength Kadillac Bar is one of the best multi-grip bars that we’ve tested and reviewed. It’s certainly unique and has a niche, but if you don’t mind the premium cost of a Kabuki Bar, you’re going to get one of the best designed, featured, and finished specialty bars on the market. We’ve used the bar for everything from bench to overhead press, to even seal rows. This is another bar from the mind of Chris Duffin that makes you think, “why hasn’t this come out sooner.”
The Kabuki Strength Kadillac Bar has been my favorite Swiss multi-grip bar for many years, but do I think the REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar has it beat? Well, that depends…Kabuki’s is made with higher quality materials and I like that the handles are all on an arc, which differs from REP’s version.
That said, REP’s is definitely a better value for most home gym owners at a little under $300 with free shipping. The Kadillac is around $600, for comparison, and also has a long wait time and pricey shipping. If you’re looking for the best of the best, the Kadillac is your answer but if you just want a good Swiss bar at a reasonable price, you can’t go wrong with REP.
The one thing REP has that Kabuki doesn’t is knurling on the handles (the powder coating on the Kabuki, however, is very aggressive and it takes chalk really well).
To get my full thoughts, read my Kabuki Strength Kadillac Bar review.
REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar vs. Rogue Fitness MG-3 Multi-Grip Bar
Rogue MG-3 Bar
Rogue MG-3 Multi Grip Bar
Product Highlights
The MG-3 Knurled Multi-Grip Bar is a versatile hybrid of Rogue’s heavy-duty MG-1 and MG-2 bars, with (1) set of interior angled handles, (2) sets of vertical neutral-grip handles, and 14″ of loadable sleeve length. Spaced at 10″, 20″, and 28.
Pros & Cons
Bottom Line
I think the REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar has the Rogue Fitness MG-3 Multi-Grip Bar beat in terms of utility and functionality. Rogue’s has powder coated sleeves, which will chip over time, and there’s no ability to use it for lat pulldowns. It’s also about $40 more expensive, not counting shipping and handling, and has a slightly shorter sleeve length. Lastly, the camber of the REP Swiss Bar allows it to be more balanced during pressing while the MG-3 is known to cause lots of instability.
REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar vs. Titan Fitness Multi-Grip Camber Bar
Titan Fitness Multi-Grip Camber Bar
Titan Multi-Grip Camber Bar
Product Highlights
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Multiple angled and neutral grips to target different muscle groups
- 2-inch Camber
- Knurled handle create a secure grip
- Bar is rackable
- Fits a 49” rack
Cons
- One-year warranty
- Standard collars fit, however the sleeve is smaller than a standard bar
Bottom Line
If you're looking for a bar to give you a variety of grip options, you'll likely love the Titan Multi Grip Camber Bar. As long as you don't mind the sub-par warranty and smaller sleeve, this well-designed bar would be a solid add to most home gyms.
The Titan Fitness Multi-Grip Camber Bar is more budget-friendly than the REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar, at less than $200. If you’re simply looking for a budget-friendly specialty bar, the Titan will do just fine, but the bar’s camber design doesn’t allow the bar to be balanced during pressing, and it’s a much lower quality bar with powder coated sleeves.
I’d recommend saving up and getting the REP bar.
Ordering and Assembling the REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar
As of this writing, the REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar is sold out on REP’s website. But you can sign up to be notified when it’s back in stock.
Assembly is a breeze–you simply screw the sleeves onto the Swiss bar, and that’s it. Shouldn’t take any longer than five minutes so long as you have the right tools for the job.
Customer Experience
REP Fitness can be reached via email or phone, and on social media. It also has two stores in Denver and Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where you can pick up your order (both locations require an appointment).
Warranty and Returns
REP Fitness has different warranty policies for different barbells, and as of this writing they have not yet specified what the warranty is on the REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar. We’ll update this if we hear from them.
Their return policy, however, is the same and you have 30 days from the time it reaches your house to return it for a full refund. It must be in its original packaging.
Financing
Anyone with a REP Fitness account can finance their purchase of your power rack and split it into monthly payments.
Customer Reviews
The Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar is still very new as of this writing, and because we’re writing it before it’s available to most of the general public there’s only one review on it, and it’s 5 stars.
Final Verdict of Our REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar Review
REP has done it again. Taken a product with lots of competition and improved it while decreasing the cost.. At less than $300 with free shipping, it’s an incredible value, incredibly well-built, has great features and versatility, and will prove to be quite durable I suspect.
My few complaints—the long eye bolt screw, bolted on sleeves, and inconsistent knurling—are all small and, in full honesty, a bit nitpicky. I think most home gym owners will love using this bar and I recommend it as one of my top options for multi-grip bars.
REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar Rating
REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar
The REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar is an affordable and highly versatile specialty bar that we'd recommend for most home gym owners.
Product Brand: REP Fitness
Product Currency: USD
Product Price: 290
Product In-Stock: InStock
4.2
REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar FAQs
Are REP barbells any good?
REP Fitness makes some fantastic barbells, and a lot of them offer great value for their price and functionality. They’re not the best on the market, but they’ll work for most home gym owners who need a barbell that can hold a lot of weight and stay durable for years to come.
Are Swiss barbells good?
Swiss barbells are great for people looking to change their grip, improve their range of motion, or decrease stress on their shoulders. It’s also a versatile piece of equipment because it offers all those benefits in just one tool.
Can you bench more with a Swiss bar?
Not necessarily. You won’t magically be able to lift heavier weights, but by changing your grip or using a bar that feels better for your shoulders you may find that it could be easier to lift heavier weights. But that’s not a guarantee.
Further reading
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You know that excitement you feel when you spot a two-for-one, or even three-for-one deal at a restaurant or store? That’s the same feeling I got when I spotted the REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar. This specialty barbell offers multiple grip options, and can also be used for lat pulldowns, low rows, seal rows, and of course lots of pressing movements.Our REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar review looks at how well this bar performs in the weight room, » Read more about: REP Fitness Cambered Swiss Bar Review 2024: A Versatile and Affordable Specialty Bar » Read more