Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar Review (2024): Can This Thing Take Down the Duffalo Bar?

The Kabuki Strength Duffalo Bar has sat high on its throne as one of the best specialty barbells, and certainly the best Buffalo bar for several years. And though some may be a better value when it comes to price, no challenger has come close to taking the crown from the mad scientist Chris Duffin. But could today be the day that changes?  

Our Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar review takes a close look at this bar that’s already been vetted by some of the best powerlifters on the planet. We’ll let you know if it’s also great for a garage gym environment, and whether it’s the Buffalo bar that will end Duffalo’s reign. 

We’ve Seen the Ups and Downs of the Barbell Industry 

We’ve tested the best Olympic barbells, safety squat bars, powerlifting bars, and barbells just for CrossFit. In other words, we’ve had our hands on a lot of different types of barbells, some of which cost several hundred dollars and some that are less than $100. It’s safe to say that we know a thing or two about what makes a good barbell, and what makes one just OK. 

And as CrossFit and weightlifting coaches, certified personal trainers, and competitive lifters, we can also tell you exactly how a specialty bar like the Buffalo Bar works differently from a traditional straight bar, and who should invest in one.

New Kid on the Block

Rogue CB-4 38mm Buffalo Camber Bar

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Product Highlights

• Buffalo-style barbell
• Features thick steel, heavy-duty materials
• Vetted by strongest athletes in the world
• Comparable to the Kabuki Strength Duffalo Bar
• Increased comfort due to the larger steel

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Thicker steel provides more comfort and security during lifts
• While expensive, it’s a great value for a specialty bar
• Features cerakote and brass bushings

Cons

• Multiple complaints of bars arriving in damaged boxes
• Knurling is blunted due to manufacturing process
• We’ve seen some complaints of bars having bent sleeves

Bottom Line

The Rogue CB-4 38mm Camber Bar is a well-made, and heavy-duty Buffalo-style bar that is great for powerlifters and other lifters with shoulder issues.

A Quick Look at the Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar

The Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar, the fourth Rogue camber bar and the first to utilize the Buffalo-style design, was developed in collaboration with one of the most iconic powerlifting gyms, Westside Barbell. 

Westside and its founder, the late Louie Simmons, have helped develop some high-quality gym equipment in the past (Simmons is credited with inventing the reverse hyper machine), so this was far from their first rodeo. 

As one might expect, a collaboration between one of the best barbell manufacturers and some of the best powerlifting minds resulted in a really heavy-duty piece of equipment. The bar was first used during the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic during a max squat event, which was won with a 966-pound squat by Canadian strongman JF Caron. 

So yeah, this bar can withstand quite a bit of weight and still work at a high level for some of the best athletes. I’d be curious to know how many of our readers are regularly squatting 966 pounds, but I think that’s a sign that this bar will probably hold up well for our squatting needs. 

Our Tips

Rogue can be expensive, but we have a handy guide on how to save money on Rogue Fitness equipment.

Video Review

Is the Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar Worth It?

The Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar sells for $495, before shipping and handling, which can be very expensive depending on where you live. Buffalo bars in general or one of those pieces of home gym equipment that’s needed by very few people. 

One such group are those with shoulder injuries, because the cambered design takes substantial stress off the shoulders. Powerlifters love that feature, too, because it allows them to load up the bar with more weight since they won’t be stressing their joints quite as much. 

If you fall into one of those categories, then this bar is definitely worth it. The construction is top-notch, it feels great in use, and Rogue backs it with a lifetime warranty. It’s also $125 less expensive than Kabuki Duffalo Bar, so it’s a far better value. 

Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar Specs

Lifting With the Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar  

Coop’s been able to put this bar to the test with several series of squats, bench presses, and overhead presses. And his initial assessment: This bar feels great. The bar has a 4.4-inch “drop,” or the difference between the top of the curve and the point where it’s aligned with the sleeves. 

This puts the weight plates slightly below your shoulders, which reduces the amount of pressure on your joints. Lifters have said this, and the bar’s curve, allows them to get a better range of motion because it allows them to squat deeper, and also helps them get more reps in. 

The curve also doesn’t change your stance, the same way a safety squat or Marrs-Bar does. 

Coop said he didn’t notice any difference between Rogue’s deeper curve and other Buffalo bars, and that it felt similar to the Duffalo.

Rogue’s Buffalo Bar, however, felt more comfortable on the back and in the hands due to its thickness. 

And when we say this thing is thick, we’re talking about a chocolate milkshake that was left in the freezer type of thick. It’s 38 millimeters in thickness, and the Duffalo Bar is only 32 millimeters thick (quite a big jump). 

Because the bar is primarily meant for powerlifting workouts, that extra thickness is actually a good thing. The bar has more surface area to make contact with your back during squats, and your hand during any pressing movements. 

Coop said this led to the bar feeling more comfortable than the Duffalo Bar and other thinner bars. 

The bar’s creators also claimed thinner steel caused the bar to wobble when several hundred pounds were loaded on it. 

Knurling

The bar comes with the same knurling found on the Rogue Ohio Power Bar, which is a deep and coarse knurl (it doesn’t feel sharp like some powerlifting bars). This is some of the best and most beloved knurling in the lifting community, and it’s rare to have it placed on a specialty bar like this, especially on the center knurl portion. 

You’ll certainly get added grip with this knurling, but it does feel a bit blunt compared to what it’s like on the Power Bar. This is due to the fact that the bar is pressed, with quite a bit of pressure, to give it its trademark shape. That pressing process, however, causes indentations on the knurl marks. 

Sleeves

The sleeves are the same as the Rogue Ohio Bar 2.0S, which are coated in a ​​proprietary matte black finish developed by Rogue. This coating is very scratch- and corrosive-resistant, to the point where the coating will actually scratch weight plates’ steel inserts. It also comes with a 16-inch loadable sleeve length, so you can place a lot of weight on it (especially if you’re using thinner plates). 

Brass Bushings

As with any good powerlifting bar, the Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar uses bushings, which is perfect for powerlifting because it causes minimal spin on the sleeves. 

Bars that use needle bearings, on the other hand, have a good amount of spin on the sleeves, which is something you want if you’re doing Olympic lifting or CrossFit. 

Bushings are also more durable than bearings, and Rogue uses brass, which is one of the most durable metals on Earth.

Cerakote Coating

The center of the Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar is coated with cerakote, a high-quality finish that protects the bar from corrosion or rust for many years. 

Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar vs. Kabuki Strength Duffalo Bar 

The Reigning King

Kabuki Strength Duffalo Bar

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Product Highlights

• 55-lb cambered barbell
• Designed for squat and bench 
• Engineered by Chris Duffin
• Bronze bushing system
• 3 metal finish options

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Made in the USA
• 3 knurl markings
• 195,000 PSI tensile strength
• Good for anyone lacking shoulder mobility
• Aggressive knurling
• 17.25” loadable sleeve

Cons

• Expensive price tag
• No warranty offered with the bar
• Curved design does not sit well in many J-cups

Bottom Line

The Kabuki Strength Duffalo Bar is one of the best specialty bars on the market, however, it comes at a high price. We've tested and reviewed it for nearly two years and find ourselves using the bar for squats more than just about any other. The knurling and bend are vastly superior to cheaper buffalo bars and, as usual, the attention to detail is high. If you're in the market for a new specialty bar and have the cash, this is a great option (but we'd suggest a safety squat bar first.)

So here’s the thing: If you were to ask us if you should get the Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar or the Kabuki Strength Duffalo Bar, we’d say go Rogue. We say that because it’s $495, before shipping and handling, whereas the Duffalo Bar starts at $620. 

But if price isn’t an issue for you, and you just want the best Buffalo-style bar, there are reasons you could go either way. 

Rogue is a bigger company, so they’re going to have fewer availability issues (the Duffalo bar is frequently out of stock because manufacturing can’t compete with the demand). The Duffalo Bar has better quality knurling, 1.25 more inches of loadable sleeve length, and is also capable of holding professional strongman levels of weight. 

Coop’s a fan of Rogue’s thicker steel frame, but that’s also subjective and there are some people who might not like it. 

Read our Kabuki Strength Duffalo Bar in-depth review to get our full thoughts on this iconic bar.

Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar vs. Titan Fitness Yukon Bar   

The Budget Buffalo

Titan Yukon Bar

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Product Highlights

• Cambered speciality barbell
• Priced under $300
• 6” curvature
• 50 lbs
• 1,500-lb weight capacity

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Self-oiling bronze bushings
• 17.5” loadable sleeve
• 2,000-lb weight capacity
• Affordable price tag

Cons

• Curvature doesn’t sit well in J-cups
• Bar can flip due to curvature
• Passive center knurling

Bottom Line

The Titan Yukon Bar is the best priced buffalo bar that we have tested and reviewed. The bar can handle whatever poundages you plan to lift, has a decent knurl, rotating Olympic Sleeves, and an awesome price to boot. If you want the best, go with the Kabuki Duffalo Bar. If you want the best priced that is also something we would not be scared lifting with, this is the one.

The Titan Fitness Yukon Bar is $249, which is a great price for a specialty bar and it can reportedly hold the same amount of weight as the Duffalo Bar and Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar. But the Yukon bar has one major flaw, which is that anytime we tried to add a plate to one side the other flipped over. 

It goes without saying, but that’s a pretty big flaw that presents a safety risk. We think it’s a better idea to save up first and just get a more expensive option. 

Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar vs. Fringe Sport Longhorn Buffalo Bar    

Used to be Great

Fringe Sport Longhorn Buffalo Bar

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Product Highlights

In Texas, Longhorns ranged from the Red River to the Rio Grande, east to the Louisiana line and west to the upper breaks of the Brazos River. These early longhorns, almost completely wild, continued to roam Texas until the end of the Civil War.

Pros & Cons

Bottom Line

Coop once liked the Fringe Sport Longhorn Buffalo Bar, but that was when the company made it in Texas. Manufacturing has since moved to China, and the specs listed online indicate that it’s not as good of a bar as the American-made one that Coop originally recommended. 

It’s $400, which is not that much cheaper than the Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar. The extra money, in our opinion, is worth it for a bar that’s made with more durable American materials and labor. 

Shipping Issues

The one overarching complaint about the Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar is that many people, Coop included, received theirs with major shipping issues. The boxes often arrive in damaged condition, with the endscaps sticking out of the box. Rogue is apparently trying to create better packaging to prevent this problem. 

We get that shipping a 95-inch long barbell, especially one the shape of a Buffalo Bar, but considering the price point of this bar there shouldn’t be as many problems as there are. 

The bar is shipped in one piece and there’s no assembly required.  

Customer Service

Rogue Fitness can be reached via a live chat function on their website, as well as through email, phone, and social media. 

Financing, Warranty, Returns

Rogue offers financing options through Affirm, which can be selected at checkout. 

The Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar is backed with a lifetime warranty, which is the best policy on any Buffalo Bar. For comparison, the Duffalo Bar comes with no warranty at all, and the Titan Yukon Bar only comes with an 18-month warranty. 

You can only return the bar if it’s unused, and you send it back within 30 days of delivery. 

Customer Reviews

There are no online customer reviews of the Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar as of this writing, but we will update this section when customers start reviewing the product. 

Final Verdict of Our Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar Review

On its own, the Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar is an incredible specialty bar that we’d recommend to anyone looking for a powerlifting bar that can take stress away from their shoulders. It’s a bar that gives the Kabuki Strength Duffalo Bar a run for its money, even though the former costs less. 

The thicker steel will give you a lot of contact with the bar, which is something you want with heavy lifts. The Duffalo Bar has better knurling, can hold more weight plates, and while we like the thicker steel we’re sure those people who would prefer the smaller diameter of the Duffalo.

You can’t go wrong with either bar, but if you’re looking for the best value then the clear winner is the Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar. 

Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar Rating

Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar

Our Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar review lets you know if this specialty bar is for you, and whether it’s better than the iconic Duffalo bar.

Product Brand: Rogue

Product Currency: USD

Product Price: 495.00

Product In-Stock: InStock

Editor's Rating:
4

Rogue CB4 Buffalo Bar FAQs

Anthony O'Reilly, CPT, CNC

Anthony O'Reilly is a NASM-certified nutrition coach and personal trainer whose work has been featured in Muscle & Fitness and BarBend, and previously was an award-winning reporter and photographer for newspapers on Long Island and Queens, NY. After spending most of his life overweight, he dropped 80 pounds and took control of his health and fitness. Outside of work, he still enjoys Little Debbie cakes but offsets them with rigorous hikes and workouts. He's an avid Manchester United supporter, through thick and thin.

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