DSC02767

Dmitry Klokov.

The proper noun says it all. World, national, and Olympic championship weightlifter and all around beast of an athlete.  Evidently, annihilation that has to do with weightlifting that has his name on it, you should probably desire.  It feels similar an eternity since it was announced at terminal years CrossFit Games, but finally, the Again Faster Klokov contest barbell (and bumper plates!) are here…and it was worth the expect.

DSC02761

Specification wise, this barbell is a fauna, like the homo himself. 264k PSI tensile strength steel is just ridiculous.  Seriously, don't count on e'er angle this barbell, if you tried.  All that strength though wouldn't mean also much if the barbell was potent like a powerlifting bar, but more on that later.  Like any legitimate competition barbell, the Klokov bar uses 5 needle bearings to go along the collars spinning for days, only they're also paired up with bushings to enhance the immovability making information technology functional fitness friendly.  The shaft is coated with a hard bright chrome finish; though non the prettiest of chromes I've come across as it looks more dulled alike to brilliant zinc, information technology should still serve it's purpose of protecting confronting corrosion and scratches.  Of course the Klokov bar would run into all IWF weight and dimension specifications, just as well includes IPF markings, making it even more than all purpose.  Like most barbells that have been coming out, the collar has a groove for interchangeable bands for piece of cake identification and looks.

DSC02762

The knurling probably one of the most of import aspects on a quality barbell, is medium.  It'due south not as deep as the Rep Fitness Excalibur, but not as light or fine as the Rogue weightlifting barbell either.  I find that information technology was comfortable plenty to hit repetitive lifts without tearing up my hands.  Once once again, I'm non a huge fan of aggressive knurling, as I consider myself a crossfitter.  A weightlifting buddy of mine commented on the barbell, wishing that it had more than aggressive knurl.  While the center knurl is non as pronounced every bit the outside knurl, it's nonetheless plenty to provide a chip more grip while in your rack position, simply also irritate your neck afterward repeated cleans.  If you're not a fan of center knurling, sorry guys, the Klokov bar has it simply information technology's not anything I would consider to exist detrimental to recommending the barbell to crossfitters as its not chew-up-your-collarbone precipitous.

DSC02770

In the YouTube video of Klokov introducing the barbell, he talks about the whip actually getting started at 180kg (396lbs!); well-nigh of u.s.a. normal lifters probably aren't going to be getting anywhere virtually this weight.  EDIT: While the bar has a decent amount of whip, it's a scrap more than strong than I would accept liked out of this barbell.  I accept used other barbells that were more whippy than the Klokov bar, and I think the super high tensile might injure this bar more than information technology helps information technology. The style I make clean, I end up hitting the bar mid thigh and it hurts like hell compared to other bars that ricochet off. I wouldn't equally far to say that this is every bit strong as a power bar, but I think they could have sacrificed a little bit of steel force for some whip.

DSC02764

Sleeve rotation is a big deal when it comes to lifting.  The smoother and faster the collars plough, the easier it's going to exist to go nether the barbell.  Even after non cleaning for a skilful month due to an injury, I was yet able to clean fairly heavy and non miss a single lift.  Since it is a needle bearing barbell, you're going to get increased performance in this area compared to bushing counterparts, but they aren't the smoothest.  In the spin test video with the weight on it, you can meet the barbell rocking effectually on the J-cups while the plate is in motion.  I don't know if this is just my barbell or a problem with the new pattern.  Construction is nice, what y'all'd await from a higher end barbell; yous'll go a solid sounding thud versus clanging when yous drop the barbell with whatever kind of quality weights.  In that location's very little play when moving the sleeves side to side.  While the fit is great, the finish is just average.  Equally I mentioned before, the blanket isn't the well-nigh vivid of all the barbells I've used, nor is information technology the about even.  This is something that I noticed on the bar at the CrossFit games when I first saw it, and really wasn't corrected.  Not the bad at all, but I expected a trivial amend.  I guess there has to be some trade-offs somewhere, as I become to the side by side bespeak…

…the Toll.  For the money, yous will not find a finer barbell. The 15kg version comes in at $300 before aircraft and the 20kg at $320.  Shipped to California, the toll ended up being just due south of $370.  I thought that shipping was a footling much there and e-mailed Once again Faster about it.  They gave me a $10 refund which was prissy, just nonetheless that shipping is a little excessive.  Birthday though, it's still cheaper than any other quality bearing barbell, and all the same a steal.

If there was another affair I could comment on, it's that the quality of shipping packaging is pretty awful.  The tubing was pretty flimsy and arrived broken with 1 whole terminate missing; causing one end of the barbell to go pretty dinged up and scratched.  I know the shipping visitor has a lot to practise with this, simply I feel it'due south up to the seller to provide acceptable shipping containers, since you lot are paying proficient coin for these things, and they're not cheap.  My Again Faster Team Barbell two.0 arrived in the same shape, as well, except since that one wasn't chrome coated so the end of it got chewed up really badly.

"Demand the impossible!".  A quote by Dmitry Klokov, and perfectly describes something that he and Again Faster were able to achieve with this barbell.  Y'all won't notice anything even remotely close to this price point that is going to deliver you close to the same specs this bar will. If you're an advanced lifter, this barbell is for you. General purpose and CrossFit, information technology'll do the chore but but be aware that it'due south not going to be as dynamic with anything up to 100kg.  Minor bug and aircraft containers aside, the Klokov competition barbell is one hell of a bar to beat.