Safety Squat Bars

[murphyreedus]

New version of the Kabuki Transformer bar...

It's a cool bar, and the improvements to the adjustments look really good. I'd still want to hear a non-shill review on the new padding, because I have yet to hear anything good about the v3 padding.

I vote you buy it and keep the Yoke bar until you decide if you like the Transformer. Unless it's totally trashed, if you have patience you should be able to get at least $300 for your Yoke bar even in non-COVID times. Then we can all benefit when you put out a high quality review video.


There's a BB.com equipment thread going on the V3 (not many coop fans there):

https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthre ... =178547831

[TimK]

I vote you buy it and keep the Yoke bar until you decide if you like the Transformer. Unless it's totally trashed, if you have patience you should be able to get at least $300 for your Yoke bar even in non-COVID times. Then we can all benefit when you put out a high quality review video.

Ok, shit, you talked me into it. Just ordered. Also I found a coupon code for 5% ($30) off, "FBFIVE" if anyone else plans on buying. Total with shipping (to Michigan) was right around $650. Pricey but not that bad if I can sell the SS Yoke bar and if it actually adds meaningful, usable variations.

I guess I'll hang on to the Elite FTS bar for now... I was thinking the resale value might have dropped (aside from COVID effects) due to the Titan V2 being much cheaper and pretty much identical but it would be nice to compare side by side. If I get a $50-100 less for it in a few months, not a huge deal I guess. On the other hand if I don't like the Transformer for whatever reason I can probably sell it for list price or close to it given the huge lead time on website orders.

I saw that BB.com thread, which is one of the things that made me nervous about getting it. However after scrolling through the #transformerbar hashtag on IG I'm a little more optimistic. Saw people squatting with various stance widths and the long handles don't seem to be too much of an issue, I can just flare my elbows out or grab the bars higher probably if I'm having trouble with that. Saw people doing stuff like hatfield squats and lunges, and a video of Jujimufu mowing the lawn with 500 lbs on his back or something, so it does appear to balance hands-free if needed. Probably depends on the position, I can see how putting the angle way back would require holding on to the handles more to keep it on your back, but at least you can put it in the regular SSB position if you need to let go of the handles.

[TimK]

...also, I appreciate the bb.com guy giving his thoughts, but this is all I could think of while reading that thread:

[murphyreedus]

...also, I appreciate the bb.com guy giving his thoughts, but this is all I could think of while reading that thread:

You have to choose between eggcorns or Coop's mustache. There is no middle ground.

[TimK]

...also, I appreciate the bb.com guy giving his thoughts, but this is all I could think of while reading that thread:

You have to choose between eggcorns or Coop's mustache. There is no middle ground.

Haha. Coop's mustache is the least annoying thing about him, lol.

[TimK]

Found a video on FB where a guy compares his V3 to a prototype of the V4... says the V4 feels better overall even considering that he has upgraded his V3 to the new padding already. He attributes it to the handles on the V4 being shorter (also says Kabuki told him that his prototype handles are the same as the production V4). So that sounds good, since handle length was one of my main concerns.



He also measures the handles on camera and they're 14" wide from outside to outside. I just measured my Elite FTS bar and got he same measurement, so any difference in yoke width between the bars is more to do with the thickness of the padding... There may be a small difference in the inside measurement since the Transformer handles seem narrower, but probably 3/4" at most.

[TimK]

Same guy, just a video of him demonstrating a bunch of the different positions. Imagine, a video where someone demonstrates how a product works in actual use instead of just jerking off over the knurling and how pretty the welds are...

[murphyreedus]

Damnit. I wonder how this feels when set up like a cambered bar compared to the EliteFTS Spider bar. I've wanted a spider forever, but have not been able to justify spending $600 on it when I'd still want to have an SSB. Having a bar that could do both is getting really tempting.

[Rhavok82]

Anyone purchased the new Kabuki Strength Transformer Bar?

[TimK]

Anyone purchased the new Kabuki Strength Transformer Bar?

Check the last few posts (spoiler: I bought one)

[murphyreedus]

Anyone purchased the new Kabuki Strength Transformer Bar?

Check the last few posts (spoiler: I bought one)

Did you get an ETA yet? I think their site said up to 10 weeks, not sure how accurate that is.

[TimK]

Did you get an ETA yet? I think their site said up to 10 weeks, not sure how accurate that is.

I just got an order confirmation email saying "thanks, we'll let you know when it ships". There's a big red button that says "view order status" but it just takes me to a page that says basically the same thing.

I know they don't have a great reputation for turnaround time so I ordered expecting it to be 10 weeks or even longer... of course I'm fortunate in that I already have an SSB so it's not very pressing.

LOL, just checked the product page again, looks like the lead time has been updated:

Due to increased demand, please allow up to 12 weeks for order shipping and fulfillment.

https://store.kabukistrength.net/produc ... former-bar

Said 10 weeks when I ordered. Better hop in it now before it goes up to 14!

I'm considering doing nothing but SSB squats between now and then. Mainly because I'm sick of straight bar, but also when the new bar comes I'll be "in the groove" with the Yoke bar and possibly can make a better, more nuanced comparison.

[Skander]

@Wilhelm and others, I picked up a pair of the Lock-Jaw 1.9” axle collars and they are great. Not cheap, but very secure* and easy to use.

*See video of my missing a J hook and the plates staying in place.

There's been a pair of those Yorks on CL if you want them btw.

[TimK]

Apparently Mr. Eggman is impressed with the new padding (which they sent him to replace his worn out V3 pad):

A little update today regarding the yolk...

My padding and vinyl finally arrived. Let me just say that the new padding is not only a touch thicker, it's much improved, and actually Coop nailed the it by saying it has a gel-like quality. Now how it will wear over time will be the next question, but so far, the improvement in yolk performance is about 85% improved, did a a few Hatfields unweighted in the SSB and the yolk didn't move. Couldn't do that before, yolk didn't want to stay put and I didn't feel comfortable unless I grabbed the handles. Also, the new vinyl covering has the updated KS logo that you see on the new bar, a pretty nice touch!

So I now feel much better about this bar. I will say I was on the fence on whether or not to keep it. I definitely feel better about keeping it now. But now it's time to retest the various setting with the new padding and see what I think.

Now all that said, there's still something off with the yolk design because it still wants to move a bit, but I'm actually to think it has to do with it weighing 20lbs less. If you add 20lbs to the shaft of the TB, I have a feeling the yolk sits a lot better. But at least the yolk is much more functional now, and I feel a lot more confident in it's use moving forward, and I actually can't wait to go back to a few of those settings where I thought the yolk was ready to fall off my back and see if there's any difference now.

I must say, I was pretty critical of Kabuki for their yolk, and actually, some of it was well deserved. What they were using for their padding before was borderline criminal for the price they were charging. That said, dealing with their CS was a breeze. I showed them a picture, told them what I thought of it, they apologized and sent me the new padding and vinyl same day I sent the email. They also assured me that the new padding would take care of the issue and I wasn't hopeful of that, but I'm here to say that it has fixed about 85% of the yolk problems. I also want to say that throwing in the new vinyl logo cover was a really nice touch, and I want to give them praise when I think they deserve it.

[mouse]

Gotta say man I'm pretty jealous... can't wait to see what you think...

[gtl]

Wrapping up home projects before I go back to work. I think I'm going to cut the handles on my Edge Fitness Systems SSB (right where the bend is) and attach BMX bike grips. @mgil offered a good suggestion last time of just asking for some shorter handles to be made in case I want to go back, but I'll just order new handles if I decide I made a terrible mistake.

[MPat]

It’s been a while since I put my edge SSB together. Could a straight piece of 3/4” conduit work to test it out? I might look into this when I start squatting again. But I’m hesitant to cut my handles cause I’m cheap and don’t want to buy new ones.

[gtl]

Edge Fitness Systems SSB Handle Mod
https://imgur.com/gallery/CkNl5uP

Squatted the empty bar and liked it. We'll see how it goes tomorrow morning.

[MPat]

Damn 3.5 Lbs just from those handle ends? Also that’s a kick as set up you got there!

[gtl]

Damn 3.5 Lbs just from those handle ends? Also that’s a kick as set up you got there!

Thanks. Yeah, they were solid all the way through. I don't think I ever really paid attention to the bar weight before as its advertised as "approx 45lbs" and I think I weighted it once and it was about that. I weighed the handles alone at 3.6lbs, but then weighed the bar again at 39.6. I have some specialty collars that are 3lbs, so I'll probably just use those to count towards the weight, or find a way to try to affix 2.5lb plates always. I don't want to do any off plate math lol.