Official Best Barbell Collar Thread

[Reidak]

I'm still using the spring ones, need some recommendations!

Looking for..

Speed
Durability
Quality
Reasonably Prices

I think that having good collars would certainly speed up my workout and make it more enjoyable.

[ThaBoomer]

I'm still using the spring ones, need some recommendations!

Looking for..

Speed
Durability
Quality
Reasonably Prices

I think that having good collars would certainly speed up my workout and make it more enjoyable.

Well for speed and reasonably priced, I like the lock jaws. I think they sell for $39-$49 at ironcompany. I haven't had them for long enough to tell you how durable they are.

[XterX]

Muscle Clamps, they're around 40$ to 50$ but are worth it. Changing weights is a lot easier (and funner) with muscle clamps compared to spring collars. I can't say much on the durability since I been using them for 6 months.

[.Enigma.]

Mega Grip Olympic Bar Collars good durablilty weve had them at my school or over 10 years and there still working. Only takes a second to put them on.

You can get them here
http://shop.upperlimit.com/Shop/Cont...d/0/rid/124311

Some people actually use them as wrist braces I havent so i dont know how well that would work.

[TKDC1970]

I use Muscle Clamps (I've only used the Olympic Spring Collars as well as some old-style Olympic Collars). They seem to do the trick-I've had some used ones that still work well + my stepsons' high school has had theirs for some time from what I understand.

There is an investment involved but if you shop around you might find a deal (I found a two pairs of new one at a Play It Again Sports for $15 each last week).

Good Luck!

I'm still using the spring ones, need some recommendations!

Looking for..

Speed
Durability
Quality
Reasonably Prices

I think that having good collars would certainly speed up my workout and make it more enjoyable.

[Bo_Flecks]

I've been using a set of Bollinger SlipLock collars I bought back in 1993. They work great, and are very easy to use. I don't think Bollinger is still in business, though. A company called QuickLee makes a product that looks exactly like the SlipLocks for $21.00.

http://www.quicklee.com/quicklee.html

Hope that helps- Bo

[Keetman]

I've been using a set of Bollinger SlipLock collars I bought back in 1993. They work great, and are very easy to use. I don't think Bollinger is still in business, though. A company called QuickLee makes a product that looks exactly like the SlipLocks for $21.00.

http://www.quicklee.com/quicklee.html

Hope that helps- Bo

I had a pair of those on my easy bar....but now I just have one! Took all the weight off one side and the other crashed into the dirt with about 30 lbs and a bar behind it. Does anybody have one of these they'd like to get rid of?


Besides those I have 2 pair of muscleclamps. I like them, but I think these are an expensive addition to a gym. As far as durability goes, its hard to say. Maybe in 10 years I'll drop one of these on its head and see if it explodes! They work very well though, hold the bar tight, and seemed to be constructed expertly.

[¡STFU!ˇNˆLIFT!]

Maybe in 10 years I'll drop one of these on its head and are uf it explodes!

Wut in the fudgecake did you just say ( in bold )

[Keetman]

Wut in the fudgecake did you just say ( in bold )

Damn bro, you fast like lightning! I was editing it as you were asking! I'm on a crackberry, so sometimes the letters don't come out so perfect....and I gotta hit redo!

I said "....see if it explodes....."

LOL


Where you been hiding?
Get your rack yet?

[Bo_Flecks]

Took all the weight off one side and the other crashed into the dirt with about 30 lbs and a bar behind it.

My personal set of SlipLocks at home are the plastic coated ones. For my own home gym use, they have held up just fine due to no major accidents with them.

For years we used the plastic coated ones in the weight room at school. The only problem we ran into with them was that every now and then, I would catch a noob that didn't know how work them, trying to pry them off with a 2 1/2 pound weight. Invariably, we would find a set from time to time with the flange broken, or even broken off.

We fixed that problem by going with the all metal sets of SlipLocks/Quicklees. They are more durable for a gym setting where they are used much of the day-five days a week. The only problem we've had with them is some thievery due to their small size...a few sets over the years has gone off to college with recent graduates.

[¡STFU!ˇNˆLIFT!]

lol I was sounding it out and all ..

no rack yet I just decided I would be residing somewhere else ..

Soon though I will be contacting mr lamar to make sure my reservation is still valid

[DC-333]

Muscleclamps without a doubt. I have used them and sold them for years. Very durable, made of high impact rexan plastic, easy on easy off!

[Wildtim]

Another option, not cheap but should outlast you, even if you drop a bar on them:

Okie Collars

[¡STFU!ˇNˆLIFT!]

okie are very good

[deseee]

i got some of the quicklee's and they work fine... not too sure about durability though since they are plastic.. but i found em at a local shop for $12 for the pair iirc

[candt]

I am looking for some cheaper collars for my adjustable db handles. Right now I am using the type of clamp that has a t nut that you tighten by hand, and I am finding that when I bring the db's together at the top of a rep, one db will loosen the clamp on the other. Will the Mega grip clamps that work with velcro hold the plates tight? Also, will the quicklee clamps hold the plates tight? Where can I find these?

[Reidak]

bump. Can't really find any of these in Canadia. Well, unless i pay $60 ish for muscle clamps. Anyone got leads on good deals?

[jfindon]

Lock-Jaws. Takes less than two seconds to put on and holds very tight. Got mine new on ebay for around $30.

[josephhkim]

i also agree with the muscle clamps suggestions.

This is one of the best investments i've made. They're extremely quick and easy and extremely durable.

I really suggest you check them out.

[4MEandThem]

I have lock jaws and they are great.I also have springs which I use on curl bar since I don't change the weight often.I also use springs on Lat pull down since the bar is smooth. I use the velcro strap kind on leg ext/curl machine since the bar is too small for any other type.I also have the comprssion ring ones which I don't use at all cuz they suck.I am sure the Ivanko ones are good but the knock-offs suck.
I have some even worse ones that came with an oly set from SA and I use them for spacers on the leg machine because you can't even screw in the nut the machining is so bad.I need a set for the leg sled and I think I will try the quicklees or the okies for that.

[RabidTapir]

Quicklees do not equal the old Bollinger SlipLock collars. The SlipLocks I have had forever still work great. 2 of the 4 Quicklee collars didn't work straight out of the package brand new.

I had a pair of those on my easy bar....but now I just have one! Took all the weight off one side and the other crashed into the dirt with about 30 lbs and a bar behind it. Does anybody have one of these they'd like to get rid of?


Besides those I have 2 pair of muscleclamps. I like them, but I think these are an expensive addition to a gym. As far as durability goes, its hard to say. Maybe in 10 years I'll drop one of these on its head and see if it explodes! They work very well though, hold the bar tight, and seemed to be constructed expertly.

[AttyGuy]

How come we have rack threads, barbell threads, plate threads and boxing threads, but no collar threads? Oh, wait! Here's a thread from almost four years ago. . . . But there's no pics?!? Lame.


If I'm going old school, there's only one set of collars for me, York collars:



These bad boys are still around. In the good, old days, they were either 5 or 5 1/2 pounds and leather-lined. Not the best at gripping a bar, but classic nonetheless.


If i'm feeling in an 80's mood, I go for the York Spinlock collars:



They weigh about 5 pounds each and with the screw arrangement, you can get a solid bite into the bar to hold the plates and collar on the bar.


For old school dumbbell and curl bar action, I go with the York dumbbell and curl bar collars. They too are leather lined and they are much easier to tighten onto a bar than the first set of York collars.




For inexpensive, but tight-gripping, you have go to Lockjaw. You just have to.




For "best", I've got to go with Ivanko. For smaller (5' and 6') and curl bars, it's the COT 1.25, also known as the COT-1 1/4, in chrome or black oxide:




For Oly bars, there's the COT-2 1/2/COT 2.5

[817boy]

nice pics.

[ICEcap2]

I have some metal Quicklees and like them a lot for lighter loadings on my curl bar. They look like they will last a long time. I didn't like them on my 7" bar, doing deadlifts they hold very well but they bite into the stainless steet sleeves of my Ivanko OBS-20 and left dimple marks! I use Ivanko COX-C for heavy stuff. I also have some Ivanko COT-1.25 they work well too, but are more harder to use than the Quicklees so I don't use them.

[morebarbell]

Nice review!

I think they might just be making the chrome COT1.25 collars. I was looking around for the black oxide and unfortunately no one seems to have them anymore.

This video seems to fit the topic:

[AttyGuy]

Glad you posted the video. Maybe Vinko will show up and let us know what's going on with Ivanko collars.

[BloodType3R]

[quote Atty's post]

/thread

[recoil7]

+1 on the lock-jaw. Good stuff.

Relatively cheap @ ~ $40, locks up firm and tight (that's what she said), and slips off and on very quickly.

[Stasher1]

I like Muscle Clamps, but the set I have is old and somewhat worn out so they don't work all that well on my OB-86B. They fit my York bars just fine, though. I keep meaning to order a new set or two, but I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

[KalleA]

Got both the Lock-Jaws and the Muscle Clamps. My experience is that the Lock-Jaws cover a wider range of collar diameters. I've had Muscle Clamps that were too loose when tightened on some bars, but also experienced them beeing awkward to put on some bars since they were a bit tight when opened. Never had any of that with the Lock-Jaws.

I wouldn't swear on it, but my general feeling is that the Lock-Jaws are more solid, have a better mechanism and are more resistant to wear and tear.

Cheers