[REVIEW] Duffalo Bar

[Cleveland33]

I've owned that one for 15 years. Same one they used at WSB in all those older videos (although they rewelded theirs). IMO still the best before they got all goofy with long handles and such.

That's interesting as the one I am getting does not appear to have very long handles - it does look like it has been around the block a few times. I did see on their website that you can buy a dual handle kit - I suppose that would be a set of short and long handles?

I saw a past thread where you weighed in on it, that actually made me realize that it is probably going to be the best deal I will find near me.

[Synthetickiller]

But in my mind, doesn't the CSB rotate on your back a bit and put the weights in front of your center of gravity?

You hold onto the bar to stop the rotation. This will force you to brace harder to stabilize properly. The long & short of the bar is it hammers your lower back, along with teaching you to brace harder.
The bar will not swing wildly. It more or less shifts back & forth a bit. If it starts to rotate a lot (say, 6" of movement), you're going to get buried by the inertia.
Just watch this video & see what i mean.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjIXILAD2jI


Add in chains & your lower back will get destroyed. The bar will still shimmy back & froth.
Add bands in & the bar will get pulled forward & while it stabilizes you a little more, it changes the center of gravity.
Add in both & you're in for a fun time... now I need to reintroduce that movement, I miss it,lol.

It's a versatile bar. You can do the same thing with bench.

The CSB is the Duffalo bar for specialty bars, but it can't replace the Duffalo.

I've owned that one for 15 years. Same one they used at WSB in all those older videos (although they rewelded theirs). IMO still the best before they got all goofy with long handles and such.

I find myself rarely using the hands. I naturally want to grip higher.

[Mech6]

That's interesting as the one I am getting does not appear to have very long handles - it does look like it has been around the block a few times. I did see on their website that you can buy a dual handle kit - I suppose that would be a set of short and long handles?

Mine doesn't have handles. The round bar is only about 1-1/2" longer than the pads. You basically want to just put your hands over the front of pads (or go no hands) and that's it. With the handles, if you push up on them, it shifts the weight back and makes it easier. Which would always happen when someone was trying a 1RM with the bar. Hard to track progress if you don't use it the same way every time.

[Cleveland33]

Mine doesn't have handles. The round bar is only about 1-1/2" longer than the pads. You basically want to just put your hands over the front of pads (or go no hands) and that's it. With the handles, if you push up on them, it shifts the weight back and makes it easier. Which would always happen when someone was trying a 1RM with the bar. Hard to track progress if you don't use it the same way every time.

That is the style I am getting

[rlundregan]

Either way - looks like I am picking up a Crepinsek SSB this weekend from Lundregan's buddy

Tell him I said hello!

[rlundregan]

Mine doesn't have handles. The round bar is only about 1-1/2" longer than the pads. You basically want to just put your hands over the front of pads (or go no hands) and that's it. With the handles, if you push up on them, it shifts the weight back and makes it easier. Which would always happen when someone was trying a 1RM with the bar. Hard to track progress if you don't use it the same way every time.

I had one like that--in fact, I sold it to the guy that Cleveland is apparently visiting this weekend (don't worry, it's a different bar). I didn't like it because it didn't have handles.

That said, I have noticed that I often tend to push up on the handles on my current one. I'll have to work on eliminating that.

[Cleveland33]

Tell him I said hello!

That was my opening line

[SKINUM]

Just bit the bullet, I didn't want to wait another four months for Black Friday. I hope he starts to raise prices now, lol.

[Synthetickiller]

Has anyone purchased this bar w/ any of the coating options?

[SKINUM]

Has anyone purchased this bar w/ any of the coating options?

I considered it but after reading the info it seemed like Duffin didn't recommend it. Plus, I live in VA so humidity isn't an issue like it is in Louisiana.

[mroc17]

Thanks for the solid review. This review put me over the top in buying one and I just received mine in the mail. Looking forward to using it.

[rlundregan]

I just wanted to add the link for MGM's comparison of the Duffalo vs the Buffalo bar for future readers, as it is very helpful:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=173106521

[hXcChris]

Hey I received my Duffalo bar today(Electroless Nickel) and it has dings and scratches all over it. Has anyone else had this issue when they received their Duffalo bar?

[Synthetickiller]

Hey I received my Duffalo bar today(Electroless Nickel) and it has dings and scratches all over it. Has anyone else had this issue when they received their Duffalo bar?

Could you provide some pics?

[hXcChris]

I tried my best to get the flaws to show up but I was fighting the lighting pretty hard.

[hXcChris]

The bar came covered in saw dust so i wiped it down, One of the pics has the saw dust in the picture though.

[MGM711]

The bar came covered in saw dust so i wiped it down, One of the pics has the saw dust in the picture though.

I know I replied to your post in the BF thread, but I wanted to see all the pics...wow, that's pretty disheartening! Like I said, at that price point of $750, I'd expect flawless! Hopefully Chris will take care of this. I hope this is just a one-off that slipped past inspection, but it certainly makes me think twice about buying one new, and I was already on the fence with the price.

[Synthetickiller]

I agree whole heartedly with MGM711.
I would be livid. I had a few scratches on mine, but not to this level.

hXcChris, which finish was the bar?

[dieselmike]

hXcChris, which finish was the bar?

Hey I received my Duffalo bar today(Electroless Nickel).......

Five posts up.

[Synthetickiller]

Five posts up.

There we go!
I was too lazy to sift through all the pics.

[hXcChris]

There we go!
I was too lazy to sift through all the pics.

Hah sorry for the overkill on the enlarged pics I just wanted to make sure that everything was clear.

Just to give you guys an update(also posted in the BF thread) Kabuki responded fairly quickly and they're going to replace the bar. They implied that this level of damage was due to careless shipping at the fault of UPS. They said it should take about a week for them to plate one of the bars in Electroless Nickel and the'll give me a prepaid label to send the other bar back to them.

[Synthetickiller]

Hah sorry for the overkill on the enlarged pics I just wanted to make sure that everything was clear.

Just to give you guys an update(also posted in the BF thread) Kabuki responded fairly quickly and they're going to replace the bar. They implied that this level of damage was due to careless shipping at the fault of UPS. They said it should take about a week for them to plate one of the bars in Electroless Nickel and the'll give me a prepaid label to send the other bar back to them.

That's good new.
I'm glad that they are taking care of you.

At the end of the day, you'll have two. That's really, really awesome.
What's your take on the finish? Would you say it's worth the additional cost?

[hXcChris]

That's good new.
I'm glad that they are taking care of you.

At the end of the day, you'll have two. That's really, really awesome.
What's your take on the finish? Would you say it's worth the additional cost?

Not sure what you mean that i'll have two. As far as the finish goes if I didnt have to worry about rust I would go with the bare steel. I would prefer stainless steel if that was an option. Apparently electroless nickel is supposed to be superior to SS though.

[Bench905]

Not knocking your ordeal, but them sending a bar to replace yours makes the people that are still waiting wait longer.

I guess I'm just really confused on how Kabuki thought Black Friday/Cyber Monday would go in regards to their inventory. We always hear about Dean from BWTG, Rogue, etc. ramping up production heavily before BF in anticipation. Kabuki seems to be thoroughly surprised that discounting the Duffalo $140 (or doing free Shoulderoks with Duffalo purchase) would cause an increase in sales. Month delays for orders are unacceptable.

If someone like Rogue runs out on BF/CM, it says out of stock. If Kabuki runs out, they'll still charge your CC and take your money...might get your bar in January. Alright, my rant is over.

[hXcChris]

Hey guys, so I received the replacement Duffalo bar today. I lifted up the box to bring it into the house to do an inspection and it was making a god awful nails on the chalkboard sound just carrying it into the house. The first bar I received did not have this issue so i'm wondering if i'm just having really bad luck here. I uploaded a couple videos to youtube for example. None of my other bars have this issue so i'm just looking for some clarification if anybody else has had this issue with a brand new bar:

[Mech6]

Hey guys, so I received the replacement Duffalo bar today. I lifted up the box to bring it into the house to do an inspection and it was making a god awful nails on the chalkboard sound just carrying it into the house. The first bar I received did not have this issue so i'm wondering if i'm just having really bad luck here. I uploaded a couple videos to youtube for example. None of my other bars have this issue so i'm just looking for some clarification if anybody else has had this issue with a brand new bar:

Well, that's steel on steel. Maybe they forgot to grease it up after plating?

[hXcChris]

Well, that's steel on steel. Maybe they forgot to grease it up after plating?

Hi Mech, this is the response I received from Kabuki:

"It may have just been the bar being exposed the the cold causing slight shrinking in the metal making there be more contact. It's just the sound of the sleeves rotating on the bar. There shouldn't be anything wrong with the bar itself. As the bronze bushings very slightly wear down over time or the metal expands again in the heat that should be eliminated. You could lubricate the inside of the sleeves if need be. It wasn't doing that when I put it together initially. The bar is not designed as a bar that is suppose to spin either so using it for squatting and benching it shouldn't be spinning much (and therefore causing the sound anyway)"

This doesnt seem right to me as I have had the original bar they sent me out in my garage for over 2 weeks now and its not having any issues like this. The average temp here in Philly has been about 30F. You would know better than I would though, what is your opinion?

[Mech6]

Hi Mech, this is the response I received from Kabuki:

"It may have just been the bar being exposed the the cold causing slight shrinking in the metal making there be more contact. It's just the sound of the sleeves rotating on the bar. There shouldn't be anything wrong with the bar itself. As the bronze bushings very slightly wear down over time or the metal expands again in the heat that should be eliminated. You could lubricate the inside of the sleeves if need be. It wasn't doing that when I put it together initially. The bar is not designed as a bar that is suppose to spin either so using it for squatting and benching it shouldn't be spinning much (and therefore causing the sound anyway)"

This doesnt seem right to me as I have had the original bar they sent me out in my garage for over 2 weeks now and its not having any issues like this. The average temp here in Philly has been about 30F. You would know better than I would though, what is your opinion?

I doubt it. Unless it's -40 where you are, steel won't expand/contract that much. I still say there's no grease or anything in there.

[keyboardworkout]

Is the Duffalo built by Buddy Capps? Quality and construction looks similar to recent TPBs?

[Synthetickiller]

I doubt it. Unless it's -40 where you are, steel won't expand/contract that much. I still say there's no grease or anything in there.

That's my thought too. It's also the easiest & cheapest place to start.

Is the Duffalo built by Buddy Capps? Quality and construction looks similar to recent TPBs?

It's built in house.