Crepinsek 1500LBS vs EliteFTS SS Yoke

[MGM711]

So which bar do I end up with moving forward???

I'm keeping both for the time being. I don't have much invested in my Crep, so it's not like I need to flip it to offset the cost of this SS Yolk. Now if I was paying the cost of a new SS Yolk, different story, but since I got mine so cheap, this factors into my decision to go ahead and keep both as I think both bars can stand on their own and give you something different.

If I was to buy a new one now, I would probably lean to the SS Yolk side just where I'm at now with my training and where my two sons are at with their stage of training. The Crep is the better bar IMO, but it's better in a very rugged way which isn't necessarily where things are moving these days. Things that would make it a tougher decision would be a slightly better yolk padding and standard handles, not something you have to buy separately. Another layer of padding on the yolk and say standard angled 8in handles may make this decision really tough, may even swing things to the Crep side, but, I'm not going to hold my breath for that as I don't think Ralph believes his bar needs any changes and has a more old school approach to how he thinks this bar should be used.

[MGM711]

Another factor that I sort of left off and is a big factor in most of my own personal decisions is resale. The SS Yolk is sort of like anything Rogue in the way that it just holds its value well and if you buy one new and decide that you want to get rid of it, you can sell the SS Yolk pretty easily and not lose much. The Crep on the other hand, I've seen them sit for sale for a really long time or sell for pennies on the dollar simply because nobody really knows much about them. So knowing that Crep doesn't really hold its value well is another reason to look to the SS Yolk as well.

[GamecockLifter]

Really nice thread and thoughts. I agree with you. Crep has awesome balance. The copy I used was covered 100% in tape, so it would leave residue on everything I wore. Still thoroughly enjoyed the bar and I’ve contemplated adding one to my gym even though have the Elite.

[MGM711]

Really nice thread and thoughts. I agree with you. Crep has awesome balance. The copy I used was covered 100% in tape, so it would leave residue on everything I wore. Still thoroughly enjoyed the bar and I’ve contemplated adding one to my gym even though have the Elite.

I don't think you could've called your gym hardcore years back unless you had at least one Crep laying around with a damaged yolk that was repaired with either/both duct tape and an old knee wrap. I preferred the outer wrap of the old knee wrap so as you mentioned, the sticky part of the duct tape didn't get all over the place.

[C123C]

Thanks for putting this head to head. Interesting comparison. Would not have guessed on the stability and balance being so one sided. I have handles on my Crep bar (straight ones). Right now I'm just back squatting and doing belt squats (Mech's unit) for volume but I may break out the Crep later in the training cycle once I get my lower back better conditioned.

[MGM711]

Thanks for putting this head to head. Interesting comparison. Would not have guessed on the stability and balance being so one sided. I have handles on my Crep bar (straight ones). Right now I'm just back squatting and doing belt squats (Mech's unit) for volume but I may break out the Crep later in the training cycle once I get my lower back better conditioned.

I always knew that the Crep balanced best, but never realized how much it really was over the field. Again, it balances really well at the expense of yolk comfort. l also think the training effect is more robust with the Crep as well. The downward push going forward toward the neck is much more dramatic than other SSBs, again, could be how the yolk padding is set up and how the bar sits, but it's just harder than the other SSBs that I've used. These two characteristics put it over the top for me, but again, not sure that's what everyone is looking for in a SSB anymore.

Apparently Ralph sells a padding upgrade to the yolk, but seems like it could be a lot of work as a DIY. I'd be curious what it feels like with that upgrade, that along with straight or angled 8in handles as standard equipment and I think you'd have a very nicely improved bar.

[radrd]

Thanks again for putting this comparison together. Really great work! If you can pull it off some day, I'd be interested to see what you think of the Edge bar. Based you describe, I think it might be somewhere in between Crep and Elite for balance and comfort, but I'm still a beginner at bar squatting and am not lifting enough to have a clear idea. Wish I'd started 15-20 years ago.

[1651Naismith]

Great write-up and thank you for doing the head to head comparison. On spread.

[vhd16]

I always knew that the Crep balanced best, but never realized how much it really was over the field. Again, it balances really well at the expense of yolk comfort. l also think the training effect is more robust with the Crep as well. The downward push going forward toward the neck is much more dramatic than other SSBs, again, could be how the yolk padding is set up and how the bar sits, but it's just harder than the other SSBs that I've used. These two characteristics put it over the top for me, but again, not sure that's what everyone is looking for in a SSB anymore.

Apparently Ralph sells a padding upgrade to the yolk, but seems like it could be a lot of work as a DIY. I'd be curious what it feels like with that upgrade, that along with straight or angled 8in handles as standard equipment and I think you'd have a very nicely improved bar.

As per the Crep padding, i think it is better than people think at least in the home gym environment. Mine is holding up really well. Will post pic tonight. At the same time , it is being used in home gym environment by max 2 ppl( me and my son) as compared to commercial gym.

[gym62richard]

Thank's, I've thoroughly enjoyed the thread. Here in the UK the Watson SSB leads the market, the Elite FTS is available for import, but shipping is expensive and I've only ever come across one Crep bar.

From the comparison I would say the Watson bar is closer to the Elite FTS than the Crep. My Watson SSB is well balanced, even when unloaded, the camber looks to be longer on my Watson bar, also the weight sleeves on the Watson are solid rolled steel, not tube, not that this has any impact on bar performance, but it may account for how stable the bar feels when unloaded.

Reps on spread.

[gym62richard]

Thank's, I've thoroughly enjoyed the thread. Here in the UK the Watson SSB leads the market, the Elite FTS is available for import, but shipping is expensive and I've only ever come across one Crep bar.

From the comparison I would say the Watson bar is closer to the Elite FTS than the Crep. My Watson SSB is well balanced, even when unloaded, the camber looks to be longer on my Watson bar, also the weight sleeves on the Watson are solid rolled steel, not tube, not that this has any impact on bar performance, but it may account for how stable the bar feels when unloaded.

Reps on spread.

[MGM711]

As per the Crep padding, i think it is better than people think at least in the home gym environment. Mine is holding up really well. Will post pic tonight. At the same time , it is being used in home gym environment by max 2 ppl( me and my son) as compared to commercial gym.

The padding quality isn't bad, there just isn't as much of it as compared to other SSBs. The SS Yolk has a two stage foam on top of having more foam, so from a comfort standpoint, it's going to feel nicer. Again, I'm convinced that there's a method to Ralph's madness with how the yolk is designed and how it contributes to how it sits and balances. It would likely takes years of careless training to really damage the yolk on the Crep, so in a garage environment with two people who care, this will never be an issue. If my son didn't complain of the feel of the yolk on the Crep, I doubt I would've ever gone down this road with trying out the SS Yolk.

[MGM711]

Thanks again for putting this comparison together. Really great work! If you can pull it off some day, I'd be interested to see what you think of the Edge bar. Based you describe, I think it might be somewhere in between Crep and Elite for balance and comfort, but I'm still a beginner at bar squatting and am not lifting enough to have a clear idea. Wish I'd started 15-20 years ago.

If that Edge is in fact the EliteFTS Yolk V1, the balance wasn't an issue at all, but the yolk padding wasn't as substantial as the SS Yolk either. I really think that less yolk padding now aids in the sit and balance of the SSB in general now. I would say that EFS V1 was likely somewhere between the Crep and SS Yoke, but more toward the SS Yolk. I don't recall that bar wanting to take your neck off when going heavy like the Crep did. Again, that's part of why the training effect of the Crep makes it better.

[MGM711]

Thank's, I've thoroughly enjoyed the thread. Here in the UK the Watson SSB leads the market, the Elite FTS is available for import, but shipping is expensive and I've only ever come across one Crep bar.

From the comparison I would say the Watson bar is closer to the Elite FTS than the Crep. My Watson SSB is well balanced, even when unloaded, the camber looks to be longer on my Watson bar, also the weight sleeves on the Watson are solid rolled steel, not tube, not that this has any impact on bar performance, but it may account for how stable the bar feels when unloaded.

Reps on spread.

Every Watson piece I've ever used or owned has been extremely high quality, and I would assume nothing less for their SSB. I do recall the camber being longer as well, so I would assume it is more like the SS Yolk or even more like the Mastiff/PL SSB which is almost more Spider Bar than SSB. That Mastiff/PL SSB is another interesting bar as well, doesn't sit and balance like the Crep but has an interesting feel that is unique as well.

[vhd16]

The padding quality isn't bad, there just isn't as much of it as compared to other SSBs. The SS Yolk has a two stage foam on top of having more foam, so from a comfort standpoint, it's going to feel nicer. Again, I'm convinced that there's a method to Ralph's madness with how the yolk is designed and how it contributes to how it sits and balances. It would likely takes years of careless training to really damage the yolk on the Crep, so in a garage environment with two people who care, this will never be an issue. If my son didn't complain of the feel of the yolk on the Crep, I doubt I would've ever gone down this road with trying out the SS Yolk.

Unless ppl have issues with Crep padding, In home gym setting, doesn't it makes sense to go with Crep over the SS Yoke?

The pics of the pad as of yesterday.

[MGM711]

Unless ppl have issues with Crep padding, In home gym setting, doesn't it makes sense to go with Crep over the SS Yoke?

The pics of the pad as of yesterday.

Well, it all depends on what you're looking for in a SSB, that was more or less my point, and this also sort of depends on what generation of training you come from. If you're looking for the best balancing bar with the greatest training effect and you are in a garage gym environment and your usage of the bar is kept to a minimum, I can't see how the Crep would ever give you a problem unless you feel the yolk is already uncomfortable as is.

That said, I think the current generation of more raw/USAPL PLers, they don't value training effect as much as the geared generation, and I would say this current groups training is not nearly as extreme and they tend to overvalue the basic barbell lifts and don't really venture out into the specialty bar/assistance exercises as much as older lifters. I say this with experience as I trained with primarily a group of younger, raw lifters before going to my garage, and those guys didn't value training effect or really venturing out from the basic barbell lifts. When they did train SSB, they didn't grab the Crep, they went either Rogue or EliteFTS. I would also say that this group doesn't necessarily seek out the best, they tend to seek out what the rest of the group uses, which tends to be Rogue, SBD sleeves, Slingshot wraps, Reebok shoes, etc. I just think the SS Yolk falls into that category as the identifiable SSB that this group uses now.

Personally, if I was to steer someone into a direction, someone looking for the best balancing bar with greatest training effect possible in a garage gym environment, I would say to get the Crep 850 with 5in handles at $300 shipped, that's more than likely the best bang for your buck, hands down. 850 is way more bar than most need. I've trained with guys who squatted over a grand, and I can only remember two guys ever going over 800 straight weight on SSB. 850 will likely be more than enough bar for anyone, ever, especially raw in a garage gym environment. I really like the SS Yolk, but I would never, ever, recommend anyone pay $425 plus tax and shipping for one. To me, it's about a $350 shipped worth bar, basically what the Crep 850 is, I would essentially put it in the same category, just would come down to what you'd be looking for in a bar...if you value nice padding and handles, SS Yolk is the bar, but if you're looking for great balance and training effect, Crep is your choice.