Thoughts on the Kabuki Strength Transformer bar

[Anthony21]

What's up everyone. I wanted to get the opinions on you well educated folks to see what your thoughts are on the Kabuki Transformer bar. I'm considering purchasing a blemished version so I can get it quicker.

The best review I've seen on Youtube was from The Kurtlocker. Other than Coop and the guy from Garage Gym Lab it's hard to find good reviews on it.

So I wanted to get your guy's opinions on it both good and bad from those that either have it or have used it.

I appreciate the insight.

[Mech6]

What's up everyone. I wanted to get the opinions on you well educated folks to see what your thoughts are on the Kabuki Transformer bar. I'm considering purchasing a blemished version so I can get it quicker.

The best review I've seen on Youtube was from The Kurtlocker. Other than Coop and the guy from Garage Gym Lab it's hard to find good reviews on it.

So I wanted to get your guy's opinions on it both good and bad from those that either have it or have used it.

I appreciate the insight.

I like it, although I find some settings uncomfortable to use with any real weight. But the High Bar squat setting I think is the best and I mostly use it there. I do have a ton of other bars I tend to squat with also, so your usage may vary. I only break it out every couple of months.

[Anthony21]

I like it, although I find some settings uncomfortable to use with any real weight. But the High Bar squat setting I think is the best and I mostly use it there. I do have a ton of other bars I tend to squat with also, so your usage may vary. I only break it out every couple of months.

What makes other settings uncomfortable when you load weight? Is it due to the padding and how it sits on your back?

[Mech6]

What makes other settings uncomfortable when you load weight? Is it due to the padding and how it sits on your back?

It's because it wants to fall off your back and you have to really hold on to the handles. Again, just uncomfortable, not unusable. The padding is fine for me if a bit thin. But I own an old crepinsek SSB and that padding is also very worn out so maybe I'm used to it. I couldn't compare the to the newer SSBs (elitefts, titan..) which have a lot more padding. I've had mid 500s on it, so I wouldn't know how it handles more weight.

[Anthony21]

It's because it wants to fall off your back and you have to really hold on to the handles. Again, just uncomfortable, not unusable. The padding is fine for me if a bit thin. But I own an old crepinsek SSB and that padding is also very worn out so maybe I'm used to it. I couldn't compare the to the newer SSBs (elitefts, titan..) which have a lot more padding. I've had mid 500s on it, so I wouldn't know how it handles more weight.

The the Transformer Bar designed that way or do you think it's a design flaw? I know they made the handles extra long to have the lifter focus on engaging their lats and what not through out the lift. Maybe this might combat the bar slipping?

[JohnCuster]

Given the wait time on it and the fact that you can knockout everything it does w/the Elite (or Titian) and a Marrs Bar (which you can get from Rogue now, quickly), I would just pop for the two separate models and be done w/it.

I have the SS Yoke (Elite) and the Marrs...both are different and excellent.

Th only possible knock on Elite is crappy clear coat and lack of Olympic sleeves (if you care, I do not).

Unless you have an exceptionally limited amount of space and you will store the Transformer w/the sleeves inverted, I don't see it as the game changer solution many wannabe influencer types try to hype it up to be, especially knowing that many have never used another dedicated SSB to know the differences...Coop, Adam, and Brandon excluded.

In my experience, things that try to do too much offer the best of nothing...trying to ride too many horses w/one ass as my buddy says.

[MGM711]

The the Transformer Bar designed that way or do you think it's a design flaw? I know they made the handles extra long to have the lifter focus on engaging their lats and what not through out the lift. Maybe this might combat the bar slipping?

Pretty much everything Mech6 has said is spot on. There's a place for the Transformer Bar, but it's far from the best SSB you can buy. I find it's best usage is in its variation, so if you're after that, it's worth checking into. The yolk itself isn't that great and the bar for whatever reason doesn't balance all that great, so in certain settings, you're forced to hang onto the handles or else the bar will literally fall off your back. I've gone from using it quite a bit to using it on a couple settings only every so often. I just find there are better yolk bars out there for your money, but if you're looking for a one and done bar that dopes a little bit of everything just ok, the TB is probably good to get.

[radrd]

I didn't realize Rogue was selling the Marrs Bar now. I love mine and at $629 + shipping, it's worth it IMO. I use it weekly for front and back squats. It excels at both and I have no desire for additional additional variety that the Transformer Bar would potentially provide. Just my $0.02 having never used the Kabuki bar.

Edit: Shipping from Rogue is still $100+ for me. Still probably worth it but not cheap. If I somehow lost my bar, I'd buy it again.

[Anthony21]

Given the wait time on it and the fact that you can knockout everything it does w/the Elite (or Titian) and a Marrs Bar (which you can get from Rogue now, quickly), I would just pop for the two separate models and be done w/it.

I have the SS Yoke (Elite) and the Marrs...both are different and excellent.

Th only possible knock on Elite is crappy clear coat and lack of Olympic sleeves (if you care, I do not).

Unless you have an exceptionally limited amount of space and you will store the Transformer w/the sleeves inverted, I don't see it as the game changer solution many wannabe influencer types try to hype it up to be, especially knowing that many have never used another dedicated SSB to know the differences...Coop, Adam, and Brandon excluded.

In my experience, things that try to do too much offer the best of nothing...trying to ride too many horses w/one ass as my buddy says.

Pretty much everything Mech6 has said is spot on. There's a place for the Transformer Bar, but it's far from the best SSB you can buy. I find it's best usage is in its variation, so if you're after that, it's worth checking into. The yolk itself isn't that great and the bar for whatever reason doesn't balance all that great, so in certain settings, you're forced to hang onto the handles or else the bar will literally fall off your back. I've gone from using it quite a bit to using it on a couple settings only every so often. I just find there are better yolk bars out there for your money, but if you're looking for a one and done bar that dopes a little bit of everything just ok, the TB is probably good to get.

I didn't realize Rogue was selling the Marrs Bar now. I love mine and at $629 + shipping, it's worth it IMO. I use it weekly for front and back squats. It excels at both and I have no desire for additional additional variety that the Transformer Bar would potentially provide. Just my $0.02 having never used the Kabuki bar.

Edit: Shipping from Rogue is still $100+ for me. Still probably worth it but not cheap. If I somehow lost my bar, I'd buy it again.

I really appreciate your guy's input. I have the Titan SSB V2 and love that bar as it's a great SSB and the yoke and padding is perfect.

It sounds like I should be looking more into the Marrs-Bar. That shipping from Rogue is expensive though. To ship it to me in AZ total cost for the bar is $797.61. I also noticed they changed the padding on the bar. Is the new padding comfortable? It's hard to tell from the pics on the Rogue website.

[Mech6]

One thing I'm thinking of doing is making bolt-on extensions so I can have the option of a "spider bar" setting. It's bascially the same bar but with a 14" drop for the weight sleeves.

[Anthony21]

I decided to go with the Marrs Bar seeing as I'm typically a low bar squatter. I appreciate those that chimed in.

[radrd]

I decided to go with the Marrs Bar seeing as I'm typically a low bar squatter. I appreciate those that chimed in.

It's a great bar. I seriously doubt you'll be disappointed. Congrats!

[Anthony21]

It's a great bar. I seriously doubt you'll be disappointed. Congrats!

I'll be picking it up soon. The $800 price though is a hard pill to swallow.