There’s certain home gym equipment you need, like a barbell, weight plates, a set of dumbbells or kettlebells, a squat rack, and a weight bench. And then there are things you don’t necessarily need, but it’s nice to have.
Our Titan Series Safety Squat Bar review covers a piece of equipment that falls into the second category. Don’t get us wrong, we like nice things—heck, we’ve made a career out of reviewing some of the best home gym equipment that very few people “need.”
We’ll give you an in-depth look at this safety squat bar, how it stacks up to the competition, and go over who actually needs it.
We Keep Raising the Bar on Home Gym Equipment Reviews
Any time a new fitness product is released, such as the Titan Series Safety Squat Bar, you can bet that people will be asking manufacturers to send a sample to us, because they know that Garage Gym Reviews is the best place to get thorough and unbiased reviews. Seriously, go find a video of a barbell unveiling and you’ll see people tagging Coop in the comments.
And now that we’ve added certified personal trainers and weightlifting coaches to the team, our reviews are more in-depth than ever.
Titan Series Safety Squat Bar
Titan Series Safety Squat Bar
Product Highlights
- Constructed with hand-selected American steel, the Titan Series Safety Bar is an all-black zinc plated bar with ribbed sleeves
- Features include a one-piece foam pad for added comfort and to prevent sliding
- Ergonomic 6” long honeycomb handles
- 5” drop to keep the weight plates lower for a more stabilized center of gravity
- Handles can be removed
- Designed to reduce the risk of injury to the wrist, elbow, shoulder, and neck
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Made in the USA
- Free shipping
- Constructed with high-quality steel
- Ribbed sleeves
- Easy assembly with hex screw set
Cons
- Users report the zinc coating scratches easily
- Rackable width of the bar may not fit on some rigs
Bottom Line
Affordable, well-made, and functional, the Titan Series Safety Squat bar offers a safe way to hit heavy lifts even for those with limited shoulder and chest mobility.
Video Review
A Quick Look at the Titan Series Safety Squat Bar
The Titan Series Safety Squat Bar (called SSBs in the powerlifting community) is a newly released specialty bar from Titan Fitness that features high-density foam padding, and a camber design that helps reduce the amount of stress on a lifter’s shoulders, especially compared to a standard barbell.
Titan has released other SSBs, but this one is their crème de la crème, featuring honeycomb handles for increased grip, black zinc coating, and is made in the USA steel (its other bars are made with imported materials).
My Tips
- Looking to save money on your next order? See if there’s a Titan Fitness coupon code you can use at checkout.
- The bar actually costs more on Amazon, so buy directly from Titan’s site.
Pros:
- Retails at $300 (good price for a specialty bar)
- Uses made-in-the-USA steel
- Foam padding is very comfortable and durable
- Great for reducing shoulder pain
Cons:
- Some complaints about the powder coat being too gritty or chipping after minimal use
- There are bars that feel similar in use that cost less
- Doesn’t sit evenly in j-cups on a wide rack
Is the Titan Series Safety Squat Bar Worth It?
The Titan Series Safety Squat Bar sells for $300, with free shipping, which is a great price for a specialty bar, but as we said there are very few people who should actually consider getting this thing. We’ll dive a little deeper into who those people are in a bit, but for now, we’ll just say if you experience shoulder or wrist pain while squatting then this could be the bar for you.
Here’s who we think would like the Titan Series Safety Squat Bar, and who may want to look at another kind of bar.
Great for:
- Lifters who have shoulder or wrist pain while squatting
- Those looking for a budget-friendly specialty bar
- Anyone who likes durable home gym equipment
Not recommended for:
- Anyone who needs a versatile barbell
- People who like knurled handles
- Those looking for the best safety squat bar
Titan Series Safety Squat Bar Specs
| Overall length | 90.5” |
| Weight | 61 lbs |
| Weight capacity | 1,500 lbs |
| Shaft diameter | 38 mm |
| Loadable sleeve length | 16” |
| Shoulder pad grip spacing | 12.75” |
| Camber drop | 22 degrees |
| Sleeve coating | Black zinc |
| Sleeve diameter | 49 mm |
| Grip diameter | 43 mm |
Who Needs the Titan Series Safety Squat Bar?
Before even considering whether to buy the Titan Series Safety Squat Bar, or any other SSB for that matter, you should first make sure you have an Olympic barbell in your home gym. Safety squat bars are great, but they don’t have the versatility of a standard barbell (you can’t deadlift with an SSB).
Have one already? Good. So how do you know if the SSB is meant for you? For that, I turned to Kate Meier, GGR’s head of content and a certified USA Weightlifting Level 1 Coach (and also a competitive lifter herself, so she knows a thing or two about this type of stuff).
“There’s two main groups of people who benefit from using a safety squat bar,” she says. “The first is people who have a shoulder injury or have shoulder pain when squatting. A traditional back squat demands external shoulder rotation when you grip the bar. That can be painful and even dangerous for people who have an injury or are recovering from one. The SSB has handles in front of your body, limiting the demand on your shoulders’ range of motion.”
This is one of the reasons why you see many strongmen and powerlifters utilize the SSB during their strength training sessions. Those athletes are squatting hundreds of pounds every time they step in the squat rack, and after a while repping 700 pounds is going to take a toll on their body. Using the SSB allows them to still lift crazy amounts of weight, allowing them to progress in their training, while giving their shoulders a break.
The second group is people who find it uncomfortable to do a front squat. “ Similar to the front squat, the way the SSB pushes the load forward means your core and even upper back works harder to keep you in an upright position,” Kate explains. “However, with the SSB, you don’t have wrist pain (and, to a lesser degree, shoulder/elbow pain) like you might on a front squat. Therefore, you may see form improvements with an SSB that could translate to the back squat.”
Some people may also recommend SSBs for weightlifting beginners, because it allows them to find their center of gravity easier than with a straight bar.
How It Feels to Lift With the Titan Series Safety Squat Bar
Garage Gym Reviews founder Cooper Mitchell has tried out several safety squat bars during his time as a home gym equipment reviewer, including just about every iteration of Titan’s SSBs. Of the Titan Series Safety Squat Bar, he said it feels “exactly like their Safety Squat Olympic Bar V2,” which is to say, really good.
The 22-degree camber angle is exactly what you want to see on an SSB to put the bar at an advantageous position for lifting, the foam padding is extremely comfortable and durable, and the bar doesn’t whip at heavy weights (Titan’s first SSB had major whip at anything above 135 pounds).
“Overall, it feels balanced with a great camber angle and the feeling that I liked about the V2,” Coop adds.
We had a minor problem with one of the handles being welded at an angle, but we’re hoping Titan will send out a new one to correct the issue.
Titan Series Safety Squat Bar vs Titan Fitness Safety Squat Olympic Bar V2
A Better Titan Bar?
Titan Safety Squat Olympic Bar V2
Product Highlights
- Affordably priced bar
- Performs well at any weight with athletes of any size
- Great padding and vinyl covering
- 22-degree camber angle
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Imported, cheaper version of the EliteFTS SS Yoke
- Thick padding that holds up well
- Vinyl covering is thick and durable
- 22-degree camber angle
- Max capacity of 1,500 lbs
- Comfortable grips
- Removable handles
- Decorative chrome finish looks good
- Priced affordably
Cons
- No warranty attached to the Titan SSB
- Handles tend to spin
- Decorative chrome gets surface rust rather quickly
Bottom Line
The Titan SSB V2, despite being imported and of slightly lower quality compared to competitors, was chosen as our Top Pick for the Best Safety Squat Bar for most people. And for good reason, its features for the price are outstanding. We love the EliteFTS SS Yoke, but this one gets you 95% of the way there for less than half the price. We have been blown away with just how good this bar is for the price. If you're in the market, we don't see a huge reason to spend more.
As Coop noted, the Titan Series Safety Squat Bar feels just about identical to the Titan Fitness Safety Squat Olympic Bar V2. The difference between the two is the Titan Series has honeycomb handles, a black zinc coating throughout the bar, and is made with U.S.-sourced steel, which might be the difference for some home gym owners.
There’s nothing wrong with the steel used on the Titan SSB V2, but some people simply prefer buying products with American-sourced materials (one reviewer actually said he would’ve held off on buying the V2 if he knew the Titan Series would have American steel).
But again, there’s no difference in performance between the two. Coop says he’d actually recommend the V2 if you can get it on sale.
Titan Series Safety Squat Bar vs REP Fitness Safety Squat Bar
The Better Value?
REP Fitness Safety Squat Bar
Product Highlights
- Great value safety squat bar
- Knurled handles that can be removed
- Thick padding
- Easy to rack and unrack
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Great value
- Fully knurled handles
- Removable handles
- High-quality padding
- Easy to rack and unrack
- Static rating of 1,500 lbs
- Metallic black powder coat finish
- Compatible with Olympic-sized plates
- Hard chrome finish on sleeves
Cons
- Great value, but $300+ may still be expensive for some
Bottom Line
The REP Fitness Safety Squat Bar is a great value because you get a high-quality bar. Finishing touches like knurled handles and exceptional padding set this bar apart from the competition.
If you’re looking for the best value, Coop recommends going for the REP Fitness Safety Squat Bar, which currently sells for $330. Yes, that’s more than the Titan Series Safety Squat Bar, but here’s why Coop recommends shelling out the extra cash.
“I would choose the REP because the fit and finish is better and the knurled handles are money,” he says. But, he adds, “In use, most people won’t notice a difference between the REP and Titan, and the Titan is made in the USA, so it’s kind of a toss-up.”
Read our full REP Fitness Safety Squat Bar review for more information.
Financing, Warranty, Returns
Titan Fitness offers multiple financing options for their products at checkout. You can pay for the Titan Series Safety Squat Bar with monthly payments as low as $26.38 per month.
The Titan Series Safety Squat Bar comes with a one-year warranty. We tried looking up policies for other safety squat bars, but many manufacturers don’t present specific information for their SSBs.
Titan Fitness has a 30-day return policy starting at the date of delivery, but the product must be unused or in new condition.
Assembling the Titan Series Safety Squat Bar
The Titan Series Safety Squat Bar is easy to put together, as all you have to do is screw in the sleeves and handles into the shoulder pad with an included hex screw set. Make sure all your parts are in working order, as the reviews show Coop isn’t the only one to receive a bar with improper welds.
Customer Reviews
The Titan Series Safety Squat Bar has a 4.5 average rating with 13 reviews, and as of this writing 10 of those are 5-star reviews.
Most of the bar’s detractors cited the coating as their main complaint.
Final Verdict of Our Titan Series Safety Squat Bar Review
The Titan Series Safety Squat Bar may not be as nice as the Rogue SB-1 Safety Squat Bar or the EliteFTS SS Yoke Bar, but it performs just as well as those two at a much more budget-friendly price (the Elite FTS bar is a better choice, however, if you prefer low-bar squats).
If you’re someone who only buys American-made products, it’s a great choice but we think Titan’s other SSBs, along with the REP safety squat bar, are just as good.
Titan Series Safety Squat Bar Rating
Titan Series Safety Squat Bar
Our Titan Series Safety Squat Bar review gives you an in-depth look at this budget-friendly specialty bar.
Product Brand: Titan
Product Currency: USD
Product Price: 299.99
Product In-Stock: InStock
4.08
Titan Series Safety Squat Bar FAQs
How heavy is the Titan Fitness Safety Squat Bar?
The Titan Series Safety Squat Bar weighs 60 pounds.
Are safety squat bars worth it?
Safety squat bars are not a necessity, but if you’re someone who experiences shoulder or back pain it may be a worthwhile investment so you can continue to squat without aggravating an injury.
Are safety squat bars harder?
On the contrary, safety squat bars are easier to use than a traditional barbell because of the stress they take off your shoulders and back, and the fact that it’s easier to keep your balance with them than a straight bar.
