The Current Landscape of Equipment Manufacturers

Equipped lifting is a tight knit community. Because of this, if you're not already in with some equipped people, it can be tough to get a feel for what is and isn't worth buying. Gear is also damn expensive- which makes mistakes in selection all the more punishing. 

As of the time of writing in early 2024, consider this your crash course to equipment manufacturers if you're in the market for some gear.

Metal

Aka "the brand that shall not be named" and the "racist gear." 

Back in 2020, the owner (Finnish lifter and former parliament member Ano Turtiainen) made some racist jokes on Twitter about George Floyd. 

This is the reason you don't see much Metal gear today, as before this EliteFTS used to be their main American distributor. Soon after Ano's comments got out, EliteFTS dropped them immediately and almost all federations banned their gear from competition (or at minimum required you to cover their logos). The latter rulings have since fallen by the wayside, but the other truth of Metal still has not changed: it does not fit most American lifters. 

Ano builds all his gear for tall, long-limbed Finnish lifters. Most of the cuts they use just don't fit American lifters well. From what I have seen, their materials also aren't favored- lots of it has layers of foam in between its poly. However, some like it, and you can always get the gear altered to fit you better. 

The main piece of gear worth looking at from them is their canvas squat suit. It is an absolute tank- it uses duct canvas just like Inzer and Ginny, but has velcro-adjustable legs. This sort of helps alleviate the cut-issues most have and also makes it a solid choice to deadlift in. 

Overall, if you are just getting into gear it can be worth trying as most of it is very inexpensive on the secondhand market, but today I would not buy any of it new. There are better options- and why run the risk of a meet director taking issue with a brand? 

Titan

Titan has been in the game for a long time, and their gear is still great. Specifically, their briefs have really taken over the market. People love super boss briefs- and for good reason- they are super stiff yet have a lot of rebound, and they last damn near forever. 

Only word of caution against their squat gear is they make it with rather short legs. I have never been able to make this work with my long femurs, as their (lack of) leg length means I get no hamstring support. While they don't make a canvas squat suit, their boss fabric when laminated is basically canvas in my opinion; especially when grid stitched. 

Their bench shirts are also pretty competitive (the biggest poly bench EVER was in one of their single-ply shirts, Jimmy Kolb's 1120). Some do not love the cuts, and they're definitely more chestplate-focused than others, but they are very strong when fitted properly. They also have been known to let people make lots of frankenshirts with mixes of different materials. 

If you are going to buy Titan gear, it is in your best interest to get it from Anderson Powerlifting or Lifting Large as they stock their gear and can get it to you way faster. 

Inzer

Oh how the mighty have fallen.

Inzer used to be top dog, but it seems each day they are closer and closer to just giving up. Their quality has absolutely nosedived. 

The big problem is longevity. Their bench shirts are incredible- but I can only get two training cycles out of one. That is an expensive game to play, and their briefs largely have the same fate. However, their canvas squat suits don't have this issue and they brought the lace-up suit to the masses with their Leviathan Ultra Pro. 

The other problem is customer service and sizing. Inzer's customer service is often inaccurate and their sizing guide is not only inaccurate but is inconsistent. Everything you order from them you essentially have to be ok with sending back to change sizes, or you have to be ready to send it to someone like F8 or PackAPunch to get altered as they won't alter gear for most people. 

If you're going to order new Inzer gear, your best bet is American Power Gear and using their "Gear Concierge" service. Or better yet, getting lucky on Facebook marketplace with lightly-used equipment. 

I do think Inzer gear is probably the easiest to learn and fits the most people in terms of cuts. For that, I must give them some credit. 

Overkill

In my humble opinion, this stuff is the best on the market. The materials are otherworldly and the quality is unparalleled.

It is hard to make any sweeping generalizations on cut or aggressiveness as all of this gear is custom made. While this isn't ideal for beginners, for everyone else it is very special. I also think the pricing is very competitive for what you are getting. 

The other big difference is none of Rudy's gear really wears out, it only breaks in and gets better. Even his bench shirts don't wear out, people either out-grow them or go on to want a more aggressive cut. 

Really the only drawback to Overkill is the time it takes to get this gear in hand. Rudy makes it all himself. I think this tradeoff, while frustrating at times; is worth it given how long it will last you. Yes it may take a while to get your shirt- but you'll never really have to replace it, which cannot be said about any other line of equipment. 

You have to order it from Rudy directly (your best bet is to start off from either the link in his instagram bio or DM him). I wouldn't go hunting too hard for it used on marketplace as it is so custom it's a big dice roll if it will fit you like it should, but you can find some good deals here and there. 

Ginny's Power Gear

As far as I know Ginny Phillips is still making gear. Despite how old of a name she is in the game, her squat suits are awesome. Like the Inzer Leviathan, she uses duct canvas with a poly insert. However, her sizing is much more accurate than Inzer. It is a worthwhile option if you like the OG Leviathan but don't want to deal with Inzer.

I don't think her bench shirts are competitive today as they are made of canvas and denim.

You have to order gear from her directly, but unfortunately I cannot seem to find her website anymore. I would assume your best bet is to try and reach her through her Instagram, or talk to someone who has recently got gear from her.

F8

While they really only make band shirts on their own, they also alter gear. As far as alterations go, they are 100% your best bet (unless you have Overkill gear- then ONLY send it back to Rudy). I have had bench shirts sent for alteration back within the calendar week!

I believe they have also recently reopened orders for fully custom band shirts on their website. Like Titan, their stock gear is available on Anderson Powerlifting.