Explainer

Raw vs. equipped: powerlifting gear, explained

Why two lifters with the same total aren't always doing the same thing — a plain-language guide to the equipment categories, with the authoritative sources to dig deeper.

Powerlifting is contested in different equipment divisions, and which one a lift was done in changes what the number means. "Raw" lifting uses minimal supportive gear; "equipped" lifting adds supportive suits and shirts that store and return energy, which lets lifters handle noticeably more weight. Exactly what's allowed is set by each federation's rulebook — the sources below are the authority; this is just the gist.

The categories (as used in our data)

Our results come from OpenPowerlifting, which classifies lifts into these equipment categories:

Why it matters when you read a recap

An equipped total and a raw total of the same number are not the same achievement — the supportive gear does real mechanical work, more so as you move from single-ply to multi-ply. Some federations contest only raw; others, including APF/AAPF, contest both raw and equipped (up to multi-ply), which is part of why a few totals at a meet like Nationals run so high.

Because of that, we don't label any individual lifter's equipment in a recap unless it's clearly established — we report the weight on the bar and let the categories and the federation's rules speak for themselves.

At a glance

What is DOTS?

Sources