Handles

A lat pulldown bar is a wide (48–50 in), slightly curved bar designed specifically for wide-grip lat pulldowns. A long straight bar is shorter (30–36 in) and used for seated rows, face pulls, and mid-grip pulldowns. Most full cable setups include both — they're not interchangeable.

The tricep rope allows wider hand separation at the bottom of the movement, which many lifters find produces better tricep contraction. The V-bar (or straight bar) allows heavier loads and more consistent grip. Most gym-goers use both, alternating to vary the stimulus. For a first purchase, rope is usually the better choice because it's more versatile (also great for face pulls).

Yes — nearly all commercial cable attachments use a universal snap clip that connects to any cable carabiner. The only exceptions are proprietary attachment systems on certain functional trainers (rare). Most attachments will work on your cable crossover, functional trainer, lat pulldown, or low row machine without any adapters.

D-handles (single-grip handles) are the most common cable handle — a D-shaped grip used for single-arm cable rows, lateral raises, cable curls, and more. U-links are a connector piece that lets you join two attachments together or create a triceps/biceps dual-grip setup. Both are inexpensive and should be standard in any cable station.

Yes — for any cable attachment where you'll twist or rotate your grip (like cable curls, wood chops, or rotational pulls), a swivel connector is essential. It prevents cable twist and lets the attachment rotate naturally with your movement. Nearly all quality commercial attachments include swivel connectors at the clip end.