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When combined with the best weight plates, a barbell is the most versatile tool in any commercial or home gym. However, thanks to the exponential growth in both barbell training and home gyms, there are now hundreds of companies producing thousands of different barbells. This is both good and bad. It’s good because you have a plethora of options to choose from; it’s bad because it’s suddenly that much harder to decide what the best Olympic barbell is.
That’s where we come in. In this guide, we want to help you find the best Olympic bar for 2025. We have personally researched more than 150 bars and used close to 100. Our team of expert product testers includes elite-level weightlifters, competitive athletes, powerlifting enthusiasts, USA weightlifting coaches, and CrossFit L-1 trainers.
We use a multi-point testing methodology as we squat with the bars, deadlift them, snatch them, turn them into landmines, drop them, and load them with tons of weight to see how they perform. Additionally, we look at things like their value for the price, warranty, and customer service.
Barbells are at the top of my list of the best home gym equipment, and for a good reason: They are king. So, with these attributes defined, let’s dig into my picks for the top barbells.
The Best Olympic Barbells on the Market
- Best Barbell Overall: REP Fitness Colorado Bar
- Best Olympic Barbell For CrossFit: Fringe Sport Wonder Bar V2
- Best Hex Bar for the Money: Titan Fitness Hex Trap Bar
- Best Value Barbell for Weightlifting: Bells of Steel Olympic Weightlifting Barbell 2.0
- Best Safety Squat Bar: Titan Safety Squat Olympic Bar V2
- Best Olympic Barbell for Home Gyms: Rogue Ohio Bar
- Best Multipurpose Olympic Barbell: Synergee Games Cerakote Barbell
- Best Power Bar: Rogue Ohio Power Bar
- Best Barbell Under $300: Iron Bull Strength Cerakote Competition Barbell
- Best Budget Barbell: Major Fitness Home Gym Barbell
Best Olympic Barbell Video Review
Compare Side By Side
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| REP Colorado Bar | Fringe Wonder Bar | Titan Hex Bar | Bells of Steel Olympic Barbell | Titan Safety Squat Bar | Ohio Bar | Synergee Barbell | Rogue Ohio Power Bar | Iron Bull Barbell | Major Fitness Barbell | |
Rating Our expert product testers, who include certified personal trainers and coaches, use a multi-point testing methodology to determine average ratings out of 5 stars. | ||||||||||
| Durability | 190,000 PSI | 205,000 PSI | 800 lb weight capacity | 240,000 PSI | 1,500 lb weight capacity | 190,000 PSI | 190,000 PSI | 205,000 PSI | 200,000 PSI | 750 lb weight capacity |
| Spin | Composite Bushing | Bushing or Bearing | N/A | 4 Needle Bearings | N/A | Bushing | Needle Bearings | Bushing | 8 Needle Bearings | Bushing |
| Knurling | Medium Volcano with | Medium with Dual Knurl Marks | Medium Diamond with No Marks | Medium with Dual Knurl Markings | N/A | Medium Knurling with Dual Knurl Marks | Medium with Dual Knurl Marks | Aggressive Volcano Knurling with Powerlifting | Volcano with Dual Knurl Marks | Medium Diamond Knurling with Dual Knurl Marks |
| Finish | Hard Chrome, Cerakote | Black Zinc | Chrome | Hardened Chrome | Chrome | Black Zinc, Stainless Steel, Cerakote, E-Coat, Black Oxide | Cerakote | Stainless Steel, Black Zinc, Cerakote, E-Coat | Cerakote | Chrome, Black Oxide |
| Diameter | 28.5 mm | 28 mm | 25 mm | 28 mm | 43 mm grip diameter, 38 mm shaft diameter | 28.5 mm | 28 mm | 29 mm | 28.5 mm | 33 mm shaft, 50 mm sleeve |
| Warranty | Lifetime | Lifetime | 1 Year | Limited Lifetime | 1 year | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Limited Lifetime | 1 year |
Best Barbell Overall: REP Fitness Colorado Bar
Good for: Anyone wanting a solid barbell with great value
The 20-kilogram Colorado Bar from REP Fitness is a durable, versatile Olympic barbell made for heavy powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, and cycling weights in CrossFit workouts. The barbell has two knurl markings for IWF and IPF specs. The bar is available with a hard chrome finish or different-colored cerakote finishes with Duracoat on the sleeves. With composite bushings, the barbell provides decent spin and durability that helps dampen noise when dropping weights.
What our tester says:
“This bar is fantastic. From REP’s previous bars, this blows those away. This is now a true contender.”
When we talk about Olympic weightlifting, we’re talking about a barbell that does two things exceptionally well—the snatch and the clean and jerk. And while most weightlifters love an exceptional barbell like the Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Training Bar, we think a lot of people are sleeping on the value behind our pick for the best overall, the REP Fitness Colorado Bar.
This multi-use bar comes in two finishes: hard chrome or cerakote with Duracoat sleeves. The cerakote option will provide better long-term protection against corrosion, and you can choose from a variety of colors for the shaft.
Because it’s a multi-use bar, the shaft’s diameter is right in between typical Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting specs, and there are dual knurl markings for International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) and International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) specifications.
GGR founder Cooper “Coop” Mitchell tested this bar and was very impressed with the quality, giving it a solid 5 out of 5 for durability and a 4.5 for construction.
“This bar is fantastic,” Coop says. “From REP’s previous bars, this blows those away. This is now a true contender.”
Keep in mind that the REP Colorado Bar is a multi-purpose barbell, not a sport-specific barbell. It’ll work well for most home gym owners, though those who specialize in powerlifting or Olympic weightlifting may need a training bar specifically for that sport.
This barbell costs around $299. In our opinion, it’s hard to beat the quality and versatility you’re getting with the Colorado Bar. Unless you need a very specific bar, this versatile barbell is an excellent choice for nearly all home gym owners.
If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly alternative, the Synergee Games Cerakote Barbell is another great multi-purpose barbell that’s a bit easier on the wallet.
For more, read out our full REP Fitness Colorado Bar Review, or check out Coop’s video review.
| Bar weight | 15 or 20 kg |
| Knurl | Medium, volcano knurl |
| Center knurl | No |
| Knurl marks | Dual (IPF & IWF) |
| Shaft coating | Hard chrome, Cerakote |
| Tensile strength | 190K PSI |
| Bushing/bearing | Composite Bushing |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
Best Olympic Barbell For CrossFit: Fringe Sport Wonder Bar V2
Good for: Anyone who needs a high-value barbell with good knurling for CrossFit
The Fringe Sport Wonder Bar V2 is one of the best value general training/CrossFit barbells on the market that we’ve reviewed. This is a great barbell that will perform in any workouts for as long as you keep it.
Whether you’re new to CrossFit or a WOD regular, the Fringe Sport Wonder Bar V2 is a high-value barbell at a budget price. Whether you opt for the 15 kg or the 20 kg, you’ll still be paying less than $300. We even declared it the Best Budget Barbell in our list of the best CrossFit equipment for your home gym.
Fringe Sports gives you ample opportunity to customize your barbell. You can choose between bushing or bearing, though bearing may serve you better during your CrossFit lifts. The extra spin allows for speedier lifts. The Wonder Bar also gets a 5 out of 5 for boasting a tensile strength of 205,000 PSI for the 20 kg version, along with double-ring IWF + IFP knurling, which is excellent for all-purpose lifting.
The bushing bar uses high-impact bronze bushings, which adds to its longevity and should hold up to regular drops. As for the warranty, Fringe Sports offers a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects and has a 30-day return policy with free shipping should you change your mind.
For a multipurpose bar for CrossFit or general bodybuilding with a thinner diameter, you can check out the DMoose Regional Barbell. While its 28-millimeter diameter is only slightly thinner than the Fringe Wonder Bar, you’ll feel the difference at maximal weights.
If you want to see the bar in action, you can watch the video review from our Garage Gym Reviews Everything channel.
| Bar Weight | 15 kg or 20 kg |
| Knurl | Somewhat passive |
| Center Knurl | No |
| Knurl Marks | Dual Knurling – Double Ring IWF + IPF Knurling |
| Shaft Coating | Black Zinc |
| Tensile Strength | 160K PSI (15 kg), 205K PSI (20kg) |
| Bushing/Bearing | Either |
| Warranty | Lifetime warranty |
Best Hex Bar for the Money: Titan Fitness Hex Trap Bar
Good for: The budget-minded deadlifter looking for a good trap bar.
If you’re on a budget and looking for a hex trap bar, this durable trap bar from Titan is hard to beat.
The Titan Fitness Olympic Hex Bar is on our best trap bars list because it’s affordable and a quality bar. We’ve used it for a few years—used and abused it, I should say—and I would still recommend it for most people. This trap bar looks a lot like the higher-end bars, but the Titan model is a lot more affordable at less than $350. With a matte black powder coating, it should withstand some wear and tear as well as premature rusting.
Unfortunately, the sleeves are also powder-coated, which means they will get pretty dinged up from loading Olympic plates. I rate the finish a 3 out of 5 because of this. It’s mostly aesthetic dings and scratches though, as the bar itself is rated to hold up to 800 pounds, which will be plenty of weight for most home gym users.
I would say that the knurling on the high handle is slightly aggressive. Other people who have used it have commented that they like the knurling. A nice bonus is that the Titan Hex Bar has been redesigned to be rackable in a majority of squat racks.
For an open trap bar design, we recommend the REP Fitness Open Trap Bar. With removable handles, this open trap bar add tons of versatility to your workouts.
To learn more, you can watch our full video review below.
| Bar Weight | 60 lbs |
| Loadable Sleeve Length | 16″ |
| Weight Capacity | 800 lbs |
| Shaft Coating | Powder-coated Black |
| Knurling | Medium Diamond Texture |
| Warranty | 1 year |
Best Value Barbell for Weightlifting: Bells of Steel Olympic Weightlifting Barbell 2.0
Good for: People looking for a high-quality, affordable bar for weightlifting
The Bells of Steel Olympic Weightlifting Barbell 2.0 is an affordably priced bar ideal for those who like to snatch, clean, and jerk. Needle bearings, high tensile strength, and dual markings are great for those who enjoy the Olympic lifts.
Best Safety Squat Bar: Titan Safety Squat Olympic Bar V2
Good for: An affordable, safe option for those needing this kind of specialty bar.
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.
When I used the first iteration of the Titan Safety Squat Bar, it was a huge bummer. In fact, I’d call it one of the worst specialty bars I have ever come across.
However, the Titan Safety Squat Bar V2 has totally redeemed the brand, and this solid bar now tops our best safety squat bars list. It has a 22-degree camber angle, thick padding, and thick steel, earning it a 4 out of 5 for its construction.
Titan Fitness essentially cloned the EliteFTS Safety Squat Yoke Bar, which I absolutely love. However, it is pricier than the Titan version. And Titan actually has even cheaper safety squat bars, but I’m not a fan of cheap bars because they can whip excessively, or use cheap padding, or have a bad camber angle.
The Titan V2 has thick vinyl padding, which should be more resistant to ripping than the cheap stuff, earning it a 4 out of 5 for durability. I also love that this bar uses an Olympic sleeve that can take standard collars (not all trap bars are like that).
Kate Meier, CPT, USAW-L1, CF-L1, and competitive weightlifter, used the Titan SSB for months after she had elbow surgery.
“This was a lifesaver when I literally couldn’t hold a barbell,” she says. “I used it for squats, split squats, and lunges, every week, for about 6 months. The padding is extremely comfortable, and the bar is very balanced.”
Also, the bar handles are removable, so you can use this bar for things like presses and curls. You might not end up needing the bar for that, but I think it’s nice to have the option.
For more, read out our Titan Safety Squat Bar review, or watch our full video review.
Want a bit more versatility in your safety squat bar? The Kabuki Power Transformer Bar is built with an adjustment mechanism that allows lifters to adjust where the barbell weight sits, which will impact how the weight feels on your back. You can mimic front squats, back squats, or something in between.
| Bar weight | 61 lbs |
| Camber drop | 22 degrees |
| Bar length | 90.5 in |
| Shaft coating | Chrome |
| Sleeve coating | Chrome |
| Weight capacity | 1,500 lbs |
| Warranty | 1 year |
Best Barbell For Weightlifting: Rogue Ohio Bar
Good for: Anyone who wants to use a barbell for weightlifting.
The Rogue Ohio Bar is one of the most iconic barbells in the world. It’s been used at the CrossFit Games by some of the fittest athletes in the world and is just as well suited in your garage gym. The Ohio Bar is priced well despite its features and being made in the USA. Although we prefer the Rogue 2.0 Bar for its price, we don’t blame you if you decide to spring for the Ohio Bar, although we’d suggest getting the Stainless Steel or Cerakote version.
What our tester says:
“The Rogue Fitness Ohio Bar is one of the most popular barbells in the world, and for good reason. It is a high-quality barbell with high tensile strength, refined knurl, consistent spin, and comes in at a great price.”
Rogue Fitness has grown into the premier fitness equipment manufacturer in the world and a majority of their equipment is still made right here in the USA.
GGR founder Coop Mitchell says about the bar, “I think the Ohio Bar has edged out the Rogue 2.0 bar not because it’s necessarily a better bar, but because there are so many options.” In reality, they are basically the same bar, but the Ohio Bar has bronze bushings, which he prefers for a slower controlled spin. The Ohio Bar also comes in more options for finishes, earning a 5 out of 5 for its coatings—like the cerakote Ohio Bar and the Rogue Fitness Stainless Steel Ohio Bar, both of which offer a little more durability and a higher price tag.
RELATED: Rogue Ohio Bar vs Rogue Power Bar
The Ohio Bar really just has all the makings of an exceptional barbell, getting near-perfect marks from us in almost every category we test: A 190,000 PSI tensile strength which jumps to 200,000 if you get the stainless steel version (earning a 5 out of 5 for tensile strength), a 28.5mm shaft, dual knurl markings, and a 16.4-in loadable sleeve. You can load it heavily without worrying about bending or warping. You can drop it from overhead repeatedly (which we did), and it performs just as well as it always did.
Really, you can use the Ohio Bar for anything: CrossFit, powerlifting, weightlifting, and general training. There isn’t center knurling, which might annoy some powerlifters, but that’s also what makes it ideal for an all-around barbell. The rest of the knurling, however, is about the medium, or even slightly passive, earning a 4.5 out of 5. “With a little bit of chalk, the bar grips great, but it won’t rip your hands to shreds either,” Coop adds. Also, the knurling goes all the way to the collar, which is ideal for people with long arms/mobility issues or those who otherwise need the full length.
Nearly all Rogue barbells come with lifetime warranties that they stand behind, which is one of the reasons that the brand’s bars usually top my list. Rogue, by and large, makes the best weightlifting barbells in the world.
For a premium multipurpose barbell, take a look at the Eleiko XF Bar. With a combination of bushing and bearings, this all-around bar has enough spin for snatches, but still enough stability and control for heavy deadlifts and squats.
Read our full Rogue Ohio Bar review for more, or watch our full video review below.
| Bar weight | 20 kg |
| Knurl | Passive |
| Center knurl | No |
| Knurl marks | Dual |
| Shaft coating | Options in black zinc, E-coat, black oxide, cerakote and stainless steel |
| Tensile strength | 190K PSI (200K in stainless steel) |
| Bushing/bearing | Bushing |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
Best Multipurpose Olympic Barbell: Synergee Games Cerakote Barbell
Good for: Good for: People who want a multipurpose barbell for less
If you want a nice-looking CrossFit barbell with weather-resistant Cerakote (more on that in a second) but don’t want to spend the money on something like a Rogue Ohio Bar, then go for the Synergee Games Cerakote Barbell.
What our tester says:
“I don’t have many complaints about these bars. I’ve used them for years. I love the grip, I love the spin, I love the movement.”
Bench, squats, muscle snatches, cleans, and bent-over rows—if you’re looking for a barbell that can do it all, our favorite multipurpose barbell is the Synergee Games Bar. With dual knurl marks, needle bearings for a solid spin, and a strong tensile strength, this bar is capable of a variety of workouts and exercises. Plus, you get this all for around $200, earning this bar a 5 out of 5 for value.
GGR director of content Kate Meier, NASM-CPT, USAW-L1, CF-L1, has used the Synergee Regional Barbell before, which is the same sort of barbell as the Games Bar, but with a different finish—black phosphate or hard chrome. “The Games Bar uses cerakote as its coating, which is much more resistant to oxidation and corrosion,” she says. She rates the finish a 4.5 out of 5.
Kate continues with the bar’s versatility. “The knurling is pretty medium; it won’t chew your hands, which is nice for high-rep workouts. They also spin for days.” When I ask her what they’re best suited for, she replies, “I like them for volume, but they aren’t my go-to for weightlifting in a max-out setting.” Still, they get a 4.5 out of 5 for its versatility.
Customer service is easy to work with, too. Kate explains, “I bent one of their bars at the gym just doing hang power cleans, nothing crazy. We called them up and they sent us a new bar, no questions asked.” It’s good to know that they stand behind their lifetime warranty on the barbell, earning them a 5 out of 5 for customer service.
You can read our Synergee Games Cerakote Barbell review for a closer look at the barbell.
Powerlifters may want a more dedicated power bar. If that’s the case, the aggressive knurl and high tensile strength of the REP Fitness Double Black Diamond Power Bar might be just what you need.
| Bar weight | 15 or 20 kg |
| Knurl | 1.2-mm diamond knurl |
| Center knurl | No |
| Knurl marks | Dual marks |
| Shaft coating | Cerakote |
| Tensile strength | 190K PSI |
| Bushing/bearing | 10 needle bearings |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
Best Power Bar: Rogue Ohio Power Bar
Good for: Powerlifters at any fitness level.
The Rogue Ohio Power Bar is the power bar we recommend most often. You cannot spend less and get a better bar. You can spend more, and depending on your preferences get something maybe better, but even then, it’s debatable.
What our tester says:
“If you do lots of squatting, deadlifting, and bench pressing, I think the Rogue Ohio Power Bar is one of the best investments you could ever make for your home gym.”
We’ve been through our share of power bars, but the instant we grabbed onto the Ohio Power Bar, we knew it would make the top of our list for the best powerlifting barbells. This barbell has become somewhat legendary in powerlifting circles in the short time it has been on the scene since its introduction in 2014. This bar will quickly give you an experience of value and a feeling that you will be able to squat more, bench smoother, and train your deadlift stronger.
Rogue has combined its large manufacturing power, attention to detail, and ability to create industry-leading products at great prices to create, in our opinion, the best power bar for any strength level. Whether you’re a beginner learning the squat, deadlift, and bench, or you’re an experienced lifter, the Rogue Ohio Power Bar can handle whatever you throw at it.
The part of a power bar that should have the most attention applied to it is its knurling, and in our opinion and many we’ve polled, the Ohio Power Bar has some of the best feeling knurlings on the market. It’s aggressive, but not sharp, thanks to its volcanic design, earning a solid 4.75 out of 5 for knurling.
In addition to the great knurling, the Rogue Ohio Power Bar features a 205K PSI Tensile Strength shaft, bronze bushings, and enough shaft coatings to satisfy anyone’s interests. Whether you choose bare steel, zinc, cerakote, or our favorite, stainless steel version, you’ll be satisfied. This bar earns 4.5 out of 5 for durability.
Also, if you need a bar for a powerlifting meet, the KG version is IPF-approved.
The Rogue OPB is so well-liked, it won a recent bracket we held on Instagram that had over 100,000 entries. Not only is it us that love this bar, but it’s generally regarded as the best powerlifting barbell by the home gym community.
Cooper “Coop” Mitchell said, “f you do lots of squatting, deadlifting, and bench pressing, I think the Rogue Ohio Power Bar is one of the best investments you could ever make for your home gym.”
The shaft of the Ohio Power Bar is 29mm, which has become the standard when it comes to power bars, and for good reason. A thicker shaft creates a stiffer bar. A 29mm shaft will cause much less whip than at heavier weights when compared to a 28mm or 28.5mm barbell (it’s why squat bars are 32mm). Although a 0.5mm larger diameter seems small, it’s not insignificant.
If you have the money and want an even fancier power bar, we did an in-depth Kabuki Strength New Generation Power Bar review. It has an insanely high tensile strength, outstanding knurling, and price.
For more, you can read our Rogue Ohio Power Bar review or watch our video review.
| Bar Weight | 20 or 15 kg |
| Knurl | Aggressive, volcano design |
| Center Knurl | Yes |
| Knurl Marks | Single IPF markings |
| Shaft Coating | Stainless steel, bare steel, zinc, cerakote |
| Tensile Strength | 205K PSI |
| Bushing/Bearing | Bushing |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
Best Barbell Under $300: Iron Bull Strength Cerakote Competition Barbell
Good for: Those who are looking for a versatile barbell at a budget-friendly price
This barbell can be used to train for weightlifting competitions, and the cerakote coating ensures it will last your entire lifting career.
It’s harder and harder to find a quality barbell for a low price; fortunately, I’ve got you covered with our pick for the best barbell under $300—the Iron Bull Strength Competition Barbell. With a tensile strength of 190K or 200K PSI (depending on if you’re using the 15- or 20-kilogram barbell), it’ll be durable enough for a wide range of uses. It earns a 5 out of 5 for its tensile strength.
As the barbell is a multipurpose barbell, our product tester took it through a variety of powerlifting and weightlifting exercises, from benching and squatting to power cleans and snatches. It’s great for barbell cycling, as well as heavy lifting, earning it a 4.5 out of 5 for versatility.
He did have worries on the overall durability of the bar, however, as he loaded the barbell with over 500 pounds at one point, and—albeit slightly—it permanently bent the bar. “That was just with static weight, too. I worry if I loaded that much weight and started to pull against it in a deadlift, it’d take more damage,” our tester says, rating the durability a 3 out of 5.
RELATED: How To Increase Strength
Fortunately, if the bar bends on you, there is a limited lifetime warranty on the Iron Bull Competition Barbell, so make sure to take advantage. Also, the volcano knurling is grippy, and performs even better with chalk.
| Bar weight | 15 or 20 kg |
| Knurl | Volcano |
| Center knurl | No |
| Knurl marks | Dual knurl marks |
| Shaft coating | Black zinc, black chrome, cerakote, or stainless steel |
| Tensile strength | 190K PSI (15 kg), 200K PSI (20 kg) |
| Bushing/bearing | 8 needle bearings |
| Warranty | Limited lifetime |
Best Budget Barbell: Major Fitness Home Gym Barbell
Good for: An affordable barbell that doesn’t go cheap on the details
What our tester says:
“This is a great bar for cross-training. Based on our testing we felt like the knurling is passive enough and holds chalk well enough that it would provide a good fit for CrossFit-style training.”
While we don’t recommend going cheap on barbells, we do like when you can get a good deal. The Major Fitness Home Gym Barbell is priced under $300 (with free shipping), so we weren’t sure what to expect when we got our hands on it. The best budget barbells are typically between $200 and $300, so with this being on the higher end we thought it was going to perform just fine.
And it did. “This is a great bar for cross-training,” says expert product tester and avid weightlifter Lindsay Scheele, CPT, CNC, who rated the overall workout performance a 4 out of 5. “Based on our testing we felt like the knurling is passive enough and holds chalk well enough that it would provide a good fit for CrossFit-style training.”
RELATED: What is Barbell Knurling?
Numbers-wise, this bar has a whopping 750- or 1,000-pound weight capacity. That’s a strong bar, right up there with the other more expensive barbells on this list. “We dropped 450 pounds off of a rack…[and] even though it did not fall in unison with that amount of weight, the bar is still solid. There is no evidence of damage from shoulder height.”
It also features eight ball bearings and a smooth Black oxide finish, and it comes with a 35-day return policy. “This coating is holding up very well,” Lindsay adds.
RELATED: Barbell Anatomy
Of course, this isn’t perfect. This bar only comes in a 20-kilogram version, as there is no 15-kilogram option for those who prefer to train with a lighter bar, such as women training for a CrossFit competition (women use a 15-kilogram bar in CrossFit).
If you’re looking for the top barbell and money is no object, try out the Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Training Barbell. Although it’s nearly $1,000, it’s still high-value due to the solid construction of the barbell.
| Bar weight | 20 kg |
| Knurl | IWF standard knurling with a depth of 1.2 mm |
| Center knurl | No |
| Knurl marks | Dual |
| Shaft coating | Black Oxide |
| Weight capacity | 1,000 pounds |
| Bushing/bearing | 8NK bearings |
| Warranty | One year |
Other Barbells We Have Tested
People on our team have tested lots, and I mean lots, of barbells over the years, with some of us even competing on national and international stages in weightlifting. While there are tons of barbell options and choices available, our list can’t have them all. Here are some other barbells worth mentioning, but didn’t quite break into our list.
- Vulcan Strength Standard Bushing Barbell: Vulcan is producing some outstanding equipment, but the Standard Bushing barbell that we tested features a bright zinc finish that hasn’t fared too well against the elements. It spins decently and isn’t overpriced, but its lack of corrosion resistance kept it from being in our top picks.
- DMoose Regional Barbell: This barbell is pretty versatile, and very inexpensive. However, in our DMoose Regional Barbell review, we do note that it’s less suited for powerlifting and better for bodybuilding, general fitness, or even Olympic lifting.
- Texas Power Bar: The Texas Power Bar was, in our minds, the best barbell until Rogue came out with the Ohio Power Bar. If you want to learn the differences between the two, check out our comparison between the Rogue Ohio Power Bar vs. Texas Power Bar.
- REP Colorado Bar: This bar is REP’s flagship barbell, and it shows. Durable and made for versatility, this is a solid bar, but there are some versatile bars with just a bit more value.
- CAP Barbell “The Beast”: I think that this Cap bar is the best barbell on Amazon that’s under $150. It has medium knurling to it and the rotation system is the bushing. The finish is black oxide, which isn’t the highest quality, but it also does offer some protection against corrosion. Sure, it has some dings and a little surface rust, but that’s to be expected at this price range.
- PRx Men’s Olympic Elite Bar: We used this bar for Olympic lifts, power lifts, and CrossFit, and we felt it performed well. However, the powder coat on the sleeves scratches very easily. For $300, this bar just doesn’t match up to other similarly priced barbells.
- Fringe Sport Bomba Barbell: Although Fringe Sport’s lower-priced barbell made it into our top picks, the Bomba Barbell has similar features but with a higher price tag. It’s a great bar, just not worth the extra cost in our opinion.
- Fringe Sport CeraColt Cerakote Olympic Barbell: A great bar at a great price, but still more expensive than our other picks.
- Rogue B&R Bar 2.0: The B&R 2.0 Bar from Rogue Fitness came very close to being in our top picks, but due to the slightly thicker shaft, cost, and more of a powerlifting focus, it did not make it. That said, if you don’t really desire whip, enjoy a thicker barbell, and don’t mind providing extra maintenance to a raw steel bar, then the B&R 2.0 is a great choice.
- Rogue Chan Bar: The Chan Bar by Rogue Fitness was another bar that barely made it off the list of our top picks. Featuring some innovative ideas like a light center knurl and an increased distance between the outer knurling, the Chan Bar is pretty unique. Unfortunately, Rogue no longer offers the bar in different finishes and charges extra for nothing that really costs them extra; the Chan Bar will have to remain an honorable mention (we still love you, Matt!)
- Synergee Regional Olympic Bar: The Synergee Games Bar has a cerakote finish, and that’s the only real difference between the two. The Regional Bar comes with a 190,000 PSI tensile strength as well as needle bearings, which make the bar spin really fast.
- Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Training Bar: The only problem with this premium weightlifting bar is its price. If you’re OK with dropping about $1,000 on an Olympic lifting barbell, then this is a superb barbell.
How We Picked and Tested the Barbells
To compile our list for the best Olympic barbells for 2025, we researched all of the major manufacturers as well as reaching out to industry experts and various forums such as r/homegym (quick plug: I’m a mod of this subreddit, so I suggest you subscribe).
In addition to this, we went to Garage Gym Reviews HQ to rank and test what we have on hand (around 20 bars currently). After researching around 55 barbells worth your time and money, we narrowed it down to our top picks, all of which we acquired to test out in the house.
There is an overwhelmingly large amount of barbells available for purchase today. Due to the various specializations of training, each category will have barbells that hit every price point from $100 all the way up to $1,000 plus.
Due to this, we stuck mainly to barbells that were more situated toward general training. If you want to use these bars for powerlifting, they’re stiff enough to do so. If you want to use many of these for Olympic weightlifting or add them to your CrossFit equipment, go for it. The spin, knurl, and whip will work for the movements within those sports.
Most of the bars we picked to test could all be considered great for general-purpose training and at prices worth considering and to be included in some of the best home gyms. Ultimately, after some deliberation, we narrowed down our specifications to the following list of features ordered in no particular order.
- Overall Construction: Although the barbells we recommend are not the most expensive you can find, they need to be constructed well to provide a reliable experience over its lifetime. A barbell should last a LONG time; attention to detail provided by the manufacturer will aid in reliability and consistency.
- Tensile Strength of Steel: The tensile strength of the steel used should be a minimum of 130K PSI and preferably much higher (around 190K). A barbell with 130K PSI should only be used if you don’t plan on using over 500 lbs on the bar. This is much higher than the average lifted by most people.
- Knurling: The knurling should be consistent and not overly aggressive. A medium knurl will grip well when chalk is used. A center knurl, although great for powerlifting, is not needed for the majority of people. The reason is due to how it will rough up the neck and chin area of the body when used for power cleans and front squats.
- Spin: The rotation system should be a bushing system due to cost and for use on lifts like the squat and bench where excess spin isn’t always desired. The spin should be consistent and slow to a stop, not an abrupt halt.
- Finish: The barbell should have some sort of finish to prevent against oxidation such as surface rust.
- Price: The price should be in accordance with the features offered. Value is more important than a low sticker price, and what we’ve found is that for general purpose barbells, there isn’t a reason to spend over $400 on a barbell. If you want a specialized Olympic weightlifting barbell or powerlifting barbell, then spending above $400 may provide a better value, but not for the general purpose category.
- Warranty: A lifetime warranty has come to be the standard offered by barbell manufacturers. The company servicing the warranty must be considered, however; a lifetime warranty is of little use if the company offering it is no longer around to service it.
During testing, we performed all of the major barbell movements including squat, deadlift, bench, overhead press, clean and jerk, and snatch. We blind tested the feel of the knurling, observed the spin of the sleeves using a 25 lb bumper plate, weighed and measured the diameter of the shafts for accuracy, and tested the oxidation of the bars over 3 weeks while left in an often opened garage in the midwest. Finally, we asked for the opinion of others on what barbell they view to be the best value for the majority of trainees.
Benefits of Barbell Lifting
First of all, lifting with a barbell makes you look totally badass. There’s nothing like throwing some bumper plates on a bar and pushing it overhead. It’s such a Hulk-ed out feeling.
RELATED: Barbells vs Dumbbells
Superhero fantasies aside, however, there are actual, tangible benefits to putting a barbell into your training:
Build Muscle
According to a 2012 review1, inactivity can result in a 3% to 8% loss muscle mass per decade. However, resistance training for 10 weeks can add 1.4 kilograms of lean mass, while losing 1.8 kilograms of body fat.
It goes without saying that lifting weights builds muscle. Working out with a standard barbell a few times a week can target several types of muscle gains, like muscle endurance, muscle size, and muscle power. It just depends on what type of workouts you do.
If you want to develop and grow muscle, then the barbell is king. You can hit just about every muscle group with compound movements: squats, deadlifts, presses. Unlike machines in a commercial gym, which often isolate just one muscle group, the barbell can be used to hit many at once.
Protect Bones and Joints
When you build muscle, you protect your bones and joints. Muscles give you a stronger body that is less likely to fall, and less susceptible to damage. Not only that, but according to a review from Aging Clinical and Experimental Research2, weight training is best for your bones and can improve bone mass and density, actually decreasing your risk of bone loss.
Pride
Lifting a barbell over your head with huge plates on the chrome sleeves just looks awesome. But also, it’s motivating to literally see yourself get stronger as you are able to load more weight (over time and with good form) on the barbell.
Accessible and Affordable Equipment
Relative to other strength training tools, like large machines, a barbell is pretty accessible. It, and the plates that go with it, don’t take up too much space. I have people on my team who live in apartments and they still have a barbell, portable squat rack, and Olympic plates.
Also, and again relative to the equipment you’d see in a gym, a barbell is fairly affordable. Many of the ones on this list are priced under $400. You can essentially get a bar, some plates, and a rack for under $1,000, and that’s just about all you need to get a full-body workout.
Versatile Training Options
Barbells are much more than simply strength training. You can use a barbell for:
- Building explosive strength in Olympic movements
- Building power through lifts like squats and deadlifts
- Building endurance in volume training
- Building capacity in HIIT workouts
You can also use your barbell to roll out sore muscles. I’ve done it. It hurts. But it hurts so well.
Quick Barbell Training Resources
Once you’ve found the best Olympic barbell for your home gym, what’s next? Our team of experts at GGR have done the heavy lifting for you with this handy guide:
Safety First
Exercise Form Guide
Beginner Workout
Full-Body Workout Split
What To Look For in a Barbell
There are five physical characteristics of an Olympic barbell that will cause distinctions between the wide array of bars available today. Those are:
- Steel
- Knurling
- Spin
- Whip
- Finish
Steel
The steel is the most important part of the bar and is more than just looks; it is the essence of the barbell. To determine the quality of steel used, two of the most telling specifications are the tensile strength and yield strength.
Do not listen to anyone who tries to tell you that a bar is 1,000-pound tested or 1,500-pound tested. This is a made-up fantasy designed to take advantage of buyers’ limited amount of knowledge and is more often than not seen on very cheap bars.
Companies assess the tensile and yield strength of the barbell steel through static and dynamic testing. To give a simple example, a static test would load an enormous amount of weight (upwards of a ton) on each side of the bar and then slowly take the weight off to see if the bar returns back to being straight.
A dynamic test is much more telling and involves tracking how the bar bends when dropped with a certain amount of weight. There is much more variance in this sort of test than the static test between manufacturers.
All that being said, every bar will bend if handled improperly. I don’t care if you’re using a $1,000 Eleiko, if you drop it on a pin with 400 pounds, it’s going to bend.
The general rule of thumb is that a high-quality barbell has a tensile strength upward of 180,000 PSI (pounds per square inch) or higher. You can certainly get by with less, but the best durability in the business will be around there. When it comes to yield strength, most companies don’t list a number (this is how much the bar can be loaded with before it can bend). You can use the tensile strength number as a good idea of weight capacity.
Knurling
The next characteristic of a bar is knurling. Knurling is what allows your hands to grip the bar, especially when combined with chalk. For most people, medium knurling is best due to it being sticky enough to grip, yet smooth enough for comfort. Although there are great bars with more aggressive knurling, for the majority of training purposes, it’s less than desired.
RELATED: Best CrossFit Grips
If you have yet to experience what a volcano knurl feels like, you’re missing out. The reason a volcano knurl is superior (in our opinion, again, the feel of knurling is subjective) to the traditional “peaky mountain” knurling that dominated the industry for so long is that it gives you more contact surface area with the epidermal layering of your hands or with the various fibers on the back of your favorite squat shirt.
Essentially, because there are more peaks to grip your hand (four times as many as would be if the tops of the peaks weren’t chopped off) you don’t need as “sharp” of a knurl. This leads to a greater grip and less ripped calluses and blood on the platform. This is why we feel, for a power bar, this is the best type of knurling. In the CrossFit world, if you’re doing a lot of reps and you go from moving the barbell to doing something on a pull-up bar, your hands are experiencing a lot of friction. Because of this, a barbell with a light knurling pattern would most often be the best for CrossFit to prevent immature rips of the hands.
Also, consider where the knurling is. Powerlifting bars come with center knurling so you feel the bar better as it rests on your back. However, center knurling can annoy and bother people who are using the bar for more of a general-purpose.
Lastly, there are often notches in the knurling. These are either IWF or IPF markings for competition reasons (though I just use them so I know where to put my hands when I snatch).
Spin
The spin is determined by the rotation system used in the barbell. There are two main types of rotation systems used in barbells today – a bushing system or a needle-bearing system. Bearings will spin quicker overall, but they also cost more and will likely not stand up to abuse as well as bushings.
For this reason, we recommend most people purchase a barbell with a bushing system that either uses brass or nylon bushings. A bushing rotation system will provide a smooth and consistent spin that will require little maintenance and should last for many decades.
Whip
Whip is determined by the load on the bar, the materials used, the method of steel processing and the diameter of the shaft. For most people, some whip is desired for the occasional Olympic lifts, but overall the bar should be relatively stiff. And even on those Olympic lifts, if you aren’t lifting really heavy weights, odds are you won’t feel the whip anyway. Due to this, the bars we recommend are going to be made of carbon steels and not molybdenum alloys.
Finish
Finally, the finish of the bar comes down to personal preference and the environment it will be used in. Although a bare steel bar is generally regarded as the best ‘feeling’ barbell, it will oxidize quicker than if a finish was applied. For the price range we recommend, more often than not, the bar will feature a black oxide as it is middle of the road in terms of oxidation and is cheaper to apply than hard chrome.
RELATED: Best Olympic Barbell Collars
How to Take Care of a Barbell
While a barbell can be a relatively low-maintenance piece of gym equipment, it still needs some love in order to stay in good condition (i.e. looking and performing the way you want it to).
RELATED: How To Clean a Barbell
Whenever you use chalk, BRUSH the chalk off. Don’t use a wet cloth, because that will just ingrain the chalk into the knurling even more. Use a brush and move in a circular motion around the bar until the chalk is off. The Hybrid Athletics steel barbell brush is one of the best around. Eleiko makes a great brush, but you can’t buy it separately. In order to get it, you have to buy an Eleiko barbell. Go figure.
On a much less regular basis, you should oil your barbell. After you brush off the bar, use a 3-in-1 oil or WD-40 to lightly coat the bar. Then, use your brush to lightly brush the oil into the bar. That’s it. There is no need to wipe off the oil, you can simply let it dry.
The type of finish on your barbell determines how often you should oil it. A bare steel bar may need oiling every few months. A higher-grade finish, like stainless steel, may do well with getting oiled just twice a year.
Best Olympic Barbells: FAQs
What does tensile strength mean in barbells?
In short, tensile strength refers to how much weight you can load onto a barbell before the steel suffers a permanent deformation. The higher the tensile strength (measured in pounds per square inch, or PSI), the more a barbell can withstand. If you don’t lift heavyweight, you can get by with a barbell that has 100-130K PSI. But if you lift heavy, you really want something in the 190K+ range.
Does whip matter in a barbell?
This really just depends on how you plan to use your barbell. If you’re a recreational lifter who just likes to squat and press with light to moderate weight once in a while, then the whip of the bar doesn’t really matter.
However, if you are serious about your lifting, you may want to consider the whip. I will say that you won’t really feel the whip of the bar unless you can lift heavy weights.
What is a good Olympic barbell?
Generally speaking, a good barbell is one that meets your needs in terms of tensile strength, knurling, whip, and spin. For most people, I like the Rogue Ohio Bar the best for a 20kg option and the Rogue Bella Bar for a 15kg option.
What is a good price for an Olympic barbell?
Most of us shouldn’t have to pay more than $400 for a barbell. The Rogue options I like are between $200-$300, just depending on the type of finish you want. There are very few barbells I would recommend that are less than $150, simply because at that point, you start sacrificing the quality of steel, bearings, and construction.
References
- Westcott W. L. (2012). Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health. Current sports medicine reports, 11(4), 209–216. https://doi.org/10.1249/JSR.0b013e31825dabb8
- Suominen H. (2006). Muscle training for bone strength. Aging clinical and experimental research, 18(2), 85–93. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03327422
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