Athlete-Tested and Expert-Reviewed: The Best Olympic Barbells for 2024

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 2024. 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, and USA weighlifting 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.

A few attributes we examine when testing barbells are:

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: Rogue Fitness Ohio Bar
• Best Multipurpose Olympic Barbell: REP Fitness Colorado Bar
• Best Budget Barbell: Major Fitness Home Gym Barbell
• Best Safety Squat Bar: Titan Safety Squat Olympic Bar V2
• Best Barbell Under $200: DMoose Regional Barbell
• Best Value Barbell for Weightlifting: Bells of Steel Olympic Weightlifting Bar 2.0
• Best CrossFit Barbell for Women: Rogue Bella Bar 2.0
• Best Barbell for Weightlifting: Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Training Bar
• Best Power Bar: Rogue Fitness Ohio Power Bar
• Best Hex Bar for the Money: Titan Fitness Olympic Hex Bar

Best Olympic Barbell Video Review

Best Barbell Overall: Rogue Fitness Ohio Bar

Good for: Anyone who wants to use a barbell for general purpose training.

Best Barbell Overall

Rogue Ohio Bar

GGR Score: 4.7

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Product Highlights

• 190K PSI tensile strength
• Multipurpose bar with great versatility
• Lifetime warranty
• Bushing sleeves
• Snap ring design

Made in USA

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Made in the USA of US-Sourced Steel
• Somewhat passive knurling
• Grips with chalk
• Great for a variety of training styles
• Dual knurl marks
• 28.5-mm shaft
• Bronze bushings
• Lifetime warranty
• Coatings include stainless steel, Cerakote, black zinc, and more.
• 190K tensile strength

Cons

• Not outstanding for powerlifting or weightlifting in comparison to more specialized bars
• Expensive
• Diameter doesn't meet IWF standards
• No center knurl, which may matter to some

Bottom Line

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.

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.

I used to say that the Rogue 2.0 bar was the best bar available, but I think the Ohio Bar has edged it out 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 I do prefer. The Ohio Bar also comes in more options for finishes, like the cerakote Ohio Bar and the Rogue Fitness Stainless Steel Ohio Bar (pictured above), 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), 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. With chalk, the bar grips great, but it won’t rip your hands to shreds. 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 value barbells in the world.

Read my full Rogue Ohio Bar review.

Best Multipurpose Olympic Barbell: REP Fitness Colorado Bar

Good for: People who want a multi-purpose barbell for less.

Best Multipurpose

REP Fitness Colorado Bar, 20 Kg

GGR Score: 4.5

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Product Highlights

• 20-kg Olympic barbell for mixed use
• Hard chrome or cerakote coating with Duracoat sleeves
• 28.5 mm shaft diameter
• Dual knurl markings for IPF and IWF
• 190 KSI tensile strength
• Composite bushing

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Durable composite bushings reduce noise when dropping
• Medium volcano knurling
• Dual knurl markings for IPF and IWF
• Designed for versatile use
• Free shipping
• Different color options
• 28.5 mm shaft provides great grip

Cons

• No center knurling, which may be important for some
• Shaft diameter not to IWF specs

Bottom Line

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.

Benching? Colorado Bar. Deadlifting? Colorado Bar. Squatting? Colorado Bar. Snatching? Colorado Bar.

Get it? This bar is ideal for just about any activity you do. As the newest multipurpose bar from REP, the Colorado Bar replaces the Sabre (one of our longtime and now-discontinued favorites, as evidenced in our REP Fitness Sabre Bar review).

What’s new? Well, the Colorado Bar is in upgrade in just about every way. It has a higher tensile strength at 190 KSI and comes in hard chrome or cerakote finishes. REP also put a lifetime warranty on the Colorado Bar in both the 15- and 20-kilogram options.

Instead of having a ball bearing like the Sabre, the Colorado bar has composite bushings. As Caine Wilkes, GGR staff writer and Olympian in weightlifting, points out, “The composite bushings make for tighter tolerances, and less give or wobble between the sleeve and shaft.”

We have personally used the Colorado Bar. GGR founder Coop Mitchell, lover of all things knurling, used this barbell and noted that the medium volcano knurling is still pretty aggressive. “It is finely done, with no imperfections, and stops short of the bushings so as to not wear them down,” he says.

On our in-depth rating system, the Colorado bar scored perfect or near-perfect scores in almost every category, including durability, versatility, construction, coating, and rotation system.

We should note that the Colorado bar does cost more than the Sabre, coming in at over $300 for the 20-kilo version and around $270 for the 15-kilo version.

For more, check out our REP Fitness Colorado Bar review.

Best Budget Barbell: Major Fitness Home Gym Barbell

Good for: An affordable barbell that doesn’t go cheap on the details

Best Budget Barbell

Major Fitness Home Gym Barbell

GGR Score: 4

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Product Highlights

• Multipurpose barbell for home gyms
• 20 kg barbell
• 7’ length
• 750- or 1,000-lb weight tolerance 
• 6- and 8-bearing options
• Medium knurling

Pros & Cons

Pros

• No-hassle return policy
• Free shipping
• Made from 45-grade or alloy steel
• Two weight capacity options

Cons

• Weight capacity under 1,000 lbs
• Short 1-year warranty

Bottom Line

The Major Fitness Home Gym Barbell has two distinct offerings: The first option features 45-grade steel, 6 bearings, and a 750-pound weight capacity. The second features alloy steel, 8 bearings, and a 1,000-pound weight capacity. Both options come in black or silver.

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, 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 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 15kg bar in CrossFit).

Best Safety Squat Bar: Titan Safety Squat Olympic Bar V2

Good for: An affordable, safe option for those needing this kind of specialty bar.

Best Safety Squat Bar

Titan Safety Squat Olympic Bar V2

GGR Score: 4.5

Community Score: 4.8

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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.

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.

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. I love that this bar uses an Olympic sleeve that can take standard collars (not all trap bars are like that).

Kate Meier, GGR head of content 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, check out our Titan Safety Squat Bar review.

Best Barbell Under $200: DMoose Regional Barbell

Good for: Those who are looking for a versatile barbell at a budget-friendly price

Best Barbell Under 200

DMoose Regional Barbell

GGR Score: 4.4

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Product Highlights

• Barbell suitable for all training disciplines
• Can support up to 1,500 pounds
• Hard chrome finish
• 35- and 45-lb versions available

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Moderate diamond knurling
• Bearings for great spin
• 16.4-inch sleeve length
• 190,000 PSI Tensile Strength
• Lifetime warranty
• Suitable for all training levels
• Nice whip
• Dual grip rings on knurling

Cons

• No center knurling
• Extra care needed against oxidation

Bottom Line

The DMoose Regional barbell can be used for bumper or traditional iron Olympic weight plates. It is a very versatile bar because it can be used for Olympic lifts, powerlifting, and it can be beneficial for beginners. Home gym owners can buy this bar and count on it to last from the time they start training until they reach their fitness potential. Whether it’s clean and jerks, deadlfits, curls, or any other barbell movement, it will serve the lifter well.

Some of you may be thinking, “Just how good can a barbell under $200 be?” The answer: Pretty good, at least according to longtime fitness writer and home gym owner Roger Lockridge who tested the affordable and versatile DMoose Regional Barbell.

Roger used this bar while training for a powerlifting competition and said it “served its purpose,” though he notes there’s no center knurling (which some people like for back squats) and the knurling is a little passive for advanced trainees. That said, it would make a great barbell for beginners and its 1,500 pound weight capacity means you can continue to use it as you get stronger.

Unlike some budget-friendly equipment that only lasts a few years, the DMoose Regional Barbell can be passed down to future generations of home gym trainees if properly cared for. The hard chrome finish should hold up to most non-climate-controlled rooms but may require occasional cleaning to prevent corrosion or rust. That and the high weight capacity earned it a 4.5 out of 5 for durability, and it comes with a lifetime warranty (you have to register the bar after it arrives to your home gym).

Although Roger used it for powerlifting training, he notes in his DMoose Regional Barbell review that it’s better suited for bodybuilding training, Olympic lifting, or general fitness. This is due to the use of bearings over bushings, which helps the bar spin—and boy does it spin. The sleeves spun for more than 20 seconds when tested by Roger, earning it a 5 out of 5 in that category.

What’s more, the bar is available in two weights: 35 and 45 pounds. The 35-pound version is a good pick for those with small hands or women training for CrossFit competitions (women use a lighter bar for CrossFit WODs).

Best Value Barbell for Weightlifting: Bells of Steel Olympic Weightlifting Bar 2.0

Good for: People looking for a high-quality, affordable bar for weightlifting

Best Value Barbell for Weightlifting

Bells of Steel Olympic Weightlifting Barbell 2.0

GGR Score: 4.3

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Product Highlights

• 20 kg bar with 240K PSI tensile strength
• Dual knurl markings
• Hard chrome sleeve and shaft
• Needle bearings and snap rings
• Limited lifetime warranty

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Whopping 240K PSI tensile strength
• Dual knurl markings
• 1,500+ lb weight capacity
• Needle bearings for spin
• Machine-grooved sleeves
• Priced under $300
• 16.2" loadable sleeve length

Cons

• Hard chrome finish is OK, but not the best
• No center knurl (could be a pro or a con)
• Intended for weightlifting, not powerlifting

Bottom Line

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.

Bells of Steel is a brand that has one of our favorite gym equipment materials right there in its name: steel. And with the Olympic Weightlifting Bar 2.0, boy, do they deliver on the steel. This is a barbell priced at under $300 that has a beyond-impressive tensile strength of 240,000 PSI, earning it a perfect 5 out of 5 on our durability rating. That is undoubtedly one of the highest on the market, and the highest on this list.

Why does that matter? Because if you’re lifting weights overhead and drop this bar, no matter how many plates you have stacked on either side, this bar shouldn’t break. The bar’s max capacity is 1,543 pounds, which we know most people will never test, but it’s good to know that you have exceptional durability on this bar.

This 20-kilogram bar features a hardened chrome sleeve and shaft, which will hold up against the elements in a garage gym. True, this isn’t the most corrosion-resistant finish out there, but we wouldn’t expect to see anything much stronger on a bar at this price point.

The needle bearings on the 2.0 make it a great choice for people who perform the Olympic lifts. There are dual knurl markings on this bar, which means you could also use it for power and accessory lifts as well. Just keep in mind that needle bearings spin, and there is no center knurl on this bar, so if you need a powerlifting bar, look elsewhere.

Like many high-quality bars, the 2.0 comes with a limited lifetime warranty. This isn’t the least bit surprising given the bar’s stats.

Best CrossFit Barbell for Women: Rogue Bella Bar 2.0

Good for: Women and anyone else who need a smaller grip on a great barbell

Best CrossFit Barbell for Women

Rogue Bella Bar 2.0

GGR Score: 4.7

Community Score: 4.3

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Product Highlights

• High-performing multipurpose 15KG barbell
• Versatile; can be used in weightlifting, for CrossFit, and for powerlifts
• 190K PSI tensile strength
• 25-mm shaft diameter

Made in USA

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Endless options for the finish
• 190K PSI tensile strength
• 25mm shaft
• Dual knurl markings
• Made in the USA

Cons

• Knurling is pretty passive
• Black zinc coating will fade over time
• No center knurling

Bottom Line

The Rogue Bella Bar is a top-of-the-line 15-kilogram bar ideal for people who need a multi-purpose barbell.

If you like the Rogue Ohio Bar for a 20kg option, then may I present the 15kg version: The Bella Bar 2.0.

CrossFit gyms around the world have the Bella stocked, and for good reason: It’s one of the best barbells for CrossFit and you can also use it for weightlifting, powerlifting, and more!

I say this bar is the best “for women,” but really, it’s great for youth athletes or men who prefer a smaller grip. Most 15kg bars have a 25mm shaft, which is skinnier than 20kg bars. The smaller design also means less loadable room on the sleeve length, but for most of us, that really isn’t an issue.

Kate Meier, GGR head of content and competitive weightlifter, has two Bella Bars in her home gym. She has been using them for more than a year, training her clients with them as well.

“They are in great shape, though my garage isn’t climate controlled, and you can see the zinc coating fading a little,” she says. “I use these to train the Olympic lifts. I think the knurling is a little passive, but I appreciate that on days when I’m living in hook grip.”

The Bella is built specifically as a multipurpose bar, and the specs show that: It has dual knurl marks for Olympic and powerlifting, no center knurl, bronze bushings, and 190,000 PSI tensile strength. You can drop the Bella Bar (with bumper plates) without concern.

I think one of the draws to the Bella is that it comes in so many different finishes: E-coat, black zinc, and stainless steel. The cerakote finish also comes in a bunch of colors, as well as “sponsored” bars that CrossFit superstars Tia Clair-Toomey and Katrin Davidsdottir stand behind.

When it comes to drawbacks, some people might find the knurling to be a little too passive (but it works just fine with chalk). Also, powerlifters may not love that there is no center knurling.

For more on the Bella Bar, check out our Rogue Bella Bar 2.0 review.

Best Barbell for Weightlifting: Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Training Bar

Good for: Competitive weightlifters who have Gucci money.

Best Barbell for Weightlifting

Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Training Bar, NxG 20KG Men

GGR Score: 4.6

Community Score: 4.4

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Product Highlights

• 8 precision needle bearings
• Dust-proof seal on sleeves
• IWF-certified
• 12-year warranty
• Comes in 20kg and 15kg options

Pros & Cons

Pros

• IWF certified
• Great spin
• Needle bearings
• 12-year warranty
• Comes in 20kg and 15kg options

Cons

• Costs more than $1,000
• Sharp knurling
• 20kg version has center knurling

Bottom Line

If you have the money, this Eleiko bar is fantastic for those who perform weightlifting movements, specifically, the clean-and-jerk and the snatch.

If you compete in the sport of weightlifting, you already know the two things Eleiko means: high quality and high price.

Eleiko is pretty much the gold standard for all things weightlifting, even weightlifting belts. And by gold standard, I mean you may need some gold to afford this bar. I’m not saying they are overpriced, but they can be expensive compared to some of their competition.

However, if you have the money and want, arguably, one of the nicest International Weightlifting Federation-certified barbell, then the Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Training Bar is it.

Sure, it has the typical making of a great Olympic barbell: 28mm shaft, IWF markings, 415mm loadable sleeve, and a 12-year warranty.

But what you really need to know is that it’s made of 215,000 PSI Swedish steel. It’s not unbreakable, but you can put some serious weight on it without the bar suffering permanent damage. This barbell also has German needle bearings, which provide increased spin if you compete in the Olympic lifts. Needle bearings are ideal because they provide a smooth spin on the bar–and, if they are packed correctly, they can last a long time.

In addition, Eleiko’s waffle knurl pattern is one of the best in the industry. Most people who lift with an Eleiko end up trying to figure out how they can buy one for themselves.

The biggest issue that I and many other hard working people have with this bar is the cost: it rings up for more than $1,000. That’s a lot of cheddar. But, you get a great bar, and you get to say that you own an Eleiko.

Check out our Eleiko IWF Weightlifting Training Bar review for more information on this high-end barbell.

Best Power Bar: Rogue Fitness Ohio Power Bar

Good for: Powerlifters at any fitness level.

Best Power Bar

Rogue Ohio Power Bar

GGR Score: 4.7

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Product Highlights

• Volcano knurl provides a great grip
• IPF-approved
• Lifetime warranty
• Four coating options: bare steel, black zinc, Cerakote, and stainless steel
• 205K PSI tensile strength

Made in USA

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Great value
• Volcano knurl
• Fantastic grip
• IPF-approved
• Lifetime warranty
• Four coating options: bare steel, black zinc, Cerakote, and stainless steel
• Made in the USA
• 205K PSI tensile strength
• F-8R rating
• Self-oiling bronze bushings

Cons

• 205K PSI tensile strength is not the strongest on the market
• Some may feel the knurling is too passive
• Bare steel Version rusts quickly

Bottom Line

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

For more, check out my Rogue Ohio Power Bar review.

(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.)

Best Hex Bar for the Money: Titan Fitness Olympic Hex Bar

Good for: The budget-minded deadlifter looking for a good trap bar.

Best Hex Bar for the Money

Titan Hex Trap Bar

GGR Score: 5

Community Score: 5

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Product Highlights

• Rackable
• Matte black finish
• Priced well for those on a budget

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Priced affordably
• Matte black powder coating
• Good knurling
• Heavy duty
• Rackable

Cons

• 1-year warranty
• No knurling on the bottom handle
• Some reviewers say it isn’t rackable

Bottom Line

If you're on a budget and looking for a hex trap bar, this one 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 $270. 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 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. Unfortunately, the lower handle is not knurled, which is a little odd considering that it will get used often. Another small gripe is that this isn’t a trap bar that is rackable in a majority of squat racks. But, you could use it with safety straps or safety bars.

Other Barbells We Have Tested

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.

Buddy Capps 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.

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.

Fringe Sport Wonder Bar: The Wonder Bar used to be priced under $200, but now sits north of $260. We had it as our best budget pick but had to give it the boot when the cost increased. It’s a good bar, but there are other better bars in 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 Hybrid Barbell: We’re actually big fans of this bar, but it’s not made anymore. It’s very similar to the Chan Bar from Rogue, although it’s imported. For the price though, we prefer the Rogue Bar 2.0 and Fringe Sport’s more budget-friendly Wonder Bar.

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.

How We Picked and Tested the Barbells

To compile our list for the best Olympic barbells for 2024, 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.

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.

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.

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).

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

References

1. 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
2. Suominen H. (2006). Muscle training for bone strength. Aging clinical and experimental research, 18(2), 85–93. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03327422

Anthony O'Reilly, CPT, CNC

Anthony O'Reilly is a NASM-certified nutrition coach and personal trainer whose work has been featured in Muscle & Fitness and BarBend, and previously was an award-winning reporter and photographer for newspapers on Long Island and Queens, NY. After spending most of his life overweight, he dropped 80 pounds and took control of his health and fitness. Outside of work, he still enjoys Little Debbie cakes but offsets them with rigorous hikes and workouts. He's an avid Manchester United supporter, through thick and thin.

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