8 Best Olympic Barbells for Commercial & Home Gyms [Buying Guide]

Main praises - what I like

• I love the balance between whip and stiffness. It allows for the best of two worlds; Olympic and power lifts. Very few other bars find that sweet spot.
• I’d honestly love to open the sleeves and see how they made bronze bushing so quiet.

Main grievances - what could be better

• If Oly lifts are your main focus and you’re used to aggressive knurling, don’t get the Ohio in e-coat. Even Cerakote might feel slippery. You might wanna skip the Ohio altogether and go with the Aggro bar instead.

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Pros

• Price for the quality- the specs are the same as some bars that cost twice as much.
• 190k PSI tensile strength– durable and will not deform from lifting heavy weights.
• Composite bushing sleeves- smooth spin but not too fast so it won’t make slow lifts like a squat or presses unstable.
• Lifetime warranty- peace of mind and it proves Rogue Fitness rates their bars highly.
• F8-R F scale rating- the proprietary Rogue Work Hardening supposedly allows the bar to last three times longer than other bars.
• 13 color options- brand your gym with your own colors.
• Dual knurl markings- make it easy to position your hands for different lifts like the bench press and the snatch.

Cons

• End caps can scratch easily- not ideal aesthetically but it really is hard to find anything to nit-pick at with this bar.

The Rogue Ohio bar came top of our multi-purpose bars list with a score of 76 out of 100. 

A multi purpose bar is the best one for ‘most people’. And the Rogue Ohio is certainly one of the best Olympic bars for CrossFit. 

Check out our full guide on the best CrossFit barbells here. 

The reasons why it’s our top pick is…

• The price for the tensile strength
• Cerakote finish 
• Composite bushings making smooth-spinning sleeves
• And the proprietary Rogue Work Hardening

Rogue Fitness have spent over $2 million and 5 years of research to create their patented F Scale rating.

After all of this testing, they worked out that bars using their special Rogue Work Hardening (RWH) lasted about 3 times as long as bars with the same specs not using this tech. You can use Rogue’s calculator and see how long they estimate the bars on this list will last in years below…

If you are buying a multi-purpose bar, then you are likely going to drop it a lot. Cleans and jerks, snatches, overhead squats, thrusters, and the like all involve dropping the bar from above your head. 

The good news is that this bar will last for decades if you’re using it at home! 

Even if you were to use this bar in a busy commercial CrossFit gym it would last for 16 years as good as new (according to Rogue).

The composite bushing sleeves provide just the right amount of spin for any of these fast lifts overhead. It’s certainly not as fast as some specialty Olympic Weightlifting bars with needle bearings such as the Rogue Pyrros. 

But it’s very unlikely you will lift this bar and think… 

“I wish the sleeves would spin a bit more!”

Rogue provides an impressive lifetime warranty on the bar.

Many other barbell manufacturers will provide 5 years or less as a lot can go wrong with a barbell if you mistreat it. But Rogue is so confident in their bars that they still offer this and provide exceptional customer service and delivery.

If noise is a concern in your gym then check out the Rogue Bar 2.0s. It’s pretty much the same as this bar but with a 50% noise reduction.

The trade-off is that it only comes in a black option and hasn’t been around as long.

That all-round balance puts it at the top of our overall score:

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For most home gyms and most people, Rogue Ohio Bar will hit the spot.

That especially goes for conservative buyers because, to get a better bar, you’d have to spend twice as much.

Cheaper bars that are (kinda) close in quality would save you 50 bucks, but none of them has the premium aura or the finish options of the Rogue Ohio.

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Main praises - what I like

• I’m unsure how, but the Gunner has a surprisingly “lively” feedback. At 235K, I’d expect it to be stiff…it’s not.
• The spin feels natural and balanced. In my opinion, combining bushings and bearings worked.

Main grievances - what could be better

• I’m not a fan of the all-black. I’d really like to see Force USA take it home by offering some color and finish options.

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Pros

• 235k PSI tensile strength- the highest rated bar on this list.
• Very affordable price- $100 cheaper than the top pick.
• Hybrid bushings and bearings sleeves- bearings provide great spin for fast. overhead lifts but bushings are well balanced for the slower lifts like the heavy bench press. 
• Zinc-coated bar- very corrosion resistant for an affordable price.

Cons

• 28 mm diameter- slightly thinner than most 28.5mm multi-purpose bars & more suited to Olympic weightlifting. 
• Not very popular- hasn’t stood the test of time from numerous buyers yet.

This one was a surprise addition to the list! 

If you go into any gym community and ask what barbell they use, I can almost guarantee you they will not say a ‘Force USA’ bar. 

But this bar just has so many specs that make it compete with bars that cost 2-3 times the price, such as:

• 235k PSI tensile strength
• Hybrid 2 stainless steel bushings and 5 needle bearings per sleeve
• Zinc coated sleeves and shaft

The 235k PSI strength is actually the highest tensile strength on this list. In fact, only the Kabuki Power bar has a stronger tensile strength at 258k PSI… but it costs almost 3 times as much!

Now, I want to make this clear…

Stronger tensile strength doesn’t equal a better bar.

In fact, Rogue’s epic $2 million research found the sweet spot was between 190k-220k PSI. Otherwise, it’s possible to make the bar become more brittle. 

It’s very hard for us to say for sure about any of this without dropping the bar from overhead with 300lbs+ thousands of times over decades. 

But generally speaking the higher the tensile strength, the more force it can take without bending. And after watching this video by Chris Duffin (one of the founders of Kabuki Strength) you can see it’s not as straightforward as anything over 220k PSI is more brittle. 

You can see the bar in action and a quick overview in this 2-minute video…

The Gunner runs away with our price chart as the standout budget pick:

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The Gunner is a “cheap,” strong, well-knurled barbell with a good spin.

Just how cheap?

It costs 50-100 bucks less than the Rogue Ohio, and the tensile strength is 45K PSI higher.

The price difference might not sound like much, but it’s enough to buy you a decent curl bar.

On the other hand, the smooth spin sets it apart from the cheaper bars.

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Main praises - what I like

• I love the knurl. It’s the best thing about this bar, along with the precise tolerances.
• It’s aggressive yet consistent and “dense,” which is a perfect marriage with the stainless steel.
• I’m a fan of how American Barbell packs and ships their barbells, especially the metal caps on the cardboard tube. It’s not a huge deal but it adds to the overall high-end experience.
• The smooth sleeves are a plus in my book….especially since most brands are switching to groved.

Main grievances - what could be better

• The Chewy has a bit more play than I expect from a powerlifting bar.
• There’s a difference in hue between the sleeves and shaft. It’s only natural because we’re talking steel and chrome, but it takes getting used to if you’re particular like some of us.

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Pros

• 20 TPI- 20 teeth per inch means the bar is extra grippy compared to similar power bars
• Volcano knurl- means there are more contact points with your hands (grippy but not as harsh) rather than the more aggressive feeling mountain style knurling
• 190K PSI- strong enough for any lifter in the world

Cons

• Expensive

It’s now been over a year since the Chewy became commercially available. Before that, you’d have to go through back-doors to get it (like asking American Barbell directly or on Discord).

The high price tag of the Chewy makes sense once you get into the details:

• Elite construction and tolerances - every bit as good as Eleiko. This sounds like a cliche…you can only understand just how good this bar is when you drop it and there’s almost no rattle.
• Volcano knurl with machined tips - you get the grip without the cut palms (this one sounds simple but it’s hard to get right). 
• Recessed shaft/sleeve connection - more efficient and cleaner use of the lubrication, which means less maintenance and gunk build-up.

One key point - the knurling

Inspired by Kabuki, the Chewy features a dense knurl with 20 teeth per inch (Kabuki uses 25 TPI).

The result - more contact points between your hands and the bar and a grippy (chewy) feel.

In my opinion, it’s the best knurl American Barbell has ever made. Still, in the broader picture, I wouldn’t call it aggressive…not even close to the likes of Rogue Aggro.

Verdict  - it’s just right for an all-rounder power bar.

No bar in this roundup matches it on our quality score:

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The Chewy costs almost twice as much as the Rogue Ohio Power bar with the same finishes (chrome/stainless steel).

It’s about half the price of similar bars from Eleiko, but I feel it brings more innovation to the table, like the recessed bearings.

Is it worth it?

Yes, if you can comfortably afford it. If not, go with the Rogue Ohio Power.

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Main praises - what I like

• I’ve always loved the knurling on Rogue power bars - it feels coarse and “sticky” without going over the line.
• I think Rogue’s Cerakote is the best out there, mainly because it doesn’t dull the knurl as much (as other brands’).
• Stainless steel is my absolute favorite of the line-up…worth the few extra bucks. It has better tactile feedback than Cerakote, Zinc, or e-coat and will last much longer than bare steel.
• I feel the Ohio Power Bar has a peg less whip than the Chewy. That’s neither here nor there, but I prefer it.

Main grievances - what could be better

• It’s not “spinny” enough for Olympic weightlifting. It’s still a great all-rounder for most people.
• I think it deserves a more durable chrome…you might see some chipping down the line.

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Pros

• Aggressive but not sharp knurling- Volcano knurling makes the grip of this bar amazing. 
• Strong- 205k PSI can handle any weight you put on it.
• F8-R F Scale rating- a very durable bar that will not warp unless you really mistreat it.  
• Finish options- black zinc, cerakote, stainless steel options available. We recommend the stainless steel option as the feel and grip is unreal!
• Pricing- the black zinc and cerakote finish options are very hard to beat for the price. Very good option considering this is from a typically more expensive Rogue.

Cons

• Not ideal for fast lifts- not the bar for CrossFit or weightlifting movements like thrusters or snatches.

The Rogue Ohio Power bar (OPB) tops our power bar list.

The reason it gets our top pick is because of pricing for the finish options and aggressive (but not sharp) knurling. 

The “The Original” Buddy Cappas bar costs more for a zinc or chrome shaft. And the American Barbell Grizzly has a lower tensile strength and less aggressive knurl. In reality, there isn’t much between the three bars but we want to provide you with the best option. 

You can find all of our top power bars with a buying guide here.

The stand out feature of the OPB is the volcano knurling design. There are four points on each knurl spike in the shape of a volcano. This makes it aggressive but not sharp.

It makes it the perfect weapon for anyone looking to focus on the bench, squat and deadlift with one bar.

It’s another bar that uses Rogue Work Hardening. In fact, it’s the only power bar on this list to have an F Scale rating of F8-R (the most durable bars according to Rogue).

I used this calculator on the Rogue F Scale to figure this out…  

Unless you plan on doing CrossFit or Olympic weightlifting lifts, this is the bar that I would recommend most people buy.

Once you feel the knurling on this bar, you’ll understand why!

Decades of powerlifting pedigree put it near the top on reputation and reviews:

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Rogue Ohio Power Bar is the less whippy, more aggressively-knurled alternative to the multipurpose Rogue Ohio.

The choice between those 2 will come down to 4 things:

1. Knurling - more aggressive on the Power Bar.
2. Spin and whip - if you’re big on deadlifts, you’ll prefer the Power Bar.
3. The center knurl - it’s there on the Power and not on the classic Ohio. If you have problems keeping the barbell centered, you need the center knurl.
4. Markings - the Power Bar has single powerlifting markings (vs. dual on the multipurpose) . Unless you’re preparing for a weightlifting competition, it’s not a massive deal.

Also, the Power Bar is much cheaper than the Chewy, even if you get the stainless steel.

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I’m yet to use and test the Pyrros. I’ll update this section when I do.

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Pros

• IWF Olympic standard knurl- provides a good grip without tearing your hands. 
• Stainless steel alloy- the ‘crème de la crème’ of corrosion resistance and knurling ‘feels’ more grippy.
• Good spin- 5 needle bearings per sleeve make them spin very smoothly. This helps to prevent injury in any weightlifting moves like the clean and jerk. 
• Strong steel- 200k PSI is more than enough for almost all lifters. 

Cons

• Expensive- the most expensive bar on this list!

If you want a great Olympic weightlifting barbell and money is not a consideration then this is your barbell. 

The Pyrros has IWF Olympic standard knurling, 200k PSI tensile strength and a super smooth spin thanks to the 5 needle bearings in each sleeve. It really doesn’t scrimp on anything. 

A stainless steel alloy bar doesn’t require any coating to finish. It simply is the best material out there for corrosion resistance. It can last decades without rusting and still look brand new. 

In fact, the only area it didn’t score well in our criteria was the pricing and the popularity of the bar (probably due to the pricing!)

But if you are into Olympic weightlifting, you probably already know a lot about barbells and understand why the costs are higher to make a bar like this.

Built to handle multiple disciplines, it scores well on our versatility chart:

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Rogue Pyrros has a subdued spin, good whip, and an aggressive, non-shardy knurling.

They made this one with the help of Pyrros Dimas, the 3-time Olympic gold medalist.

Within the Rogue brand, 2 comparisons make sense:

• To the Euro Olympic bar - Pyrros is the more durable of the 2 and uses more viscous lubrication for a calmer spin.
• Rogue Olympic weightlifting Cerakote - Pyrros is the grippier bar. Trust me, you don’t want to train with a Cerakote shaft and then use stainless steel come competition day.
• Finally, Pyrros’ knurling feels more aggressive than both Euro and Cerakote.

Outside the Rogue brand, it’s comparable to Eleiko (Training, XF Training, and Competition bar) and Uesaka.

At this top-tier level, it all becomes subjective. There’s no bar that blows the competition away.

But there is a bar that costs less…2-3 times less…it’s the Pyrros.

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I haven’t personally used the Bella, and these opinions are based on experiences of the colleagues I talked to, both girls and boys.

You read that right…

I know plenty of men who use the bella for some lifts. It’s ideal for anyone with smaller hands or if you like having a slightly lighter bar to learn technique and do more cardio-focused workouts. See also: our 12-week beginner weight-lifting routine.

And you can still pile the plates on to lift the same weight!

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Pros

• Lighter (33lbs) and thinner (25mm)- the standard for women’s bars… or anyone with smaller hands!
• Premium cerakote finish - more resistant to corrosion and wear than any of the bars in Top 5
• Well-balanced hybrid knurling - makes for a comfortable, yet secure grip
• RWH (Rogue Work Hardening) treated - makes it more resistant to dropping and lasts longer
• Awesome color combos - one of the nine combos (twelve if you count the chrome sleeve option) will add a splash of color to your home gym
• Great for multi-purpose use- bronze bushings & no center knurl means you can throw this bar overhead and drop it and it’ll work for years to come!

Cons

• Pricy - you’ll spend more on the Bella bar than some other picks in our best women’s barbell guide. 
• Warranty limited to construction - you’re covered against bending

Women’s barbells are thinner in diameter (25mm vs 28mm) and weigh less (15kg vs 20kg) than men’s Olympic barbells. 

They are called women’s barbells, but I know plenty of men that prefer to use them! It’s ideal for anyone with smaller hands or if you like having a slightly lighter bar to learn technique and do more cardio-focused workouts. You can still pile the plates on to lift the same weight too!

But either way the Rogue Bella bar does not scrimp on any of the details!

It has a premium cerakote finish. This means it will not rust or corrode even if left out in the rain (although don’t do this obviously!) But it does mean if you live in a humid environment this bar will be totally fine. 

It also uses Rogue Work Hardening and 190k PSI tensile strength steel. 

This means it will last you a lifetime in a home gym even if you throw the bar around with snatches and drop the bar overhead regularly. 

Some men with smaller hands don’t go for a women’s bar because they can’t fit as much weight on the bar. But the sleeves are up there with the longest out of women’s barbells. This allows you to add more plates to the bar than many of the others…

It’s a shame it only has a ‘construction warranty’ (covered against bending) instead of a lifetime warranty. And it’s not the cheapest women’s barbell you can find. But for the overall quality and price point, this barbell gets our top pick.

Solid construction keeps it near the top of our quality score among women’s bars:

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Rogue Bella costs 3 times less than its direct competitor - the Eleiko IWF Training bar, and I don’t see a single quality aspect where it falls short.

The tolerances are strict, and the axial/radial floats* between the sleeve and shaft are small. In plain language, you get a bar that spins smoothly but isn’t noisy.

Even simpler - it means wrist protection without the clunky feel of cheaper bars.

If you want to spend less, you’d have to give up that impeccable spin and a range of finishes (including my stainless steel and colorful Cerakote). You can see some of our budget picks in the main guide on best Women’s Olympic barbells here.

*Axial and radial floats are the spaces allowed between the barbell’s shaft and sleeve in different directions. The two values describe how much the shaft can move in response to axial and radial loads (illustrated below).

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Main praises - what I like

• I love the consistency and depth of the knurl. It’s slightly less aggressive than Rogue Ohio’s, but still good enough to be your main barbell.
• The black-silver chrome combo looks awesome.

Main grievances - what could be better

• I’m not a fan of the little groves on the sleeves, I prefer smooth sleeves that cause no vibration when _(off)_loading.

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Pros

• Price for the quality- the specs are the same as some bars that cost twice as much.
• 190k PSI tensile strength– durable and will not deform from lifting heavy weights.
• Composite bushing sleeves- smooth spin but not too fast so it won’t make slow lifts like a squat or presses unstable.
• Lifetime warranty- peace of mind and it proves Rogue Fitness rates their bars highly.
• F8-R F scale rating- the proprietary Rogue Work Hardening supposedly allows the bar to last three times longer than other bars.
• 13 color options- brand your gym with your own colors.
• Dual knurl markings- make it easy to position your hands for different lifts like the bench press and the snatch.

Cons

• End caps can scratch easily- not ideal aesthetically but it really is hard to find anything to nit-pick at with this bar.

Perfection is the enemy of good.

You could abide by that adage, save a few hundred bucks and get a bar like the E.T. Energic.

You get a hard chrome finish, high tensile strength and bearings.

In practice, things aren’t as rosy:

• The specs aren’t precise - it’s about 4 lbs lighter than listed, and the sleeves are slightly shorter.
• The “hard” chrome is not as resistant as with the top brands, so you’ll see some chipping over the years.
• The bearings might vibrate. It’s all minor stuff that can get annoying over time.

So, why label it as “best” in any category?

Because those imperfections aren’t as significant as with other bars in its price range.

In other words, there’s no better bar for the money.

The Energic bar earns a strong price score as one of the most affordable options here:

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The E.T. Energetic ticks all the main boxes for 2-4 times less money than brand-name competitors.

Even our budget pick (the Gunner)****, costs 50% more.

The one thing that jumps out from the specs is the combination of brass bushings and needle bearings…just because you don’t see it often in this price range.

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Main praises - what I like

• I love the geometry…specifically, the longer sleeves and the 52-inch distance between collars. It’s rackable and pairs well with “regular” bumper plates.

Main grievances - what could be better

• I personally found the spin on the sleeves is not as good as most other bars on this list.

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Pros

• Short bar at 6.2ft- perfect if you’re tight on space. 
• Incredible value for money- you’ll struggle to find another shorty bar that’s as good as this for this price.
• Rackable- 52” collar to collar distance- this is a must for us. If you can’t rack it you can’t use it for heavy squats or bench presses.
• Oversized oil-impregnated bushings spin smoothly - it lowers the risk of a wrist injury, and they oil themselves to keep the spin smoother for longer.
• 9.84” sleeves- longer than most short barbells, which allows you to add more weight (300lbs of bumper plates!)

Cons

• Hard chrome is not as grippy as Cerakote or Zinc - if you like aggressive knurling and lift heavy, you might need to spend money on chalk.
• Two inches longer than a standard 6ft bar (74 inches long) - won’t save you as much much space as a 5ft or standard 6ft bar.

The main reason the GetRXd gets the top spot for shorty bars is because of its value for money. 

When you’re tight on space these are probably the main factors for you:

• A barbell that is short enough to fit into a limited space
• A decent price
• Good quality

The GetRXd ticks all of these boxes. 

One of our ‘must have’ criteria for these bars was that they are ‘rackable’. So we heavily weighted the points on this aspect. 

And the GetRXd Shorty bar is rackable. 

This means you can do heavy bench presses and squats using this bar by racking it on a squat rack. You can find our best squat rack picks here. Or if you are tight on space check out our best short racks or folding squat racks.

However, when a short bar is rackable it always means the sleeves are going to be much shorter than a normal 7ft bar. But the length of the sleeves was another huge factor for us in our research!

The Get RXd short bar has one of the longest sleeves of our best short barbell picks. 

Only the Elieko short bar has longer sleeves but it comes in at over 3 times the price of this bar!

Combine all of this with 190k PSI tensile strength, composite bushings sleeves, and a hard chrome finish. And this barbell blows the competition out of the water. 

A solid overall score for a shorty bar that holds its own against full-length competition:

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GetRXD recognized 3 overlooked facts when making this bar:

1. Shorty bars are supposed to be cheaper.
2. “Cheaper” is a different word from “chipping.”
3. Most people are OK with the shorty bar being a few inches longer if it means more space on the sleeves and rackability.

To be specific - it’s the cheapest rackable shorty on the market. If you know of another, do tell.

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