7 Best Olympic Barbells: All Bars Aren’t Created Equal

olympic barbells

While your local gym might have some of the best Olympic barbells, it is important that you do too, assuming you are planning on building your own gym at home.

The top barbells are extremely multifunctional and also durable, thus ensuring that you have a quality training experience and also better results.

Compared to a normal smaller barbell, the Olympic barbell is much heavier and therefore, it is also stronger. Allowing you to add more weight to the bar and become stronger over time.

No one wants to stay the same in the gym and results should always be your main goal while training.


Olympic Bar Buying Guide

We have decided to go out and search for the top barbell brands. While most of them might seem similar, some of them are a little more durable than others.

They might even vary in maximum weight and you will need to ensure your barbell matches your strength needs.

Before we check out the best barbells, let’s look at some of the most common and important features that will set the good barbells apart from the great barbells and also give you more longevity and ultimately value for your money.

Key features to look for in Barbells

If you want to save money and go for the cheapest alternative, you will be better off doing it on something else.

Your barbell will be one of the most used pieces of equipment in your gym, therefore, it is imperative that you ensure that the barbell is top quality. So let’s look at which features will be important:

  • Yielding weight

The yield strength refers to the maximum amount of weight the bars is able to resist when bent, before bending back to being straight.

This is imperative for deadlifting as the plates will stay on the ground longer and the lower back will be worked harder to lift them off the ground.

  • Dual-Purpose grip

Having a dual-purpose grip is great for various exercises and while bodybuilders would like a narrower grip, which could help them with the bench press, power lifters will need a wider grip for explosive exercises like the clean and press.

  • Tensile Strength

The tensile strength directly relates to the durability of the bar and it refers to the number of pounds per square inch required to pull the bar apart. Having a bar with at least a tensile strength of 180,000PSI should be durable enough for home use.

  • Spin

Inside the sleeve of the bar are the mechanics that will directly relate to the spin of the bar. The spin of the bar is determined by the inner bearings, but these are also more expensive.

The spin will be extremely useful to people looking to use the bar for explosive exercises.

  • Finish

The finish of the bar does not directly impact the training, but they will have an impact on the longevity of the bar.

Bare steel with no finish will be more prone to rusting and even though a finish like zinc might be more expensive, your bars will last much longer.

While these five features might not sound all that important, they will all play a huge part in the value of your bar and the amount of use you have for it.

Casual weightlifters might be fine with something cheaper, but as the pros will tell you: rather do something right the first time or leave it.


Best Olympic Barbell Reviews

With that being said, let’s look at the top Olympic barbells for your home gym:


 

1.   Body-Solid 7-Foot Olympic Bar

 

Body-Solid Tools Olympic Straight Bar (OB86), 7 Feet, Chrome

Finish: chrome

Maximum weight capacity: 600 lbs

With a decent amount of whip, this Body Solid bar should allow you to get great strain on your lower body for deadlifts, while simultaneously helping you to improve your overall squat strength.

The 600 lb maximum weight capacity should be efficient for home use by most bodybuilders as the goal of building muscle is to develop the muscle and not to over train it.

The chrome finish on the bar will protect it from rust, but the 32″ diameter gripping section might hinder people with smaller hands from sufficiently performing the Olympic lift.

Furthermore, the bar weighs in at 44lbs to make it the perfect and most commonly accepted weight as an Olympic bar, and compared to most other bars, this bar will not cost you an arm or a leg.

The bar offers optimal spin for users to help with cross-fit and explosive exercise as well.

We highly recommend this bar for the quality it provides and also for the value at a really affordable price. The bar will be great for bodybuilders, but powerlifters might struggle to adequately perform their exercises.

Pros:

  • Really affordable
  • Rust-resistant chrome finish
  • Adequate spin
  • Offers great whip

Cons:

  • The bar diameter is extremely thick

AMAZON'S DEAL

 


 

2.   Gold’s Gym 105-lb. Olympic Barbell Weight Set

Olympic Weight Set With Bar by Golds Gym

Finish: Black

Maximum weight resistance: 300lbs

If you are looking for value, the Gold’s Gym 110-lb barbell set should be the perfect product for you. The barbell does not quite match up to the weight of an Olympic bar, but it is still the correct size.

With this set, you will receive weights that combine to make a maximum limit of 105 lbs, which should be sufficient for beginners learning to lift.

The spin on the bar is great for the value and you will be able to learn all the weightlifting mechanics with this bar. 

Furthermore, the durability of the set is great and it has been constructed from cast-iron to help ensure that you have great longevity using this set.

The bar does have a good weight limit of 300lbs, which should be great for beginners and even females to train with.

We highly recommend this barbell set for the value it provides and the fact that it is foldable. Beginners will greatly benefit from starting with something small and women will also like that the bar is not that heavy.

This bar should give you great value and longevity.

Pros:

  • Really affordable
  • Comes with plates to use immediately
  • Designed for beginners
  • Good whip for performing Olympic exercises

Cons:

  • Does not meet Olympic weight regulations for men

AMAZON'S DEAL

 


 

3.   Yaheetech Olympic 7 feet Weight Bar

Yaheetech Olympic 7 feet Weight Bar with Two Collars Solid Iron Weighted Workout Bar Barbell Weight Straight Bar for Home Gym Exercises

 

Finish: Hard chrome

Maximum weight resistance: 330 lb static

This 7-foot Olympic bar is made for excellent balance and really long-lasting performance.  It offers a bit more of a compact design to help fit in your home gym.  The grip area measures 1.2″ in diameter and it fits 2-inch plates.

It also offers a knurled handle for extra grip security.   This bar is very ample for professional and light commercial use, so it’s not a light-duty piece of fitness equipment.

The knurled sections on the bar are medium depth for a better-than-average grip.  Sleeves are included and they are exceptionally smooth in their swivel!  The total length is 86″, the grip diameter is 1.2″ and the sleeve diameter is 2″.

The material is iron for all-around good performance.  It weighs 39.5 pounds.

Pros:

  • Great value
  • Rust-resistant hard chrome finish
  • Good for heavier-duty use

Cons:

  • It Will be expensive for beginners

AMAZON'S DEAL

 


 

4.   XMark Fitness 7′ Chrome Olympic Bar

XMark 7 ft Olympic Bar 28mm Shaft With Brass Bushings, Medium Knurling, 700 lb Weight Capacity, Weight Bar

Finish: Manganese Phosphate coating

Maximum Weight resistance: 700lbs

Anyone looking to improve their Olympic presses and the popular clean and press exercises will really need to look into this Olympic bar.

The XMark Fitness 7 feet Chrome Olympic bar has been fitted with top of the range brass bushings, thus allowing for an excellent spin and making those exercises much more comfortable to perform.

This will also be great for cross-fit trainers to help work on their explosiveness.

The bar features a 28mm diameter for medium knurling and this should also be great for bodybuilders to use with the dual markings, indicating the bench press and deadlift grip width.

The 700lbs weight resistance will also make bending the bar easier to help ensure that you get maximum effect on your muscles from squatting and deadlifting.

Unfortunately, the bar does weigh in at a little under the regulated size for Olympic bars, but by adding adequate weight, this could be compensated for and you will still have the maximum effect.

We highly recommend this for beginner to intermediate weight lifters. Powerlifters can also use this bar as a cheap alternative for getting in those quick workouts at home.

The bar is also really affordable and with the black Manganese phosphate finish, you will have a lot of longevity and value.

Pros:

  • Brass bushings to increase the spin
  • Super-great Amazon customer rating
  • 700lbs strength rating makes bending easier
  • Really affordable

Cons:

  • Slightly lighter than the regulated weight for Olympic bars

AMAZON'S DEAL

 


 

5.   Champion Barbell Olympic Power Bar Champion Barbell Olympic Power BAR 1500 LB ZINC

Finish: Zinc Plated Molybdenum

Maximum weight resistance: 1500lbs

This Champion Olympic bar is one of the more expensive offerings on our list, but features some unique qualities.  It’s made of high-tensile chrome – Molybdenum steel. 

The bushings are made of bronze and offer a very smooth sleeve rotation.  There are also no end screws on the bar.  The center knurling offers an exceptional grip for powerlifters.  The bar weighs 45 lbs.

Pros:

  • High-quality steel
  • Offers great bend
  • Olympic sized

Cons:

  • Some users have found some rust after only a short time

AMAZON'S DEAL

 


 

6.   CAP Barbell Olympic Bar

CAP Barbell “The Beast” Bar | 7-Foot Olympic Barbell

Finish: black phosphate finish

Maximum weight capacity: 1000lbs

The CAP Barbell Olympic bar is one of the most popular Olympic barbells available. The barbell is quite expensive, but it offers great multifunctional use to the user.

The barbell is also quite stylish in design and the durable rust-resistant phosphate finish will help ensure that you have great longevity in using this bar.

The knurls on the bar have also been coated to make the marking much clearer for users and spin on the bar is great, thus allowing powerlifters to easily complete their training exercises without any hassle.

With great whip, you will also be able to more strain on your lower back while performing the deadlift and with a tensile rating above 180k, this bar is extremely durable.

Furthermore, the maximum weight limit on the bar is 1000lbs, thus also making it easy to bend the bar for bodybuilders or any strength training athletes.

The stretch in the middle of the bar is also quite smooth and gripping this bar should be easy with the standard 28.5 mm diameter bar thickness.

We highly recommend this bar to more advanced liters or even intermediate lifters looking to get a taste of the better bars on the market.

The bar is quite expensive, but you will be getting great value for your money and this bar also competes with some of the more advanced and professionally designed bars on the market.

Pros:

  • Custom color coating
  • Offers great spin
  • Will also offer great whip
  • Great for all lifters

Cons:

  • Might be expensive at first

AMAZON'S DEAL

 


 

7.   CAP Barbell Classic 7-Foot Olympic Bar

Finish: chrome or black

Maximum weight capacity: 1500lbs

This bar is one of the more standardized Olympic barbells from CAP. The bars features a stylish color with the black chrome finish and this should also adequately protect the bar from rust and any other damage that might happen to it.

Much like the other bars from CAP, this bars offers a weight capacity maximum of 1500lbs, thus giving the bar great bend and with a good tensile rating over 180k, this bar should be durable enough for you to load it with your maximum weight.

The bar also offers good spin for performing Olympic style lifts and this should be great for powerlifters.

The bar weighs 35 lbs, and it’s quite affordable compared to many other options available on our list and at Amazon, thus making this a better option for intermediate and beginner lifters to start out with.

Club owners could also stock up on these bars for their gyms to ensure that everyone in the gym is happy and that you have a bar for both powerlifters and bodybuilders.

We recommend this bar to all lifters. The bar is sufficiently priced for beginners and it also offers great quality for advanced and professional lifters.

The bar will allow casual trainers to workout at home and most Olympic plates will fit on the bar.

Pros:

  • Reasonably priced
  • Offers great spin
  • Offers good whip
  • Strong tensile rating

Cons:

  • Metal shavings can hurt hands

AMAZON'S DEAL

 


 

Final Thoughts & Conclusion

By understanding some of the fundamentals of the different types of barbells on the market today, we hope that you are now more educated to make the decision on your next Olympic bar.

Research is always important and as we mentioned in the beginning, the last place you would want to cut corners is on your Olympic bar. The plates can still be easily replaced, but bars are expensive and they should offer great value.

We would like to thank you for reading this article and we hope that you now have a better understanding of Olympic bars.


 

Pete

My name's Pete Stec and I'm one of the owners here at SportConsumer.com and Sport Consumer Family (YouTube). My family and I invite you to travel our journey of wellness for your kids and family through nutrition and exercise while we continue to provide the very best reviews on the sports gear you need for serious competition or for your leisure activity!

Recent Posts