Real quality bang-per-buck!

Review submitted on 9th December 2015 by Simon Totney

Having owned a 'bog-standard' 7ft Olympic bar, and researching into how relatively low the recommended weight capacity for different exercises can be, I decided to look for my 'first last bar' - One that had the durability and capacity to outstrip anything I'd be able to move, so I started my research into what made a good bar and how to best judge if that bar will handle what you need it to do, and all at a good price - I didn't want to spend £500.00 plus on a named imported brand if I could find the same quality here in the good 'ole UK! And why not? We were once the industrialised centre of steel-making, so I figured there must be something available!. Well my research led me here, amongst other places, and having read the description of this bar I had high hopes for it. Not only is it rated to 2000lbs load (the 215,000 psi rating is its' real indicator of strength) it has larger 43cm loading pins which are loaded with bearings, multiple markings for your hand-spacing (always useful) and very nice knurling - Although I use gloves, it feels more comfortable and grippier than my old bar (which I was perfectly happy with) The only possible improvement I could have personally thought of was for it to be made in stainless steel, but not only would that make it cost prohibitive (for me!) it is also a bit non-sensical when a quick rub-down, and rub-off (oo-err!), with WD40 after a workout will keep it nice and shiny and rust-free! The bar feels compact, well balanced and really nice and solid in the hands - I've loaded it with 400lbs of weight and it works beautifully, and I am confident it will handle much more than that. Although it is rated to 2000lbs, apparently only 1500lb of weight will fit on the bar, and I've personally measured it to fit 1000lbs of my 20kg weight discs - Much more than I'd ever need, so it works for me! I've used this for all the different compound exercises for all the body parts and it is just a beautiful bar to use - It fits in my Bodycraft F430 power cage almost perfectly - With 1 1/2 - 2 inches of bar length over-hanging the cage before the weight pin stops, so is just perfect from my point of view. I will emphasise that I am comparing it with a bog-standard 7ft Olympic weight bar (which I didn't even realise had a bar diameter greater than 28mm until I got this bar!) but I honestly have no regrets and can think of no practical improvements that could be made from my point of view. The only thing I will mention is that the bar doesn't come with centre knurling as the (old?) pictures on the site show - But this is probably a preference as opposed to a problem!