ConnectFit is run by industry experts to offer top choices at all levels.
The Olympic bar is the one piece of equipment in a strength room that gets touched on nearly every lift. A good one feels right in the hand, spins when it should, stays straight for decades, and never makes you think about it. A poor one bends, rusts, rattles, or tears up hands. Here's what separates them, and every 7' bar we carry, listed by price.
It is much easier just carrying a few brands with big margins, but at ConnectFit, we shoot for the long-term client experience by carrying good, better, and the best.
Tensile strength. Tensile strength, measured in PSI, is how much stress the steel takes before it fails. Around 150,000 PSI is fine for general use. At 190,000 and up, a bar holds its straightness through years of heavy use. At 200,000 and above you're in premium territory.
Straightness and tolerances. The best manufacturers test and certify every bar for straightness and exact weight. Ivanko, for example, specifies less than .006" per foot of runout and weight accurate to within half an ounce.
Spin. The sleeves rotate on either bushings or needle bearings. Bushings give a smooth, controlled spin that's durable and ideal for strength work. Needle bearings spin faster and freer, which helps on cleans and snatches, where the bar has to turn over quickly.
Shaft diameter. A 28 to 28.5mm shaft has more whip and is easier to grip. A 30 to 32mm shaft is stiffer, which suits heavy squats and bench presses.
Finish. Hard chrome is durable and easy to maintain. Black oxide has a great raw feel but needs occasional care. Cerakote is a ceramic coating with excellent corrosion resistance, and it comes in colors. Stainless steel gives the best corrosion resistance and the best feel, at a premium price.
The smooth rings cut into the knurling are grip reference marks, and there are two standards. IWF (Olympic weightlifting) marks are 910mm apart and are used for the snatch and the clean and jerk. IPF (powerlifting) marks are 810mm apart and are used to set a consistent grip on the bench press and squat. Hybrid (dual-marked) bars carry both, which makes them the most versatile choice for a mixed-use gym.
Center knurl. A center knurl grips your upper back so the bar doesn't slide during heavy squats. It is a nuisance on cleans, though, where the bar contacts your neck and collarbones. Power and squat bars usually have one; multipurpose and Olympic bars usually don't.
Ground-based lifting includes deadlifts, cleans, snatches, and anything dropped with bumper plates. It puts a premium on sleeve spin, some whip, durable sleeve construction, and no center knurl.
Rack-based lifting includes squats, bench presses, and overhead presses from the rack. It favors stiffness, higher load capacity, and a center knurl for squatting, and bushing spin is more than enough.
If one bar has to do everything, look for a hybrid-marked bar with a strong tensile rating, like the Hudson 7' or the Solid Bar Men's Contender.
We're proud to carry two American bar makers. Solid Bar Fitness manufactures in the USA. They also make bars for many other brands under those brands' names, and we now buy direct from them. Ivanko still manufactures its Olympic bars in California.
Please note: these higher-end, special-order bars ship by freight and require order time. Ivanko typically has the longest lead time of any bar we carry. TKO bars also ship by freight. Hudson bars are stocked regionally and are the fastest to get.
This is TKO's economy bar, built for heavily used facilities like health clubs, college rec centers, and high schools. It has a 28.5mm hardened and tempered shaft, is 86" long, weighs 20 kg (44 lbs), and has a 500 lb capacity. Sleeves turn on a ball bearing and oil-impregnated brass bushing. It has a chrome-plated finish for corrosion resistance, a medium knurl with no center knurl, and double snap ring construction. Ships by freight.
Made in USA
The Power Squat Bar is an American-made bar built for rack work, and one of the best-priced US bars available. It's rated at 150,000 PSI with a 1,500 lb capacity. The 28.5mm shaft has medium diamond knurling with a center knurl that locks into your back on heavy squats, plus single powerlifting rings. Bushing sleeves give low-friction spin, with 15" of loadable sleeve and 52" between collars. It weighs 44 lbs and has steel end caps with permanent markings that won't peel off. Special order; ships by freight.
This is TKO's power bar, and every one is tested for strength and integrity and measured for straightness. The 30mm hardened and tempered shaft is rated at 152,000 PSI with a 1,000 lb capacity; the bar is 86" long and weighs 20 kg (44 lbs). Sleeves turn on oil-impregnated brass bushings. It has a hardened chrome finish, a medium knurl with no center knurl, and double snap ring construction, and it's made to tight tolerances. The thicker shaft gives a stiff feel that suits squats and presses. Ships by freight.
Best Seller · Great Value · Hybrid Marks
This is our best-selling bar, and a great value. Hudson's 7' bar has a triple-coated chrome finish that resists rust, chipping, scarring, and peeling. It has hybrid hash marks and no center knurl, so it works as well on the platform for deadlifts and cleans as it does in the rack for squats and bench. It's stocked regionally, which also makes it the quickest bar we can get you.
Best Seller · Great Value · Hybrid Marks
This is the same best-selling Hudson bar in a black finish. It has the same hybrid hash marks and no center knurl, so it handles both ground-based and rack-based lifting. It's stocked regionally for the fastest turnaround.
This is a decent, well-built entry bar from Hampton's Club Elite International series. The 30mm shaft is rated at 135,000 PSI with a 700 lb test and finished in hard chrome. Bronze bushings keep it balanced and rotating smoothly.
Top Quality Pick · Made in USA
This is our top quality pick, a USA made high spec bar with the extra margin removed, as they make the bars for many other 'manufacturers'. The Men's Contender is American-made and rated at 190,000 PSI, with a Cerakote ceramic shaft finish that's highly scratch- and corrosion-resistant. It comes in a range of colors, with black Cerakote or chrome sleeves. The 28.5mm shaft has medium knurling and no center knurl, 52.5" between collars, and 15" loadable sleeves on smooth bronze bushings. The bar is 87" overall and weighs 44 lbs. It's an excellent all-around bar for both ground-based and rack-based training, and it's backed by a lifetime warranty on manufacturing defects. Special order; ships by freight.
Made in USA · Hybrid Marks
The Midwest Bar is an American-made all-purpose bar with dual knurl rings for both Olympic lifting and powerlifting. It's rated at 165,000 PSI with an 1,800 lb static load capacity. The 28.5mm shaft has medium diamond knurling and no center knurl, so it's equally at home on the platform and in the rack. This version has chrome sleeves on bushings for smooth, low-friction spin. Sleeves are 2" in diameter with 15.25" loadable, and the bar is 7' long and weighs 45 lbs. Steel end caps carry permanent markings that won't peel off. Special order; ships by freight.
Made in USA · Hybrid Marks
This is the same American-made Midwest Bar with black zinc sleeves. It has the same 165,000 PSI shaft, 1,800 lb static load capacity, dual Olympic and powerlifting rings, no center knurl, and bushing spin. Special order; ships by freight.
Made in USA · Hybrid Marks
This is the Midwest Bar upgraded with needle bearings for a lot of spin, making it the Midwest version to pick for cleans, snatches, and other fast Olympic lifts. It has the same 165,000 PSI, 28.5mm shaft, 1,800 lb static load capacity, dual rings, no center knurl, and chrome sleeves. Special order; ships by freight.
This is the first of TKO's two needle-bearing bars. The 28.5mm hardened and tempered shaft is rated at 208,000 PSI; the bar is 87" long, weighs 20 kg (44 lbs), and fits standard racks and benches. Every bar is tested for strength, integrity, and straightness, and it's made to tight tolerances. Needle-bearing sleeves give it a quick, free spin, and a hardened chrome finish protects it from corrosion. Ships by freight.
This is a thick, stiff bar made for heavy rack work. The 32mm shaft is rated at 165,000 PSI with a 1,500 lb test. It has a hard chrome finish and bronze bushings for balanced, smooth rotation.
This is TKO's top bar, built for athletes who need extreme performance. It shares the Middle Weight's build but steps up to 225,000 PSI steel. The 28.5mm shaft is 87" long and the bar weighs 20 kg (44 lbs). It spins on eight high-spin, low-friction needle bearings. It has a medium knurl with no center knurl, a hard chrome finish for corrosion resistance, and double snap ring construction. Every bar is tested for strength and measured for straightness. Ships by freight.
This is Hampton's strongest bar, and the best of their line. The 28mm shaft is rated at 185,000 PSI with a 1,500 lb test. Bronze bushings keep it balanced and rotating smoothly.
Made in USA
This is an extra-high-strength precision bar from Ivanko, made in California, and a great all-around bar for cross-training, weightlifting, and deadlifts. It's rated at over 200,000 PSI and is magnetic, ultrasonic, and X-ray tested. Straightness is specified at better than .006" per foot, and weight is accurate to within half an ounce. The 28mm shaft is ground and polished, with a black oxide finish. Special order; ships by freight; longest lead time.
This is Hudson's heavy-duty bar, with needle bearings for fast spin and a deep knurl with center knurl for an aggressive grip. It's rated at 225,000 PSI with a 2,000 lb test. It has a black oxide finish and weighs 20 kg (44 lbs). It's stocked regionally and ships quickly.
This is Hudson's premium power bar, offered in two colors: the Fireman's edition with a bold red shaft and the Police edition with a deep blue shaft. Both have black sleeves and Hudson's "H." end caps, and either one makes a standout centerpiece for a home or club strength room. It's stocked regionally.
Made in USA
This bar is stainless steel throughout, for the best corrosion resistance and a feel that doesn't change over time. It's rated at 218,000 PSI and is magnetic and ultrasonic tested and straightness certified. It has a 28mm shaft and measures 7' 2" long. Special order; ships by freight; longest lead time.
Made in USA
This is the Ivanko stainless bar with needle-bearing sleeves, for fast, precise turnover on Olympic lifts. It's made of 218,000 PSI stainless steel and is magnetic and ultrasonic tested and straightness certified. Special order; ships by freight; longest lead time.
Prices shown are MSRP. Freight and delivery are additional on special-order bars.
The right bar depends on how your room will be used: who's lifting, which lifts, and whether the bar lives on the floor or in a rack. Stop by our showroom at 84 Needham Street in Newton to get a bar in your hands, or contact us for a free consultation, and we'll help you match the bar to your space and your training.