The Rogue Bars – A Comprehensive Guide to the Extensive Collection [Updated]

Are you looking for a little help figuring out what the difference between all the Rogue bars is without needing to make a spreadsheet and have 15 browser tabs open? If so, you have come to the right place!

Rogue Fitness has one of the most extensive collections of branded barbells around. It can be daunting trying to figure out which bar is the right bar for you. You can stare at product pages, compare numbers, and read reviews for hours; but about the time you think you’ve got a handle on all these bars, Rogue adds a couple more to the line-up, takes a few out of the line-up, and then slaps a new version number on everything else.

So how do you select the Rogue bar that’s right for you? Do you buy one of the new bars? Do you buy one of the updated bars? Do you just buy the bar that Joe Blow down the street swears by? Are they really all that different from one another anyway?

It turns out that almost every Rogue bar is different in one way or another. The good news is that more times than not, those differences are minor, and many of those differences are actually just cosmetic. Matter of fact, with the recent introduction of the new 190k steel that Rogue uses for bar shafts, Rogue doesn’t sell as many functionally unique bars as you may think.

So relax. I’ll bet by the time you’re done with this guide you’ll have gone from contemplating half a dozen Rogue bars and all their variants to narrowing it down to one or two. Your final decision will almost certainly just come down to aesthetics.

Last updated: September, 2018 (revisions and edits, added bars to list, added new update section.)

Suggested Reading

If you’re new to lifting and the terminology thrown around in this guide confuses you a little; things like bushings and bearings, tensile strength, zinc vs chrome; and so forth, I suggest you read the first section of an article of mine that covers practically every important aspect of bar construction. You can read that here.

How to Zero-In on a Rogue Bar

I’ve separated all of the Rogue bars into four categories based on their obvious or stated intended application (i.e. Oly, power, etc). With the exception of the women’s category and unless stated otherwise, all of the Rogue bars covered are standard 20 kg, 2.2 m (44 lbs, 7.2 feet) barbells. The categories, along with the bars they contain are as follows:

CrossFit & General Strength Training Bars Rogue Echo Bar 2.0 Rogue Bar 2.0 Ohio Bar Cerakote Ohio Bar Rogue Freedom Bar (new) Stainless Steel Ohio Bar Rogue Castro Bar Rogue Operator 3.0 Rogue Chan Bar 1.2 Rogue Cerakote Chan Bar 1.2 (new)

Women’s 15 kg Bars Bella Bar 2.0 Cerakote Bella Bar 2.0 Rogue 25 mm Freedom Bar Stainless Steel Bella Bar 2.0 Women’s 25mm Pyrros Olympic WL Bar Women’s 25mm Olympic WL Bar Women’s 25mm Russian Bar Women’s 25mm Training Bar Women’s Burgener & Rippetoe Bar (B&R)

True 28 mm Olympic Weightlifting Bars 28mm Olympic Training Bar (all) 28 mm Olympic WL Bar (all) Euro Olympic WL Bar Pyrros Olympic WL Bar Rogue Russian Bar

Powerlifting Bars Ohio Power Bar Westside Power Bar 2.0 Burgener & Rippetoe 2.0 Ohio Deadlift Bar

Recommendations

Once you’ve decide which category best describes your intended application, you can look through the bars and further refine them by price, finish, knurl depth, and cosmetic or other special features (I will include a TL;DR at the end for those who can’t be bothered). Once you’ve selected a bar, you can either go with that bar, or begin the process anew by then comparing your choice to the other manufacturers’ bars until you’ve found the perfect bar for you.

Rogue has added fewer barbells in recent years and even removed a number of them from their line-up, but they still have more bar options than any other manufacturer. Matter of fact Rogue has been adding new material and finish options to the vast majority of their existing bars; adding stainless steel variants, colored and clear Cerakote variants, and so on; giving us aesthetic options galore. There are definitely a lot of Rogue bars to choose from today.

There’s only so much you can do to expand a collection like Rogue’s when the lowest price bar is $200. They’d basically have to offer cheap economy bars rather than premium bars in order to grow the collection any more. Also, it should be noted that both stainless steel and Cerakote are premium, very durable materials for barbells, so don’t think of these as simply cosmetic upgrades (though the colors do seem to be a big part of the appeal).

The F-Scale

One thing Rogue has done recently is to roll out a new grading system for their bars – the F-Scale. The F-Scale is effectively a grading system for the bar’s durability. It factors in the materials used to manufacture the bar, the finish applied to the bar, and a Rogue-exclusive “treatment” called Rogue Work Hardening; or RWH. From what I can tell RWH is applied to all of Rogue’s bars.

I’ve read the material on the F-Scale and RWH numerous times and I still don’t know what RWH actually is; that section is very vague. I don’t know if it’s a heat treatment, a chemical additive, or a magical spell. Since I don’t know what it is, I don’t see how it’s helpful to even know about it. But hey, maybe I’m missing something?

The F-Scale can be helpful, but only when comparing a Rogue bar to another Rogue bar. I don’t think it does much to assist with Rogue to other brand comparisons, at least not until some more detailed info is released on the RWH process. We just can’t make reasonable feature comparisons when we don’t know what all the features are.

The premise of the F-Scale; even when ignoring RWH; is legit though. Things like hydrogen embrittlement are very real, so I do like the scale I just think RWH is too mysterious.

The Rogue Bars for CrossFit

Clearly Rogue’s biggest market, these are the mulit-purpose bars designed with CrossFit in mind. All of the Rogue bars in this category are 20 kg, 190,000 PSI bushing bars with 28.5 mm shafts. They are all dual-marked (IPF/IWF) except for the Echo, have either no center or a passive center knurling, and an about average knurl depth (with the exception of the Chan Bar). With all these things being equal, I will only address things that differentiate the bars from one another and make them unique. Prices range from $195-$395.

The Rogue Echo Bar 2.0

The Echo 2.0 is Rogue’s economy barbell. In terms of specifications it’s almost exactly the same as the Rogue Ohio Bar, only it doesn’t have the dual-markings (only IWF marks) and it carries a short, one-year warranty (vs lifetime warranty). The original version of the Rogue Echo actually had cheap pinned sleeves, yet it sold for the same $195 – so the 2.0 is really quite an upgrade. The 1-year warranty sucks, but if economy bars are your only option this certainly beats a box-store barbell.

Rogue Echo Bar 2.0 At-a-Glance

Knurling: moderate/average

Whip: normal/average

Finish: bright zinc

Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.4″

IWF hash marks only

Short 1-year warranty

Almost a beater bar, yet almost the Ohio Bar

Made in Ohio $195

The Rogue Bar 2.0

The Rogue Bar 2.0 is a black zinc barbell with bright zinc sleeves. There are two things that make it stand out from the others. First is that it uses composite bushings rather than cast bronze, and second, we have the ability to customize the look of the bar with colored bands that sit in machined grooves on the collars. The Rogue Bar is one of the better priced bars on the market right now and a nice alternative to the zinc & oxide versions of the Ohio. The Rogue Bar is $255 with a 5-star review rating (160+ reviews).

Rogue Bar 2.0 At-a-Glance

Knurling: moderate/average

Whip: normal/average

Finish: black/bright zinc

Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.4″

Composite bushings

Rogue’s composite bushings are no quieter than their bronze bushings

Machined band groove for bar customization

Made in Ohio $255

The Ohio Bar



This is Rogue’s Flagship bar; it was the first bar to be completely manufactured at Rogue HQ in Ohio. There is nothing especially appealing about this bar anymore now that the 2.0 can be had for $30 less. The Ohio and the 2.0 have the same specifications, same default finish, yet the 2.0 also has some unique features like the grooved sleeves and composite bushings. Also bars like the new SS Ohio and Matt Chan are often no-brainer upgrades to the classic Ohio.

Of course there is the black oxide finish option for the Ohio which is pretty cool, but other than that it’s a pretty basic bar. Prices range from $282 – $295 depending on finish.

Ohio Bar At-a-Glance

Knurling: moderate/average

Whip: normal/average

Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.4″

The only black oxide variant of Rogue’s multi-purpose line

Chrome is no longer offered, but stainless and Cerakote is (next two listings)

Made in Ohio $282-$295

Cerakote Ohio Bar

The Cerakote Ohio Bar is exactly the same as the standard Ohio Bar in terms of specs, but instead of zinc or oxide it’s finished with Cerakote ceramic. Currently there are (19) different color options for the Cerakote Ohio Bar; though expect that number to change over time. If you want more information on Cerakote, I will suggest you read my review of the American Barbell Cerakote California Bar here.

Cerakote Ohio Bar At-a-Glance

Knurling: moderate/average

Whip: normal/average

Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.4″

Cerakote offers a firm grip and good oxidation resistance, as well as fun color options

Finish is available in (18+) different color options

Made in Ohio $325

Rogue Freedom Bar

The Rogue Freedom Bar is a special edition colorway of the Rogue Cerakote Ohio Bar that, as you can clearly see, is the American flag. It sports all of the same specs and features of the Cerakote Ohio including a 28.5 mm 190k PSI shaft, dual markings, composite bushings and a lifetime warranty. And yes, it’s made in the US of A.

Freedom Bar At-a-Glance

Knurling: moderate/average

Whip: normal/average

Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.4″

American flag colorway of the Cerakote Ohio Bar

Chrome sleeves

Made in Ohio $395

The Stainless Steel Ohio Bar

The Stainless Steel Ohio Bar is Rogue’s contribution to the growing stainless steel market. In my opinion, the SS Ohio is a much nicer bar than the classic Ohio bars. It has a higher tensile strength shaft, composite bushings, chromed sleeves, and a superior knurl pattern. All of this in combination with the stainless shaft and you’ve got one of the best all around bars that Rogue offers. For all the improvements, this bar should not even be thought of as expensive at $350.

Stainless Steel Ohio Bar At-a-Glance

Knurling: moderately aggressive/firm

Whip: normal/average

Higher tensile strength rating of 200k PSI

Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.4″

Slightly quieter than other Ohio variants

Stainless shaft offers the best protection from oxidation, and the most natural grip

Chrome sleeves instead of zinc/oxide

Front-runner in current Rogue multi-purpose line-up

See my review of the SS Ohio

Made in Ohio $350

The Rogue Castro Bar

The Castro Bar is a raw steel Ohio Bar variant. Raw steel means it has no finish and that it requires the most maintenance (3-in-1 oil) of any of the bars in this category. Some people (myself included) actually prefer the feel of a bare steel bar and don’t view this as a burden, but I’m certain most will not be too excited about cleaning their bar every week.

Some proceeds from the sale of the Castro Bar are given to the families of two fallen Navy SEALs. $262

Castro Bar At-a-Glance

Knurling: moderate/average

Whip: normal/average

Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.5″

Bare steel; natural feel, but requires brushing and oiling to prevent oxidation

Part of proceeds of each sale are donated

Made in Ohio $262

Froning Bushing Bar

The Rich Froning barbells have been discontinued, but for reference it was indeed another Ohio variant.

Rogue Operator Bar 3.0

The Operator Bar is a military-inspired barbell that used to feature black zinc sleeves and an olive drab shaft. Now it features a ceramic Cerakote shaft and Cerakote sleeves. While unique cosmetically, functionally this is no different than a Cerakote Ohio Bar.

Rogue Operator 2.0 Bar At-a-Glance

Knurling: Rogue standard; consistent with Ohio Bars

Whip: normal/average

Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.4″

Cerakote shaft finish with zinc sleeves

Available in Desert Tan or classic Olive Drab

Made in Ohio $325

Also available in Camouflage for $375

Rogue Matt Chan Bar 1.2

This is the most unique bar in the bunch, and one of my long-time favorites. The Chan Bar is a modified Ohio Bar. The knurl on the Chan Bar is more aggressive than the other Ohio variants, and that knurling is set further away from center to allow for a wider stance with deadlifts. It’s also the only bar in this group to have a passive center knurling.

The original Chan is only available in black zinc. It has a 5-star rating, of course.

Rogue Chan Signature Bar At-a-Glance

Knurling: semi-aggressive

Center knurl: present and passive

Increased distance between outer knurling for shins (deadlifts)

Whip: normal/average

Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.5″

Satin chrome finish is discontinued indefinitely

Most versatile bar in CrossFit category

See my review of the Matt Chan Bar

Black zinc Chan: $295

Rogue Cerakote Matt Chan Bar 1.2

The newer Matt Chan Bar 1.2 is a little improved over the original. It features a 200,000 PSI stainless steel shaft, composite bushing system, and a black Cerakote shaft with the option for black Cerakote sleeves or chrome sleeves. This variant features the same knurl pattern and knurl depth of the original and also maintains the passive center knurling (a feature not found on the other Ohio-line bars.) It will set you back $100 more though.

The Cerakote/chrome Chan may very well be Rogue’s nicest multi-purpose bar.

Rogue Cerakote Chan Bar At-a-Glance

Knurling: semi-aggressive

Center knurl: present and passive

Stainless steel shaft at 200k PSI

Increased distance between outer knurling for shins (deadlifts)

Whip: normal/average

Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.5″

Composite bushings

Available with chrome or Cerakote sleeves

Most versatile bar in CrossFit category

See my review of the original Matt Chan Bar

Black Cerakote Chan: $395

♦ ♦ ♦

Rogue Women’s 15 kg Bars

Women’s bars are 15 kg rather than 20 kg, and they have a 25 mm shaft rather than a 28+ mm shaft. They are also shorter in overall length than men’s bars (2010 mm vs 2200 mm, with the length coming off the sleeves). Rogue currently manufacturers only a handful of 15 kg barbells when compared to their selection of 20 kg barbells, but that collection is always growing. Prices start at $205.

The Bella Bar 2.0

The Bella is a CrossFit bar, and a multi-purpose bar. I think of it as the true ladies version of the Rogue Bar 2.0; same 190k PSI steel and the same zinc coating. It’s a dual-marked bar, has no center knurl, and the sleeves spin on bronze bushings. Like The Rogue Bar, this is a mighty fine bar; especially for the price. $215

Rogue Bella Bar 2.0 At-a-Glance

Knurling: mild/moderate

Whip: normal/average

Finish: black zinc/bright zinc.

Total bar length: 79.13″

Loadable Sleeve Length: 13″

Comparable to the men’s Rogue Bar 2.0

See my review here

Made in Ohio $215

Cerakote Bella Bar 2.0

The Cerakote Bella Bar is exactly the same as the standard Bella Bar in terms of specs, but instead of being finished in zinc, it’s finished with Cerakote ceramic. Currently there are (24) different color options for the Cerakote Bella Bar 2, but expect that number to change over time. For more information on this particular bar or just Cerakote in general, check out my Cerakote Bella Bar review.

Rogue Bella Bar 2.0 At-a-Glance

Knurling: mild/moderate

Whip: normal/average

Total bar length: 79.13″

Loadable Sleeve Length: 13″

Cerakote offers a firm grip and good oxidation resistance, as well as fun color options

Currently available in (24) different color options

Made in Ohio $275

Note: there are also athlete editions of the Bella Bar including the Froning, Fraser, Toomey, and Davidsdottir; each with their own theme and custom artwork. $375 each.

Rogue 25 mm Freedom Bar

Rogue’s Freedom Bar is a special edition colorway of the Cerakote Bella Bar which, as you can clearly see, is the American flag. It has all of the same specifications & features of the Cerakote Bella including a 25 mm, 190k PSI shaft, dual markings, composite bushings and a lifetime warranty. And yes, it’s made in the USA.

25 mm Freedom Bar At-a-Glance

Knurling: moderate/average

Whip: normal/average

Loadable Sleeve Length: 13″

American flag colorway of the Cerakote Bella Bar

Chrome sleeves

Made in Ohio $395

Stainless Steel Bella Bar 2.0

The Stainless Steel Bella is another addition to Rogue’s growing stainless barbell collection. Based on my experience with the SS Ohio, the SS Bella 2.0 will be a far superior bar to the standard zinc Bella 2.0. It has a higher tensile strength shaft, composite bushings, chromed sleeves, and a superior knurl. Like the SS Ohio Bar, this bar should not even be thought of as expensive at $350.

Stainless Steel Bella Bar At-a-Glance

Knurling: moderately aggressive/firm

Whip: normal/average

Higher tensile strength rating of 200k PSI

Loadable Sleeve Length: 13″

Stainless shaft offers the best protection from oxidation, and the most natural grip

Chrome sleeves instead of zinc/oxide

Made in Ohio $315

Rogue Women’s Pyrros Bar

The Pyrros Bar is a collaboration with Rogue Fitness and you guessed it, Pyrros Dimas. It is basically a updated, 15 kg version of the Stainless Steel Olympic WL Bar that has more aggressive knurling than Rogue’s “standard knurl”, less erratic sleeve rotation, and custom Greek-themed Pyrros end-caps. It’s a nice addition to the Oly bar line-up being that it has some unique features to it.

Rogue Women’s Pyrros Bar At-a-Glance

Knurling: moderately aggressive

Whip: high

Total bar length: 79.14″

Loadable Sleeve Length: 12.5″

Needle bearing bar

195k stainless steel shaft w/ chrome sleeves

Made in Ohio $635

Rogue Women’s Olympic WL Bar

This is the women’s version of the Rogue Olympic WL Bar, but it shares steel with the Euro Bar rather than the men’s version of this bar.

The Women’s Olympic WL Bar has a 25 mm, 215k PSI steel shaft, Olympic hash marks, no center knurl, and the sleeves rotate on five bearings per sleeve. As the name implies this is a bar designed specifically for the Olympic lifts. It’s available with the same finish options as the men’s; bright zinc, polished chrome, or as a stainless steel bar. $525-$635

Rogue Women’s Olympic WL Bar At-a-Glance

Knurling: moderately aggressive

Whip: high

Total bar length: 79.13″

Loadable Sleeve Length: 13″

Needle bearing bar

Available in bright zinc, polished chrome, or stainless steel

Made in Ohio

Zinc and chrome variants: $525-$635

Stainless steel variant: $635

Rogue Women’s Russian Bar w/ Collars

Rogue’s Russian Bearing Bar was inspired by an old Soviet design that was used in the ’80 Olympics. The bar has grooved sleeves and custom, weighted collars that lock down more securely than is possible with standard collars. This set up basically allows for long training sessions without having to make collar adjustments. The shaft itself is identical to that of a 25 mm Rogue Oly Bar discussed above, so you can expect great whip and performance.

Rogue Women’s Russian Bar At-a-Glance

Knurling: moderately aggressive

Whip: high

Total bar length: 79.12″

Loadable Sleeve Length: 12.5″

Needle bearing bar

Polished chrome finish

(2) 2.5 kg collars included (5 kg total)

Inspired by Russians, but made in Ohio $769

Rogue Women’s 25 mm Training Bar

This is the women’s variant of the men’s 28 mm Training Bar. Training bars are essentially bushing-based versions of the Rogue Olympic WL Bars. By using 190k steel, a black zinc shaft finish, and bronze bushings instead of needle bearings, the price is greatly reduced. This bar is a cost-effective way for a novice to train the Olympic lifts.

Rogue Women’s 25 mm Training Bar At-a-Glance

Knurling: moderately aggressive

Whip: normal/average

Total bar length: 79.12″

Loadable Sleeve Length: 13″

bronze bushing bar

black zinc shaft, bright zinc sleeves

Made in Ohio $305

Burgener & Rippetoe Women’s Bar 2.0

What used to be a York Barbell product is now a Rogue Fitness product.

The infamous men’s B&R got a steel upgrade when Rogue took over, but the women’s B&R isn’t anything special aside from the fact that it’s raw steel and inexpensive. At 190,000 PSI the women’s B&R is basically an unfinished version of the Bella. It’s not a very popular bar considering that women powerlifters use the same bars as men and bare steel is typically a powerlifting kind of thing. It’s a great price though; no doubt.

Burgener & Rippetoe Women’s Bar 2.0 At-a-Glance

Knurling: mild/moderate

Whip: normal/average

Total bar length: 79.13″

Loadable Sleeve Length: 13″

Dual-marked with no center knurl

Both shaft and sleeves are unfinished, raw steel

Made in Ohio $205

♦ ♦ ♦

Rogue True 28 mm Olympic WL Bars

All of the bars in this category are true 28 mm barbells with a minimum 190,000 PSI rating. They are all marked only for the Olympic lifts. These are high whip bearing bars with more aggressive knurling than the CrossFit/multi-purpose bars; however, the 28mm Training Bar does have bushings instead of bearings.

These bars would also be great CrossFit bars if you’re willing to pay the premium for needle bearings. Both the knurl quality and elasticity of Oly bar shafts will be much improved over the WOD bars. Prices start at $325.

Rogue 28 mm Olympic Training Bar

This bar is intended to be an economical way for a less experienced Olympic athlete to get under a true 28 mm bar. The shaft of this bar is identical to the Rogue Olympic WL Bar, but the sleeves are assembled with bushings rather than needle bearings. The Training bar has a black zinc shaft and bright zinc sleeves, and the whip is the same as the Rogue Oly Bar. Three Cerakote colorways are now available as well.

28mm Training Bar Bar At-a-Glance

Knurling: moderately aggressive

Whip: above average

Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.25″

Economy 28 mm Olympic bar

Only 28 mm Olympic bar to use bushings rather than bearings

Made in Ohio $295

Cerakote Edition $325

Rogue Olympic WL Bar

The Olympic WL bars are intended to be more reasonably priced competition for the high-dollar imports (NxG, Werksan, etc.) It features Rogue’s standard 190,000 PSI shaft and standard Olympic knurling, and the sleeve spin on five needle bearings.

This bar can be purchased with a bright zinc or polished chrome finish, or with a stainless steel shaft. All three of these variants have no center knurl, but the zinc and chrome bars can be ordered optionally with the center knurl. The zinc version can also be ordered with blue inner bushings. Prices vary by finish; from $525 to $695.

Cerakote is now available as well, including two clear Cerakote finishes.

Rogue Olympic WL Bar At-a-Glance

Knurling: moderately aggressive

Optional center knurling

Whip: above average

Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.25″

Used in multiple CrossFit Games

Made in Ohio $525-$635

Stainless Steel variant $695

Cerakote variant $545

Rogue Euro Olympic WL Bar

The Euro Olympic WL bar is Rogue’s attempt to directly rival professional weightlifting bars like those from NxG, WerkSan, and Uesaka. The Euro is made in the US, but the shaft is European sourced and worked steel. The specifications are completely on par with NxG at 215,000 PSI, 10 needle bearings, and a full polished chrome finish.

The Euro is a fantastic Oly bar but the knurl is less aggressive than you’d think. This bar is also pending IWF certification, so expect a price increase when that happens.

Rogue Euro Olympic WL Bar At-a-Glance

Knurl: moderately aggressive

Passive center knurl

High whip

Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.25″

European-sourced steel

Fully to IWF specifications

Made in Ohio $695

Rogue Pyrros Olympic WL Bar

The Pyrros Bar is a collaboration with Rogue Fitness and you guessed it, Pyrros Dimas. It is basically a new and updated version of the Stainless Steel Olympic WL Bar that has more aggressive knurling than Rogue’s “standard knurl”, a center knurl, less erratic sleeve rotation, and custom Greek-themed Pyrros end-caps. It’s a nice addition to the Oly bar line-up being that it has some unique features to it.

Rogue Pyrros Olympic WL Bar At-a-Glance

Knurl: aggressive

Passive center knurl

High whip

Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.3″

Stainless steel shaft w/ chrome sleeves

Needle bearings are greased with more viscous lubricant

Fully to IWF specifications

Made in Ohio $695

Froning Bearing Bar

The Froning Bearing Bar has been discontinued.

Burgener Bearing Bar

The Mike Bergener Bearing Bar has been discontinued.

Rogue Russian Bar w/ Collars

Rogue’s Russian Bearing Bar was inspired by an old Soviet design that was used in the ’80 Olympics. The bar has grooved sleeves and custom, weighted collars that lock down more securely than is possible with standard collars. This set up basically allows for long training sessions without having to make collar adjustments. The shaft itself is identical to that of a 28 mm Euro Bar discussed above, so you can expect great whip and performance.

Rogue Women’s Russian Bar At-a-Glance

Knurling: moderately aggressive

Whip: high

Total bar length: 86.5″

Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.25″

Needle bearing bar

Polished chrome finish

(2) 2.5 kg collars included (5 kg total)

Inspired by Russians, but made in Ohio $769

♦ ♦ ♦

Rogue Powerlifting Bars

The power bars are just that; they serve no real purpose outside of the sport of powerlifting. They are so rigid that they make awful bars for clean & jerks and snatches, and the overly aggressive knurling is far less than idea for high-rep sets.

The following Rogue power bars are all 29 mm bars except for the 27 mm Ohio Deadlift Bar. I’ve included the B&R 2.0 in the power bar section because honestly that’s what it is.

Rogue Ohio Power Bar

The highly anticipated upgrade to the Rogue Power Bar is here. The Ohio Power Bar is a 29 mm power bar rated at 205,000 PSI. This bar has aggressive knurling, is marked solely for powerlifting, and does have a center knurl. This bushing bar is available in a bare steel, zinc finished, or stainless steel 45-pound version, and an IPF-certified 20 kg version. The $250 bare steel OPB is probably the best priced power bar in the world for its specs.

Rogue Ohio Power Bar At-a-Glance

Knurling: aggressive

Center knurl: yes

Whip: none; very rigid

Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.25″

Available in bare steel or zinc

Available in 20 kg bar or 45-pound bar

Made in Ohio

$250-$395 in pounds

$325 for IPF-certified kilogram OHP

A Thor edition exists with custom colorway and artwork; offered in pounds or kilos. $395

Rogue Power Bar

The Rogue Power Bar has been discontinued; replaced with the Ohio Power Bar variants.

Westside Power Bar 2.0

Rogue recently updated the Westside Power Bar to be more in line with the Ohio Power Bar in terms of pricing. At $375, the original Westside was not priced competitively enough to really even be a contender in the power bar market. No worries; the price of the 2.0 came down $50 to only $325.

The Westside Power Bar 2.0 is exactly the same as the 45-pound Ohio Power Bar save for murdered out black finish, though the price is the same as the certified 20 kg Ohio Power Bar. You have to want to support Louie to justify buying this over the OHP.

Westside Power Bar 2.0 At-a-Glance

Knurling: aggressive

205k PSI shaft; very rigid

Black zinc finish throughout

This bar is in pounds, not kilograms

Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.25″

Made in Ohio $325

Burgener & Rippetoe Bar 2.0 (B&R)

The Burgener & Rippetoe Bar; better known as the B&R bar; is no longer made by York Barbell. The B&R 2.0 is now officially a Rogue bar.

The original B&R was a very popular bar as it was but Rogue made some minor changes to it; some neat, some not so much. What’s neat is that the shaft steel was bumped up from 190k PSI to 205k PSI, making it more of a power bar than Oly bar. This is fine because this is basically what it was being used for anyway.

Rogue also replaced the sintered bronze bushings that York used with their cast bronze bushings. Rogue also removed the bolt-on end cap that gave the B&R its style. Other than that, same bare steel, dual-marked bar.

Burgener & Rippetoe Bar 2.0 At-a-Glance

Knurling: moderately aggressive

205k PSI shaft; very rigid

Raw steel – no finish

Dual-marked bar with center knurl, but 29 mm shaft

Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.25″

Made in Ohio $295

Rogue Ohio Deadlift Bar

The Ohio Deadlift Bar is a whippy, 27 mm bar intended for nothing else but deadlifts. It has super aggressive knurl, no center knurl, and is more or less a narrower, longer version of the Ohio Power Bar. We even have the same finish options. This is a fantastic barbell but it should be considered an accessory, as it’s fairly useless outside of the deadlift.

The Ohio Deadlift Bar is also offered in Cerakote.

Rogue Ohio Deadlift Bar At-a-Glance

Knurling: aggressive

Center knurl: no

Whippy, 27 mm shaft

Length: 90.5″

Loadable Sleeve Length: 15.5″

Available in 20 kg bare steel or 20 kg zinc

Made in Ohio $295-$350 in pounds

Cerakote Edition $385

♦ ♦ ♦

The Rogue Bars Summary (TL;DR)

So in case you missed the similarities, let me break it down for you.

For a multi-purpose/CrossFit bushing bar, just remember that the Castro Bar, the Chan Bar, and the Operator Bar are all Ohio Bars by different names. The Rogue Bar 2.0 is unique in that it uses composite bushings rather than bronze, has customizable band grooves, and even costs a bit less, but it’s still an Ohio Bar at its core. The Chan Bar stands out the most as it is the only one of these bars to really stray from the Ohio Bar (knurl depth, placement, center knurl, etc). The SS Ohio is the only one of these to use a different steel shaft entirely.

For 28 mm Olympic bars, you have two steel choices; 190k like what’s found on the men’s Rogue Oly and both Training Bars, or the 215k steel found on the Euro and the Women’s Rogue Oly. Deciding between these bars simply comes down to your desire for bearings or bushings, finish options, and the amount of money you’re willing to spend for performance.

Power bar selection is easier, as you’re basically choosing between finishes and price. The sharp knurl is the same on all Rogue power bars, as is the rigid 205k PSI shaft. If you want softer knurl, the B&R is your bar; otherwise you’re just choosing an OHP variant.

Rogue Barbell Recommendations?

It’s very difficult to make recommendations without knowing exactly who I am making the recommendation to. My wants and needs will differ from yours, and both of our wants and needs probably differ from the next guy or gals needs. That said, I’ll say a few words about what I’ve discovered to be the norm, at least based on my experience operating this site, and talking with hundreds; if not thousands of different people.

The average gym rat is going to be more than content with a powerlifting bar like the Ohio Power Bar. A power bar will serve you well for squats, deadlifts, bench press, the overhead press, rows, and even power cleans. It’s unlikely that you’d ever bend or damage a power bar, so it’s a safe assumption that it will last your entire lifetime. I recommend you go with something with an oxidation-resistant finish if you’re either unwilling or lack the time it takes to care for bare steel.

If you are a beginner or intermediate lifter and you aspire to the Olympic lifts, or you are big into CrossFit, I recommend a 25/28.5 mm bushing bar. With Rogue bars, this would include any of the Ohio variants, the Rogue Bar 2.0, Matt Chan Bar, or the Bella for you ladies. The Bella Bar & Rogue Bar 2.0 is the least amount of money I’d spend on a bar of this type, and ideally you’d go with the stainless steel Ohio Bar, as it’s the superior bar in the whole Rogue bushing-based bar line-up.

Finally, for more experienced Olympic weightlifters, you’re going to want a bearing bar. For women, the Women’s Rogue Olympic Bar is fantastic. It has the 215k Euro steel shaft at the 190k US-steel price. Hard to ignore that bar. For men, the Euro or Stainless Olympic WL Bar is the way to go. There’s no point in spending $500-$600+ on a 190k Olympic WL Bar when you can get an end-game bar for such a small percentage more.

One last thing – don’t leave this page without reading my “Final Words” below. It absolutely applies to this section.

Update: September 15, 2014

Rogue and Matt Chan released this video today. They’re a little late to the party! Still it sums up a lot of this post in a video. Enjoy!

Final Words

It would be negligent of me to not remind you that Rogue is not the only bar manufacturer out there. You may find the best fit for you among all these barbells, but that does not mean that it the best fit for you when other brands are factored in. Barbells are expensive and should be considered investments, so do your homework (and stay out of the box stores.)

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