Cap Pro Series 7FT Olympic Barbell, Weightlifting Bar for Strength Training

A little more than I had planned on paying for a bar, but it's definitely a nice one! The bar itself feels nice, with textured grip where your hands go. The weight ends aren't smooth - there are tiny "rings" to make the edges ridged, I assume so that the weights aren't as prone to move as on a smooth bar. The only complaint I would have is that as I'm putting weights on and off the bar the ends are losing their paint and the silver inside is starting to show in spots - I'm not sure what they could do about this, so I'm not deducting a star for it, I suppose it will just show wear as I use it. The ends do spin, which I think helps when doing things like power cleans - the weights don't cause the bar where your hands are to try to spin out of your hands. Weights seem to fit on it perfectly, though because of the ridges they can be difficult to get off, especially getting the last weight off when the bar is on the floor so it's tilted a bit. I'm quite pleased with it, and hope to use it for many years to come!

Very impressed by the build quality. I would highly recommend this to complete your home gym.

This bar might not be considered a high level bar as some of the others out there that costs twice as much if not more but after using this bar for a month I don't doubt the quality of this bar one bit. At nearly $160 shipped (which I don't consider cheap) I think this bar is very comparable to higher priced bars out there and a much better value for the price. So what else do I have to say about this bar... PROS: - I love the black finish. It's a bar, but it just looks so nice. Yes, over time it will start to scratch up but who cares, if you're trying to get bigger, stronger or whatever you shouldn't be worried about that. - Some reviewers have complained about the knurling being too aggressive but after using it for month I feel it's just right. On other bars I've used when I do lifts such as deads as I start to fatigue I tend to start losing grip and would have to readjust my hands the last few reps. However, with this bar I haven't had that issue. I also like the fact that the bar itself doesn't have a smooth finish so even there's very good grip on the non-knurled sections as well. - It's rated for 1,500lbs. I will never be able to push that kind of weight and I don't know how accurate that rating is but I don't doubt this bar can handle very heavy weight and can take abuse. Not only does the bar look nice but it's built tough as well. - The ends are capped. Anyone who has ever used bars where it's an allen type bolt with the ends exposed knows the issues those can have. - Price and value. Again, for the price this bar is well worth the money. It'll be nearly impossible to find another bar as tough and rugged as this one without paying nearly twice as much if not more. CONS: - It won't look as nice over time. If you use it and a lot, wear and tear will be more noticeable than your typical silver, chrome finish bar. - Some may not like the threaded sleeves. I myself prefer the sleeves to be smooth but that wasn't a big deal to me. OVERALL THOUGHTS: This is the best bar for the money. There really are no cons as the ones I listed and what I've read in other reviews are more so personal preference. In terms of the value and quality of this bar you can't go wrong.

Works as intended, holds a considerable amount of weight, and the only downside is how every color rubs off on the black. Other than that, it's definitely a solid 5 stars!

This is a heavy-duty bar. The black finish scratches off easily, but I figured it would and didn't care because of the price. The knurling is not too aggressive, so it won't tear up your hands, but there's enough depth for effective grip. Unlike some of the other reviewers, my bar was not full of oil. I suppose it has a light residue, but nothing worth worrying over. It'll wear off with use. I have some observations specifically as a powerlifter. On the plus side, the bar has almost no flex, even with over 400 lbs on it. So when you're lifting the weight, you're lifting all of it from the start. But I have two negative comments: First, the bar seems a little thicker than IPF regulations. I don't have an IPF bar at my house to compare it to, and it may be an illusion because of the color, but it just seems a little thicker. I suppose they did this to up the weight-rating. I won't know for sure until I try to max deadlift with it. Second, there is no center knurling on this bar. I like having a center knurling for squats. It makes me feel safer - so the bar has less opportunity for slipping. It's a personal preference, and it just means I'll have to chalk up whenever I'm squatting. Overall, for the price, I would recommend it as a solid addition to any home gym.

Solid bar. Majority of us are buying this bar so we don't bend it when we squat. Our mistake. This bar is not made for squatting and is pretty thin. Once you get over 315 you can really feel the bar dig in your skin. This sucker doesn't bend or budge with 400 lbs on it though. Very well made. There is no grips in the middle for squatting either. The grips aren't the same as a normal olympic bar. The price is right so I'm going to give it 5 stars because it's clearly not a squat bar, and not made for squatting. But still a good bar!

I use this bar for days I can not make it to my local Crossfit Gym. I perform cleans, snatches, front/back squats, jerks, deadlifts, and presses. The spin is decent. I took some tips from Mark Rippetoe on barbell maintenance. He recommends using 3 in 1 oil 3-IN-ONE MULTI-PURPOSE OIL 110078 3oz to lubricate the bearings. After doing this the spin has increased and is a lot smoother. I noticed the difference while performing hang power cleans. Currently I hang power clean at #225. The added spin is easy on my wrist. The sleeves on the bar show some signs of chrome coming through after adding and removing weight, but I do not expect this bar to be pretty since I am droping it from over head with #200+ on it. There is zero flex on this bar, may not be ideal for olympic lifting, but I have no issues performing olympic lifts. The knurling is good, no issues with grip. Overall it is a great bar for beginning, intermediate, and advanced athletes who are serious about his/her weight training and keeping some cash in their pocket.

It works and does the job. Not much else to say here. I can easily load this bar with 315 and have no issues. It feels solid. The only minor con I have is that this bar "rolls". I noticed this when doing the bench press. Also, shipping/delivery was not good. The carrier was practically dragging the box and that ended up scratching my bar. Other than that, its a great deal for your money and it fits perfectly with Cap Barbells FM 905Q squat rack which I covered as a hole in great detail 'else where'.

Nice knural. No center knural as i needed a deadlift bar. Spins nice.