Best Rogue Fitness Barbells: Picks for Weightlifters, Powerlifters, and More

One of the biggest decisions a home gym owner can make is what type of barbell they’d like to use on a regular basis. For many lifters, a barbell is a barbell in the gym setting, but for those who are building out their own space, it’s a good idea to spend some time researching all of the best barbell options out there before sinking money into something that won’t stand the test of time, or fit your needs.

Rogue Fitness is one of the more prominent lifting equipment companies based in the United States that offer a wide variety of barbells. Their barbells have continued to grow in popularity for a couple reasons.

Below, we’ve grouped popular Rogue Fitness barbells in separate categories based off of their specifications and ideal usages. Can these barbells work interchangeably? Yes, but below are some of our top picks for specific categories.

The Best Rogue Fitness Barbells

What Makes Up a Rogue Fitness Barbell?

Before diving into our specific barbell categories, it’s a good idea to learn about what specifications are worth looking at when shopping for your perfect barbell. In this round-up, we’ll go over five major barbell characteristics and these will all shift in importance based off your sport and needs.

Tensile Strength

Tensile strength is a dynamic test for a barbell’s strength that is measured in pounds per square inch (PSI). Imagine this as how much force and poundage it would take to physically pull the bar apart. The higher end bars will have a much higher tensile strength rating and anything over 180,000 PSI tends to be classified as relatively very strong.

For the average gym-goers, weightlifter, and powerlifter, a tensile strength of that level will fair just fine and the chance of the bar bending/breaking is relatively small barring any manufacturing defects.

Knurling

Another important construction characteristic is the knurling used on the bar. For Rogue Fitness, they rate their knurling simply with classifications like “aggressive” and “standard”. Powerlifters will generally want a barbell with a little more aggressive knurling for gripping purposes, while the recreational lifter will be fine with using standard knurling.

Plus, an aggressive knurling can be rough on the hands for those who don’t necessarily need a strong and sharper knurl. A bar’s knurling should be based off of one’s strength sport and need.

Additionally, the way a barbell’s knurling is patterned will make a big difference in terms of performance. Some bars have bands to mark their sides for things like powerlifting, while other bars lack a middle knurling to avoid scratching the neck in movements like the clean & jerk and front squat.

Whip

Whip is an interesting barbell classification and is often overlooked by the newer athlete. A barbell with a bit more whip will have a couple performance differences than a bar with none. Rogue Fitness makes it easy to figure out what their bars offer by breaking them into “good whip”, “great whip”, and “no whip” categories.

Weightlifters and powerlifters can both benefit with a bar with some whip to it, as it will be a bit more advantageous in Oly movements and heavier deadlifts (the longer time each side of the barbell will spend on the ground). Although, a stiffer bar will benefit those who are moving extremely heavy weight (whip can cause mis-grooves in movements like the squat), or compete with stiff bars.

The F-Scale

The F-Scale is an extremely important characteristic Rogue Fitness uses to classify their barbell’s durability. This is a system and rating scale they use to divide their barbells into categories based off their resistance to durability issues when being dropped.

Their scale ranges from F1 (least resistant) to F8-R (most resistant) and each bar will be slightly different based of their material and finish. Rogue Fitness has also developed a patent pending process classified as Rogue Work Hardening (RWH), which is a proprietary means of making their barbells last longer when being repeatedly dropped. F-Scale ratings with an “R” symbolize the treatment with Rogue Work Hardening.

Oxidation Rate

The oxidation rate of a barbell is based on the type of steel and finish used. This is basically how fast the barbell will show signs of decreased durability over time without regular upkeep. Rogue Fitness rates their bars on a scale of long-term resistance and has grouped different materials/finishes onto a scale of oxidation.

Best Rogue Fitness Barbell for the Price

When it comes to price, Rogue Fitness as a whole does a pretty good job at being competitive with other companies on the market. They tend to strike a balance between some of the higher end bars from companies like Eleiko and Uesaka, and then some of the lower commercial barbells you find in big box gyms. What we like about Rogue Fitness and their barbell prices is how descriptive they are with each product.

Every barbell’s page has ample details about its construction, which can then help you decide if the barbell is worth it for your needs and wants. For example, if you have a home gym and train ALL of the time and slam bars, then The Ohio Bar — Cerakote is a decent option for the price, and conversely, if you train rarely, then something like The Ohio Bar — Bare Steel will fit your needs well.

What we’re trying to say is that Rogue Fitness does an adequate job at trying to provide variety for what you might invest in. Below, we’ve included our top four barbells for the money that we felt were fair for what the barbells have to offer.

• Rogue Echo Bar 2.0: $205.00 
• The Rogue Bar 2.0: $265.00
• The Ohio Bar — Black Zinc: $285.00 
• Rogue Ohio Power Bar — Stainless Steel: $265.00

What Coaches Say About Rogue Fitness Barbells

James Wright: Co-Owner Prospect Heights CrossFit

At our gym, we have two B&R Barbells (a barbell inspired by strength coaches Mike Burgener and Mark Rippetoe) and a Froning Bar, the rest are beater bars.

The B&R barbell and the Rogue Olympic WL Barbells all have their own feeling. The Rogue Olympic WL Bar has an ease of spin that makes the bar snap into place very easily. While the B&R barbell has better whip at lighter weights, which is an excellent training tool for newer lifters. The Olympic WL Bar has a slightly more aggressive knurling than the B&R, but that’s really up to a lifter’s preference at the end of the day.

As for the other bars we use I can say that they definitely take a beating (including the Froning Bar), and the spin somewhat fades fast and they need constant maintenance if you want them in great condition. So far, the Olympic WL Bars have been great, although, I have my lifters brush them after every session and I keep them greased for consistency.

Manny Prieto: USAPL Coach & Powerlifter

I use the Rogue Ohio Power Bar for training and Squats & Science [my gym] used it for their meet in March. I like this barbell a lot. The aggressive knurling really helps keep the bar on my back during squat and in my hands during deadlifts. I used to have to chalk my back all the time when squatting with commercial gym bars, but haven’t needed to with the Rogue Ohio Power Bar.

Adam Kant: Owner of Intrepid Gym

The Rogue Barbells (Ohio Power Bars) were the first barbells I bought [when starting the gym]. I bought them without knowing the market too well and Rogue Fitness is very proud about their bars and they looked well-made. They are stiff with little flex and the sleeves barely spin. They’re not ideal for weightlifting or HIIT workouts, and most of the attendees in my gym don’t like them for that.

They have however held up really well and the knurling is precise. I have weighed them to check their accuracy, and they do weigh 45 lbs on the dot, as some other bars are a little lighter.

Author’s Note: Most of the barbells below come in men’s and women’s editions, sans the separate “Best Barbells for Women” category!

Wrapping Up

Rogue Fitness may not be everyone’s go-to when it comes to barbells, but there’s no denying they make an exceptional effort to deliver variety and descriptive information about their bars. With barbells offering lifetime warranties to bending, and utilizing the best practices for durability, then it’s easy to see why more strength-focused gyms are turning to their equipment.

Rogue Fitness Barbell FAQs

Feature image(s) from Roguefitness.com.