Powerlifters — or anyone who’s serious about squatting, bench pressing, and deadlifting — should take note of the REP Fitness Power Bar. This fully stainless steel barbell is as tough as a two-dollar steak, and with a tensile strength rating of 200,000 PSI, it can handle pretty much any heavy weight you throw its way. Since it is in fact a powerlifting bar, the knurling is deeper than your average barbell, but not so abrasive that it’s going to tear up your hands.
For those who don’t know, powerlifting revolves around the “big three” movements — squat, bench press, and deadlift. When looking for a barbell to pair with these movements, you’ll want one that’s a bit more rigid. For beginners, it may not matter which barbell you choose because you most likely aren’t going to be loading a ton of weight. However, as you progress and begin to build on strength and muscle, you are going to want a barbell that can handle those heavy weights — in this case, the REP Fitness Power Bar is one of the best barbell options.
Main Takeaways
- The REP Fitness Power Bar is fully stainless steel — the highest corrosion protection you could ask for.
- You can load this bar with up to 1,500 pounds, and it has a tensile strength rating of 200,000 PSI.
- The mountain grip knurling is cut deeper on this bar compared to more versatile bars that are meant for high-frequency training, and provides a solid grip at all times.
This fully stainless steel barbell can handle all of your powerlifting needs. The 200,00 tensile strength rating, and max loading of 1,500 pounds makes this a good fit for powerlifters of every level.
REP Fitness Power Bar Video Review
Our reviews writer, Jake, tests out the REP Power Bar. Follow along as he breaks down everything you need to know about this barbell, from the price, features, pros & cons, and what this barbell is designed for.
REP Fitness Power Bar Highlights
The REP Fitness Power Bar is an ideal option for your powerlifting needs. This barbell is stainless steel from end to end, which is a nice touch as it makes it much more resistant to rust and corrosion. A lot of times you’ll notice you have to pay extra for a version of a barbell with that added protection, but that isn’t the case with this barbell. The knurling is listed as “medium”, but we found it to be a little more abrasive than that, especially compared to some of the more versatile barbells we’ve tried. Powerlifting bars are going to have a deeper knurling to allow you to get a proper grip at all times — and while the knurling here is definitely deeper, it doesn’t feel too aggressive.
Since the loading sleeves don’t feature much spin, you won’t want to try and perform power cleans or any other Olympic lift that requires the bar to rotate in your hands. That being said, it is great for benching, squatting, deadlifts, and even barbell rows. The sleeves here are as smooth as James Bond — meaning you might want to pick yourself up a pair of weight collars to lock your plates into place if you don’t want them sliding off while lifting.
Who Should Buy the REP Fitness Power Bar
- Anyone looking for a powerlifting bar with a knurling that is not too abrasive.
- Customers wanting a barbell that is fully stainless steel, the highest level of protection from corrosion.
- Powerlifters who want a barbell with a high tensile strength — the REP Fitness Power Bar is rated at 200,000 PSI.
Who Shouldn’t Buy the REP Fitness Power Bar
- Those who are just starting to powerlift may not need a barbell as strong as this one.
- If you are wanting a barbell to be a jack of all trades (so you can powerlift, or practice CrossFit and Olympic lifts) you’re going to want to consider a more versatile barbell.
- This barbell is listed at around $430, which is pretty expensive. You can find cheaper powerlifting bars, and even more versatile barbells that are able to handle all of your exercises.
Price
The REP Fitness Power Bar is listed at around $430 on the REP Fitness website, which is a pretty high price tag compared to other power bars. However, typically high-quality products have higher price tags, and this bar is no exception. The stainless steel sleeves are not always included like they are with the REP Power Bar, and shipping is free — which is also a bit of a rarity for home gym equipment.
Since $430 is quite expensive for a barbell, REP Fitness does give you the option to use PayLater with PayPal. This will split your purchase up into four interest-free payments of around $100, which may help you out if you also have to fill out your home gym with weight plates, and a power rack or squat rack to pair with your barbell. And since this is a high-quality power bar, you may not ever need to purchase another one throughout your lifting journey.
Overall Build and Quality
The REP Fitness Power Bar is designed for your powerlifting needs, and features a fully stainless steel finish. This is an 87.4-inch long, 20-kilogram bar with 16.9-inch loading sleeves and a diameter of 29 millimeters — which may increase your grip.
You can load up to 1,500 pounds on this barbell, and it has a tensile strength of 200,000 PSI, which means it’s built to handle the needs of elite-level athletes who often throw heavy weights around in the gym.
Features
This fully stainless steel build provides the best chance of preventing corrosion from forming— bars with a coating aren’t as corrosion-resistant. The mountain grip knurling is more on the medium side, but is still deeper than what you would find on a more versatile barbell.
You do have a center knurl on the REP Power bar, which should help it stay in place during back squats (though, it’s not ideal for Olympic or CrossFit-style lifts). You’ll also notice the sleeves are completely smooth, which means you’ll likely need to purchase a pair of weight collars to securely lock your weight plates into place.
Knurling
Since the REP Fitness Power Bar is designed for powerlifting, you’ll notice there is only one set of knurl markings featured on this barbell. This allows you to achieve identical hand placement for your powerlifts. Oftentimes, you’ll notice that a versatile bar will have double markings, this is for lifts like hang cleans, the jerk, and the snatch (this bar is not meant to handle those movements).
The overall knurling is firm, but we didn’t find it to be too abrasive. The mountain grip knurling pattern provides you with a solid grip, but it may not provide the same grip as a volcano style, since you only have one point of contact instead of four. We don’t mean to downplay this grip though, as it still feels great in your hands. The center knurl is ideal for a back squat or a suitcase style grip, but it may also irritate some people’s skin when squatting.
Sleeve Design
The sleeves on the REP Fitness Power Bar are as smooth as glass. Since your weight plates are most likely going to slide around a bit if you’re dropping the bar during deadlifts, it may be best to throw on a pair of weight collars to keep them in place. The sleeves do spin ever so slightly because of bushings, but this is a slow spin meant for powerlifting. So it’s best to avoid any attempt of a clean and jerk since your elbows and wrists will go under a lot of extra stress — something that a more versatile barbell can reduce.
Finish
This is a fully stainless steel barbell that does not feature any type of coating. This is the best protection you could ask for.
You have a higher chance of resisting any corrosion that could form on your bar, and it may also provide a better overall grip.
Product Specs
The REP Fitness Power Bar is a solid option to consider for anyone wanting to maximize their power lifts. The tensile strength rating of 200,000 PSI is going to be a good fit for the majority of lifters, allowing you to pack on weight up to 1,500 pounds. The dimensions are similar to most barbells, though this bar does have a slightly thicker diameter at 29mm.
Tensile Strength
A barbell’s tensile strength may be the most important factor to consider when adding one to your home gym. Tensile strength is how strong the bar is, and how much weight and force it can handle before it begins to give out.
Since this is a power bar, it has a high tensile strength rating of 200,000 pounds — the max rating is 230,000 pounds. This puts it in elite company and should satisfy the majority of powerlifters.
Materials
This barbell is pretty straightforward in terms of the materials used during the manufacturing process. It’s stainless steel from end to end, which makes it even more durable. Stainless steel bars tend to be more expensive, but that’s because they’re the sturdiest, and most corrosion-resistant.
The combination of stainless steel and bronze bushings in the sleeves will allow them to spin slightly, but not as freely as a barbell that uses only bronze bushings (which you’ll find on more versatile bars that you can use for a wider variety of lifts). Stainless steel isn’t commonly used for bushings since they don’t spin as freely as a pair of bronze bushings do.
Weight Capacity
The REP Fitness Power bar can support up to 1,500 pounds of weight, which goes toe-to-toe with the best of them.
This is a really high weight capacity and should satisfy athletes of pretty much all levels.
Dimensions and Weight
Most barbells are nearly identical in terms of length, weight, and diameter. The REP Power Bar weighs 20 kilograms, it’s 87.4 inches long, and has a diameter of 29 millimeters. Some barbells are in offered 15 kilograms, but this particular power bar only comes in 20kg.
Warranties
REP Fitness offers a limited lifetime warranty on their Power Bar. This warranty covers anything that may have gone wrong during the manufacturing process but does not include negligent use — such as abusive dropping of the bar.
Places to Buy
You can purchase this barbell through the REP Fitness website.
Company Information
REP Fitness has made a name for itself by providing high-quality gym equipment for at-home lifters. If you aren’t satisfied, you can return your equipment for a full refund within 30 days, as long as it is still in usable condition. For more information on their policies, you can email their support team at info@repfitness.com, or call them directly at 720-420-1731.
Final Word
The REP Fitness Power Bar is designed around powerlifting and is able to handle even the heaviest of weight for those of elite strength. The fully stainless steel design should keep this barbell in your hands for nearly a lifetime without too much rust forming. Since this is a powerlifting barbell, the knurling is a bit deeper than it would be on more versatile bars, but it’s not too abrasive to where it’s going to tear your hands up during powerlifting movements.
No matter the weight or force, the REP Fitness Barbell is ready to be put to the test with its combination of a 200,000 PSI tensile strength rating and fully stainless steel build, possibly making it the last power bar you need to purchase. While it is more expensive than some of its competition, we think the high quality you are getting with this barbell makes it worth adding to your home gym.
FAQs
Why are there only one set of the knurl markings on the REP Fitness Power Bar?
This bar is strictly meant for powerlifting, so you are only going to notice one set of knurl markings. The second set of markings you often find on a barbell are meant for Olympic and CrossFit style lifts, allowing you to get the widest grip possible.
How much does the REP Fitness Power Bar cost?
This barbell will run you around $430. This is pretty pricey considering it’s only meant to be used for powerlifting. So unless you’re a dedicated powerlifter or have a large budget to play with, you might be better off looking for a more versatile barbell that can handle all of your lifting needs.
Why does it matter that the REP Fitness Power Bar is fully stainless steel?
Stainless steel is the highest grade of material you could look for in a barbell due to it being more resistant to rust and corrosion than a bar that features a zinc or chrome coating.
