9 Best Rogue Barbells in 2024

The best Rogue barbell will combine high-quality steel with coatings like zinc, oxide, or Cerakote. These can also be specialty bars like the Rogue squat bar or the Rogue bench bar. Additionally, Rogue bars come with various knurling and flexibility, which can aid different types of workout goals. Lastly, Rogue weight bar will come with great warranty deals like a lifetime warranty, which makes them highly sought after.

9 Best Rogue Barbells Reviewed

1. The Ohio Bar – Black Oxide – Top Pick
2. Rogue Echo Bar 2.0 – Budget Pick
3. Rogue 45Lb Ohio Power Bar – Cerakote – Best For Powerlifting
4. Rogue Ohio Deadlift Bar – Cerakote – Best For Deadlifting
5. Rogue Olympic Weightlifting Bar – Black Zinc – Best Olympic Bar
6. Rogue MG-3 Multi Grip Bar – Best Multi-Grip Barbell
7. Rogue Curl Bar – Best Curled Bar
8. The Bella Bar 2.0 – E-Coat – Best For Women
9. Rogue 10KG Junior Bar – Best For Beginners

Product	Total	Steel Quality	Tensil Strength	Kurling	Spin/ Whip	Value for Money
Ohio Bar	49	10	9	10	10	10
Echo Bar 2.0	48	10	9	9.5	9.5	10
Ohio Power Bar	47.5	10	10	9	9	9.5
Ohio Deadlift Bar	47	10	9	9.5	9.5	9
Weightlifting Bar	46.5	10	10	9	9	8.5
MG-3 Multi-Grip Bar	46	9	8.5	10	9	9.5
Curl Bar	45.5	9.5	9	9	9	9
Bella Bar 2.0	45	9.5	9	8.5	9	9
Junior Bar	44.5	9.5	9	8.5	8.5	9

1. The Ohio Bar – Black Oxide – Top Pick

• Material: Steel
• Finish Type: Black Oxide
• Weight: 20KG
• Length: 86.75″
• Diameter: 28.5MM
• Shaft Length: 53.96″
• Knurling: Standard
• Knurl Marks: Dual Knurl Marks
• Spin: Bronze Bushings
• Tensile Strength: 190,000 PSI
• Weight Limit: 1,260 pounds
• Sleeve Length: 16.40″

This Rogue barbells review will start with the Rogue Ohio Bar, which is a multipurpose bar made of stainless steel and comes with black oxide finishing on the shaft and the sleeves. This type of finishing helps prevent corrosion and rust and can even minimize light reflection.

The tensile strength of the bar is 190,000 PSIs which is good for advanced lifters looking to go heavy. The barbell is considered to have good whip as well, which will come in handy if you’re looking to perform movements like clean and jerk or speed workouts.

The whip isn’t exaggerated to the point where you can’t use the bar with other exercises outside of weightlifting. While the tensile strength will allow you to load up the barbell for various exercises.

As for the knurling, the bar has dual knurl marks and standard knurling. This means that the bar will provide you with a good grip, which is suitable for high-repetition work.

However, for heavier lifts, you might need chalk or straps to perform your exercises.

The barbell should also have a good, smooth rotation as it has bronze bushings. While the sleeve also has a black oxide finish to prevent any rust or corrosion. However, one thing to remember is that humidity isn’t good for barbells, and black oxide coating isn’t great if it’s humid. So, you have to make sure you don’t leave the barbell laying on the ground and to wipe off any moisture from it after your workout.

The sleeves come with groove marks, which will keep the plates in place while lifting. The bar also comes with a lifetime warranty in case it breaks down for some odd reason.

2. Rogue Echo Bar 2.0 - Budget Pick

• Material: Steel
• Finish Type: Bright Zinc
• Weight: 20KG
• Length: 86.75"
• Diameter: 28.5MM
• Shaft Length: 53.95"
• Knurling: Standard
• Knurl Marks: Single Olympic Knurl Marks
• Spin: Bushing
• Tensile Strength: 190,000 PSI
• Weight Limit: More than 1000 pounds
• Sleeve Length: 16.40"

The Rogue Echo Bar 2.0 is one of the best bar options for a home gym because of its very budget-friendly price along with its 190,000 PSI tensile strength. So, you’re getting a strong bar at a lower price point.

One reason why the price point is lower is that the Echo Bar 2.0 is a general-use bar. It doesn’t have any specific specialization that would make it better for powerlifting or weightlifting. Instead, the dimensions are average, making it slightly thicker for Olympic lifts, and slightly thinner for powerlifting exercises. But, you can still perform both well enough.

The thinness of the bar does make it easier to do a hook grip. This could come in handy for deadlifts and weightlifting movements.

The bar comes with a single Olympic knoll mark instead of a dual mark. Again, for general use. For most exercises, a single knurl mark works well. A dual is slightly better, however, because it allows you to perform specific powerlifting or weightlifting movements easier.

It has standard knurling but a bit more toward the passive side. This means that for most workouts, you will have a good grip, but you might find the grip lacking if you’re regularly lifting heavy. So, you would either need chalk or straps in that case.

The bar also comes with bushing instead of bearing. You will have a consistent spin on the bar, but it won’t be too quick that you have trouble with performing your standard exercises.

The bar comes with a bright zinc finish which is great for resisting corrosion. This will help with the longevity of the product, which is a good thing because it only comes with a 1-year warranty.

3. Rogue 45Lb Ohio Power Bar - Cerakote - Best For Powerlifting

• Material: Steel
• Finish Type: Cerakote
• Weight: 20kg
• Length: 86.52"
• Diameter: 29mm
• Shaft Length: 54.02"
• Knurling: Aggressive
• Knurl Marks: Powerlifting
• Spin: Bushing
• Tensile Strength: 205,000 PSI
• Weight Limit: Over 1500 pounds
• Sleeve Length: 16.25"

The Cerakote Ohio Power Bar is made of a steel shaft and is one of the toughest bars on the market. It can handle up to 205,000 PSI, making it an ideal candidate for powerlifting.

You want a bar that gives you plenty of grip, so when you’re lifting heavy the bar doesn’t slip. That’s why this bar has an aggressive knurling pattern. However, aggressive knurling does have a higher chance of hurting your hands. So, you might need straps or gloves when lifting. Otherwise, you could slowly get used to the grip.

As for the spin and whip on the bar, the Ohio Power Bar has a bushing sleeve, so you’ll get good rotation while maintaining a neutral wrist position which is important for presses like bench press and overhead press. There is also minimal whip to the bar. A flexible bar is better for weightlifting, but this one is intended for powerlifting, so you rather have a more rigid bar as it’ll give you better control throughout the range of motion.

Despite the bar being curated towards powerlifting exercises, you can still perform a variety of movements with it. However, the bar does only come with a single powerlifting mark, along with a centre knurl.

The bar comes with a Cerakote finish. This ceramic-based coating is highly lauded for its durability benefits. Not only does this make the bar feel better when you’re holding it, but is generally considered the most corrosion-resistant finishing material for barbells. On top of that, Cerakote comes in various colour options. You can pick between blue, black, red, or grey.

4. Rogue Ohio Deadlift Bar - Cerakote - Best For Deadlifting

• Material: Steel
• Finish Type: Cerakote
• Weight: 20kg
• Length: 90.50"
• Diameter: 27MM
• Shaft Length: 56.00"
• Knurling: Aggressive
• Knurl Marks: Powerlifting
• Spin: Bushing
• Tensile Strength: 190,000 PSI
• Weight Limit: 1500 pounds
• Sleeve Length: 15.50"

The Rogue Ohio Deadlift Bar can handle up to 190,000 PSI. Along with the high weight capacity, the bar has an excellent whip to it. This can be worthwhile in a deadlift bar because it means you could theoretically pull from a higher point. This added flexibility to the bar can allow you to lift more weight.

However, one slight drawback is that the bar isn’t as versatile because of the whip factor.

Another aspect that makes this bar prime for deadlifting is the longer-than-usual length. At 90.50 inches, the length of the bar aids the whip and also allows you to load more plates onto it. While the thin diameter of the bar makes it easier to grip and use alternative grips like hook grips when deadlifting.

The knurling meanwhile is aggressive rather than your standard knurling. This is good in terms of deadlifting as aggressive knurling will give you a better grip. The grip can often be a limiting factor as to how much you actually can lift. So, the slightest grip advantage can be very useful.

The bar also comes with bushing rather than bearing spin. The spin won’t be too quick. You don’t want a quicker spinning barbell when deadlifting, anyway.

However, the sleeve make up doesn’t help quiet the noise if you drop the bar. And when deadlifting, a lot of people lean towards dropping the bar back down, so you might have to be wary of the sound.

The barbell also has a Cerakote finish. Cerakote has several advantages over other finishes, including longevity, and more corrosion resistance, and comes in various colour options. And for some, a Cerakote-coated barbell feels better to grip, as well.

This barbell does come with a lifetime warranty. This could be important because a deadlift bar takes a lot of pounding, especially if you’re comfortable with dropping the weight from the top position. So, a warranty could be handy.

5. Rogue Olympic Weightlifting Bar 2.0 - Black Zinc - Best Olympic Bar

• Material: Steel
• Finish Type: Bright Zinc
• Weight: 20kg
• Length: 86.6"
• Diameter: 28mm
• Shaft Length: 54.10"
• Knurling: Standard
• Knurl Marks: Olympic
• Spin: Bearing
• Tensile Strength: 215,000 PSI
• Weight Limit: Over 1500 pounds
• Sleeve Length: 16.25"

Rogue Olympic Weightlifting Bar can handle as much as 215,000 PSI, so it should fit even the most advanced weightlifters. While it’s also made of stainless steel, so there shouldn’t be too many durability concerns, especially considering that the sleeves are welded onto the bar and it has a zinc finish. Zinc can be great to fight against corrosion. However, a slight drawback can be that some find the zinc coating to be a little slippery when the bar gets some sweat on it.

The bar has Olympic knurling marks, making it ideal for weightlifting. The bar also comes with plenty of whip so, you should be able to generate good momentum when doing clean and jerks or snatch.

However, some do find the knurling to be too passive. It would have been better if the bar had more aggressive knurling to provide you with a supportive grip. So, you might need to use plenty of chalk or a strap when lifting.

The bar also comes with bearings instead of the bushing in terms of the spin of the bar. Bearings work better for weightlifting because they allow the bar to rotate much more quickly than bushings. This quick rotation is much needed for Olympic weightlifting exercises.

Versatility will be an issue with a specialized bar like this one. Not many exercises require you to have the amount of flexibility and whip this bar provides. So, it’s ideal for weightlifting, but won’t be as well-suited for other exercises.

As for the value of the money, you are spending quite a lot on a specialized barbell. So, if your lifting goals should align with your spending. This means, if Olympic weightlifting is a priority for you, then this bar is well worth the investment. And you are getting a lifetime warranty. This can be great because with weightlifting you’re constantly dropping the barbell from a high point.

6. Rogue MG-3 Multi Grip Bar - Best Multi-Grip Barbell

• Material: Steel
• Finish Type: Black powder coat finish
• Weight: 19.5kg
• Length: 82"
• Diameter: 31.75MM
• Shaft Length: 52.75"
• Grip Widths: 2 Neutral Widths & 1 Angled
• Total Grip Options: 4
• Rackable: Yes
• Knurled: Handles
• Knurl Marks: No
• Sleeve Length: 14”

Rogue MG-3 Multi Grip Bar is a specialty bar that gives you different unique angles to perform a versatile range of exercises. The bar comes with 3 different width options, with 2 neutral widths and one angled. These different widths come in handy when you’re trying to add variety to your pressing movements.

The different angles also can take pressure off of your shoulders and wrists while pressing as the angles are more natural. So, the bar can be especially valuable if you do suffer from some wrist or shoulder pain or are rehabbing from similar injuries.

As for the knurling, most multi-grip bars don’t come with knurled handles, but the MG-3 does. The knurling on the handles can provide you with a better grip when pressing. At the same time, the knurling is standard and not aggressive, so you shouldn’t feel the need to protect your hands from it.

The bar also comes with a powder-coated finish. Powder coating has its benefits as it helps fight against oxidation and corrosion. But, one drawback of this kind of finish is that it shows scuff marks. This is especially evident when you’re racking the bar. You can also get scuffing from adding or removing weights. So, the bar is unlikely to hold its sleek look for long.

Another small drawback is that the sleeves of the MG-3 are not Olympic-sized. This means that you would require specificity collars when using the bar. So, you have to keep that in mind when you’re budgeting for this product.

7. Rogue Curl Bar - Best Curled Bar

• Material: Steel
• Finish Type: Bright Zinc and Black E-Coat
• Weight: 13.6kg
• Length: 54.50"
• Diameter: 28.5MM
• Shaft Length: 31.50”
• Knurling: Standard
• Knurl Marks: No
• Spin: Bushing
• Tensile Strength: 110,000 PSI
• Weight Limit: Over 1000 pounds
• Sleeve Length: 10.50”

The Rogue Curl Bar comes with two different times of coating and can handle as much as 110,000 PSI. The first of the two coatings is bright zinc. Zinc is applied to the sleeves of the bar to prevent corrosion and to make them more durable for the addition and removal of the plates. While the shaft has a black e-coat finish. This a protective coating that both protects the steel and also enhances its appearance.

The knurling on the other hand is similar to many Rogue barbells as it's a standard knurling that won’t damage your hands but will provide you with enough grip that the barbell doesn’t slip.

While the bronze bushing makes up the spin. So, you should feel a smooth, controlled rotation of the bar, which can be ideal when performing curls.

The bar also comes cambered which takes away pressure from your wrists during curls. This is a great addition as some bars are too stiff causing the weight to shift to the wrists during a curling movement. But, you don’t have to worry about that with this equipment.

The cambering is also smooth and the angle of it should allow for a comfortable hand position for most users.

However, one drawback is the price. The curl bar is on the more expensive end of the price range in comparison to other curl bars. The price tag for this bar can get you an Olympic standard barbell if you so desired.

8. The Bella Bar 2.0 - E-Coat - Best For Women

• Material: Steel
• Finish Type: Black E-Coat and Bright Zinc
• Weight: 15KG
• Length: 79.13"
• Diameter: 25MM
• Shaft Length: 53.13"
• Knurling: Standard
• Knurl Marks: Dual
• Spin: Bushing
• Tensile Strength: 190,000 PSI
• Weight Limit: 1000 pounds
• Sleeve Length: 13.00"

The Bella Bar 2.0 has a tensile strength of 190,000 PSI. This is plenty for your regular weightlifting needs. The bar also comes with two kinds of coating. Black e-coat finishing protects the shaft and keeps it looking new. But, over time, black e-coat finishing does tend to wear off sooner than other types of finishing. While the sleeves have a bright zinc finish to them to prevent corrosion.

If these finishings aren’t up to your liking, you do have a choice of other kinds of finishing like Cerakote. However, the black e-coat and zinc combination comes at a lower price point than a barbell with a Cerakote finish.

As for the knurling, it’s described as passive, however, the texture pattern of the barbell still provides you plenty of grip. So, you don’t necessarily need chalk to improve your grip. Plus, the dual knurl marks makes the barbell more versatile as you can safely perform weightlifting, powerlifting, and fitness exercise.

The diameter of the barbell is slightly smaller than normal. This is good as it makes it easier for people with smaller hands to grip the barbell safely. This is one of the reasons why the barbell is considered a women’s barbell to begin with. The barbell is also slightly shorter and weighs less than your typical barbell. However, you still have plenty of sleeve space to add enough weight.

As for the spin, because the barbell is intended to be versatile, it has bushing instead of bearings. Bearings are better for movements like clean and jerk, but overall, a bushing barbell fits a vast majority of exercises more smoothly.

9. Rogue 10KG Junior Bar - Best For Beginners

• Material: Steel
• Finish Type: Black Zinc and Bright Zinc
• Weight: 10KG
• Length: 66.80”
• Diameter: 25MM
• Shaft Length: 52.18"
• Knurling: Standard
• Knurl Marks: Dual
• Spin: Bushing
• Tensile Strength: 190,000 PSI
• Weight Limit: Less than 1000 pounds
• Sleeve Length: 6.625"

The Rogue 10kg Junior Bar has a competition standard 52.18-inch length in between the sleeves. This is important as it allows beginner lifters to get the feel of a normal barbell as they work on their techniques. While the sleeves are on the shorter end, which doesn’t allow you to load the barbell up heavily. This is perfectly fine as the point of the barbell is to work on technique and to get beginner lifters used to the movement patterns.

The barbell doesn’t have centre knurling, but it does have a standard knurling pattern on the bar. This type of knurling pattern should provide you with a good grip without hurting your hand. While the dual knurl marks make it easier to perform powerlifting and weightlifting exercises. Again, making it a good option for new lifters.

The barbell also comes with two types of finishing. Black zinc is used on the shaft and helps prevent corrosion. However, it does require regular maintenance to make sure the zinc lasts a long time. While the sleeves have a bright zinc coating for protection.

The bar also has a good whip, which is ideal if you want to use the bar for weightlifting and deadlifting practices. But, the bar does have bushing instead of bearing. Bearing would have been a better choice for weightlifting technique practice. However, bushing allows for more variety of exercise.

What Are The Benefits Of Rogue Barbells?

✅ Price Range

Rogue has a ton of barbells made of different types of materials and which come in different shapes and sizes. One advantage of all of this variety is that the price tag fluctuates depending on the bar. So, if you’re shopping on a budget, it’s easier to find a bar that fits your needs. Or, if you’re looking for a premium pick, that need can also be satisfied.

✅ Materials & Coating

Another benefit of Rogue barbells is that they come in a variety of materials. This includes bare and stainless steel, which is highly durable and long-lasting. Along with different powder coating finish preventing corrosion and rust. You can also pick zinc and chrome bars, which will naturally lower the price of the barbell as well.

They even have a new Cerakote finishing on their barbells, which is supposed to last up to 2 years.

✅ Barbell Variety

An average gym goer might be unaware that barbells come in different shapes and sizes and for different purposes. But, Rogue understands this clearly as they offer some of the most unique barbells on the market.

First, you can pick between Rogue bars or Ohio bars, but you can also get junior bars that weigh 5 to 10 kg. Or bars made specifically for women, which tend to have a slimmer design and weigh slightly less than your typical barbell. And then there are of course the numerous technique barbells that are specifically made for practicing different weightlifting techniques or warming up or teaching beginners.

What To Look For In Rogue Barbells?

1. Steel Quality

High-quality barbells are typically made of stainless steel, with bare steel coming a close second. The price of the barbell will depend on the steel quality. Additionally, barbells have different types of coating like zinc, black oxide, and Cerakote. These have a positive impact on the durability of the product.

2. Tensile Strength

Tensile strength determines how much weight the barbell can hold before breaking or fracturing. This number is typically between 120,000-230,000 pounds per square inch (PSI). The higher the tensile strength is the more durable the barbell is.

If the bar is less than 150,000 PSI, then it’s considered a bar for beginners. While for advanced lifters, a barbell should be 180,000 PSI or more.

3. Knurling

Knurling is the grip markings on the bar. This is key as it will determine how well you can grip and hold the barbell during your workout. For Rogue, knurling comes in two types. First is the standard knurling. This is a diamond pattern, which will help your grip without it being too uncomfortable.

The second type is aggressive knurling. In aggressive knurling, the etches are deeper, which is needed for heavier lifts. However, you might need lifting gloves for your hands. Or, you could slowly get used to the aggressive knurling over time.

If you’re specifically looking for a squatting or deadlifting barbell, then aggressive knurling is preferable.

4. Spin

The spin of the barbell refers to the sleeves, which rotate during your lift. These sleeves are either made of bushings or bearings. Bushings tend to have a good rotation, however, they lose their smooth rotation over time.

While bearings rotate much more quickly and are ideal for exercises like the snatch or clean or jerk.

So, if you’re an advanced weightlifter, then the spin of the barbell will be a criteria that matters. But, if you’re a casual lifter or prefer bodybuilding style workouts, then the spin isn’t as crucial.

5. Whip

The whip of the bar can also be an important factor for powerlifters and weightlifters. Whip essentially refers to the flexibility of the barbell or the bounce. The more whip the barbell has the more flexible it is considered and vice versa, the less whip, the more rigid it is.

Your needs will mainly depend on the exercise of your choice. Something like clean and jerk is performed better with a more flexible bar as you can get better momentum. While slower powerlifting exercises are better with a rigid bar as you have more control.

6. Versatility

The versatility of a bar mainly depends on which bar you pick out. Rogue offers a bunch of specialized bars like the Kadiliac Bar or Camber Bar, which are great for their intended purposes but aren’t versatile. But they also have a lot of Ohio and Rogue Bar options, which can translate to different exercises and workouts.

Typically, if you get a standard bar, with not too much whip and one that has standard knurling, you should be able to use that for the majority if not all your intended exercises.

FAQs

Are Rogue barbells worth it?

Rogue is generally considered one of the best and most trusted fitness companies in the world. Their products tend to be high-quality and they offer great warranty deals such as a lifetime warranty on many of their barbells. So, the barbells are definitely worth the investment. Especially if you’re serious about your weightlifting.

How Long Will a Rogue Barbell Last?

More often than not, a Rogue barbell will last your a lifetime. To ensure this happens, you can put some effort into the upkeep of the barbell's health which includes cleaning the knurling and using 3:1 oil on the kurl and sleeve.

Is Rogue the Best?

Rogue equipment is considered to be as good, if not better than any other fitness equipment. Many athletes and professional teams use their equipment. They have been the official supplier for USA Weightlifting, World’s Strongest Man competition, and the Arnold Strongman Classic. So, they have a great reputation and are well-trusted by many.

Conclusion

Rogue bars are some of the most trusted and well-liked bars on the market. They offer high-quality products with coated finishing to improve the longevity of their bars. While also providing you with a wide variety of options. This includes different types of knurling, flexibility, and sleeves.

The best Rogue bar is the Ohio Bar. How important is the knurling pattern for you? How much whip do you prefer in a bar? What’s your favourite type of specialty barbell? Let’s discuss all of this and any other questions you might have in the comment section below!

Also Read:

• Best Deadlift Bar
• Best Curl Barbell
• Best Safety Squat Bar
• Best Strongman Log Bar
• How Much Does A Barbell Weigh
• Best Multi Grip Barbell
• Best Weight Plates
• Best Weight Bench

References:

1. 5 things to know before buying your first barbell // Exercise.com: https://www.exercise.com/learn/raising-the-bar-5-things-to-know-before-buying-your-first-barbell/