Choosing An Everything Bar

[RPB]

I am looking to get one bar to do it all, this is the missing piece to my recently put together garage gym. I have researched this forum as well as others (including the thread started by KAG). The rogue B&R comes up a lot, some say the cap ob-86b is the best bar for the money, other companies such as fringesport with their bomba bar have come along. I want a bar that can do it all well, I understand it won't do either thing the best but be able to be very good for powerlifts as well as olympic lifting the perfect hybrid. It will be used in a garage in MD so weather is all over the place. If you all could please post opinions advice and personal experience of what you'd recommend it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Nermin]

I also got the rogue power bar recently, and I ain't mad at it. But this is my first bar over $100, so I don't have a big sample.

[Mr_Rogers]

I bought the B&R bar thinking it would be a really good everything/hybrid bar. It wasn't. It is a decent power bar, but for that money you could probably get a better power bar. I ended up grabbing a DHS training bar which I use for everything except bench and OHP. It's a pretty good bar for the price (paid $400ish) and my only real complaints are the paint chips really easily on the sleeves (not the actual bar) and the knurl is a bit too passive for me.

I know if I had to do it again I would get an actual olympic bar with bearings for the olympic lifts (like my DHS) and a different power bar. Rogue has me intrigued with their new Olympic WL bar.

[SpinyNorman]

It isn't one bar, but I've been very happy with the combination of the rogue bar and Texas power bar. I use the TPB for squats and deadlifts and the rogue bar for pretty much everything else.

[DRice311]

I have a Rogue power bar. I like it.

Haven't used a RPB, but I recently got the Westside Power Bar, and had a TPB already. If the knurling and spin are anything like either of these, I wouldn't recommend it for oly lifts.

It isn't one bar, but I've been very happy with the combination of the rogue bar and Texas power bar. I use the TPB for squats and deadlifts and the rogue bar for pretty much everything else.

I used to only have a Rogue Bar, and I used it for everything. It worked well, again - not ideal for power or oly, but worked for both. It has duel markings, which is nice, but doesn't have center knurl, if that is important to you. The knurl is good, but not aggressive at all. I've only used a B&R bar once, for squats. Seemed ok.

[DRice311]

Knurl much less aggressive than the one TPB I've used, spin is better. I'd say it spins well enough that it would be fine for someone doing SS or a once weekly light Oly session. Not ideal if you are doing 1RM clean and jerks etc. Someday I want a second bar, and it will probably be a TPB or Westside.

after lifting now with both, I prefer the TPB, and its way cheaper.

[Mr_Rogers]

after lifting now with both, I prefer the TPB, and its way cheaper.

Glad you didn't buy the Westside bar now?

I agree about your assessment with the B&R bar though. I much prefer the TBP I used at Brute. That bar did not move. At all. The Pendlay bars were a disappointment though.

[Patrick Stroup]

Rogue power bar spins OK. Like I can do cleans with mine. But the whip isnt super desirable for the quick lifts. For PL its terrific!

BUT... jack of all trades anything leave a lot to be desired. If i needed both id get a texas power bar for less than 300 dollars, then spend 300-400 on a nice WL bar. Maybe the new rogue one or a pendlay one.

I can do the power lifts on a WL bar, I cannot do the WL movements on a power bar.

[Briks42]

The Cap OB-86B barbell I bought a month or so ago has been great except for one thing... the knurl is so sharp it catches on my shorts during deadlifts and messes me up. It hasn't been a problem as I have two other power bars and just use one of them for deadlifting, and the Cap OB-86B is pretty sweet for bench, presses, and squats (even though it has no center knurl, the center is very tacky and doesn't slide at all during squats).
But I just thought I'd mention the deadlift thing since I think it eliminates it from being a great all-around bar.

[DRice311]

Glad you didn't buy the Westside bar now?

I actually ended up buying a new one after passing on the used one that was slightly bent, lol. It is a badass bar, don't get me wrong. I'll probably use it for squats and maybe bench, and use the TPB for deads and probably press.