XMark LUMBERJACK Weight Bar, Olympic Barbell with Weight Plates

I've been very happy with this purchase so far and was surprised by the overall quality of the barbell- It's on par with "higher-end bars" that I've used at the gym. The knurling strikes a perfect balance between providing a firm grip and comfort during use. The sleeves also rotate very smoothly and come well lubricated. While the bar is slightly stiff, it is not excessively so. It performs very well across various exercises and I use it for bench presses, squats, deadlifts, etc. If you need a great all around barbell for your home gym this is a fantastic choice. The barbell was also impeccably packaged and was delivered without a scratch or blemish. It arrived in a slim box that contained a sturdy cylindrical cardboard tube, securely protected with styrofoam. The barbell is wrapped in a protective bag and coated with a thin layer of oil to safeguard it against moisture. I personally wiped off the excess oil with a paper towel, but I left a thin layer on the areas that are not frequently handled. Some individuals have suggested using a degreaser, but if your gym equipment is located in your garage, you really should shield the barbell from moisture, and a very thin coat of oil proves to be beneficial. Considering the price, I firmly believe that this barbell offers excellent value, and I anticipate it to remain durable for years to come. If you find yourself in a dilemma regarding a barbell to choose (there are so many), this one should definitely meet your quality expectations, especially for home gym use. It's also worth noting that you can order directly from XMark with free shipping and a 10% discount coupon by signing up for their emails, lowering the cost even more.

Let me tell you about the XMark Lumberjack Weight Bar, or as I like to call it, the "Mighty Lumberjack." This bad boy is the perfect addition to my home gym, and I can't stop raving about it. It's like having a burly lumberjack in my house, without all the sawdust and flannel shirts. First off, this 7' Olympic bar is built like a tank. I've loaded it up with all sorts of weights, and it's held up like a champ. It's got a nice, comfortable grip that feels great in my hands, and the knurling gives me just the right amount of grip to keep from dropping it on my toes (trust me, I've done that before). And let's not forget the best part - the "Lumberjack" design etched into the bar. It's like having a motivational coach screaming "TIMBER!" every time I hit a new PR. All in all, I'd say this bar is definitely worth the investment. It's like having a personal lumberjack without all the grunting and sweaty flannel.

I was looking for a bar for my home gym and came across this. With good reviews and a reasonable cost I thought I'd give it a go! The good: It's a very sturdy bar. It's the right weight, right length. I like the knurl pattern and placement - not too rough, but plenty of grip. The rotation is better than I expected, very smooth and quiet. The black paint seems to be holding up well. The bad: At this price, not much really. Other comments: It's got a little more whip than I was expecting - good for Olympic lifts but when loaded (150lb+) for bench pressing you can feel it "bounce" if you lift explosively. It was also very oily when it turned up - excessively so. This probably prevents rust during storage/shipping. Just wipe it off with some paper towels when the bar arrives and you'll be set.

I am not a lifting noob - I've been lifting for years (decades - I'm an old fart). I've had dozens of bars over the years - mostly cheap bars with 300 to 600lb weight limits. I've had a couple of good or better bars too, like York Barbell and Body Solid. I would say this is the best bar I've had, for me. The only thing I wish it had was center knurling - that's it. It looks fantastic. The grip is the best I've ever used - not too smooth, which sucks for dead lifts, or not too aggressive where it takes your skin right off - perfect. The bar thickness is ideal for everything for me - especially deads. The sleeves are smooth and don't produce metal splinters like some nice bars and many cheap ones. The sleeves spins very well too. I think this bar is 700 to 800lb limit and I'm totally fine with that. I'm not pretending to be something I'm not. Overall, I love this bar and seriously thinking of getting another one if I didn't already have an Ethos bar I don't like nearly as much. I highly suggest this bar to anyone.

Honestly, there is nothing to dislike. From all the barbells I've used including commercial gyms such as retro fitness, la ftiness, etc... this has the best grip so far and it is by FAR. The reason is because of the coating. The knurling is medium aggressive as others said. The coating PLUS the knurling is what gives the bar a great grip. With the coating, I don't need to use chalk. It spins well. When you first get it, there's a little bit of oil. Just wipe it down and then re-oil it with 3 in 1 oil. The only reason I'd give this a bad rating is because of the way the shipping was handled. Half of the box was destroyed/missing. It comes in a box plus a circular tube. The circular tube was half destroyed as well. So just be careful on that.