American Barbell Elite Power Bar

American Barbell Elite Power Bar

The American Barbell Elite Power Bar is a highly-regarded stainless steel barbell that will offer a raw feel.

While it isn’t an aggressive bar compared to some others in it’s class, its known as being one that will provide a solid grip and produce in each of the big three lifts.

Here are some further details about the bar:

Knurling

The knurling on the Elite Power Bar is consistent with most other bars from American Barbell in that it isn’t aggressive. It offers a lower profile knurl pattern that isn’t going to feel sharp in the hands at all. That said, it will provide ample grip and, because of the stainless steel shaft, it will take chalk very well if you need it.

The bar does include a center knurl in the same pattern as the rest of the bar, and it includes single powerlifting knurl marks, as you would expect.

Shaft

The Elite power bar offers a 29mm shaft, which is consistent with most other power bars on the market. This diameter creates a rigid shaft that’s ideal for the squat, bench, and deadlift. The tensile strength of the shaft is 190k, which isn’t the highest, but it’s certainly acceptable – in fact, it’s on par with many power bars on the market. 

The shaft is pure stainless steel, which will give you a superior feel compared to a plated finish like chrome, zinc, or cerakote.

Sleeves

The sleeves on the Elite Power Bar include the infamous recessed welds that American Barbell is uniquely known for. The recessed weld is purely cosmetic, but it differs from the traditional friction weld that other companies use.

Another quality of these sleeves is that they’re smooth and finished in hard chrome. The hard chrome is a very common finish for barbell sleeves. The smooth surface will largely come down to preference, as some people prefer grooved sleeves. The benefit of a smooth sleeve is that they’re quieter to use. The potential downside is that they may not keep the plates on the bar as well as a grooved sleeve. That said, if you’re using collars, which most powerlifters are, then it’s a complete non-issue.

The sleeves utilize composite bushings to spin – bushings are industry-standard in the powerlifting world since they promote a slow and controlled spin. Lastly, the end cap is affixed with a heavy-duty snap ring.

Aesthetics

Aesthetically, this is a bar that’s going to shine. Stainless steel makes for one of the best-looking finishes, and the recessed welds from American Barbell are simply beautiful.

The end cap looks clean with the red/black design, and I like the silver snap ring that American Barbell uses as opposed to a black one.

Features & Highlights

• Stainless Steel Finish – Stainless steel is excellent at preventing rust and it provides a true raw feel. While it is one of the more expensive options, it is arguably the best one available. Aside from the oxidation resistance and excellent feel, stainless steel also looks fantastic.
• Smooth Sleeves – The smooth sleeves will generally create less noise when loading/unloading plates compared to a grooved sleeve.
• Recessed Welds – The bar includes stunning recessed welds that American Barbell is known for. 
• American Made – This bar is made in America.
• Strong Warranty – The Elite Power Bar comes with a limited lifetime warranty from American Barbell.

From the Manufacturer

The American Barbell Elite Power Bar has a shaft made from precision grade stainless steel. The strength of the shaft is tested with every shipment of raw material to ensure we have a consistent 190,000 PSI tensile strength. This attention to detail ensures reliable long-term performance day in and day out.  Our selected steel grade for our Power Bars provides very little flex, making it ideal for a variety of max load lifts.

Stainless Steel offers superior corrosion resistance and can always be cleaned and repaired with no damage to the surface. Additionally, knurling set in stainless steel has a one-of-a-kind feeling that cannot be achieved with other finishes.

Our 20KG model has a shaft diameter of 29MM. This is an ideal choice for those looking for a powerful precision barbell that will last through the ages.

What They’re Saying at Americanbarbell.com

The American Barbell Elite Power Bar receives very positive feedback from users. With an average rating of 5/5 at Americanbarbell.com, here are some of the things people have said:

Positive

• “The build quality of this Barbell is amazing and the Knurl is amazing as well. Very comfortable for all the big three and looks amazing as well. Well done American Barbell.”
• “Stainless is amazing and the knurling is out of this world. It looks like the knurling is really mild, but even without chalk it is incredibly “sticky”. Just buy it already! I used to love really aggressive knurling, but this is a game changer for me.”
• “Excellent purchase. Beautiful finish and knurling. Can’t beat this stainess steel feel and best price around. The packaging is top notch, no chance for shipping damage with this packaging. Great bar, great service.”
• “I have had the Elite Power Bar for about a month and it is absolutely amazing. Attention to detail is unmatched. I own two stainless power bars and this is my personnel favorite. Great Job American Barbell”

Critical

• “My only gripe is that the chrome coating on the sleeves isn’t as strong as expected; it has started to dent/scrape off after just a week of use. Granted, I have cheap plates that don’t fit the bar tightly and clips that were also hard on the bar.”

Garage Gym Lab Review

Garage Gym Lab has not yet reviewed this bar, but stay tuned!

Other Options

The below barbells were picked as alternatives to the American Barbell Elite Power Bar.