American Barbell Grizzly Bar

American Barbell Grizzly Bar

The American Barbell Grizzly Bar is American Barbell’s most economical power bar in terms of price. It’s not going to blow the stat sheet away, but it’s a nice power bar from a great company.

The bar is actually very similar to the Elite Power Bar from American Barbell, with the primary difference being that this one is hard chrome vs. stainless steel on the Elite. It also has a lower warranty compared to the Elite.

I personally own and use the Grizzly bar – while it does lean towards the moderate side in terms of knurl aggression, I really like it on a couple of lifts in particular.

Here are some further details about the bar:

Knurling

The knurling on the Grizzly Bar offers a fine pattern that’s moderate in feel – very similar to other American Barbell bars. The profile itself is a shallow volcano and it’s not sharp at all. I use it for bench press and high-bar squats mainly, but I will also grab it on occasion for high-volume deadlifts. It can definitely be used for each of the big three lifts, but you may find yourself chalking up or using straps if you’re going heavy.

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

Shaft

The American Barbell Grizzly 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 is consistent with many power bars on the market, including the higher-priced Elite Power Bar. 

The shaft is finished in a hard chrome coating that provides mid-level oxidation resistance and a good overall feel.

Sleeves

The sleeves on the Grizzly Bar now include American Barbell’s infamous recessed welds. When I first bought this bar, it was friction welded like most other companies. They have since moved to the recessed welds on the Grizzly, and I think that’s a great decision. The recessed weld is purely cosmetic – it will function the same as a friction weld. 

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 – the spin is slow, controlled, and it comes to a gradual stop. Lastly, the end cap is affixed with a heavy-duty snap ring.

Aesthetics

Aesthetically, the Grizzly Bar looks nice. It’s not the most beautiful bar in my collection, but it holds its own in this department. Since they added the recessed welds, it’s definitely stepped up a notch.

The end cap is similar to their other power bars with the red/black design, and I like the silver snap ring as opposed to a black one.

Features & Highlights

• Hard Chrome – Chrome is a cost-efficient plating that does a good-but-not-great job at fighting off oxidation. You won’t get the same feel as you would with a non-plated finish like bare steel, stainless steel, etc… but you get a nice blend of feel and rust resistance without the larger price tag.
• 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.

From the Manufacturer

Our NEW American Barbell Grizzly Power Bar features a shaft made from precision grade alloy steel, classic sleeves and a hard chrome finish.  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. You will be able to perform very heavy lifting exercises with this piece. This bar was intentionally created to provide you with every benefit that competitor “Texas” power bars provide, but with higher quality materials, and at a lower price point.

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 Grizzly Bar receives positive feedback from users. With a 4.8 average rating at Americanbarbell.com, here are some of the things people have said:

Positive

• “I love this bar. Well made, spins smoothly, with just the right amount of knurling for a squat or bench bar. Might not have enough bite for dead lifting, but chalk will help that. Overall a 10/10.”
• “I knew AB was known for a less aggressive knurl, but it was finer than I expected. I’m used to using more aggressively knurled power bars like the OPB and it just didn’t seem like it would be very grippy. I have to admit, I was completely wrong. I’m not sure exactly what it is, but the knurl just really seems to stick to your hands well, even though it isn’t very sharp at all. It is very much like sandpaper. The machining and overall fit and finish on the bar are fantastic.”
• “I chose this bar over all of the other bars on the market because I wanted a high-quality, versatile, quiet, low-maintenance, American-made barbell. Truth be told, I probably would have bought a Mammoth Power Bar if I weren’t saving to buy a house. The Grizzly Power Bar is better than I’d hoped it would be. I’ve used bars from several other companies, and while most of those bars were good this is my clear favorite.”
• “This knurl is perfect. I would compare it to a very fine sand paper and the harder you squeeze; the more the knurl grips. It is easy on the hands and i would say one of the best.”
• “The recessed weld is a gorgeous touch, and I love the Red endcap with the American Barbell logo. Also, as everyone knows by now, American packages their bars in perfect fashion. Very well secured and padded. Arrived exactly when it said it would, and in perfect condition.”
• “This is a very nice bar at a very competitive price. The chrome finish looks great, and the bar feels comfortable in my hands. The knurling is grippy, but not too coarse. I prefer using my 28mm Olympic training bar for deadlifts, but I use this bar for squats and bench presses.”

Critical

• “I’ve had my bar for a couple months now which I bought to start a home gym. I think I’m in the minority of people who really don’t like the knurling. I’m not sure if the knurling on this bar is the same as the rest of the powerlifting bar line (which people also seem to like), but for me it really leaves something to be desired.”
• “I’m a little disappointed in the oil stains in several parts of the knurling. Maybe this leaked out of one of the sleeves during shipping??? Also, one of the sleeves has significantly less spin than the other – both spin smooth, one just comes to a stop much faster than the other.”

Garage Gym Lab Review

Garage Gym Lab has reviewed this bar. You can read the full review here.

Other Options

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