Rogue Freedom Bar

Rogue Freedom Bar

The Rogue Freedom Bar is an Ohio Bar, but with a very patriotic twist. With a full Cerakote American Flag coating this bar is as American as they come.

Equipped with a 28.5mm shaft, dual knurl marks, hard chrome sleeves, and composite bushings, the Ohio Bar is built for a variety of lifts, ranging from Olympic lifts to power lifts.

Here are some further details about the bar:

Knurling

The knurling on the Freedom Bar naturally has a medium-depth profile with a flatter surface, making it suitable for virtually any lift. It’s especially good for higher rep/volume training. Most users report very favorably on the knurl pattern, although some find the Cerakote to lean towards the mild side. If you’re looking to use this bar on heavier lifts, you may find yourself reaching for chalk or straps.

With Cerakote being an applied coating, it will tend to fill in some of the knurl depth. Compared to a bar with no coating (stainless, bar steel, etc..) or a conversion coating (black oxide, etc..), Cerakote will make the bar feel slightly less aggressive. Cerakote does tend to take chalk well though.

The Freedom Bar does not come with center knurl, which makes it comfortable in a variety of positions. The bar also includes “ROGUE” stamped in the center of the bar, which helps with alignment in the absence of the center knurl. Dual knurl marks indicate that this is a true multi-purpose bar.

Shaft

This bar has a 28.5mm shaft, which is a very common diameter for a multi-purpose bar. This blends whip and rigidity well to make a barbell that can handle everything from weightlifting to powerlifting. The Freedom Bar offers a 190,000 PSI tensile strength, putting it right in the wheelhouse for a multi-purpose bar.

The Cerakote coating will provide excellent corrosion resistance, making this a great option if you train in a humid environment. One thing to keep in mind with Cerakote, and especially with a busy pattern like this, is that sometimes it can be difficult to see where the knurl rings are situated before a lift.

Sleeves

The sleeves on the Freedom Bar are grooved, and they’re finished in hard chrome. The benefit of grooved sleeves is that they tend to keep plates in place better than smooth sleeves if/when you’re not using collars. The downside is that they make a loud zip noise in comparison when sliding plates on and off.

The sleeves rotate using composite bushings, which promote a smooth and steady spin.

Aesthetics

Aesthetically, the Freedom Bar is pretty damn awesome if you’re into the America thing. The waving effect the flag makes is very cool and the colors are vibrant. The biggest thing when it comes to Cerakote is keeping it protected whenever possible. That means using j-cups with UHMW to help protect metal-on-metal contact. Otherwise, you risk chipping the Cerakote, which can be unsightly and also allow rust to form on the bare steel.

The end caps on the Ohio Bar are classic, and I think they’re one of the best in the game. This one differs from the traditional Ohio Bar in that it has a black background instead of red, but it still looks awesome.

Features & Highlights

• Cerakote Finish – Cerakote is a high-quality finish option that has been made popular on barbells due to its outstanding resistance to rust and corrosion. Originally created to be used on firearms, Cerakote has been shown to withstand abuse and harsh environments. If you train in a humid environment like a garage gym, Cerakote is a great option. The potential downside to Cerakote is that it’s applied on top of the shaft, which has a tendency to remove some of the raw feel of a bare steel, stainless steel, etc.. shaft.
• Red, White, and Blue Design – The Freedom Bar depicts the American Flag in its entirety, creating a very patriotic bar.
• 28.5mm Shaft – The 28.5mm shaft on the Rogue Freedom Bar is comfortable in the hands and provides a nice balance between rigid and whippy, making it ideal for a variety of lifts.
• No Center Knurl – The Rogue Freedom Bar does not offer a center knurl, which is useful on high rep training sessions and/or in cases where a lifter wants a more comfortable bar.
• Grooved Sleeves – The sleeves on this bar have fine grooves that help keep the plates on the bar better when you’re not using collars. The downside is that grooved sleeves make an audible zip noise when loading/unloading plates.
• American Made – This bar is 100% made in America.

What They’re Saying at Roguefitness.com

The Rogue Freedom Bar receives very positive feedback from users. With an average rating of 4.9/5, here are some of the things they have said roguefitness.com:

Positive

• “Since I purchased this bar, my sense of freedom and liberty have increased tenfold. Eagles soar higher when this baby is in use. It makes me feel ten years younger (which is still to old). Freedom Bar for the win!”
• “Had the bar about 8 weeks, been fantastic for bench, squats, curls, snatches, cleans and presses. Great spin on the bar, fantastic design. I’ve dinged it up a bit but it’s a bar … it’s meant to be worked!”
• “This bar is the most comfortable bar I’ve ever had in my hands and the most attractive! The patriotic design is over the top. We love it!”
• “The bar looks great but more importantly is a quality product. This is perfect for some Oly lifts and Metcons. And American Made!”
• “I’ve been wanting a ROGUE barbell since I got into lifting a few years back. Loved the American made quality, and then I saw one with an American flag on it. I had to have it. After 2 years of dedicated gym time, my wife begrudgingly let me order it. I’m so glad I did. Everything about it is great. Eventually I want all ROGUE gear, will take me a while to convince the missus!”
• “Love this bar, it has the perfect knurling, perfect diameter and it is B-E-A-Utiful.”
• “FREEDOM BAR- I dont keep the heat on in my garage room temp can swing hot cold and build moisture on my gym equipment. I wanted a bar that will have the extra protection from elements. I have an old Ohio black zinc bar that has done well over 5 years but is showing signs of wear and has been for some time. This cerakote coating is much more durable. It has less of a rough knurl feel because of the coating, but it actually works out better for high rep cycling of the bar bell. You dont tear hands as easy. The cerakote also gives it a “sticky” feel when your hands are chalked up. Love this bar. Dropping it with weights it does not clang around, it was built tight, excellent bushings and leaves more of a solid “thud” when it hits the ground. Last but not least, it is by far the best looking bar bell ever made!”

Critical

• “If they offered agressive knurling for this, then it would be almost perfect for a olympic bar. I don’t really care for passive knurling for any Men’s barbell. If you want a non center knurl and non aggressive knurling then this bar is for you.”
• “You don’t want to put this bar on steel hooks, it got scratched instantly when I put it on my bench.”
• “Only thing that i found (not necessarily an issue) is the cerakote does dull the knurling a bit, however still a big upgrade over what i was using.”

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 Rogue Freedom Bar.