Rogue Ohio Power Bar – Black Zinc

  • Manufacturer: Rogue Fitness
  • Purpose: Powerlifting
  • Bar Weight: 45lb
  • Gender: Men
  • Tensile Strength: 205,000
  • Yield Strength: N/A
  • Knurl Type: Aggressive
  • Center Knurl: Yes
  • Knurl Marks: Powerlifting
  • Shaft Finish: Black Zinc
  • Shaft Diameter: 29mm
  • Sleeve Finish: Bright Zinc
  • Sleeve Type: Grooved
  • Rotation System: Bushing
  • Made In: USA
  • Warranty: Lifetime

Read below to get a closer look at the Rogue Black Zinc Ohio Power Bar including product details, features, real user feedback, and more.

$295.00

Rogue Ohio Power Bar – Black Zinc

The Rogue Ohio Power Bar in black zinc is a very popular version of the Ohio Power Bar (OPB) due to its price and the overall reputation of the overall OPB.

The black zinc version is among the most economically-priced in the lineup. Read more below.


Features & Highlights

  • Black Zinc – Black Zinc is a cost efficient plating that does an OK job at fighting off rust. 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 good blend of feel and rust resistance without the larger price tag. 
  • Aggressive”ish” Knurling – The knurling on the OPB leans aggressive with its deep volcano knurling, but it’s not as aggressive as something with a pointier profile. The applied black zinc coating will remove some of the bite as well, making this version not as aggressive as some of the other finishes in the OPB family.
  • 29mm Shaft – The 29mm shaft on the Rogue Black Zinc Power Bar is consistent with IPF standards. It creates a very rigid shaft ideal for the big 3 power lifts. 
  • IPF Knurl Marks – This bar offers single powerlifting knurl marks spec’d to IPF requirements.
  • Tensile Strength – The black zinc version of the OPB has a 205,000 PSI tensile strength, which is very competitive among quality power bars.
  • Grooved, Bright Zinc Sleeves – The Black Zinc Ohio Power Bar offers bright zinc sleeves with a grooved pattern that helps to keep plates on the bar better when you’re not using collars. The downside to grooved sleeves is that they make an audible zip noise when loading and unloading plates. 
  • Bushings – The bar offers a bronze bushing rotation system, which is very common with a power bar.
  • Center Knurl – This bar includes a center knurl in the same knurl pattern as the rest of the bar.
  • Strong Warranty – This bar offers a lifetime warranty.
  • Made in America – The OPB is made in Columbus, Ohio.

What They’re Saying at Rogue Fitness

The Rogue Black Zinc Power Bar receives very positive feedback from users. With a 4.9/5 average rating at roguefitness.com, here are some of the things people have said:

Positive

  • “I’m reviewing after six months of heavy use 3-4 days a week. This has been used and stored in a climate controlled basement gym and won’t be a good indicator of corrosion resistance. I bought this to replace a hand-me-down Texas power bar that’d taken a beating. I’ve found this OPB’s knurling, build quality, durability, and overall feel to be far superior. The black zinc has started to fade around the main contact points with my hands. Personally I like the patina that’s forming but I could see it being bothersome for some. If I were using the bar in a humid garage I’d probably be more concerned with fading coating. Both sleeves spin well with zero upkeep or maintenance on my part. The sleeve surfaces have started to show wear that I would attribute to typical use and not corrosion. The bar has taken a few dives into spotter arms and been unscathed. This can 100% be the only bar you own. The only thing I see myself replacing this with is the all stainless version someday.”
  • “I purchased this bar a few months ago and I am thrilled with the workmanship and attention to detail used in the manufacturing process. I also really enjoy the fact that it is made in the USA.”
  • “This is the perfect bar, looks really cool too. I use it for squatting, deadlifting and benching exclusively and it’s awesome.”
  • “I was holding out for stainless steel but got impatient and ordered black zinc. The knurling is still plenty aggressive and the bar is impeccable. Very happy with my purchase!”
  • “I have used to bar for overhead press and deadlift. The knurling is aggressive but not painful and I find out I use a lot less chalk than i used to. It is very stiff, finish is top quality, sleeves have no play at all, machining on the sleeve is super consistent, it spins smoothly for a power bar and the packaging was top notch.”

Critical

  • “I was super excited to finally receive my Ohio Power Bar from Rouge, and for the most part, it’s a great bar. I’m a little disappointed in the quality of the zinc coating, especially from Rogue. I know it’s not the top of the line coating but also expected a bit more quality for a $300ish bar. The sleeves are getting pretty beat up already and the coating seems to be wearing quite quickly, even though the bar is not metal to metal on the rack and I take care of my equipment really well. For the most part I’m happy with the bar and trust Rogue. For $300 I expected a bit more.”
  • “Only con for me is that the black coating is a little tough to set up with in my (poorly lit) home gym. The knurling and smooth sections are hard differentiate in low light, so setting up for deadlifts has been an adjustment. A minor nitpick, but worth noting. If i had the option when I bought this bar, I would have gone for a different color. But the function of the bar is great.”

Garage Gym Lab Review

Best Barbell Logo 2022

The Rogue Ohio Power Bar was a winner in the Garage Gym Lab 2022 Best Barbell Awards. You can also read my reviews of the Black Zinc version and the stainless steel version.


Other Options

The below barbells were picked as alternatives to the Rogue Black Zinc Ohio Power Bar.