Rogue Ohio Power Bar – E-Coat

Rogue Ohio Power Bar – E-Coat

The Rogue Ohio Power Bar is a popular and high-quality all-around power bar with a solid reputation. The bar comes in a variety of finishes, which provides options at various budgets and preferences.

The e-coat version is one of the more economically-priced versions of the OPB and it offers some nice features that some may prefer over black zinc or bare steel.

Features & Highlights

• E-Coat Finish – E-Coat is an electronically-applied coating that was first introduced in the automobile industry as a reliable finish with regards to coverage, adhesion, and corrosion resistance. It is more resilient to rust than chrome and zinc, which are also applied coatings, albeit not electronically-applied. It has some environmental benefits, namely limited production of hazardous air pollutants and volatile organic compounds. 
• Aggressive”ish” Knurling – The knurling on the OPB leans aggressive, but with a volcano pattern, it’s not as aggressive as a mountainous knurling. Furthermore, the e-coat will cut down somewhat on the aggression since it’s an applied coating.
• 29mm Shaft – The 29mm shaft on the Rogue E-Coat 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 – This version of the OPB has a 205,000 PSI tensile strength, which is very competitive among quality power bars.
• Grooved, Bright Zinc Sleeves – The grooved sleeves help keep the plates on the bar better than a smooth sleeve when not using collars, but they are also louder. This bar offers a bright zinc sleeve finish, which differs from the hard chrome on some of the other versions. Still, bright zinc is a fairly common sleeve finish. 
• 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 E-Coat 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’ve been using the E-coat power bar for a while now and although its got aggressive knurling, the e-coat diminishes some of it. For me, it is irrelevant because i wanted the maximum corrosion protection without paying for Cerakote. If you want more grip, go zinc.”
• “The e-coat power bar is the perfect powerlifting training bar! Honestly when I first got it I was disappointed in the knurling. I had been using a Okie power bar for 30 years before getting rid of it when down sizing. The Okie knurl was so aggressive I only used it for meet prep and was very careful about caring for my callouses when using it. Almost every time I used the Okie bar it was a blood bath. The e-coating on the Ohio bar dulls the volcano knurling a bit. At first I thought this would be an issue, but after 4 months of using it for all of my powerlifting movements I find the bar to be perfect for on going day to day training. The knurl is aggressive enough to make my hands tender after a heavy workout, but I’m not worried about having my palm, shin or back skin ripped off if I screw up. add the stiffness and rotation of the sleeves and this it the best day to day training bar I have used.”
• “My favorite bar to use at my home gym! Perfect amount of knurling (aggressive), strong bar coating, and looks great.”
• “Love the OPB! Perfect bar for the big three. E-coat dulls the knurl slightly but it still sticks to the hands. Sleeves spin evenly and smooth. Highly recommend.”
• “Bought this is my main bar for bench, dead’s and squats. I absolutely love it. The knurling is the most aggressive I have felt. I have never needed chalk when using this bar. It will tear your hands up if you don’t keep a tight grip. The e-coat shaft is slick and very pretty. It does not take away from the knurling. It just adds to the overall aesthetic and corrosion resistance. 2 months in right now and no flaking.”

Critical

• “The only complaint I have is the knurling. The E-coat must dull the knurling more than I would like for a power bar. If you really want a good aggressive knurl buy a stainless or bare steel bar.”

Garage Gym Lab Review

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 E-Coat Ohio Power Bar.