American Press Bar

Name: American Press Bar
Brand: EliteFTS
Rating: 4.67 (3 reviews)

EliteFTS’s American Press Bar is a specialty multi-grip barbell built specifically for pressing rather than the log press — its handles are shorter than a Multi-Grip Swiss Bar because they don’t need to provide wrist stability for loading and unloading overhead. It offers five total grip options: three neutral widths (17”, 24”, 30”) plus one angled close grip at 8” apart, accessible from either side by flipping the bar. Grip thickness varies progressively from handle to handle, letting lifters choose a pinky-on-smooth, extended-thumb, or middle-finger hand position depending on comfort and joint stress.

At 38 lbs and 83.5” overall with 15.5” sleeves, it’s rackable in any standard 39.5”-50.5” rack opening. Owners describe it as well-made and sturdy, with welds reviewers call an improvement over cheaper multi-grip copies — the main complaints are smooth (non-knurled) handles that get slippery under heavy loads, and a powder-coat finish that scratches and wears at the sleeves and rack-contact points over time. Sleeves are not Olympic-sized, so it needs specialty screw-down collars rather than standard spring collars.

Buying guide

Best Barbell for Your Home Gym — July 2026

Finish	Powder coat (shaft & sleeves)
Weight	38 lbs
Made in	USA
Grip design	Progressive thickness — thinner outer handles, thicker inner handles
Grip widths	3 neutral (17", 24", 30") + 1 angled (8"), 5 total when flipped
Sleeve length	15.5 in
Overall length	83.5 in
Rackable space	39.5"-50.5" (standard rack opening)
Olympic sleeves	No — requires screw-down collars, not spring collars

What is a Barbell?

What a barbell is

The barbell is the center of a strength gym — the bar you squat, press, deadlift, and clean with. A men’s Olympic bar is 20 kg (44 lb) and 7.2 ft long (15 kg / 6.5 ft for women). The specs that matter: knurl (the grip texture — aggressive for pulls, milder for high-rep work), shaft diameter (28–29 mm for barbell lifts), sleeve rotation (bushings are fine for slow lifts; bearings spin fast for the Olympic lifts), tensile strength (~190k+ PSI resists bending), and coating (bare steel grips best but rusts; stainless and Cerakote trade grip for corrosion resistance).

Which one to buy

For general lifting, a multipurpose bar (28–28.5mm shaft, dual knurl marks, no center knurl) does squats, bench, deadlifts, and the occasional clean off one bar — this is the right first barbell for most home gyms. Choose a dedicated power bar (29mm, stiffer, aggressive center-knurl grip) only once you know you’re training squat/bench/deadlift specifically and want the stiffest, grippiest tool for that job. A dedicated Olympic weightlifting bar (needle bearings, more whip) is worth it only if you clean, snatch, or jerk regularly.

Beyond your main bar, specialty bars solve specific problems rather than replacing it: a safety squat bar shifts load off sore shoulders, a trap/hex bar takes stress off a cranky lower back on pulls, and a curl bar’s camber reduces wrist strain on isolation work. Add them once you know which problem you actually have.

How it compares

	American Press Bar	Saxon Bar - Armlifting USA	Cerberus Kratos Strongman Bar	Riot Olympic Safety Squat Bar
GymRadar rating	4.67/5	4.67/5	4.67/5	4.67/5
Price			$1,299.99
Finish	Powder coat (shaft & sleeves)
Weight	38 lbs
Made in	USA
Grip design	Progressive thickness — thinner outer handles, thicker inner handles
Grip widths	3 neutral (17", 24", 30") + 1 angled (8"), 5 total when flipped
Sleeve length	15.5 in
Overall length	83.5 in
Rackable space	39.5"-50.5" (standard rack opening)
Olympic sleeves	No — requires screw-down collars, not spring collars

4.7/5 · 3 GymRadar reviews

Reviews by source

Expert

4.67/5

3 reviews

EliteFTS’s American Press Bar is a well-regarded multi-grip specialty bar built specifically for pressing — its five grip options (three neutral widths plus an angled close grip) cover bench, overhead press, triceps work, and rows without needing a separate log-press bar. Build quality is the standout: owners describe it as “well made and sturdy” with clean welds, and GymRadar’s small sample rates it 4.67/5. Durability is the weak point — the powder coat finish scratches easily and wears off over time, especially at the sleeves and rack contact points, and multiple reviewers wish the smooth handles had knurling for grip security under heavy loads.

+Functionality: five grip options (17", 24", 30" neutral + 8" angled) cover bench, overhead press, triceps extensions, rows, and hammer curls in one bar (EliteFTS, Garage Gym Reviews)
+Build quality: "well made and sturdy" with welds reviewers call an improvement over cheaper copies (GymRadar user review)
+Versatility: progressive handle thickness (thinner outer, thicker inner) lets lifters choose pinky-on-smooth, extended-thumb, or middle-finger grip positions (EliteFTS)
+Functionality: rackable in standard 39.5"-50.5" rack spacing, so it doesn't need dedicated storage (Garage Gym Reviews)

−Durability: powder coat scratches easily and wears off over time, particularly on the sleeves and rack contact points (Garage Gym Lab, GymRadar user review)
−Functionality: smooth handles have no knurling, which two of three GymRadar reviewers flagged as a grip-security issue at heavier weights — one wanted 29mm thicker handles too
−Value: a GymRadar reviewer notes cheaper budget multi-grip bars do a similar job for less money
−Functionality: non-Olympic sleeves require specialty screw-down collars, an added cost (EliteFTS)