Powerlifting Barbell-P86B

Name: Powerlifting Barbell-P86B
Brand: Loeft Fitness
Rating: 5.0 (3 reviews)

The Powerlifting Barbell-P86B is Loeft Fitness’s general-purpose power bar – a 7-foot, 20kg, 29mm shaft built for squat, bench, and deadlift rather than any one lift specifically (Loeft sells a separate, thinner-shaft P92B for deadlift-focused whip). The shaft carries a black oxide finish with an aggressive 1.5mm “Volcano” knurling pattern, IPF-marked, paired with hard chrome sleeves for smooth, reliable rotation; a stainless-steel shaft variant is also offered at a higher price. Rated to 205,000 PSI tensile strength and a 2,000 lb load capacity, it fits standard 2” Olympic plates. The three GymRadar owners who’ve reviewed it are unanimous at 5.00/5, consistently praising the knurling as sharp and grippy without tearing skin, and calling it better value than pricier aggressive-knurl competitors like Bells of Steel’s Barenaked Power Bar. Coverage is thin – just those three reviews, with no independent video or long-form written review of this exact SKU found – so it’s proven on early feedback rather than years of track record.

Buying guide

Best Barbell for Your Home Gym — July 2026

Length	7 ft
Weight	20 kg (~44 lb)
Sleeves	Hard chrome
Knurling	1.5mm aggressive "Volcano" knurling, IPF-marked
Warranty	30-day return/exchange window (manufacturer)
Plate fit	2" Olympic plates
Manufacturer	Loeft Fitness
Shaft finish	Black oxide (stainless steel variant also available)
Load capacity	2,000 lbs
Shaft diameter	29mm
Tensile strength	205,000 PSI
Finishes available	Black Oxide/Hard Chrome, Fully Oxide Black, Stainless Steel/Hard Chrome

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

	Powerlifting Barbell-P86B	Seal Row Bar	Black Diamond™ Power Bar	Northern Lights Black Oxide Olympic Bar
GymRadar rating	5.0/5	5.0/5	5.0/5	5.0/5
Price	$216.00
Length	7 ft		86.6 in	86.5 in
Weight	20 kg (~44 lb)	40 lb	20 kg (44.1 lb)	20 kg (44 lb)
Sleeves	Hard chrome
Knurling	1.5mm aggressive "Volcano" knurling, IPF-marked
Warranty	30-day return/exchange window (manufacturer)		lifetime	Lifetime against manufacturing defects
Plate fit	2" Olympic plates
Manufacturer	Loeft Fitness	Rogue Fitness		Northern Lights
Shaft finish	Black oxide (stainless steel variant also available)	Black E-Coat		Black oxide
Load capacity	2,000 lbs
Shaft diameter	29mm		29 mm	28 mm
Tensile strength	205,000 PSI		200 ksi
Finishes available	Black Oxide/Hard Chrome, Fully Oxide Black, Stainless Steel/Hard Chrome

5.0/5 · 3 GymRadar reviews

Reviews by source

Expert

5.0/5

3 reviews

Loeft’s P86B is a 29mm, 20kg power bar built for squat, bench, and deadlift at a budget price, and the three GymRadar owners who reviewed it are unanimous: 5.00/5 overall, with knurling as the standout dimension – every reviewer independently called the 1.5mm “Volcano” knurl aggressive and sticky without being skin-tearing, and one names it a better value than Bells of Steel’s pricier Barenaked Power Bar. Build quality and value both track that same praise. Versatility is the weakest dimension: Loeft sells a dedicated, thinner-shaft P92B for deadlift-specific whip, so the P86B trades some flex for the stiffness a general power bar needs. Coverage is thin – three GymRadar reviews (the minimum for a shown rating) and no independent video or long-form written review of this exact SKU turned up, so durability over years of use is unproven.

+Functionality: aggressive 1.5mm Volcano knurling grips well for squat, bench, and deadlift without tearing skin (GymRadar user reviews)
+Build quality: black oxide shaft with hard chrome sleeves and 205K PSI tensile strength gave reviewers a stiff, reliable bar for its price point (manufacturer; GymRadar)
+Value: reviewers call it a better bar than the price suggests, and cheaper than comparable-knurl competitors like Bells of Steel's Barenaked Power Bar (GymRadar user reviews)
+Value: 2,000 lb capacity and IPF-marked knurling at a sub-$220 price undercuts most other aggressive-knurl power bars (manufacturer)

−Versatility: stiffer 29mm shaft trades whip for stability, so Loeft steers deadlift-focused lifters to its separate 27mm P92B instead (manufacturer)
−Durability: only 3 GymRadar reviews on file -- the minimum for a shown rating -- so long-term wear and knurling longevity are unproven (GymRadar)
−Functionality: no independent video or long-form written review of this exact SKU turned up to corroborate the GymRadar consensus

$216.00

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