Starting Strength Bar

Name: Starting Strength Bar
Brand: Texas Power Bars
Rating: 4.83 (6 reviews)

The Starting Strength Bar is Texas Power Bars’ official barbell for Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength program, designed in 2018 by Buddy Capps at Rippetoe’s request. It’s built as a jack-of-all-trades barbell rather than a specialist: a 28.5mm bare-steel shaft with moderate, fine knurling and dual powerlifting/Olympic knurl marks so one bar can handle squats, presses, bench, deadlifts, and power cleans well without excelling narrowly at any single lift.

Oil-impregnated bronze bushings give it enough spin for Olympic movements despite being a bushing (not bearing) bar, and a double roller-pin sleeve assembly avoids the cheap clips used on some budget bars. Reviewers and the program’s own creator both describe it as the bar to own if you can only own one — it’s compared favorably against Rogue’s Ohio Power Bar and B&R 2.0 by gym owners running mixed programming, though it typically costs more than those alternatives.

Buying guide

Best Barbell for Your Home Gym — July 2026

Knurl	Fine/moderate knurling, 4 in passive center knurl, dual powerlifting/Olympic knurl marks
Finish	Bare steel
Length	86.5 in
Weight	20 kg / 44 lb (10 kg and 15 kg versions also available)
Made in	USA (Texas)
Sleeves	Oil-impregnated bronze bushings, grooved, double roller-pin assembly
Diameter	28.5 mm
Warranty	Lifetime warranty against bending for the original owner
Collar diameter	3.25 in
Tensile strength	190,000 PSI
Loadable sleeve length	15 in

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

	Starting Strength Bar	Technique Barbell - Custom/DIY	Pyrros Bar - 28MM - Stainless Steel	20kg Fat Axle
GymRadar rating	4.83/5	4.83/5	4.83/5	4.85/5
Price	$339.99		$755.00	$215.00
Knurl	Fine/moderate knurling, 4 in passive center knurl, dual powerlifting/Olympic knurl marks
Finish	Bare steel
Length	86.5 in
Weight	20 kg / 44 lb (10 kg and 15 kg versions also available)
Made in	USA (Texas)
Sleeves	Oil-impregnated bronze bushings, grooved, double roller-pin assembly
Diameter	28.5 mm
Warranty	Lifetime warranty against bending for the original owner
Collar diameter	3.25 in
Tensile strength	190,000 PSI
Loadable sleeve length	15 in

4.8/5 · 6 GymRadar reviews

Reviews by source

Expert	4.83/5	6 reviews
Youtube	5.0/5	2 reviews

Texas Power Bars’ Starting Strength Bar is the official barbell of Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength program — a 28.5mm bare-steel shaft with moderate, dual-marked knurling built to do every barbell lift (squat, press, bench, deadlift, power clean, and even Olympic lifts) competently rather than excel narrowly. Versatility is the standout: independent reviewers and the program’s own demo video both single it out as the bar to own if you can only own one, and a gym owner comparing it directly against Rogue’s Ohio Power Bar and B&R 2.0 named it their favorite all-around bar. Value is the weakest dimension relative to its competitive set — reviewers consistently flag it as pricier than comparable bars like the Rogue Ohio Power Bar or REP’s Excalibur, even as they conclude it’s worth the premium for the knurl and bushing quality.

+Versatility: independently named a favorite all-around bar for squat, press, bench, deadlift, and Olympic lifts by a gym owner comparing it against Rogue's Ohio Power Bar and B&R 2.0 (YouTube: Testify Strength & Conditioning)
+Functionality: 28.5mm shaft diameter improves grip and rack position over standard 29mm power bars, especially noticeable on heavy pulls (YouTube: Testify Strength & Conditioning)
+Build quality: moderate, bare-steel knurl developed specifically for this bar strikes a balance between sharp and fine, described as an excellent grip that takes and sheds chalk well (YouTube: Starting Strength / Mark Rippetoe; Garage Gyms)
+Build quality: oil-impregnated bronze bushings rotate well enough for Olympic lifts despite being a bushing (not bearing) bar, with a double roller-pin sleeve assembly and no cheap clips (YouTube: Starting Strength / Mark Rippetoe)
+Durability: demonstrates minimal flex under heavy loads (420+ lb) and a lifetime warranty against bending for the original owner (Garage Gym Lab; manufacturer product page)

−Value: priced higher than comparable alternatives such as the Rogue B&R Bar ($6 cheaper with a higher tensile-strength 29mm shaft) and the Rogue Ohio Power Bar (~$40 cheaper) (Garage Gyms)
−Build quality: bare steel finish requires regular maintenance to prevent oxidation, unlike coated or stainless alternatives (Garage Gym Lab; Garage Gyms)
−Functionality: center knurl and moderate aggressiveness make it less ideal for CrossFit-style high-rep work than dedicated multi-purpose bars (Garage Gyms)
−Build quality: grooved sleeves are noisier in use than smooth alternatives (Garage Gym Lab)
−Durability: about two to four weeks of lead time to purchase, a minor availability friction versus in-stock competitors (YouTube: Testify Strength & Conditioning)

$339.99

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