After researching over 150 barbells and using nearly 85 of them, we've determined that the Rogue Bar 2.0 is the best multi-purpose Olympic Barbell and the Rogue Ohio Power Bar is the best powerlifting bar for most people for 2021. Factoring in price, warranty, performance, and availability, these bars stand out amongst the rest. We'd rather not have the same company hold both of the top spots, but it's hard to argue against the value these bars provide.
A barbell is the most versatile tool in any commercial or home gym. However, thanks to the exponential growth in both barbell training and home gyms there are now hundreds of companies producing thousands of different barbells. This is both good and bad. It's good because you have a plethora of options to choose from to improve your squat, deadlift, bench press, as well as Olympic Lifts and general training movements. It's bad because it's suddenly that much harder to decide which bar(s) to spend your hard earned money on.
That's where we come in. In this guide, we want to give you the best value barbells for most people by choosing the best Olympic Barbells for 2021. If you're a powerlifter and want further suggestions, we suggest checking out our Best Powerlifting Barbell Guide here. Now, I present to you, the best barbells for dollar out of the hundreds that we own and test.

The Rogue Bar 2.0 is one of the most popular barbells in the world. Combining Rogue Fitness' attention to detail, outstanding customer service, and large manufacturing power, the Rogue Bar 2.0 can perform for nearly every movement or training style imaginable. Not too long ago a barbell featuring 190k PSI tensile strength steel, a bushing rotation system, and high-quality knurl with a lifetime warranty would have cost you nearly $1,000. Thankfully, due to the growth of home gym owners and the popularity of basic barbell training, there are now a seemingly endless amount of high-quality barbells for under $300. Although the Rogue Bar 2.0 is our current pick for the best Olympic Barbell for most people, there are many others worth considering.
For 2021, we reassessed the barbells on the market including what we had on hand. Although there have been a lot of new options come to market, including Cerakote, Stainless Steel, as well as budget-friendly options, the Rogue Bar 2.0 is still the best value barbell for most people.

The Rogue Ohio Power Bar, also known as the Rogue OPB, has been the go-to power bar for most people for some time. It's our Top Pick for the best powerlifting barbell and for good reason. Rogue has combined their large manufacturing power, attention to detail, and ability to create industry-leading products at great prices to create, in our opinion, the best power bar for any strength level. Whether you’re a beginner learning the squat, deadlift, and bench or an experienced lifter, the Rogue Ohio Power Bar can handle whatever you throw at it.
The Rogue Ohio Power Bar must be felt to experience the quality differences between it and it’s competition. The part of a power bar that should have the most attention applied to it is its knurling, and in our opinion and many we’ve polled, the Ohio Power Bar has some of the best feeling knurling on the market. It’s aggressive, but not sharp thanks to its volcanic design. In addition to the knurling, the Rogue Ohio Power Bar features a 205K PSI Tensile Strength shaft, bronze bushings, and enough shaft coatings to satisfy anyone’s interests. Whether you choose the Bare Steel, Zinc, Cerakote, or our favorite, Stainless Steel version, you’ll be satisfied. Also, if you need a bar for a powerlifting meet, the KG version is IPF-approved.

American Barbell doesn't get nearly as much love as we think they should. Their equipment is nearly all made in the USA and their attention to detail is outstanding. The American Barbell Training Bar is one of the best Olympic barbells for the value in the world. It has a great, medium-depth knurling that grips well with chalk and does well for barbell cycling if you're a CrossFit athlete and is also fine for max effort lifts for Powerlifters and Olympic Weightlifters (although we'd recommend specialized bars.) It's also completely made in the US with a lifetime warranty.
We've tested and reviewed the AB Training Bar for over three years now and still like it as much as we did on day one. This is an outstanding do-it-all barbell. If you want better corrosion resistance, than we suggest getting the Cerakote version for $25 more here.

The Buddy Capps Texas Power Bar is one of the most legendary barbells ever made. It’s broken more world records and been used in more gyms than probably any other bar. We like the Texas Power Bar and know many find it the be the best power bar ever made. If you want to start an argument, just say that there's a better power bar than TPB (we do this often.) The knurling on the Texas Power Bar is aggressive and sharp, which has the benefit of staying in your hands during a max pull, however, it also has the disadvantage of ripping your callouses off.
We chose the Texas Power Bar as our runner-up for the best power bar and not our number one pick for a few reasons which we’ll list in more detail further in the article. However, the main reason is that we see it as a bar that is yes, extremely popular and a good performer, but, has been passed by bars with higher tensile strength and that utilize newer machinery and offer more options like Cerakote, stainless steel, and other materials. The Texas Power Bar is also 28.5MM in diameter, which at one time was the standard, but has since been replaced by 29MM barbells. For these reasons and many more, we believe the Texas Power Bar is still an outstanding barbell, however, we believe our top pick, the Rogue Ohio Power Bar is a superior value.

The Ohio Bar and Rogue Bar 2.0 from Rogue Fitness are very similar bars. For this reason, we recommend the Rogue Bar 2.0 due to it's lower price point for what is essentially the same bar. However, if money is not a worry and you want a bar that will best withstand corrosion, we recommend the stainless steel version of The Ohio Bar from Rogue Fitness as a step above our top pick.
The majority of people do not need to spend $350 on a barbell and the benefits of stainless steel are not vastly superior to traditional barbell steel. This said, the corrosion resistance of stainless steel along with the superior knurling (due to no coating) are great to have if you're looking for a general purpose barbell and the increased cost is not an issue for you.

The Kabuki Strength New Generation Power Bar is our upgrade pick due to its insanely high tensile strength, outstanding knurling, and price. The New Generation Power Bar is the most expensive barbell on our list (certainly not the most expensive available), but for those that want something stronger than our other picks (not that we feel it’s needed) and prefer a finer knurling than our top pick, than this may be the bar for you.
After using the New Generation Power Bar since its release, we can confidently recommend it despite its high price tag. This bar is the strongest available with a tested 250K+ PSI Tensile Strength steel shaft and it is stiff. At 29MM, the Kabuki Strength New Generation Power Bar is made to take any amount of weight you can throw at it and keep on performing. The knurl utilizes a similar volcanic pattern to the Rogue Ohio Power Bar, but is much finer. We had trouble saying which one we liked best, but suffice it to say, we equally enjoy using both during training. The New Generation Power Bar also comes in a variety of finishes that should satisfy anyone’s needs, although we would like to see a Stainless Steel version.

If you'd rather not spend more than $200, although we'd suggest you do, the FringeSport Wonder Bar Olympic Barbell is a more than capable quality barbell from a company with an excellent reputation. The FringeSport Wonder Bar features 205k PSI tensile strength steel, a 28mm shaft, and a black zinc coating on both the shaft and sleeves.
Although we'll go into more detail on why The Rogue Bar 2.0 ranks above the Wonder Bar and others, the smaller 28mm shaft and black zinc coating on the sleeves are less than optimal for the majority of trainees. The Wonder Bar does feature a lifetime warranty and although we don't believe FringeSport is as capable of servicing warranties as Rogue Fitness, they are a company we trust. Put simply, for $200, the Wonder Bar from FringeSport is a good barbell.

If you are just starting out with barbell training or want a “beater bar” and need a decent, but very affordable option, we’d suggest the CAP OB-86PBCK Power Bar. It has by far the worst specs of any bar on this list, but it also has the lowest price and, simply put, gets the job done.
When it comes to having a good training bar that you can really beat up, the Cap OB-86PBCK is the bar for the job. Squats, presses, pendlay rows, landmines, etc. - if its an activity that can be done with a barbell it can be done with the Cap OB-86B. It’s one of our favorite beater bars due to its durability and price and is our worry-free bar to rack pull with (mainly because if it bends, we’re not worried about it.) Yes, the knurling will get fatigued and worn overtime and the sleeves will most likely get scraped, but it will continue to perform when we need it too.
What Characteristics to Look for in a Barbell?

There are five physical characteristics of an Olympic Barbell that will cause distinctions between the wide array of bars available today. Those are:
- Steel
- Knurling
- Spin
- Whip
- Finish
The steel is the most important part of the bar and is more than just looks; it is the essence of the barbell. To determine the quality of steel used, two of the most telling specifications are the tensile strength and yield strength. Do not listen to anyone who tries to tell you that a bar is 1,000 pound test or 1,500 pound test. This is a made up fantasy designed to satisfy buyers limited amount of knowledge and is more often than not seen on very cheap bars.
Companies test the tensile and yield strength of the barbell steel through static and dynamic testing. To give a simple example, a static test would load an enormous amount of weight (upwards of a ton) on each side of the bar and then slowly take the weight off to see if the bar returns back to being straight. A dynamic test is much more telling and involves tracking how the bar bends when dropped with a certain amount of weight. There is much more variance in this sort of test than the static test between manufacturers.

All that being said, every bar will bend if handled improperly. I don't care if you're using a $1,000 Eleiko, if you drop it on a pin with 400 lbs, it's going to bend.
Every bar will bend if handled improperly. I don't care if you're using a $1,000 Eleiko, if you drop it on a pin with 400 lbs, it's going to bend.
The next characteristic of a bar is the knurling. Knurling is what allows your hands to grip to the bar, especially when combined with chalk. For most people, a medium knurling is best due to it being sticky enough to grip, yet smooth enough for comfort. Although there are great bars with more aggressive knurling, for the majority of training purposes, it's less than desired.

Spin is determined by the rotation system used in the barbell. There are two main types of rotation systems used in barbells today – a bushing system or a bearing system. Bearings will spin quicker overall, but they also cost more and will likely not stand up to abuse as well as bushings. For this reason, we recommend for the most people to purchase a barbell with a bushing system that either uses brass or nylon bushings. A bushing rotation system will provide a smoot and consistent spin that will require little maintenance and should last for many decades.
Whip is determined by the load on the bar, the materials used, the method of steel processing and the diameter of the shaft. For most people, some whip is desired for the occasional olympic lifts, but overall the bar should be relatively stiff. Due to this, the bars we recommend are going to be made of carbon steels and not molybdenum alloys.
Finally, the finish of the bar comes down to personal preference and the environment it will be used in. Although a raw steel bar is generally regarded as the best ‘feeling' barbell, it will oxidize quicker than if a finish was applied. For the price range we recommend, more often than not, the bar will feature a black oxide as it is middle of the road in terms of oxidation and is cheaper to apply than hard chrome.
How We Picked and Tested the Barbells

To compile our list of barbells and determine the weed through the best Olympic Barbells for 2021, we researched all of the major manufacturers as well as reaching out to industry experts and various forums such as r/homegym (quick plug: I'm a mod of this subreddit, so I suggest you subscribe.) In addition to this, we went to Garage Gym Reviews HQ to rank and test what we have on hand (around 20 bars currently.) After researching around 55 barbells worth your time and money, we narrowed it down to our top picks, all of which we acquired to test out in house.
There is an overwhelmingly large amount of barbells available for purchase today. Due to the various specializations of training, each category will have barbells that hit every price point from $100 all the way up to $1,000 plus. An Olympic Weightlifting Barbell cannot be compared to a Powerlifting Barbell or vice versa. Due to this, we stuck to barbells that were more situated toward general training. If you want to use these bars for Powerlifting, they're stiff enough to do so. If you want to use them for Olympic Weightlifting or CrossFit, go for it. The spin, knurl, and whip will work for the movements within those sports.

The bars we picked to test could all be considered great for general purpose training and at prices worth considering. Although there may be “better” bars at higher price points, the value proposition is not higher than the ones within this guide. Ultimately, after some deliberation, we narrowed down our specifications to the following list of features ordered in no particular order.
- Overall Construction: Although the barbells we recommend are not the most expensive you can find, they need to be constructed well to provide a reliable experience over its lifetime. A barbell should last a LONG time; attention to detail provided by the manufacturer will aid in reliability and consistency.
- Tensile Strength of Steel: The tensile strength of the steel used should be a minimum of 130K PSI and preferably much higher (around 190k.) A barbell with 130K PSI should only be used if you don't plan on using over 500 lbs on the bar. This is much higher than the average lifted by most people and the only bar that features this low of tensile strength is our budget pick.
- Knurling: The knurling should be consistent and not overly aggressive. A medium knurl is preferred that will grip well when chalk is used. A center knurl, although great for Powerlifting is not needed for the majority of people. The reason is due to how it will rough up the neck and chin area of the body when used for power cleans and front squats.
- Spin: The rotation system should be a bushing system due to cost and for use on lifts like the squat and bench where excess spin isn't always desired. The spin should be consistent and slow to a stop, not an abrupt halt.
- Finish: The barbell should have some sort of finish to prevent against oxidation such as surface rust.
- Price: The price should be in accordance with the features offered. Value is more important than a low sticker price and what we've found is that for general purpose barbells, there isn't a reason to spend over $400 on a barbell. If you want a specialized Olympic Weightlifting Barbell or Powerlifting Barbell than spending above $400 may provide a better value, but not for the general purpose category.
- Warranty: A lifetime warranty has come to be the standard offered by barbell manufacturers. The company servicing the warranty must be considered, however; a lifetime warranty is of little use if the company offering it is no longer around to service it.

During testing, we performed all of the major barbell movements including squat, deadlift, bench, overhead press, clean and jerk, and snatch. We blind tested the feel of the knurling, observed the spin of the sleeves using a 25 lb bumper plate, weighed and measured the diameter of the shafts for accuracy, and tested the oxidation of the bars over 3 weeks while left in an often opened garage in the midwest. Finally, we asked for the opinion of others on what barbell they view to be the best value for the majority of trainees.
The Best Multi-Purpose Barbell: Rogue Bar 2.0


Of all the bars we tested, The Rogue Bar 2.0 had the best balance between quality and affordability. Every bar in this guide is a good value, but Rogue Fitness has been the innovator in this category for some time and the Rogue Bar 2.0 is a shining example of how great a barbell under $300 can be.
The Rogue Bar 2.0 was designed with the CrossFit Games in mind. In fact, the bar that has been most often seen and used in the CrossFit Games just so happens to be this exact bar. Whether you participate in a CrossFit style of training or not, it's hard to argue that CrossFit doesn't utilize a wide array of exercises, thus proving that the Rogue Bar 2.0 is great for general purpose training.

The first thing you notice when looking at the Rogue Bar 2.0 is the unique bands on the sleeves. First off, the bands have practically zero functionality in terms of protecting the bar. They are there for looks, and although unnecessary, they look pretty cool and can be interchanged with different colors. For gym owners, this is a great opportunity to produce your own bands and use your branding for a consistent look.
When you begin to look closer at the bar, you start to see how precise of an instrument it is; the knurling is a prime example of this. Rogue Fitness has invested more money in the tools designed to cut knurling than likely any company in the world. The reason for this is simple, Rogue is producing and selling more barbells than anyone else. In order to keep their reputation as an industry leader not only are they focusing on building new products, but also improving previous best sellers. The Rogue Bar 2.0 as you can see is the second iteration of Rogue's flagship general training bar. It is now made in the USA at Rogue's newest state of the art facility.

The knurling on the Rogue Bar 2.0 is exactly what you'd like out of a barbell that will be used in a jack of all trades manner. Aggressive enough to grip during max lifts, especially while using chalk, yet passive enough to prevent your hands from looking like they just went through a meat grinder. Rogue, at the request of many, has started to extend the knurling all the way to the sleeves of most all their barbells. The advantage of this for those with bad mobility or long arms is they can spread their hands out to the sleeves on movements like the snatch and still have grip.
The black zinc coating that covers the shaft of the Rogue 2.0 will continue to look great if oiled continually. If you're anything like me and don't enjoy doing much maintenance on your bars, then it will likely end up looking like the Rogue Ohio Bar I've been using for over 3 years.
All black zinc coating will fade over time, but it doesn't affect the performance of the bar. If you would like the bar to always look like the day it came, then we suggest choosing our upgrade pick, the Rogue SS Ohio Bar.

The sleeves of the Rogue 2.0 Bar are machined with the same attention to detail as the knurling. There is a slight ribbed pattern on the sleeves that provide both a great noise when plates are slid on as well as a grip. This allows the plates, whether bumpers or iron, to keep from sliding off during use (we also always recommend the use of collars.)
If you go through Rogue's barbell library, you'll likely see a very similar bar known as the Rogue Ohio Bar. This bar is essentially the same as the Rogue 2.0 except with different bushings. The Rogue Ohio Bar uses bronze while our top pick uses composite bushings. We were unable to notice any difference between the two in our testing in regards to spin both without and with load. We've also been unable to notice any differences in the long-term durability of composite vs. bronze. However, composite bushings are self lubricating and are used for much more important matters than lifting weights in your garage. Things like getting astronauts to space.

The spin of the bar is consistent and reliable; it does not spin like an Eleiko, but it's also about $700 less. I never had the thought while testing the Rogue 2.0 that "I wish this bar had more spin" and I don't think you will either.
One of the standout features of the Rogue 2.0 Bar that you hopefully won't ever have to use is the lifetime warranty. Rogue is known for their outstanding customer service, and if your bar should ever malfunction or take a turn that is less than straight, they will help you solve the problem.
The Best Power Bar: Rogue Ohio Power Bar


The Rogue Ohio Power Bar has all the features most people need to perform the traditional power lifts and is considered to be at the top of its hierarchy.
We’ve been through our share of power bars, but the instant we grabbed onto the Ohio Power Bar, feelings of being able to lift heavier weights ensued. Perhaps this is why this barbell has become somewhat legendary in powerlifting circles in the short time it has been on the scene since its introduction in 2014. This bar will quickly give you an experience of value and a feeling that you will be able to squat more, bench smoother, and train your deadlift stronger.

The Rogue OPB is so well liked, it won a recent bracket we held on Instagram that had over 100,000 entries. Not only is it us that love this bar, but it's generally regarded as the best powerlifting barbell by the home gym community.

The shaft of the Ohio Power Bar is 29MM, which has become the standard when it comes to power bars, and for good reason. For the slow lifts (squats, bench press, deadlift, and overhead press), a slightly thicker bar simply feels better and more secure than slightly thinner bars (except for deadlifts, which is why most deadlift bars are 27MM.) Rogue chose to go with a 29MM diameter shaft for a few reasons, but one of the major reasons is that a thicker shaft, creates a stiffer bar. Whip is great for the Olympic lifts, but is less than desirable for squats. A 29MM shaft will cause much less whip than at heavier weights when compared to a 28MM or 28.5MM barbell (it’s why squat bars are 32MM.) Although a 0.5MM larger diameter seems small, it’s not insignificant.
If you have yet to experience what a volcano knurl feels like, you’re missing out. The reason a volcano knurl is superior (in our opinion, again, the feel of knurling is subjective) to the traditional “peaky mountain” knurling that dominated the industry for so long is because it gives you more contact surface area with the epidermal layering of your hands or with the various fibers on the back of your favorite squat shirt. Essentially, because there are more peaks to grip your hand (four times as many as would be if the tops of the peaks weren’t chopped off) you don’t need as “sharp” of a knurl. This leads to a greater grip and less ripped calluses and blood on the platform. This is why we feel, for a power bar, this is the best type of knurling.
Finally, the Rogue Ohio Power Bar is our top pick for the best power bar for most people of all the bars we’ve reviewed. We truly feel like this could be the last barbell you will ever buy (plus it’s listed at a very fair and affordable price and their warranty should cover you.) Using a quality barbell is an experience and one that is, in our opinion, the most valuable aspect of your home gym that, hopefully, you may one day be able to pass down to your kids.
Power Bar Runner-Up: Texas Power Bar


The Texas Power Bar was one of the first of its kind. Produced by Buddy Capps, the Texas Power Bar quickly became the ruler other companies would use to measure themselves against after years of tried and true service. Up until about the last decade, the Buddy Capps Texas Power Bar would have been the best power barbell for most lifters. When it comes to barbells, times have changed, with new manufacturers and leaders building upon and improving the science behind what make a good barbell designed for powerlifting.
As stated in its name, the Buddy Capps Texas Power Bar is produced in the great state of Texas. They have been around since 1980, and have quite the history associated with them. In all actuality, it could be reasoned that more world records have been registered using the Buddy Capps Texas Power Bar than any barbell ever fabricated. That’s crazy to think about, but it’s one of the reasons that the TPB is still considered one of the greatest barbells available, despite its construction and steel being more or less the same as it was when it was first introduced.

The knurling quality of the Texas Power Bar is detailed and focused; each little “knurl” will remind you of the Matterhorn. The Texas Power Bar utilizes the “peaky mountain” style of knurling that we would describe as being aggressive and assuring. Many lifters prefer this style of knurling due to this feeling of precise sharpness that just seems to work when held across your back or wrapped tightly with your fingers. Although we prefer the “volcano” style used on the Rogue Ohio Power Bar, you can read more about our comparison between the Rogue OPB and Buddy Capps TPB here, we realize that knurling is a preference, and took the preferences of others into great consideration.

All around, the Buddy Capps Texas Power Bar is a good, trusted barbell with a long backed reputation. While it is not our favorite bar, it is reliable and has stood the test of time as a treasure among powerlifters.
Multi-Purpose Bar Upgrade Pick: Rogue Ohio Bar - Stainless Steel


While we think most people will best off with our top pick, the Rogue Bar 2.0; if you're interested primarily in corrosion resistance and the feel of the knurling--and willing to pay significantly more for it--we recommend the Rogue Ohio Bar - Stainless Steel. The Rogue Ohio Bar was at one time the flagship barbell for Rogue Fitness. It was made in the USA and featured the best steel and components that Rogue offered at a great price. The Rogue Bar 2.0 has since taken pretty much everything the Ohio Bar has, sans bronze bushings, and is at a lower price.

The Rogue Ohio Bar - Stainless Steel barbell features one of the most coveted steels available--stainless steel. Stainless steel is an excellent choice for barbell steel due to its ability to resist corrosion while offering the feeling of a raw steel bar. It's honestly the best of both worlds, and if you don't mind paying extra, it's worth the extra cost.
The SS Ohio Bar features the same knurling and build quality as the Rogue Bar 2.0 along with the industries best warranty. Although the knurling is technically the same as the standard Ohio Bar and Rogue Bar 2.0, it will feel more aggressive due to their being no coating applied after the knurl is cut. If you've never used a raw steel bar, you're in for a treat. It's truly the best a barbell will feel, although you have to determine if the increased cost is worth it for a better feel and corrosion resistance.
Power Bar Upgrade Pick: Kabuki Strength New Gen Power Bar


The Kabuki Strength New Generation Power Bar is certainly one of the best power bars we’ve ever tested. Put simply, it’s one of the highest quality bars on the market at any price point. The knurling. The steel. The feel. If you want one of the best bars that money can buy, this is near the top of the list.
To understand why the Kabuki Strength New Generation Power Bar was produced, you need to understand more about the man, co-founder of Kabuki Strength, Chris Duffin. Duffin is an accomplished powerlifter, loves the strength world, but what’s really important to note is that he has a distinguished engineering background. This makes many of the products coming out of the Kabuki Strength lab unique in that you can tell they are focusing on and researching how to make the best products within the given category. In fact, some of our favorite products are Kabuki Strength manufactured, that being the Kabuki Strength Duffalo Bar (one of our favorite specialty bars) and the Kabuki Strength ShouldeRök.

In terms of feel, it’s been hard to pick which bar is the “best.” Again, this is very much a preferential argument, and we’ve gone back and forth between the Kabuki NGPB and the Rogue OPB. Suffice it to say, when it comes to knurl, you can’t go wrong with either one.
The Kabuki Strength Next Generation Power Bar measures in with a diameter of 29mm, with an overall length of 86.5”. We are pleased with the 29mm diameter as this seems to be a favorite among lifters when squatting and pressing (overhead or on a bench). The sleeves utilize self-lubricating bronze bushings which provide a reasonable spin that in not excessive and has become the standard for power bars as of late (we generally prefer them to composite bushings for longevity purposes.)

The Kabuki Strength New Generation Power Bar certainly is one of the most detailed, well thought out barbells on the market today. Currently, Kabuki Strength offers a 5-year warranty. When a company offers less than a 5-year warranty, it feels like they aren’t fully confident in their product. At the price, the Kabuki Strength New Generation Power Bar is currently listed at, we would hope that one day they could reason as to offering a lifetime warranty as Kabuki itself continues growing as a company. 5 years for this price of a barbell does seem a bit low.
Multi-Purpose Bar Budget Pick: FringeSport Wonder Bar


If you want something more affordable and don't mind black zinc sleeves, we also like the FringeSport Wonder Bar. Unlike our top pick, the Wonder Bar comes with black zinc coated sleeves, a slightly smaller 28mm shaft listed at 205,000 PSI tensile strength, and bronze bushings. The Wonder Bar also features one of the most well done end caps out of any barbell we tested (this isn't a very high bar considering nearly most companies at this price point use stickers.) Overall, the Wonder Bar is a well-constructed bar from a company with a reputation for making good equipment at great prices.

Despite the low price and great features, the Wonder Bar from FringeSport does not beat the Rogue Bar 2.0 overall.
One of the standout features of the Wonder Bar is the tensile strength which is listed at 205,000 PSI. The fact that you can purchase a barbell for $200 with a tensile strength over 200,000 PSI reflects the current state of the barbell industry: an arms race to have the cheapest bar with the highest tensile strength. Let me remind you that a higher tensile strength does not equate to a "better" barbell. Although a bar with higher tensile strength will often be stronger, it's also often stiffer.
The Wonder Bar is rated as being "stiff" while the Rogue 2.0 is said to have a "good whip." This isn't definitive and most people will never experience whip that is advantageous due to not being strong enough, but based upon the PSI of the bars and the companies ratings, the Rogue likely a has better whip. No matter what, neither I nor anyone else has really been able to quantify whip, and until that time, perceived whip shouldn't play a huge factor in deciding what barbell to purchase.

One feature of the Wonder Bar that is a drawback compared to the Rogue 2.0 Bar is the black zinc coating on the sleeves. Although black zinc is a fine coating for the shaft of a bar, the sleeves experience much more abuse, and after only a few sessions you'll start to notice ugly marks on the sleeves.
One other reason we listed the Wonder Bar from FringeSport as a runner-up is due to the shaft diameter of 28mm. This is the standard shaft diameter for barbells used in Olympic Weightlifting, but for general training we believe this is too thin for most people. If you have small hands, you may like the 28mm shaft, but 28.5 seems to feel better for most applications outside of the classic lifts.
Multi-Purpose Bar Competition

Rogue Ohio Bar - Cerakote: Cerakote is an incredible coating for barbells. Not only does it look awesome thanks to the vibrant colors that can be applied, but it's very durable and resistant to oxidation that occurs so often in a garage gym. Despite this, although we have many bars coated in Cerakote, for most people, it's not necessary. If you like the colors and want the extra protection against rust, then by all means we recommend them, but most people are looking for the best bang for the buck, and these don't meet that standard as well as our other recommendations.
American Barbell Training Bar: This all-purpose barbell is a great performer. Although our first impressions of the bar were outstanding, it hasn't faired as well over time. The bar has developed surface rust and despite the bar employing composite bushings is one of the slowest spinning barbells we tested (our hypothesis is that too much grease is packed in the sleeve.) We're big fans of American Barbell, their innovation, and attention to detail, but the Training Bar and California Bar are too expensive for the features offered to make our top picks when compared. That said, we're always excited to see what they come out with next and be looking out for their power bar to make the top
Vulcan Strength Standard Bushing Barbell: Vulcan is producing some outstanding equipment, but the bar that we tested features a bright zinc finish that hasn't fared too well against the elements. It spins decently and isn't overpriced, but its lack of corrosion resistance kept it from being in our top picks.
FringeSport Hybrid Barbell: We're actually big fans of this bar. It's very similar to the Chan Bar from Rogue, although it's imported. For the price though, we prefer the Rogue Bar 2.0 and FringeSports more budget-friendly Wonder Bar.
FringeSport Bomba Barbell: Although FringeSport's lower-priced barbell made it into our top picks, the Bomba Barbell has similar features but with a higher price tag. It's a great bar, just not worth the extra cost in our opinion.
FringeSport Wonder Bar Stainless Steel Barbell: A stainless barbell for $300 is pretty impressive, however, we prefer the specs and knurling on the Rogue Ohio Bar SS.
FringeSport CeraColt Cerakote Olympic Barbell: A great bar at a great price, but still more expensive than our other picks.
Rogue Ohio Bar: The standard Ohio Bar is a great barbell, but not worth the extra cost over the Rogue Bar 2.0.
Rogue B&R Bar 2.0: The B&R 2.0 Bar from Rogue Fitness came very close to being in our top picks, but due to the slightly thicker shaft, cost, and more of a powerlifting focus it did not make it. That said, if you don't really desire whip, enjoy a thicker barbell, and don't mind providing extra maintenance to a raw steel bar, then the B&R 2.0 is a great choice.
Rogue Chan Bar: The Chan Bar by Rogue Fitness was another bar that barely made it off our top picks list. Featuring some innovative ideas like a light center knurl and an increased distance between the outer knurling, the Chan Bar is pretty unique. Unfortunately, Rogue no longer offers the bar in different finishes and charges extra for nothing that really costs them extra; the Chan Bar will have to remain an honorable mention (we still love you, Matt!)
Rogue Ohio Power Bar: The Rogue Ohio Bar is an outstanding barbell, especially if you focus on the big 3 (squat, deadlift, bench) but due to this guide being for the majority of people, the Ohio Power Bar will remain an honorable mention. However, it was chosen as our Top Pick for the Best Powerlifting Barbell that you can find here.
Further reading

The Best Weighted Vests for 2021
Weighted Vests are one of the best value pieces of equipment you can add to your home gym. They’re relatively affordable compared to barbells, racks, and plates yet can be used for a wide variety of movements. After researching more than 50 weight vests and evaluating 19, we believe the Rogue Plate Carrier is the best weight vest for most people. It’s a minimalist vest that does everything you want right and leaves out the rest. If you want to go heavier than 40 LB, our runner-up the Kensui EZ Vest may suit you better. Read More

The Best Budget Home Gym Equipment for 2021
Just about everyone loves the idea of walking out of your garage door or into your basement or even into a bedroom and having a place where you can hone your physical and mental abilities. Unfortunately, many people have the idea that a home gym or garage gym has to be expensive; we’re here to crush that notion. Here is the best home gym equipment for those on a budget so you can start training at home on your time without breaking the bank. Read More

The Best Bumper Plates for 2021
After researching over 70 bumper plates, using 32 of them, we've determined that the best bumper plates for most people are the FringeSport Bumper Plates. The best competition bumper plates for most people are the Rogue Black Training Bumper Plates. Taking into consideration rubber used, durability, noise, appearance, price, warranty, and availability, these bumper plates will work well for any home gym, commercial gym, or CrossFit Affiliate. Read More

The Best Safety Squat Bar for 2021
After researching 14 Safety Squat Bars and testing 7 of them during training sessions featuring squats (regular, box, and front,) good mornings, lunges, JM Presses and more, we think that the Titan Safety Squat Bar V2 is the best Safety Squat Bar for most people. Our previous pick was the EliteFTS SS Yoke Bar; although we still love the SS Yoke, version two of the Titan SSB is almost identical at a much lower price, especially when shipping is considered. It features heavy-duty steel, removable handles, thick padding, and chrome plating. There isn't a warranty which is unfortunate, but we doubt you'll ever need to use it. Read More