Best Women’s Barbells (2024) – Reviewed By Professional Female Weightlifter

I've been a professional Weightlifter competing internationally for 22 years. I've lifted with almost every women's barbell as I've traveled to different countries for competitions. So, I’m breaking down the best women’s barbells so you can pick the right one for your next purchase.

Best Women’s Barbell

Eleiko XF Women’s Bar

I don't waste my time regarding barbells. I only want to use the best if I'm purchasing or using a barbell. They provide a better lifting experience and are safer on your joints when performing complex exercises like the Olympic lifts.

It is why I always opt for Eleiko barbells in my training. Their XF women's bar is the ultimate multi-purpose women's barbell, perfect for various training.

It has a unique combination of bushings and needle bearings to provide smooth spin for snatches and clean & jerks while not compromising on heavy strength exercise performance.

Like all women’s barbells, the XF women’s bar has a 25 mm shaft diameter, weighs 15 kg, and has no center knurling, eliminating irritation on my neck when racked.

Meanwhile, the dual knurl markings serve as clear guides for hand placement, suitable for Olympic and powerlifting movements.

What I love about the XF bar is the 1 mm balanced knurling which is far less aggressive than their Weightlifting training bars.

It means I can perform high-rep movements without shredding my hands while providing excellent grip.

As with most premium barbells, they use a hard chrome coating which is highly rust and wear resistant. We've owned our Eleiko bars for over a decade without maintenance and have not had a single rust or peeling issue.

With a 215,000 PSI tensile strength and great whip, your XF women’s bar will never deform or break like cheap barbells do. Finally, a 12-year warranty is a testament to Eleiko's confidence in the XF bar's longevity and robustness.

And your barbell will last much longer as ours has. While the price is premium, you're buying a barbell that will last a lifetime.

Best Women’s Barbell For CrossFit

Rogue Bella Bar 2.0

While the Eleiko XF women's bar is perfect for all lifting, including CrossFit, training with the same brand used in most CrossFit competitions makes sense. This will give you the same feel when competing or lifting within a CrossFit gym without any surprises.

Firstly, the fact that I can get the Bella bar 2.0 with a pink Cerakote shaft excites me. Further, this coating is highly rust-resistant.

But outside of cosmetic benefits, the 190,000 PSI, 25 mm shaft is the same shaft as the Rogue Ohio bar owing to its extreme durability to take a beating during CrossFit.

Further, the Bella bar has a hybrid knurling pattern which isn’t as aggressive as specialist training or competition barbells but more aggressive than the XF bar.

It has bronze bushings and dual knurl markings, so while it doesn't spin as fast as the Eleiko XF bar, it provides enough spin to confidently perform Weightlifting movements.

Being a CrossFit bar, it’s important to have some whip which the Bella bar provides. It’s not stiff like a Powerlifting barbell.

Regarding price, the Bella Bar 2.0 falls into the typical barbell price range of approximately $300. However, check the Rogue boneyard; you may find it much cheaper.

But boneyard bars don't come with lifetime warranty like the Bella Bar does.

Best Budget Women’s Barbell

Fringe Sport Women’s Wonder Bar

Best Women’s Olympic Weightlifting Barbell

Eleiko Women’s IWF Weightlifting Training Bar

Eleiko makes the best women’s barbell for Weightlifting. They are made with the same process and manufacturing quality as the men’s barbell but to women’s competition specifications.

That is a shorter sleeve (12.6 inch), shorter length (79.13 inch), smaller bar diameter (25 mm), and no center knurling.

It has a tensile strength of 215,000 PSI, making it one of the strongest barbells available. The knurling is 1.2 mm deep and balanced, so it's not a cheese grater like the competition barbell.

There's no center knurling, so it won't rough up the skin under your neck. The chrome finish is rust-resistant and never flakes. It doesn't need as much maintenance as other coatings.

Being IWF certified, the barbell is calibrated to 15 kg with extreme accuracy.

The Eleiko Women's IWF Weightlifting Training Bar has needle bearings for optimal spin during Olympic lifts to protect your wrists and allow a perfect bar path.

They even offer a 12-year warranty, but if you look after it properly, the barbell will last a lifetime.

Mine has lasted me decades, and I've used many multiple decade-old Eleiko bars in excellent condition. Being a top-of-the-range barbell, this will set you back over $1000. But it is well worth it if you are a competitive Weightlifter.

Best Beginner Women’s Barbell

Titan Series Women’s Olympic Barbell

The Titan Series Women’s Olympic Barbell was built specifically for beginners and intermediates who train from their home gyms. The one downside of Titan products is the lack of warranty and only providing a 1-year warranty period.

Since you're a beginner, you're likely not lifting heavy enough or doing anything crazy to destroy a barbell and need it replaced. But its build is similar to the Rogue Bella Bar and REP Fitness Colorado Bar.

The Titan Series Bar has a 190,000 PSI tensile strength, weighs 15 kg, has a 25 mm shaft diameter, uses bronze bushings for smooth rotation, and has a Cerakote finish for various colors and rust resistance.

The main difference is in the knurling, as Titan uses a medium diamond textured pattern.

Usually, diamond knurling is the least aggressive and is too smooth, but this knurling is slightly deeper, so you have an excellent grip that isn't too aggressive.

There's also no center knurling, so you can save your neck and collarbones from scratches and bruises. Price depends on the color coating you choose but can range from $250 to $290.

Best Multi-Purpose Women’s Barbell

REP Fitness Colorado Bar

REP Fitness has been going through a full revamp of its barbell range, creating higher-quality bars. The 190,000 PSI tensile strength, 25 mm diameter shaft, and 15 kg weight are identical to the Rogue Bella bar 2.0.

However, it is slightly cheaper than the Rogue Bella Bar 2.0, coming under $300 for the same specs. It makes a great multi-purpose barbell.

REP Fitness uses a medium-depth volcano knurling instead of a hybrid knurling for their Colorado bar. Honestly, there's very little difference in the aggressiveness as both provide excellent grip without ripping the skin off your hands.

It has composite bushings for a smooth spin but not a fast spin like the Eleiko XF bar. There are also dual knurl markings for channeling your inner Olympian or powerlifting champion.

The whip is great with no center knurling, so you can perform Olympic lifts without issue. You have options for coating with a Cerakote pink or black finish with Duracoat sleeves or hard chrome.

Both are excellent options and depend if you want a color shaft or the classic chrome color.

Best Women’s Barbell On Amazon

Synergee Regional 15 kg Barbell

If I can give you my best advice for buying gym equipment, don’t buy from Amazon. You get the lowest quality equipment that will break or damage with time. It also becomes a safety hazard. I’ve seen some horror videos of equipment malfunctions from cheap equipment.

But if you're hell-bent on shopping on Amazon, the Synergee Regional Olympic Women's Bar is your best option.

Choose the hard chrome coating and not the black phosphate. Black phosphate is the lowest quality coating and requires heavy maintenance to stop rust and wears quickly.

But onto the good things. It has a 190,000 PSI tensile strength for decent whip and resisting deformation.

Synergee uses a 1.2 mm diamond knurling similar to the other bars on this list but slightly more aggressive than the Eleiko XF bar.

A redeeming quality is the needle-bearing sleeves providing fast spin for Olympic lifts. If you don't perform these lifts, this barbell isn't a good option. Everything else is identical regarding weight and shaft diameter.

One glaring issue is the lack of warranty. Since it's sold on Amazon, you can return it, but that is within a short window.

Synergee state they will send you a new bar if there are issues when your bar is delivered, but that won't stand a year or more down the line.

How To Choose The Best Women’s Barbell

Shaft Diameter & Weight

The shaft diameter for a women’s barbell should be 25 mm or 1 inch. This is specifically for Olympic Weightlifting bars to make it easier for women with smaller hands to use a snatch and clean grip. Since CrossFit incorporates the Olympic lifts, they are also 25 mm in diameter.

However, other strength sports like Powerlifting and Strongman don’t have specific women’s barbells, so bear that in mind. Regarding weight, a women’s barbell is 15 kg or 35 lbs. A men’s barbell is 20 kg or 45 lbs.

Use Case

Whether you need a women's barbell depends on your use case. For example, if you are performing the Olympic lifts or doing CrossFit, you will need a women's bar because of the above specifications. A women's bar isn't necessary if you're a Powerlifter or training for other sports.

Therefore, you should only purchase one if you’re involved in niche strength sports like Weightlifting and CrossFit or are dabbling in the Olympic lifts.

Center Knurling

Most women's barbells, including competition barbells, don't have a center knurling. It makes it much more comfortable when catching a clean or holding the bar in the front rack position.

Knurling Aggressiveness

You don’t want aggressive knurling on a women’s barbell. The Eleiko XF bar has the best knurling on a women’s bar as it is shallower, making it less aggressive. Lifting with sharp and aggressive knurling will shred your hands as you lift.

Sleeve Rotation

Whether you choose a bushing or bearing barbell depends on the type of lifting you're doing.

If you're predominantly performing the Olympic lifts, you'll want to invest in a bar with needle bearings. Bushings are perfect for hybrid lifters who dabble in multiple-strength sports, as it spins slower.

It's one of the reasons why the Eleiko XF bar is our number-one choice. It has a blend of bushing and bearings, giving you the best of both worlds.

Tensile Strength

Tensile strength indicates barbell quality. It’s measured in pounds per square inch and indicates how much force is required to break or permanently deform the bar. You want a barbell above 180,000 PSI which is considered high tensile strength.

Except for the budget option, every barbell on this list is above 180,000 PSI.

Price

Price often dictates quality. It’s why the budget option has the lowest tensile strength and the best women’s barbell, the Elieko XF bar, is the most expensive but is the highest quality. Most decent barbells are in the $300 range, while premium bars are $700+.

Frequently Asked Women’s Barbell Questions

What Is The Weight Of The Women’s Barbell?

A women's barbell weighs 15 kg (33 lbs) or 35 lbs (16 kg), depending if it is a kilogram or pounds bar.

What Bar Do Female Powerlifters Use?

Female Powerlifters don't have a specific Powerlifting bar like Olympic Weightlifting or CrossFit. Females lift with the same bar as the males in Powerlifting for the squat, bench press, and deadlift, which is a 20 kg bar with a 28 – 29 mm shaft diameter.

Why Use A Women’s Barbell?

A women’s barbell is for the Olympic lifts as the smaller shaft diameter is easier to get smaller hands around when using the snatch grip. So if you perform CrossFit or Weightlifting training, a women's barbell is necessary.

Can Women Lift With A Men’s Bar?

Women can lift with a men's bar. They already do when training in Powerlifting or traditional strength training. But if you’re throwing the bar overhead, a women’s bar is a better option.

Summary

I’ve trained with premium barbells worldwide throughout my years as a professional lifter. Once you lift with a premium bar, average barbells don't cut it. The Elieko XF bar is a premium bar allowing you to perform all forms of training, so you don't need multiple barbells.

If you're short on cash and looking for something on the budget side, Fringe Sport Wonder Bar is the cheapest with excellent features.