comprehensive barbell list 2015

[Stacy Boulet]

Originally Posted by Robbie Nelson

Help cure my ignorance... What is the purpose of center knurl?

It was originally used for one-handed olympic lifts (one handed snatches) many decades ago, but has remained in use because some folks believe it helps the bar stay in place during squats.

[Drew Cloutier]

Originally Posted by Stacy Boulet

It was originally used for one-handed olympic lifts (one handed snatches) many decades ago, but has remained in use because some folks believe it helps the bar stay in place during squats.

I don't think it's merely a belief...huge difference, especially in a low bar squat

[Stacy Boulet]

Originally Posted by Drew Cloutier

I don't think it's merely a belief...huge difference, especially in a low bar squat

That may be true for you, but it's not true for everyone. I've owned numerous bars over the years from York, Quest, Lynx, Cap, Sorinex, Hampton, etc. and haven't noticed a difference between those with and without a center knurl with squats in the mid/upper 400's.

As with everything else in life, YMMV.

In hindsight, I can see that my statement was poorly worded. It should've read "Some folks find that the center knurl helps hold the bar in place during squats".

[Steven Thunander]

So here is the rest of my review on the Klokov bar...

1. This bar is not for high rep metcons involving cleans, push presses, or thrusters. You will scratch your neck up fierce with it. This bar will work for deadlifting and snatch WODS. The bar I worked with had center knurl that was more aggressive than the normal knurl.

2. The whip is about the same as a mulitpurpose at the 185-225lb range. It probably gets better after this.

If this bar is offered with a soft center knurl or no center knurl, I would recommend it to CrossFitters in a heart beat. With that aggressive center knurl, this bar becomes a bar exclusive to Oly lifters who like aggressive center knurls and powerlifters.

[Drew Cloutier]

How aggressive is it really (the centre knurl) i mean is it comparible to a werksan bar? a TPB? just because I find it easier to compare something like that than saying just its really aggressive. I find it misleading a bit since one person will say OMG its a cheese grater...then i'll grab it and be like...damn this is actually mild..

[Struan Potter]

Originally Posted by Drew Cloutier

How aggressive is it really (the centre knurl) i mean is it comparible to a werksan bar? a TPB? just because I find it easier to compare something like that than saying just its really aggressive. I find it misleading a bit since one person will say OMG its a cheese grater...then i'll grab it and be like...damn this is actually mild..

The centre knurl on the AF Klokov bar is rougher than the regular knurl on most bars. Not Eleiko or Werksan sharp, but a lot rougher than I expected. I taped the centre knurl with electrical tape so to mitigate this.

[Andrew Daggon]

I have 2 klokov bars (which I love) and the center knurl on them is just a tad softer than the knurl on the rest of the bar.

[Drew Cloutier]

Originally Posted by Struan Potter

The centre knurl on the AF Klokov bar is rougher than the regular knurl on most bars. Not Eleiko or Werksan sharp, but a lot rougher than I expected. I taped the centre knurl with electrical tape so to mitigate this.

I am glad you put a comparison like that, and I think I will also use this method in the future, because you proved my point for me. "aggressive" is subjective. you mention werksan being sharp...all the werksan bars i've trained on I would never say sharp (i'd actually say they were not sharper than rogue bars)...the bar knurl is sandpaper like and the centre knurl was barely there, a TPB however is sharp (and all the other texas bars lol)

[Jeremy Schultz]

Originally Posted by Drew Cloutier

How aggressive is it really (the centre knurl) i mean is it comparible to a werksan bar? a TPB? just because I find it easier to compare something like that than saying just its really aggressive. I find it misleading a bit since one person will say OMG its a cheese grater...then i'll grab it and be like...damn this is actually mild..

I agree. I have had the Klokov bar for about 3-4 months, and it's the first bar with a center knurl that I've had. I actually like it. I do think it's slightly more aggressive than the rest of the knurl on the bar, for some reason, but if anything it helps me. It does seem to help the bar "stick" better during squats and I have never had any kind of issue with it being irritating during cleans.

Like others have said, YMMV, but I can't see how the small amount of knurling on the center can cause that much of a big-deal.

I will probably look specifically for center knurling in future bars, just because of the Klokov bar.

[Daniel OBrien]

Euro Steel Rogue OLY Bar: http://www.roguefitness.com/euro-28mm-olympic-wl-bar