POWERBLOCKElite EXP Straight Bar – Compatible Elite EXP Adjustable Dumbbells, Weightlifting, Curling Bar, Weight Bar, Workout Equipment, Strength Training

I was just recently made aware of this bar for the Elite Exp (2020) version. It will not fit any other version.Id say it’s a great addition to my home gym being that I don’t have any weight plates as my home is small but I wanted the bar for curling, squats, benching. I coupled this with the Titan spotter rack (other racks seem to tall for the current bench I have now) and i think it’s not ideal but I am glad I went with this combo.The straight bar comes in 2 packages - the bar itself and the part where the PB plates are placed. It gets attached to the bar with 4 supplied nuts and bolts with washers. Supposed to be able to load the entire complete set of PB elite exp dumbbells. Going to up 195lbs total max. You will also need to put the adder weights into the “handles” of the straight bar.Putting this together was easy. They also supplied stickers for the various weights with and without the adder weights. The dark pink/purple weight indicator has no contrast making it hard to decipher otherwise it’s fine.There is good knurling but there isn’t any knurling in the middle.The bar likes to roll on its backside if you do not put the adder weights in. With the adder weights it feels balanced and doesn’t really roll but it is awkward to do a clean because there’s no ball bearings since the powerblocks are rectangular box shaped it really should not spin. It feels ok on the bicep curl.This bar is too short for average to taller people for bench press. Might even feel too short for squatting that is to say taller people may want a wide arm extension to hold it to the back. I think it’s good for people up to 5’5” maybe 5’6” other wise you’d prob want a longer bar. Also this may not hold enough weight for the strong person. Only up to 195 esp on the squat. That being said I do like this bar because I don’t have any other way (short of buying a entire new barbell set) to do a straight bar bench press or a back squat.I think it could be a bit cheaper but look for it onsale. But I think the price is ok.Glad to have it.

I've kept the bar so I can do light deadlifts, but otherwise I don't think most people need it. It's cumbersome to store, load and use. The weight distribution is off so it rotates in your hands. If you've got the space to store it, it's fine to use. But if you're at home gym is small, I would definitely skip.

The barbell is easy to assemble and does its job. But a big drawback is how its weight is distributed -- essentially, when you pick up the barbell with the EXP weights attached, the barbell wants to rotate until the EXP weights are upside down. Which is inconvenient and...maybe dangerous?Also, as stated in the product description, the barbell's quite short. I'm 5'9" and it's OK for bicep curls and passable for deadlifts, but almost too short for bench press or squatting. And thats with NO rack being used. If you use a rack for those, this barbell won't really cut it cuz there won't be any more bar past your hands that you can use to lay on the rack.

The item arrived with missing pieces and had to be returned.

We went from moving from a house to an RV so we needed to find an efficient compact way to still workout on the road vs standard dumbbells. These are easy to use. They take some time to setup as you workout but it is what we were looking for and needed in our compact space. I love how the grip is perfect to hold, not too small and not too thick. These pair well with the powerblock elite exp adjustable dumbbells! Very nice. Now I need them to come up with a compact bench and squat rack.

Arrived in two packages. Easy assembly. Excellent build quality. Expands the uses of my PowerBlock Elite EXP dumbbells.Take note of the overall width of the bar. Having a squat/bench press rack with an adjustable width is helpful. When racked, flipping the bar so that the labels are facing the ground makes it easier to add weights.

Not the most stable when in use. Doing any sort of exercise and the bar keeps trying to flip arpund due to the weight distribution. I don't think the weights will fall off and works well for what I need it for. Overall seems okay and a good option if you need a barbell

I was a little confused as to why this product was marked as frequently returned. Now I understand. Although the original powerblocks look nearly identical to the EXP series, they are in fact shaped differently. I bought this to use while staying at my girlfriend's place as her father owns a power block set. It would not fit the plates. The powerblocks that I personally own are the EXP series, and it fit perfectly fine.Just something to keep in mind if you have an older powerblock set, there's a good chance it's not the EXP series, even though, as I mentioned, they look practically identical.That out of the way, assuming you have the right set, this makes an awesome addition and I would recommend! I feels sturdy and works easy.