Best Texas Power Bars Review In 2022

As a collegiate athlete that has trained in several small to world class gyms, I’ve been able to test and use different Texas Power Bars for my strength and conditioning programs. 

After testing four different Texas Power Bars, the best we’ve concluded is the Buddy Capps Texas Power Bar because of their quality and durability. With over 40+ years being in the market, they’ve established themselves as the Best Texas Bar Manufacturers and suppliers on the market.

The knurling quality of the barbel is detailed, sharp, and consistent and utilizes a pyramid style. This style is perfect for many advanced lifters as it gives the feeling of precision and grip needed, so it stays in your hands during a heavy pull. 

As it’s also affordable, this barbell is one of the best for the type of athlete who’s looking to get stronger in the gym.

The Top Texas Power Bars Reviewed

Product Image	Product's name	Main Features	More Info
[amazon fields="B01A1GEDH8" value="thumb"]	Best Standard [amazon fields="B01A1GEDH8" value="title" title_length="100"]	20 kg (45 lbs) 1500 lbs	[amazon fields="B01A1GEDH8" value="button"]
	Best Affordable Troy Fitness Olympic Texas Power bar	20 kg (45 lbs) 1500 lbs	View latest price
	Best Max Weight Load Capacity EliteFTS Texas Power Bar	20 kg (45 lbs) 2000 lbs	View latest price
	Best Variety LB Baker’s Texas Power Bar	20 kg (45 lbs) 1500 lbs	View latest price

Find the Best Texas Power Bar for You

Buddy Capps Texas Bar has been the best all-purpose barbel on the market. It has been around since 1980, meaning there have been over 40 years of quality craftsmanship and innovation in this masterpiece.

The bar is made in America and is designed to handle heavy loads with minimal whip. All the powerlifting federations approve this Texas Power Bar for competition standards.

The knurling quality of the barbel is detailed, sharp, and consistent and utilizes a pyramid style. This style is perfect for many advanced lifters as it gives the feeling of precision and grip needed, so it stays in your hands during a heavy pull. However, it may also create and rip off existing calluses.

Measuring at a shorter 28.5mm diameter in comparison to other standard power bars, the thin feel gives a sense that you have more control over the bar that is perfect for deadlifts.

With the Chrome and Black Zinc Coating finish that protects the bar from rust and a 10 Year Warranty, you’ll never need another barbell ever again.

TROY has been the leader in the barbell and lifting industry for over 30 years. Continuously bringing out new innovative quality products that many fitness enthusiasts, colleges, and gyms use. They pride themselves on their warranty and their word about their products, setting industry standards.

Their Olympic Texas Power Bar definitely holds up to their brand. Made with alloy steel, it has been tested to withstand over 1500 lbs. The bar is coated with black zinc, which is a perfect finish protection against corrosion and rust.

This knurling is a 4” depth diamond surface providing a better grip and maximum control. With a five year warranty included, this is an excellent bar for high school and college weight rooms.

The EliteFTS focuses on making average athletes great and great athletes elite. Their focus is on providing value and information to educate the strongest athletes worldwide and make them even better.

And The EliteFTS Texas Power Bar is no different from that mission. Whether you’re looking to deadlift, bench, squat, or lunge, the aggressive knurling with center knurl will ensure you have the grip to lift those heavy weights.

With the bronze brushing finish between the bar and sleeve, you can glide your weights through easily as the barbell bearings spins smoothly. With over 190,000 PSI Strength EliteFTS Texas Power Bar can withstand up to a 2000 lbs (907 kg) load.

EliteFTS’s Texas Power Bar is a great power bar if you’re looking for high quality and durability. This won’t disappoint your lifting gains. 

LB Baker is a worldwide distributor of the Texas Power Bar and also the Texas Squat Bar, Texas Deadlift Bar, and other Speciality Texas Power Bars. LB Baker personally makes these bars, which is an advantage of the other competitors as you can find a bar perfect for you.

For LB Baker’s Texas Power Bar, he’s able to create a Youth Bar, which weighs 15 kg with a 25 mm shaft, and is 6’ 6” long. He also makes different Texas Cross Bars coming in different weights (20 kg, 25 kg), lengths (27.55mm for Deadlift, 28.5 mm for Bench Press, 30mm for Squats), diameters, knurling, and coating finishes.

Famous record breaking powerlifters have used these bars created by LB Baker, so you don’t have to worry about the quality or durability of this bar.

Texas Power Bar Buying Guide

What Is A Texas Power Bar

The Texas Power Bar was first created and manufactured by Buddy Capps over 40 years ago. Back in the 1960s, the Olympic Bars had hardly on the grip as the knurling was so light and slick. The sleeves held on the bar had a threaded end cap and an inside collar held in place together with a set screw.

The goal was to create a barbel that would have a better knurling for improved grip and sleeves that wouldn’t slide into the center. This would reduce the maintenance meaning the bar would be more durable.

That’s how the Texas Power Bar was created.

Each shaft is knurled to create the best grip in the industry. The black zinc and chrome plating finishes prevent the bar from rusting. With over 180 K Tensile Strength, the barbell will hold up heavy weights with ease, so you never have to worry about a bar falling apart mid lift.

This bar has continued to set and break state, national, international, and world powerlifting records, so you know these power bars are among the best in the market.

The Standard Texas Power Bar Specs

The Standard Texas Power Bar specifications are:

Length – 84” (213 cm)

Weight – 20 kg (45 lbs)

Diameter – 28.55 mm

Weight Load Capacity – 1500 lbs

Tensile Strength – 186,000 psi

Shaft Material – Sprung Tempered Steel with a Zinc Plated Finish

What To Look Out For When Your Purchasing A Texas Power Bar

Texas Power Bar Tensile Strength and Capacity

Tensile Strength is measured in PSI, which shows the amount of force that it will take for your bar to break. When you’re looking for a power bar, keep an eye out for the PSI rating. 

However, a higher PSI rating is not an indicator that it is a better barbell. You must also look at yield strength, the point at which your bar will bend and not return back to its original state. However, most manufacturers and suppliers do not disclose these ratings.

As a regular lifter, you will not have to worry about Tensile Strength as they are very strong and will unlikely break on you.

Texas Power Bar Dimension

Barbells are not the same for women, men and youth lifters. The bar varies in shift diameter, weight, and overall bar length.

• Men’s Barbell weighs 20 kg (45 lbs), has a length of 2.2 meters (86.4 inches), and has a bar shaft of 28 – 29 mm.
• Women’s Barbell weighs 15 kg (33 lbs), has a length of 2.01 meters (79 inches), and has a bar shaft of 25 mm.
• Youth Barbell weighs 10 kg (22 lbs), has a length of 1.7 meters (67 inches), and a bar shaft of 25 mm.

Texas Power Bar Knurling

Texas Power Bars usually have very aggressive knurling. This makes it a lot easier for your hands to get a hold of and prevent them from sliding down when you’re lifting heavy weights. However, it can tear up calluses and your skin if it isn’t tough. 

This is great for regular lifters as a rough and aggressive knurling feels like the bars are glued onto your hands. If you’re locking the bar on your back or your hands tightly, it should not tear your skin as much if you’re not lifting near your max.

Texas Power Bar Stiffness

The stiffness of a Texas Power Bar is not the tensile strength. It also does not mean it has a higher tensile strength if it is a stiffer barbell.

Bar length, Material Density, and Thickness all play a part in the stiffness of the barbell. It reduces the whip, making pull lifts such as deadlifts harder to pull up.

Texas Power Bar Finish and Feel

Bars are coated with a finish to prevent rusting. This keeps the quality of the bar healthy for several years. Common coatings that are used include zinc plating and chrome finishes.

These finishes will change the grip and how it feels on your hands. It will also determine how much maintenance you will need to keep the bar rust free.

FAQs for Texas Power Bar

Difference Between Texas Power Bar vs Ohio Power Bar

The Ohio Bar is also very similar to the Texas Bar. The Barbell weighs 20 kg (45 lbs), has a length of 2.19 meters (86.5 inches), and has a bar shaft of 29 mm. The difference is the average tensile strength of 205,000 psi and is IPF Approved.

IPF is the International Powerlifting Federation and also hosts world records from youth, women, and men in powerlifting.

The Ohio Bar Knurling is much deeper and aggressive than the Texas Power Bar and much stiffer. This means that there is less whip means pull lifts such as deadlifts tend to be much more challenging.

The price tag for the Ohio Power Bar is a bit more expensive; however, it has a larger loadable area allowing you to add an extra plate of weight. 

Another difference is that it can come in a stainless steel shaft variation, which will feel better on your hands and will require less maintenance overall.

If you have a tighter budget, we recommend getting The Texas Bar.

If you are looking to perform at a high level, such as the IPF Federation, we recommend getting The Ohio Bar.

Difference Between Texas Power Bar vs Rogue Power Bar

The Rogue Power Bar is also very similar to the Texas Bar. The Barbell weighs 20 kg (45 lbs) with 205,000 PSI tensile strength and flexibility. The difference is it’s a longer bar length of 2.3 meters (90.5 inches) and a shorter bar shaft at 27 mm.

The knurling is also more aggressive than the Texas Power Bar, which allows more grip when you’re lifting heavy weights.

The similarities between the Texas and Rogue Power Bars is their extraordinary level of flexibility, bar length, shaft diameter, and bar length. They are both used in competitive scenarios, so you know they are great for training also.

The differences between these two bars are the durability and finish. Since the Rogue Power Bar is a bare steel bar, it’s more likely to rust from all the wear and tear. In comparison, the Texas Power Bar is finished with a black zinc oxide treatment allowing it to be more resistant towards rust.

Both bars have aggressive knurling to allow you to have a better grip, but the Rogue Bar feels like it has more sharpness and bite than the Texas Bar. The Texas Power bar has a more flat knurling pattern, while the Rogue takes a diamond shape knurling pattern that sinks into your hands and builds those callouses. 

If you have the budget, we recommend getting the Rogue Power Bars.

If you’re looking for a more affordable option that will last you for years, we recommend the Texas Power Bar.

Both bars are made with quality steel and are pressure tested for maximum performance.

Difference Between Olympic Bars vs Power Bar

Olympic Weightlifting focuses on two main lifts; The Clean and Jerk and The Snatch. The athlete is allowed three attempts on both these lifts, and the highest successful weight lif you get is the results.

Olympic Weightlifting focuses more on their explosive power, technique, and strength, rather than raw strength like powerlifting. That’s why the bar will be different as the needs will be different.

The Men’s Olympic Barbell is 2.2 meters long (86 inches), weighing 20 kg (45 lbs). The sleeves are 50 mm in diameter and have a 28 mm diameter around a 1.3 meter bar length.

While the Women’s Olympic Barbell is a little bit shorter at 2.1 meters (82.8 inches) and weighs 15 kg (33 lbs). However, these Olympic Bars don’t have center knurling.

The main difference between Olympic Barbells and Power Barbells is the whip. The whip is the ability to store elastic energy in the bar that helps it spring the weight up. This is beneficial, especially for Olympic lifters, as they are aiming for power and speed, not raw strength.

The second is their smooth rotating sleeves. This allows the person to get under the bar quickly without releasing their grip. Also, the bar’s are usually a bit more durable as they have to withstand repeated drops from the collarbone and overhead positions.

How To Properly Use A Texas Power Bar For Deadlift

The deadlift is one of the best total body movements for building muscle and strength. With a Texas Power Bar, you can maximize the amount of weight you can lift as it’s designed for the deadlift.

Here is how you deadlift properly using a Texas Power Bar:

1. Begin standing with your feet shoulder width apart and grasp the bar using your hands just outside of your knees.
   1. You can make sure you have the correct grip by placing your thumbs against the outer part of your knees. Run them down until they touch the bar and that is your ideal hand position.
   2. For grip we recommend two positions; Double Overhand Grip or Mixed Grip. Begin standing with your feet shoulder width apart and grasp the bar using your hands just outside of your knees.Double Overhand is when both palms are facing towards you. This grip ensures you don’t get any muscle imbalances with your back and ensures it trains your grip strength and forearms.Mixed Grip can be used when you’re lifting a heavier weight. When you’re lifting a heavier weight, it tends to slip if you don’t have any chalk or straps
2. Keep your head in a neutral position when you set up the lift and throughout the whole lift. You can do this by looking forward with your eyes. Fixate to a spot on the ground a few meters ahead of your feet and focus on keeping your chin up and head in the same position throughout the lift.
3. Maintain a strong spine throughout the lift by keeping your chest up and your core tight to prevent your torso from hunching forward over the bar.You can engage the core by breathing deep into your belly and holding your breath. Then brace your abs hard as if you’re being punched in the stomach.
4. Now begin lifting the bar up by driving your hips forward and keeping your back flat

Here’s a video guide that describes everything you need to ensure you have the right form when deadlifting:

How to Perform the Deadlift for Growth (5 Mistakes You’re Probably Making)

How To Properly Use A Texas Power Bar For Olympic Lifts

Olympic Lifts are exercises that are very technical. However, if you learn how to perform these lifts with good mechanics and techniques, your body will become more explosive and powerful. That’s why these are staples for all high performance and professional athletes in sports as it’s one of the many lifts that develop fast twitch muscles.

The main two lifts that Olympic Lifters use are The Clean and Jerk and The Snatch and they can be used with the Texas Power Bar as it gives enough whip to properly get the bar up.

The Clean and Jerk

1. You begin with the barbell on the floor close to the knees. You want the bar close to your body as this helps reduce the amount of force that you have to pull the bar up.
   You can try moving the bar when it’s further away from your knees and see how much more strength you need to pull it up.
2. Your hand should be close to where your knees are. You can use a thumb measurement, where you place your thumbs by your knees and where your hand position is, that’s where you should hold the bar.
3. The difference between a clean and jerk pull and a deadlift is that you should be feeling that you’re pulling the weight up with your whole body and not muscling up. It should feel like it naturally gets up there from your triple extension. (The extension of your ankles, hips, and knees).
4. Now you’re set up, you begin your first pull. Keep your arms straight and look straight ahead. Then begin to pull the bar up with your back flat and chest up.
5. Once the bar is above knee caps, begin jumping straight up, extend your hips, knees, and ankles while shrugging the bar simultaneously. Remember to keep the bar as close to your body as possible.
6. When the bar gets a certain point, drop into a quarter-squat position like you’re doing a front squat. And stand up while keeping your upper body straight, elbows straight, chest out, and chin tucked.
7. Now have a small dip and extend your legs and hips up like your jumping and drive the bar overhead, similar to a push press. As the barbell moves over your head, split your legs into a lunging position. Hold the jerk position and move the feet closer till you’re standing up.

Here is a video tutorial on how to clean and jerk:

OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING 101: How To Clean & Jerk (Full Tutorial) Ft. Clarence Kennedy

The Snatch

1. The setup is completely the same as the clean and jerk apart from the hand placement. Your hands should be a wide grip and should be close to the end of the bar. This is all to your feel on where you feel the strongest and more comfortable.
2. As you go up, you perform the exact same movements. After the bar goes above your knee caps, begin triple extending (extending the ankles, hips, and knees). However, instead of catching it with your collarbone, it’s going to be above your head.
3. When it goes above your ahead, begin to squat down below so you end up at the bottom position of an overhead squat. Now begin standing up while holding that position.

Here is a video tutorial on how to snatch:

OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING 101: How To Snatch (Full Guide) Ft. Clarence Kennedy

Conclusion

Texas Power Bars have become a staple for powerlifters and regular lifters in the gym. Their aggressive knurling and affordable prices are one of the benefits of getting these bars compared to other competitors out there.

Out of the four Texas Bars that were tested and researched, we recommend the Buddy Capps Texas Power Bar because of their quality and durability. With over 40+ years being in the market, they’ve established themselves as the Best Texas Bar Manufacturers and suppliers on the market.

The knurling quality of the barbel is detailed, sharp, and consistent and utilizes a pyramid style. This style is perfect for many advanced lifters as it gives the feeling of precision and grip needed, so it stays in your hands during a heavy pull.

Used for professional competitions worldwide, you know this affordable barbell is one of the best.

If you’re a little more advanced lifter who wants a Texas Power Bar to handle heavy loads, a great alternative to Buddy Capp’s is the EliteFTS Texas Power Bar. With over 190,000 PSI Strength EliteFTS, this Texas Power Bar can withstand up to a 2000 lbs (907 kg) load.

EliteFTS’s Texas Power Bar is a great power bar if you’re looking for high quality and durability. This won’t disappoint your lifting gains.