Best Safety Squat Bar for Home Gym
Our Top 3 Safety Squat Bars
Preview | Product | Availability | |
Best Overall  | Rogue Fitness SB-1 Safety Squat Bar | ||
Best Value   | Titan Fitness Safety Squat Olympic Bar V2 | ||
Best for Beginners  | Synergee Safety Squat Bar | ||
Best safety squat bars that can help you train safely with more weights
A safety squat bar is a piece of equipment worth considering for your home gym, especially if you have shoulder or elbow injuries or issues. It can also benefit athletes and exercisers who are involved with throwing sports and activities.
Related: 8 Best Squat Racks For Home Gym That Can Help You Lift Weights Safely
Installing a safety squat bar in your home gym can help keep your shoulders and other joints healthy.
Best Safety Squat Bar Overall: Rogue Fitness SB-1 Safety Squat Bar
Rogue Fitness is one of the few gym equipment manufacturers who build their product in the USA, making their build quality hard to beat.
The design of the Rogue SB-1 Safety Squat Bar is hard to fault. It is classic and well-built
and should serve you well for many years.
The solid steel bar with high-quality machining and attention to detail welding makes it the best safety squat bar for your home gym.
The uncompromising Cerakote finish, the only bar on the list with that finish, ensures longevity and a product that can withstand the weather.
The closed-cell foam padding is well-stuffed and has heavy-duty stitching and a vinyl covering, which should keep you comfortable during your training and protect you from gems.
The 5.5-inch camber drop allows for good weight distribution and excellent stability, making it possible to work different muscle groups.
With the price in the mid-range, the Rogue SB-1 should appeal to many. Thus it should be a good buy for many lifters looking for a safety squat bar to maximize their load lifts.
It is a bit more expensive than the Titan V2, but you are getting quality and a product from a brand with some of the best customer services in the fitness equipment market.
It may not be the first choice of many novices, but it should be high on the list of seasoned lifters and athletes who want a product that can stand the roughness of their workout.
Pros
- Well-designed and high-quality build with great attention to detail.
- Fully welded for durability
- Cerakote finish for longevity
- Heavy duty with a high weight capacity
- Competitively pricedExcellent weight distribution
- Made in the USA
Cons
- Possible concerns about the durability of the padding
- It may not be suitable for beginners and novices
- It may not suit athletes with a small body
- Much heavier than others
- No knurling
Product Weight: 70 pounds | Product Length: 68 inches | Product Width: 21 inches | Product Height: 10 inches | Diameter: Handles = 1 in diameter formed solid steel, haft = 1.5 inch diameter formed solid steel| Weight Capacity: Tested at 1000 pounds
The Rogue SB-1 Safety Squat Bar is available to buy directly from Rogue Fitness.
Best Premium Safety Squat Bar: Marrs-Bar
The Marrs-Bar is the best safety squat bar for those worrying about or struggling with shoulder or spine injury.
It is a redesign of the traditional safety squat bar, allowing the bar to target and work your lower body muscles much better.
The 45-degree camber drop helps to lower the pressure on the back and the neck, and also reduces the stress on the shoulders, spine, knees, and hips.
The shallow angle of the Marrs-Bar shifts the focus of front squats more towards the hips, and because the weight is much lower, working with the safety squat bar puts less stress on the lumbar spine.
The unique design of the Marrs-Bar allows the redistribution of weight through the padding, making it possible for athletes to lift more weight without discomfort than would have been possible.
The build quality is exceptionally high, with Marrs-Bar using high-grade components for the single-welded frame of the unit. The thickly padded shoulder pad ensures you can exercise in comfort.
The Marrs-Bar is one of the best safety squat bars for athletes and exercisers recovering from injury or having mobility issues.
It can also help you do your front and back squats, good mornings, lunges, and other barbell exercises in comfort and with better stability.
It is a high-quality specialty bar that needs special consideration.
Pros
- High-quality design and build
- Harness pad with high-density memory foam padding
- High maximum weight capacity of 1200 pounds
- Made in the USA
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
- Pricey. Price at the high end
- Non-removable handles and padding make it challenging to use the safety squat bar for such exercises as JM presses and skull crushers.
- Narrow shoulder grip handlebars could make it uncomfortable for some athletes.
- No knurling on handles.
Product Weight: 65 pounds | Product Length: 89 inches | Max loaded weight: 1200 pounds
The Marrs-Bar is available to purchase from Rogue Fitness
Best Value Squat Bar: Titan Fitness Safety Squat Bar V2
The Titan Fitness Safety Squat Bar V2 is a much-improved version of the original, which was uncomfortably stiff and had questionable dimensions.
The V2 has the same dimension as a standardized Olympic barbell making it easy to use your existing standard weight plates and other accessories. Thus it can work with many squat racks, power racks, and half racks.
Titan uses durable alloy steel for the safety squat bar. The design and build quality are good but not as high as those from Rogue Fitness or Marrs-Bars.
The single-piece arm and shoulder pad is well-fitted and should stay in place during your workouts. The thick padding is comfortable, and the easy-to-clean vinyl covering protects it from bacteria and infections.
The camber angle pairs nicely with a 5-in drop to give the bar a balanced weight feel.
The safety squat bar handles are removable, making it possible to use the bar for other weighted exercises like JM presses and overhead presses.
Titan rates the weight capacity of the safety squat bar at 15000 pounds and the 16 inches bar makes it possible to load a few weight plates at a time.
The weight of the squat bar is just 61 pounds, making it suitable for many lifters.
The V2 is a much-improved version of the original. It is well-designed and well-built.
The Titan safety squat bar is worth considering. It is competitively priced and should fit into many beginner and starter gyms.
Pros
- Acceptable build quality
- Single-piece neck pad prevents slipping
- Removable handles make it easy to use the bar for other exercises
- Compatible with standard equipment and Olympic plates
- High weight capacity rating
- Thick and comfortable neck and shoulder pad
- Good value for money
Cons
- No knurling
- Chrome coating may not be long lasting
- Some quality control issues
Product Weight: 61 pounds | Product Length: 90.5 inches | PBar Diameter: 38 mm | Weight Limit: 61 pounds
You can view and purchase the Titan Fitness Safety Squat Bar V2 on Amazon.
Best Safety Squat Bar for Beginners: Synergee Safety Squat Bar
Synergy Fitness is a USA-based fitness equipment manufacturer and supplier with a reputation for clean, simple, and well-thought-out products for home gyms. The Synergee Safety Squat Bar is one such product.
The build quality of the safety squat bar is high, and it looks durable, solid, and well-made. And unlike others, it has knurling on the handlebars, making it unlikely for the bar to slip out of your sweaty hands during your workout.
The safety squat bar will take Olympic weight plates. Thus it can work with some of your existing equipment and accessories.
The neck pad is well-padded, comfortable, and in one piece, making it difficult to fall off during your training. But it is removable, making it easy to upgrade or change if necessary or remove for exercises that will not require them.
The Synergee bar breaks no new ground, but it is a quality specialty bar that will fit into many gyms. It’s not light, but not heavy too.
The maximum weight limit of 1000 pounds will appeal to many, including beginners and experienced athletes. And the shorter length makes it ideal for different gym sizes, including small ones.
The Synergee Safety Squat Bar is available in two finishes, black and chrome. Thus buyers can choose a color to suit their taste or gym setup.
Pros
- Solidly built, durable, sleek, and well-made
- Available in two finishes
- Knurled handlebars for better grip
- Removable pads
- Suitable for different types of athletes
- No sweat guarantee
Cons
- Simple, no-frills design
Product Weight: 55 pounds | Product Length: 86.5 inches | Product Width: 14.8 inches | Product Height: 1 inch | Maximum Weight Capacity: 1000 pounds
The Synergee Safety Squat Bar is available to purchase on Amazon.
Alternatively, you can view and buy the Synergee Safety Squat Bar directly from Synergee Fitness.
Best Budget Safety Squat Bar: RitFit Safety Squat Bar
The RitFit Safet Squat Bar is much lighter than many on the list. It is also much cheaper. And with a maximum rated capacity of 700 pounds, the RitFit will be a good buy for novices, casual lifters, and those on a low budget.
The build quality is, however, acceptable, and the bar looks well-presented. But we are not sure about the durability of the lightweight construction materials.
It is also much thinner, but the bar will take Olympic weight plates, meaning it can work with various standard equipment.
It is a single-piece unit with removable handlebars and padding, making it easily usable for exercises such as skull crushers and shoulder presses.
The padding with a 1-inch thickness should offer plenty of support and comfort, while the 41.4-degree camber angle should ensure a good balance during your squat exercises.
The knurling on the handlebar is not very aggressive and should work well for many, ensuring you get a good grip, even with sweaty hands.
Pros
- Affordable and budget friendly
- Removable handles and padding
- Best budget safety squat bar for beginners and those on a low budget
- Knurled handlebars
Cons
- Lightweight and durability concerns
- Handle placement may not suit some lifters
- Low weight capacity
Product Weight: 46 pounds | Product Length: 87 inches | Weight Limit: 700 pounds
The RitFit Safety Squat Bar is available to purchase on Amazon.
Most Versatile Safety Squat Bar: Bells of Steel SS3 Safety Squat Bar
The Bells of Steel SS3 is the only brand offering multiple handles for their safety squat bar.
The build quality is acceptable. The contrasting design, shaft with a black zinc finish, and sleeves with white zinc coating make it stand out and should complement many home gyms.
The three short, long, and chained handlebars are removable. They allow you to train in different ways, make the movements more or less challenging, and expand the number of exercises possible with the SSB, helping to make it our choice of best versatile safety squat bar.
It has rotating weight sleeves – the only bar with that feature on our list – that takes two-inch barbell collars and Olympic weight plates.
Unlike many other safety squat bars, the collars work well on the SS3.
The single-piece pad is well-stuffed and should offer a good level of comfort for users.
One limitation of the SS3 is the length of the sleeve bar. It is just 12 inches long. Most safety squat bars have 16-inch sleeves. Thus you may not be able to load that many weight plates on the bar
Despite the short sleeves, the Bells of steel SS3 has a rated weight capacity of 1500 pounds. We don’t believe the length of the sleeves will allow you to load that much weight on the bar.
Thus even though the Bells of Steel SS3 has an impressive 190,000 PSI tensile strength rating, you may not be able to take full advantage of that due to the short sleeve length.
Another notable limitation is while the 47-inch long SS3 will fit on Bells of Steel racks, it may not work with any stands with J-cups wider than 47 inches.
Thus, you should consider the size of your existing squat rack before ordering.
The price of the SS3 is comparable with others. The high tensile strength and weight capacity should appeal to novices and experienced lifters. It should be a welcome addition to many home gym setups.
Pros
- It comes with three different handles.
- Rotating sleeves
- High tensile strength
- Zinc coating for durability
Cons
- Handle threads may not be durable.
- Short sleeve length
- May not fit onto non-Bells of Steel racks
- Shallow camber drop
Product Weight: 47.5 pounds | Product Length: 57.9 inches | Product Width: 26.77 inches | Product Height: 5.91 inches | Weight Capacity: 1000 & 1500 pounds
The Bells of Steel Safety Squat Bar is available to view and purchase on Amazon.
Best Safety Squat Bar – Highly Recommended: Ader Safety Squat Olympic Bar
The Ader Safety Squat Bar has two weight options – 1000 and 1500 pounds, making it possible to go for what will match your goals.
The build quality is acceptable, even though attention to detail and quality control seem to fall short.
The 59-pound bar takes Olympic weight plates for convenience.
The pad is comfortably padded and should not be an issue for many lifters, with the vinyl covering ensuring easy cleaning and protection from bacterial infections.
The Ader safety squat bar is worth considering. Though, there are a few issues worth addressing to bring the bar to a higher level, particularly with the balancing and the pad.
Pros
- High weight capacity and choice of different weights
Cons
- Angled cuffs may make loading weights challenging.
- Build and quality control issues.
- The price does not match the quality and design
Product Weight: 117 pounds | Product Length: 68 inches | Product Width: 12 inches | Product Height: 18 inches | Foot Print: 51.25 x 22.5 inches | Steel Notes: 2×2 inches and 2×3 inches 11-Gauge Steel
The Ader Safety Squat Bar is available on Amazon.
What to Look for in a Safety Squat Bar
Buying a safety squat bar is an investment that should pay for itself in many ways if you make the right choice.
A safety squat bar should serve you well for many years, if not a lifetime. Thus your goal should be to invest in a piece of equipment that will stand the test of time and be able to take the roughness of your workout.
Below are some factors to consider in a safety squat bar for your gym.
- Build Quality and Materials
The design, types of materials, and build quality of the safety squat bar are some of the determinants of the durability and longevity of any safety squat bar.
In many cases, products selling at a high price have better build quality and durability, but this is not always the case.
Ensure the price you are paying is a good indicator of the quality of the product.
Stainless steel-made bars tend to be much more durable. Bars with Cerakote coating can withstand the harshness of the weather much better and would be a better bar than zinc or nickel-plated. - Weight of the Safety Squat Bar
The heavier the barbell, the more challenging you will find your workout. Thus novices and beginners should start with a lighter weight, build their strength up, and progress from there. - Maximum Weight Capacity.
The higher the weight capacity of a safety squat bar, the more load it takes. Beginners can get away with bars taking a maximum of 700 pounds or less. But seasoned and heavy lifters should consider 1000 pounds and higher-rated safety squat bars.
Also, the length of the bar sleeves can limit the number of eight plates you can load on the bar. Thus a shorter sleeve will take fewer plates and, in many cases, lower weights, irrespective of the rated capacity. - Length
Look for a shorter safety squat bar if your training space is small. That will make it easy to manipulate the bar and exercise without restrictions.
A longer bar works well in open or large training spaces or commercial gyms. - The Design and Structure of the Pad and Handles
The gap between handles, the design, length, and thickness of the pad can affect the usability and make you more or less comfortable during your training. Athletes with a broad frame should ensure the gap between the handles is wide enough to accommodate their broad shoulders, while those with narrow shoulders should consider the opposite.
Final Words From LiveLife
A safety squat bar is a specialty barbell with handles and fitted pads that protects your shoulders and back, helping to prevent or reduce the pressure from the bar.
Getting one of these for your gym can help you maximize your load lifts and allow you to do squats, bench presses, and similar exercises with a low risk of injury.
A safety squat bar can benefit athletes with shoulder and elbow injuries and anybody who does throwing and sports. You can also use the bar for many exercises instead of the barbell.
Thus it can be a valuable addition to any gym. We hope getting one of the safety squat bars we have listed can help you achieve your strength training goals.