7 Best EZ Curl Bars That Can Help You Build A Strong Upper Body

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I’ve trained with just about every piece of equipment you can imagine. For this review, I dived into the market for EZ curl bars – testing dozens of products – so you don’t have to.

It’s been a hard choice to make but, in this review, I’ll explain why I think the Synergee EZ curl bar is the best choice. I’ll also outline the factors that go into the decision, what makes a great EZ curl bar, and what you should be on the lookout for when buying.

A quick look at our top EZ curl bars

Best EZ Curl Bar Overall: Synergee Commercial EZ Curl Olympic Bar
High quality bar with ergonomic design to help reduce tension and strain on your wrists. An all-round performer that will not disappoint. Read More …

Best EZ Curl Bar Premium Value: Rogue Curl Bar – Cerakote
Commercial grade manufacturing, including Cerakote upgrade to maintain the durability of the bar and prevent rusting and weathering, backed by a five-year warranty. This is the bar to aim for if you want the best and don’t mind spending a little bit extra. Read More …

Best EZ Curl Bar Value for Money: Cap Barbell Olympic Super Curl Bar
A no-frills curl bar at a budget-friendly price with good but basic features and pressure collars. And it does the job quite well too for the money. Read More …

Best EZ Curl Bar for Olympic Plates/Weights Premium Value: Rogue Rackable Curl Bar – Cerakote
Have a rack or looking to rack your EZ curl bar in the future? Then you want to get the extended version of the Rogue Curl Bar. Pricey, but serious and heavy lifters will find it’s worth every cent of their budget. Read More …

Best for Olympic Plates/Weights for the Money: XMark CHISEL Olympic EZ Curl Bar
A classic curl bar with a 400 pounds weight capacity. Comes with a black manganese phosphate coating for durability and longevity. Read More …

Best for 1-inch Standard Plates/Weights: Marcy Threaded Chrome Steel Curl Bar
Lightweight. A good option for beginners and light lifters. Has all the basic features. A simple but effective curl bar with good knurling and ergonomics. Read More …

Best Pre Weighted Curl Bar: Synergee Fixed Easy Curl Bar
A strain-free easy curl bar design with a no-fuss fixed chrome coated barbell structure and rubber-coated ends. Has ergonomic angles that make it possible for you to do more reps with hardly any stress on your wrists. For those looking to save time, money, and space. Read More …

Best EZ curl bar that can help you build strong arm muscles

Let’s look at the best example of EZ curl bars on the market, which ones are best, and what they can teach us…

Best EZ Curl Bar Overall: Synergee Commercial EZ Curl Bar

Some may find the knurling a bit aggressive. But it does a good job of making sure you get a firm grip even when sweating. You may consider using gloves at some point if you find it necessary

The bar comes with powder-coated bushings for seamless rotation and to help it respond smoothly to your motions as you attempt to target the muscles in your biceps and triceps, and build strength. Thus, you can go through your lifting and training with hardly any strain on your muscles.

Synergee offers a range of finishes, all of which offer a great aesthetic and great durability. The red Cerakote is perfect, with a proprietary finish that wears well in any climate or condition. This finish only costs a few more dollars to add serious longevity.

The Synergee Commercial EZ Curl Olympic Bar is the best bar for anyone who wants quality, at a good price, and with plenty of room to grow. It is an investment in getting bigger and stronger for years to come. If you have 2” plates or an Olympic barbell already, this is an outstanding choice. You’ll get amazing value, function, and a high-quality product.

Bar Length: 47.25 inches | Bar Weight: 19 pounds | Weight Capacity: 450 pounds | Plate Compatibility: 2-inch (Olympic sized) plates | Bar Diameter: 28mm | Loadable Sleeve Length: 6.25 inches

You can buy the Synergee Commercial EZ Curl Bar through Amazon or direct from Synergee Fitness, where you can get a 10% off the advertised price if you use the code LIVELIFE196 at the checkout.

Best EZ Curl Bar Premium Value: Rogue Curl Bar – Cerakote

Rogue Fitness is a well-known big player in the fitness industry. They are renowned to produce high-quality commercial-grade fitness equipment at home gym prices.

The Rogue curl bar with a Cerakote finish is a perfect premium product for home gym training.

This is a commercial standard curl bar, trading off a higher price for better “polish” and some great features.

The camber on this product is fantastic, offering a wider range of hand-positions than others on the market.

The medium-depth knurling ensures you maintain a firm grip on the bar, even when sweating. The knurling runs through all the angles on the bar which is a huge benefit to your training experience. Only the very center is non-knurled, making it one of the most versatile EZ curl bars on the market.

The sleeve length is a huge 10.5 inches, adding extra space for more weight. This is one of the ways it out-performs the Synergee bar in the fine details, the pay-off of a premium curl bar. It has a standard weight of 30lbs. The sleeve spin is among the best on the market for smooth lifting and will stand up to more weight than you’ll ever need on a curl bar.

The Cerakote finish upgrade is worth the money. It makes for a hard-wearing outer that suits the conditions of a garage or basement gym, extending the lifespan of the bar. It also ensures that your bar stays in good condition and looks great for longer.

The bar comes with needle bearings, which are usually found in commercial-grade Olympic bars, to help reduce strain on your wrist. Add the needle bearings and bushing in the sleeves, the hard chrome finish that will withstand wear and tear, and the 5-year warranty, and the bar seems like a bargain, compared with the others

The Rogue Fitness Curl Bar is a real upgrade to any home gym, bringing commercial gym quality to your setup. Its commercial+ quality outperforms many of the curl bars you’ll find in most gyms. The price is a little higher but it’s definitely justified in the lifespan of the bar and the sheer quality of its build, design, and performance.

If you’re looking for the best – and you don’t mind paying a little extra – this is the EZ curl bar for you. You can buy it through the Rogue fitness website to get the best price and take advantage of their daily shipping deals.

Bar Length: 54.5 inches | Bar Weight: 30 pounds | Plate Compatibility: 2-inch (Olympic sized) plates | Bar Diameter: 28.5mm | Loadable Sleeve Length: 10.50 inches

Best EZ Curl Bar Value for Money: Cap Barbell Olympic Super Curl Bar

The sleeve length is a standard 7.5 inches and finished in chrome. The neutral grip angles of the curl bar are excellent. It uses bushings to provide a smooth and effective cuff rotation while lifting. This may not be up to commercial standard but still offers comfortable movement when lifting.

CAP also includes screwing pressure clamps with this product, which is a bonus. These are far better than typical spring clips or plastic locking collars, offering better safety when securing weights on the bar. These are great for any home gym using 2” Olympic bars and plates, doubling up as a real money-saving feature of this curl bar.

This isn’t a premium product – it’s an inexpensive curl bar that outperforms its price tag. The quality is acceptable at the budget-friendly price level on offer. With a solid set of basic features and the addition of pressure collars, it’s a great way to add variety to your workouts and get amazing value for your money.

You can buy the CAP EZ curl bar through Amazon, with the speed and customer service support you’re familiar with.

Bar Length: 47.6 inches (1210mm) | Bar Weight: 16.8 pounds (7.6kg) | Plate Compatibility: 2-inch (Olympic sized) plates | Bar Diameter: 25.4mm | Loadable Sleeve Length: 7.5 inches

Best EZ Curl Bar for Olympic Plates/Weights Premium Value: Rogue Rackable Curl Bar – Cerakote

The Rogue Rackable Curl Bar is an extended version of the Rogue curl bar earlier on our list. The difference is the additional shaft length. That makes it possible for you to rack this curl bar in a squat rack or power cage. This is great for storage. But it also opens up more training possibilities for you and expands the number of exercises you can do with the Rackable EZ Curl Bar

This bar functions just like the Rogue Curl Bar we discussed earlier, and it has all the same hallmarks of quality and premium performance.

It is arguably one of the best and most comfortable EZ curl bars you will lay your hands on. The 110,000 PSI Tensile Strength makes it one of the strongest as well

It offers a variety of angles with near-full knurling through the normal hand positions. The medium knurling is one of the best you will find on any bar. It makes it quite easy for you to keep a firm grip on the bar, even when sweating

The cuffs have outstanding bushings. Rogue Fitness opted for bronze bushings, just as it did in the Rogue Curl Bar, and as it has been proven many times, it is arguably the best option in the fitness industry.

Also, it has a long sleeve length and a Cerakote finish that makes it hard-wearing and corrosion-resistant.

The rackable bar means an easier time loading and using this curl bar. It also means the potential for heavy-duty lifting from a rack or stands, like heavy standing tricep extensions. This makes the Rackable Curl Bar perfect for a home gym that already has a basic rack and plates set up, or intends to have one in the near future. With a 51-inch shaft, you will have no problem trying to fit it into any power rack with standard features.

The Rogue Rackable Curl Bar has 2-inch Olympic cuffs. The 25.8mm shaft makes it slightly thicker than many on the market and will suit those with a slightly wider grip. Add the massive 35-pound weight of the bar and you are sure to be setting yourself up to build some massive and stronger upper body muscles.

The sheer quality of design and production and the exceptional finish and features makes it a delight to work out with. The only downside for some may be the premium price tag.

The Rogue rackable curl bar takes everything we loved about the shorter curl bar and extends it out. It offers all the same premium, commercial+ quality but prepares it to fit into any strength-focused home gym. The price is at the very high end of your budget. But serious lifters and exercisers will find it is worth every cent of that budget.

Bar Length: 74.75 inches | Bar Weight: 35 pounds | Plate Compatibility: 2-inch (Olympic sized) plates | Bar Diameter: 28.5mm | Loadable Sleeve Length: 10.5 inches

You can buy this product directly through Rogue Fitness to take advantage of daily shipping deals and their excellent customer service.

Best for Olympic Plates/Weights for the Money: The XMark CHISEL Olympic EZ Curl Bar

The knurling is distributed across the important parts of the bar. It looks adequate as well and should help give you a good grip without much discomfort.

The sleeves spin well and the bar has a grooved surface to keep plates in place – a great addition.

The XMark Chisel weighs 22 pounds and has a 400lbs weight capacity, which many will find adequate.

The one area where the value does show up is a lack of Cerakote finishing options. This is one of the reasons we put the XMark behind the Synergee bar on our list – as it competes with it quite well in many areas. A Cerakote option would make this one of the best EZ curl bars on the market.

The Chisel is worth considering if you’re looking to get a great 2-inch curl bar but don’t want to spend for the Synergee or Rogue versions. It’s a great curl bar that comes in just under the more-premium offerings and has a perfect place in the market, offering great features at a good value.

Bar Length: 47.5 inches | Bar Weight: 22.5 pounds | Weight Capacity: 400 pounds | Plate Compatibility: 2-inch (Olympic sized) plates | Bar Diameter: 28mm | Loadable Sleeve Length: 6.75 inches

Best for 1-inch Standard Plates/Weights: Marcy Threaded Chrome Steel Curl Bar

The Marcy Threaded Chrome Steel Curl Bar is a simple but effective EZ curl bar with good knurling coverage and ergonomic angles. The shaft itself is industry-standard with depressions for your thumbs for more comfort.

The cuffs (where the weight goes) are deeply threaded to allow for better collar pressure. It uses a spinning collar to keep the weights in place and prevent them from coming off. It has a weight capacity of 200lbs which is reasonable for curl bar exercises – especially with 1” plates.

The knurling seems good. But it is restricted to certain sections. This will limit the number of exercises you can do with the bar. But we cannot complain much, given the low price the bar sells.

You’ll even get a 2-year warranty for this product, giving you the peace of mind that you’re not only getting a good deal but a fair one as well.

Overall, the Marcy Threaded Curl Bar is a good home gym equipment that can start you on your upper body muscle-building journey. It’s also perfect if you already have standard 1” plates at home and want to expand your training options to make the most of them. And you’ll find the price is at the very low end of your budget.

You can buy this product directly through Amazon and still get the 2-year warranty, as well as the delivery options and speed you’re used to.

Bar Length: 47 inches | Bar Weight: 11 pounds | Weight Capacity: 200 pounds | Plate Compatibility: 1-inch (Standard-sized) plates

Best Pre Weighted Curl Bar: Synergee Fixed Easy Curl Bar

The Synergee Fixed Easy Curl Bars are not adjustable like others on our list. But each bar has durability and design quality and offers great at a very good price.

The rubberized ends are damage-resistant and have a recessed edge to prevent wear and tear.

Each bar comes with a different length and weight. And the length seems to be good for the corresponding weight.

The bars have great shaft construction. The curling in each bar is such that your hands can slide seemingly into place to give your forearms that extra burn with every move you go through during your workout.

The mid-aggressive knurling seems to be good enough to give you a firm but comfortable grip.

You need to know which weights you want to use to get the most from a fixed bar. And you only upgrade to another level when you need to. They are very good options for those with little space in their home gyms and those who don’t or are not in the position to shell out on a bar and different weights in one go.

The Synergee Fixed EZ bar is among the best on the market. It’s thoughtfully crafted and well-designed to help you get the best results. And as it is with all Synergee products, the quality is exceptionally high.

You can get this product through Amazon, though you may want to consider buying from the Synergee Fitness website where you can get a 10% off the advertised price if you use the code LIVELIFE196 at the checkout. If you’re planning on buying multiple fixed curl bars, you are likely to get a better quote and single-shipping directly.

Bar Length: Various | Bar Weight: Various | Bar Diameter: 30mm

Benefits of an EZ Curl Bar

EZ curl bars offer many benefits. Such benefits include

Better bicep and tricep

The angles put more stress on the right muscles and improve muscle gains in the arms.

The angles also produce less joint stress by reducing shoulder strain during curls and tricep extensions.

With the proper grip, you’ll also be able to row and press more comfortably. It can also be much more comfortable on the wrists than a straight bar.

Value for money

They’re typically quite cheap for barbells, so you can get a ton of great training from very little expense. That’s real value.

Convenience

You can easily train with a curl bar in an apartment or bedroom, but probably not a squat rack. This makes them one of the best equipment for home workouts in small spaces, with limited storage space, or floors that don’t support heavy lifting.

The EZ bar can be the perfect investment for starting a fitness journey in limited spaces. I remember I started my lifting journey with my dad’s EZ curl bar in a house that had no room to spare.

EZ Curl Bar Vs. Straight Bar

It’s hard to avoid the EZ curl vs straight bar debate.

Angles and Comfort

The main advantage is the angles of the shaft. The different angles are perfect for reducing wrist strain during curls and tricep extensions, in particular. They also put more focus on the biceps and triceps during these movements, improving training response and taking stress off the shoulders.

The EZ curl bar is also cheaper in almost every scenario. The straight bar uses more materials, weighs more, and has more sophisticated internal parts. This makes the EZ curl bar cheaper to buy or own.

Exercise Choice

This could be where the straight bar beats the EZ bar. Can you bench on an EZ curl bar? Sure, but it’s going to feel weird. The bar angles make straight bar exercises difficult and lock you into a certain grip width.

Combined with the smaller construction, there’s a limit to what you can do with an EZ bar. Most curl bars on the market will struggle to support very heavy weights. They’re designed for smaller exercises and aren’t built with the features or design to hold heavier weights. This isn’t a huge problem but does limit your top-end training.

If you want big lifts, buy a big Olympic barbell. If you want to get a lot of training value out of something cheaper, go with a curl bar.

Choosing the Best: What to Look for When Buying an EZ Curl Bar?

The most important buying considerations for a curl bar should be:

• Cuff diameter
• Brand reputation
• Shaft design and angles
• Knurling
• Price and value
• Does it include weights?

These are the big factors that can make or break your experience with a curl bar. They will determine how it will perform, what the lifespan of the product will be, and how much bang you’re getting for your buck.

Cuff Diameter: Standard vs Olympic Curl Bars

One of the most important differences in curl bars is the diameter of the cuffs (the bit that holds the weight).

There are two categories:

• Standard – 1-inch – cuffs. These are smaller and usually use screw locks.
• Olympic – or 2-inch – they are larger, and are usually fixed with collars or clamps.

The main difference between these two types of fitness equipment is how they’re loaded.

Most Olympic-sized bars tend to be heavier and are able to take heavier weights compared to the standard-sized bars. They also tend to be more expensive. And because they can carry heavier weights, they will fit into the training regime of serious lifters and those with the aim to build bigger and stronger muscles.

If you have Olympic plates or are planning to buy a squat rack and barbell, you should go for the 2-inch curl bar.

The 1-inch bars, on the other hand, are lighter in weight and cheaper to buy. They will suit exercisers who are looking to get started with a curl bar. They will also work well with light lifters

Brand Reputation and Customer Service

Good brands are renowned for a reason. Those manufacturers with good reputations for build quality, design philosophy, and customer service are an investment in peace of mind.

They offer the certainty that you get what you pay for. You’re supported if anything goes wrong, and the product is made to a very high standard.

Rogue Fitness, for example, offers a lifetime warranty on some of their gear, while others come with a 5-year warranty. Synergee on the other hand offers a No Sweat Guarantee on all its fitness equipment. These are indicators of the level of quality and service you get from such companies.

Live Life Healthily only highlights brands where they really matter, but it’s a good sign for a product. Good brands make good products and take care of their customers – if you find one you like, shop with them!

Shaft Design and Angles

The shafts of EZ curl bars actually vary a lot – there’s not just one design. The angles can be drastically different.

This is what a curl bar is all about, so make sure to pay attention to the shape of the bar.

More angles mean more training options, and you want to make sure you’re going to be comfortable. Try out curl bars at the gym, if possible, to get a feel for which handles are most important to you or will help you meet your fitness goals.

Knurling: Quality, Balance, and Distribution

The knurling of a curl bar is the pattern cut into the handles to help with your grip. The ideal is something that is aggressive enough to support your hold on the bar, but not strong or sharp enough to tear your hands in the first few uses.

A moderate knurl is preferred by almost everyone.

If a bar has over-aggressive knurling it could blister your hands. If it has smooth knurling, it may be a problem for effective training as you have to constantly reset your grip.

Price and value (they’re not the same!)

A good price is important because you don’t want to spend more cash than you have to. A higher price does not necessarily mean a better product.

Value is about the amount of quality or utility you get per dollar. Is that feature worth a huge price hike? Is saving money worth it if you’re not getting the perfect specs?

Put time into figuring out your own priorities and which value trades you’re happy with. Always insist on the essential basics, and make sure you’re focusing on value, not just price.

With weights?

These are typically 1-inch curl bars and use light weights. They have a relatively low “ceiling” for progress. But they could be a cheaper and more convenient way to start your journey towards building bigger, stronger arms.

This also includes fixed weight curl bars, which offer better quality per bar, but without the option for changing weights. They have durability and great design, but at the cost of versatility and adding weight, unless you plan to buy multiple preset bars.

Curl Bar FAQs

Final Words From

The EZ bar is a fantastic training option to squeeze out the best arm workouts for the money. It’s also incredibly convenient, can help relieve joint stress, and improve bicep and tricep growth.

We’ve reviewed dozens of products and the Synergee curl bar is our clear favorite. There are some great choices on the market but the build quality, value, and sheer well-rounded design of it took our top spot.

The best curl bars are an investment in both better training quality and better wrist, shoulder, and elbow health. We’ve presented a range of options today, which cover everything from affordable to ‘commercial+’ quality. There’s a curl bar for your home gym out there – all you need to do is figure out what is most important for you.

Why Trust LiveLife?

Tonny Sly has been in the fitness industry for many years, both as a writer and a fitness enthusiast. As a researcher, analyst, therapist, and health fanatic Tonny enjoys and likes investigating and studying nutrition, health, and wellness issues. Tonni has been practicing yoga and other related disciplines since the 1970s. Every product you will find recommended on this page has been carefully selected. They have all been tried, tested, and honestly reviewed by many people with diverse experiences.