Entertaining.
That’s probably not a word you’ve seen describe a barbell, but it’s the first thing that comes to mind when I try to think of something to describe the GetRxd Stealth Bar. It’s easy to get all jumbled up in all the specifications that manufacturers put out there to sell their barbells, but at the end of the day, it just comes down to feel. No number can tell you if you’re going to like the bar or not.
I totally dig the Texas Bar, but when I had my first chance to compare it versus the Stealth Bar, I felt the Stealth Bar was more compelling. For a few reasons: the knurl was more to my liking, visually it seemed a bit better in finish, and the sleeve spin was insane. Once again, I just want to reiterate the fact that just because it spins well doesn’t make it a good barbell, but damned if it isn’t sexy. I have to admit, after testing the Texas Bar, I wasn’t so sure that the Stealth Bar was going to be able to hang. First thing’s first, that spin! Inside of each sleeve you’ll find the same amount of needle bearings that you would on the Texas Bar, albeit the bushings are a tad smaller on the Stealth Bar. What had originally turned me off on the Texas Bar was that the sleeves didn’t seem to spin all that freely, whereas the Stealth Bar spins twice as fast, almost as smooth, and without almost any effort. This is by far what makes the Stealth Bar so enjoyable to use. Be careful about that spin though, you could end up missing a lift if you have the tendency to bump the bar too much.
The second thing that drew me to the Stealth Bar was the knurling, arguably the most important part of a barbell, because you make direct contact with it. What good is spin if you can’t hold onto the bar? Where the Texas Bar had a somewhat deeper cut, the Stealth Bar has a bit more subdued grip. On a scale of depth, it would probably be a 4.5 compared to say the 8 of the Texas Bar (1 would be the Again Faster Team Barbell 2.0 and 10 would be the Ohio Power Bar). The pattern is also much more uniform than the Texas Bar, which leads to a better user feel. As always, knurling is totally subjective, but I don’t think anyone could be disappointed with the pattern of the Stealth Bar.
While the knurling is more consistent than on the Texas Bar, it’s still not perfect in every area. The start and stop points aren’t perfect either, but that’s a very minor gripe for a sub-$300 barbell. However, the tolerances on this bar are tight, the sleeves barely move back and forth/up and down even a millimeter on the shaft. The only rattles you’ll hear when you drop this bar are from the end caps sliding around. Oscillation of the bar is just good, pretty much the same thing you’ll get out of a bar around this price range. Good enough to do olympic lifts on, just enough amount of stiffness for power lifts. The Stealth bar has a 28mm diameter shaft like an oly bar should, but I’d classify it as a general purpose bar and also has dual markings.
Back to the most important factor: the feel of the barbell. At the end of the day, this is a barbell that you’ll continually come back to; something you’ll resort to when you want to hit an oly PR. It’s comfortable to use for CrossFit workouts and on the platform. With a lifetime warranty, you can rest easy knowing that your investment is safe in either an affiliate or in the garage. The good people at GetRxd also provide excellent customer service, should something happen.
If you’re looking for an absolute speed demon, don’t let the Stealth Bar fly under your radar.
You can get your GetRxd Stealth Bar HERE!
What do you think about the WOD bar 5.0 from getrxd?