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Open trap bars or open hex bars have an open front side so you can do a wide range of exercises such as farmer carry, high knees, shoulder press, etc.
We have spent hours researching and analyzing all the best Open Trap Bars on the market. Please read on to find out which ones we recommend and why. Also learn more about the major difference between open trap bars and the standard trap bars that do not have any open end. In this article, we have also answered some of the most commonly asked questions regarding hex bars, so you know exactly what to expect from them.
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Our Top Picks
- 🏆 Our Most Recommended Pick: Bells of Steel Olympic Open Trap Bar
- 🤑 The Affordable Option: CAP Barbell Open Trap Bar
- ⭐️ A Solid Option Sold on Amazon: Hulkfit Open Trap Bar
- 👑 The Ultra Premium Pick: Kabuki Strength Open Trap Bar HD
- 🏋️ Another Interesting Option: Fitek Premium Open Trap Bar
Our List of the Best Open Trap Bars
🏆 Our Most Recommended Pick : Bells of Steel Olympic Open Trap Bar
A few years ago, if you wanted an open-ended trap bar, the only options you had were manufactured by Eleiko and Kabuki strength. Both of them are high-end brands, known for manufacturing competition-grade equipment. So, obviously, their open trap bars used to be ridiculously expensive and not many of us would want to buy them.
Thankfully, a number of affordable options are available these days. The Bells of Steel Open trap bar/Hex Bar 3.0 with rotating sleeves and CAP Barbell Olympic open trap bar are some of them. This article is a detailed review of the Hex bar 3.0 by Bells of Steel.
We have already reviewed the CAP Barbell Olympic open trap bar and the Fitex open trap bar and HulkFit hex bar. If you haven’t read our review articles, please go through them so you can compare all of these options and decide which one suits you the best.
Noteworthy features of Open trap bar 3.0 by Bells of Steel
- Dimension: 59″ long x 23″ wide x 7″ deep
- Weight- 47 lbs
- Max load capacity- 700lbs
- The frame of this trap bar is made of alloy steel with a black zinc finish
- Has built-in bar jacks so the bar stands independently on its own unlike the standard trap bars that had to be placed on barbell jacks for loading. Check out some of the best trap bars that we recommend.
- Has rotating sleeves with bronze bushings. We don’t know if rotation is needed at all but the manufacturer has heavily promoted this feature. Read below for more details.
- Loadable sleeves of this trap bar measure 10” long and 50mm thick
- Comes with 30 days money-back guarantee
- Comes with a limited lifetime warranty, which is why we have rated it as one of the best trap bars for home gyms.
Bells of Steel Hex 3.0 open trap bar weighs much less than the other competitive products
It weighs just 47lbs i.e. 21.3kgs. That’s what the barbells weigh. The manufacturer has intentionally done this so you feel a familiar weight while training with it.
Wondering how much does a trap bar weigh?
Well, they could weigh as low as 30 lbs to as high as 75 lbs and sometimes even more. It depends on whom the bar is meant to be.
The other best trap bars that we have included in this list are quite heavy, which indicates that they are meant for heavy-duty use. For example; the CAP Barbell open trap bar weighs 71 lbs and the Fitek open trap bar weighs 70.5lbs. This extra weight also indicates that they have a solid frame. But, due to their heavier weight, they may not be suitable for people who are just getting started with trap bar deadlifts.
It is probably the only product that has rotating sleeves and that's why it deserves to be counted among the best trap bars
Rotating sleeves are an important feature of barbells. They keep your wrists safe while performing Olympic lifts such as snatch, clean and jerk, etc.
Hex bars are, however, meant for trap bar deadlifts, shrugs, carries, and other lifts where the weight plates or barbell isn’t required to rotate. So, rotating sleeves aren’t really necessary.
That being said, even those barbells that you don’t use for Olympic lifts come with bushings or bearings for the rotation of the sleeves, so why not trap bars? Rotating sleeves anyways help you train comfortably.
Hex bar 3.0 by Bells of Steel has two sets of handles
The higher set of handles provides a shorter range of motion, which is helpful for people suffering from mobility issues. They will not have to bend beyond their comfort zones to do deadlifts. The higher set of handles also helps trainers keep their back flat and maintain good form.
This is the only affordable open trap bar that has dual handles.
The built-in jack of this trap bar makes it easier to load and unload the weight plates
If you have ever used a trap bar, you would know what this means. Look at the below image. Do you think you will be able to add or remove weights from these trap bars instantly?
Now, look at the image of the BOS Hex bar 3.0 below. The jack i.e. the feet makes the whole bar stand independently, so you can quickly and easily change the plates. Plus, it also prevents the bar from rolling off and hitting your shin or crushing your toes.
The jack also prevents the loaded hex bar from smashing the floor accidentally.
Knurling on the handles is rather passive
As we often say, knurling is a personal choice. Some people love aggressive knurl marks that really dig into the skin and give you a good grip. Others, however, prefer medium knurl marks that make you feel confident enough to hold a loaded bar but they do not really dig into your palms.
Some buyers of the Bells of Steel Hex bar 3.0 have stated that the knurl marks are quite shallow. They should have been deeper but it all depends on your personal preferences.
Loadable sleeves of Bells of Steel trap bar could have been longer
That’s undebatable. The sleeves of the Hex 3.0 open trap bar by Bells of Steel measure just 10” in length. A few buyers have even stated that the sleeves are not even 10”. They are around 9.5”.
If you are a beginner, they may hold enough weight plates to challenge you for some years. Instead of bumper plates or cast iron plates, you can use fractional weight plates to gradually take up your weight training level.
But, if you are already training with a decent amount of weight, you will outgrow this trap bar sooner than expected. That’s because you won’t be able to load more than 350lbs of plates on them and that too if you choose not to use barbell collars (which we do not recommend). If you use cast iron plates, you might be able to load 400lbs but not beyond that.
That’s strange. Being one of the best trap bars rated for 700lbs, it should at least have sleeves that could accommodate 700lbs of plates.
The only reason why we believe the manufacturer has done this is to cut down the cost
And we totally get it. The competition is really tough and price is often the primary decision-making factor. Every manufacturer has to strive hard to provide the best possible thing at the least possible price.
We appreciate BOS for putting a lot of effort into coming up with an open trap bar that best suits intermediate-level trainers and people who do not intend to lift really heavy. Other competitive products cater to advanced trainers.
We are giving this a rating of 4.4 out of 5.0.
🤑 The Affordable Option : CAP Barbell Open Trap Bar
As obvious from its name, it has an open front end, which makes it more versatile than the closed trap bars. There are a few design flaws and minor welding issues but they do not affect the functionality of the CAP Barbell Olympic open trap bar. It is one of the most affordable options you have. The weight capacity may not be true though but, anyways, if you are training really hard, you should invest in best-in-class products.
Features and specs of CAP Barbell Olympic Open Trap bar
- Dimensions: 70 x 24 inches
- CAP Barbell hex bar weight- 71lbs. Thats exactly what most of the best trap bars weigh
- Made of steel with Chrome finish to prevent oxidation and rusting
- Rated for 1000lbs
- Can accommodate 2” Olympic plates
- Has 18” loadable sleeves so you can add enough plates to challenge yourself every day. Do not forget to buy a set of fractional weight plates so you don’t always have to add a minimum of 5lbs.
- Tested as per ASTM standards.
- Comes with 30 days warranty
It is a well-designed trap bar with long sleeves
As we have already mentioned above, the sleeves of this hex bar are 18” long. So, it can hold a couple of more plates than the standard barbells. But, also note that the extra-long sleeves will occupy more space in your home gym.
Most buyers have stated that the knurling is medium to aggressive, which is exactly what you need if you want to train heavy. Some buyers, however, found the knurling to be too sharp. It is a personal choice, so you should try yourself and see how it feels
A few buyers even compared its quality with that of the Kabuki Strength trap bar, which is far more expensive than the CAP Barbell open trap bar.
Only 30 days warranty!
That’s not what we had expected. A heavy-duty trap bar rated for 1000lbs and meant for tough training sessions should carry a better warranty than this.
Bells of Steel is offering a lifetime warranty on its open trap bar, which costs almost the same as the CAP Barbell open trap bar. Similarly, the Hulkfit Olympic 2″ Hex Trap Bar is covered by the manufacturer’s standard 2-year warranty.
Poor warranty can actually make you doubt its quality but don’t worry. Many buyers who have used it, have agreed that it is a solid piece of equipment. It may not be a good option for doing trap bar deadlifts with 1000lbs on its sleeves but you can trust it for training it with 400-500 lbs.
The feet don’t really help the bar stand on its own
The above image shows the feet of the CAP Barbell open trap bar. The feet are wide and long with a grippy base. And yet, many buyers have confirmed that it is difficult to make the bar stand on its own. It loses its balance when you start loading the plates.
We assume the buyers may have received defective products with misaligned feet. That’s because CAP Barbell is a good brand and quality has never been an issue. We have used several CAP Barbell products such as Cap Barbell Power Rack, Cap Barbell’s “The Beast” 7ft Olympic Barbell, CAP Barbell Olympic 2-Inch Plate Rack, etc. Most of them lived up to our expectations.
Yet, we believe the design of the feet could have been better. Look at the below image of the feet of the Bells of Steel open trap bar. They are more grippy and stable than the CAP Barbell open trap bar.
We are giving this a rating of 4.5 out of 5.0.
⭐️ A Solid Option Sold on Amazon : Hulkfit Open Trap Bar
The Hulkfit Olympic Hex trap bar is available in standard (i.e. closed) design as well as open design, so you can choose any one that suits your workout needs. Both the designs are available in chrome and black finish. As expected, chrome bars are more expensive because chrome coating helps prevent rusting and oxidation.
No matter which one you choose, Hulkfit trap bars are well-built and suitable for most of us unless you are an athlete or sportsperson.
Features and specs of Olympic Hex trap bar by Hulkfit
- Dimensions: 83.27 x 26.57 x 5.5 inches
- Weight- The regular hex bar weights 45lbs and the open one weighs 77lbs. Wondering how heavy is a trap bar? Their standard weight can be anything from 30lbs to 75lbs. But, we usually prefer the heavier ones because the lighter ones are easy to outgrow.
- Both of them are rated for 1000lbs
- Compatible with 2” plates
- Loadable sleeves are 21” long but you can use only 18” or 19” because the welds block some of the space from being used.
- Has dual handles. Raised handles are good for people with limited mobility
- Warranty- 2 years
The sleeves are really long and can handle enough plates that you could probably lift
As mentioned above, the length of the loadable sleeves is 21.65”, which is perhaps the max length that a trap bar or even a competition barbell has. The manufacturer of this trap bar boasts of its extra-long sleeves and numerous buyers have agreed that you can add 6 55lbs bumper plates on each side, making a total of 735lbs and you will still have ample space for the collar.
That's a good thing to know because affordable open trap bars often come with short sleeves. Check out Bells of Steel Hex bar 3.0 for example. It has just 10” long sleeves and yet it costs more than the Hulkfit 2” hex bar.
However, some buyers have also stated that the 21.65” sleeves are not fully usable. See the image above. The welds between the sleeves and the hex frame block about one or two inches of space. Not really an issue though but we thought you should know what to expect.
Knurling is a bit aggressive but that's what you need if you want to train heavy!
Knurling is a sensitive aspect. While some prefer passive marks, others want something that can dig deep into their skin.
Finding a balance between these two is a real challenge. Even Rogue and Eleiko have struggled hard to create the perfect knurl marks suitable for most users. Rogue Fitness even had to tie up with the Greek legend Pyrros Dimas and seek his help for creating the almost-perfect ROGUE PYRROS BAR for fitness freaks and bodybuilders.
Rogue is a high-end brand and it has money to spend on R&D. But, low-cost home gym equipment manufacturers like Hulkfit can’t do the same thing. Yet, HulkFit Olympic Hex trap bar features near-perfect knurl marks. Some buyers found them to be a bit sharp. But, this trap bar is meant for lifting heavy, so passive knurl marks will anyways defeat the purpose.
This open trap bar doesn’t have an inbuilt loading jack
See the above image of Bells of Steel hex bar. These legs or jacks are inbuilt in the frame. They help with loading and unloading of plates. Plus, they also help keep the loaded barbell in its position on the floor when done. Without them, the hex bar could roll off and hit your shin bone or toes.
Most open trap bars that we have reviewed so far have jacks. So, we expected the Hulkfit hex bar to have that feature too. But, it seems the manufacturer didn’t put much thought into it. All it did was remove one end from its standard hex bar.
However, since it is a low-cost specialty barbell, the missing loading jack feature can be ignored.
Hulkfit needs to seriously take care of the shipping, packaging, and quality control issues
Many buyers have stated that their hex bar arrived in minimal packaging and got some dents during the transport. Some even complained that the bar they received was bent and, therefore, unsafe for use. This could be due to shipping but could also be due to manufacturing issues. Some of them even had rust despite being sold as new.
These issues can make you doubt the reliability of the company. We have tried a couple of products from the same brand such as the Hulkfit Power Cage and Hulkfit Half Rack / Squat Stand. Quality never seemed to be an issue but poor shipping, bad paint job, poor welding, etc. are pretty expected with any HilkFit product.
Nevertheless, as we said above, its trap bar works as expected and that's what matters the most.
We are giving this a rating of 4.3 out of 5.0.
👑 The Ultra Premium Pick : Kabuki Strength Open Trap Bar HD
See the image below. This is the Kabuki Strength HD trap bar that we are going to review in this article.
Since it isn’t a closed hexagon, you aren’t trapped inside. You are free to perform a wide range of exercises that a trap bar didn’t allow you to do. See the below image for reference.
Now, even though it has an open end, the weights still remain distributed towards the sides and help you do trap bar deadlifts even if you have lower back issues.
We have recently reviewed several open trap bars such as the CAP Barbell olympic open trap bar, the Hulkfit Hex bar, the Bells of Steel 3.0 Hex bar with rotating sleeves, and the Fitek premium hex bar. All these are affordable options suitable for intermediates and casual trainers. Being reasonably priced products, they have a few minor flaws such as short sleeves, low weight-bearing capacity, etc.
The Kabuki Strength HD trap bar is, however, a premium quality product. It is a near-perfect specialty bar that offers a couple of features that you can’t expect from low-cost home gym equipment manufacturers such as the CAP Barbell and HulkFit. It comes with a high price tag but if you are highly committed to your goals, you should seriously think about getting it (unless, of course, there are budget issues).
Features and specifications of Kabuki Strength Trap Bar HD
- Dimensions: 77″ X 23.5″ X 9″
- Kabuki Strength hex bar weight: 30kg i.e. 66.1lbs
- Max weight load capacity: 1500lbs
- Loadable sleeve length- 17”
- You will get a pair of 29mm handles but you can buy additional 1”, 1.5”, 2”, and 2” rolling handles. The rolling handles are also known as love handles. Read below for more details.
- You will get a pair of standard handles that have 25” brackets.
- People with a broad body type should go with 27” brackets.
- Warranty: Lifetime
You will love the swappable handles and various hand grip sizes
When you spend money on a premium quality product, the first thing that you expect is absolute, uncompromised comfort. That’s what the Kabuki Strength Trap Bar HD promises you. The hand grips and handle brackets are available in various sizes to suit your hands as well as your training needs.
If you love thicker handles and prefer using thick grip products, you will be excited to find out that the Kabuki Strength HD Trap bar comes with 2” thick handle grips to challenge you even more. You can either buy the fixed handles or the rotating ones (if you want your workouts to be as challenging as possible).
Kabuki Strength is the only brand that could have thought of having rotating handles!
Just like handles, you also get an option to choose the size of the handle bracket. The 23” brackets are good for females and smaller athletes. The 27” ones are for athletes and people who have a broad body type.
Knurling is exactly what you can expect from a brand like Kabuki Strength
For this hex bar, the company has used the same knurling pattern that it uses in its premium range of barbells.
The affordable hex bars have average knurl marks that may be enough if you are lifting moderate weight. These marks are either too passive or too aggressive. You may wear gloves to improve your grip.
But, nothing can beat the feel of Kabuki Strength knurl marks. These aren’t just afterthoughts. The company has experimented enough to come with a texture and pattern that works best for most people.
The Square frame of Kabuki Strength Trap Bar HD gives it a unique, indestructible look but it might feel uncomfortable for squats
Almost all of the best open trap bars and hex bars that we evaluated have a round frame, just like barbells, except for this one. The round frame makes it easy to use, especially when used on the shoulder.
We don’t really know why Kabuki Strength chose to have a square frame but most buyers have stated that the frame looks great indeed and you don’t feel any major difference or discomfort when you use it for squats.
What we like the most about the square frame is that it is made of a single piece of steel. There are no welds or joints, which is why you can expect it to last really long, even when used roughly. The other competitive products such as the Rogue Fitness TB-2 Trap Bar have a welded frame, which can make you doubt its durability, especially if you train really hard and often throw your weights. See the image below.
Kabuki Strength open trap bar is not rackable
You can’t rack it on the j-cups of your squat stand because the square frame is too big for them.
But, this shouldn’t be a problem unless you want to use it for squats! Plus, you can always use safety arms or safety catches for holding it.
We would have loved to have this as a rackable option but we still don’t have a major complaint because trap bars are anyways meant majorly for trap bar deadlifts.
We are giving this a rating of 4.5 out of 5.0.
🏋️ Another Interesting Option : Fitek Premium Open Trap Bar
Fitek is an Australian home gym equipment manufacturer. Its products are decent enough for intermediate to advanced trainers. They are not competitive-grade products but they are suitable for most of us.
In this article, we will be reviewing Fitek premium open trap/hex bar, which is rated as one of the best trap bars for home and garage gyms. Unlike other trap bars that we have recently reviewed, this walkthrough requires some basic assembly, which is fairly easy. As expected, it is built like a tank and can be trusted with heavy loads.
Features and specifications of Fitek Open Hex bar
- Dimensions: 84” X 34” X 23”
- Fitek hex bar weight: 32kg i.e. 70lbs
- Weight-bearing capacity: 650kgs/1400lbs
- Loadable sleeve length- 20”
- Compatible with 2” Olympic plates
- Has inbuilt jack for easy loading and unloading
- Standard 1-year manufacturer warranty
You will love the thick handles of this trap bar
Just like Bells of Steel Hex bar 3.0 and many other competitive products, it comes with two sets of handles. But, the handles are of different diameters. One set is 1.1” and the other one is 1.5” in diameter. If you have small hands, the standard 1.1” handles will be good for you but if you have large hands or if you want to intensify your workouts, you can use the thicker ones.
The handles have aggressive knurl marks
Some buyers have stated that the knurl marks are so hard that they literally dig into your skin. This is good because aggressive knurl marks give you a really good grip. But, they may also cause minor discomfort and might distract you.
There is nothing much you can do about it. With time, you will get used to it.
The super-long stainless steel sleeves of this trap bar can hold plenty of plates
The sleeves and every part of this open hex bar are made of stainless steel. The manufacturer claims that it is rust and corrosion-proof and suitable for garage gyms where humidity is a major issue.
We have tried a couple of products such as the Hessaire Portable Evaporative Cooler, Black and Decker 14000 BTU portable AC, and Commercial Electric 16 Inch Turbo Floor Fan. None of them are actually effective for controlling the temperature of garage gyms, especially if you live in a highly humid region. The AC units, however, can help deal with humidity.
If you live in a humid region, you should buy good quality stainless steel products like this Fitek Trap bar so they last longer.
Now, talking about the sleeves; they are 20” long, which is the longest possible sleeve in any of the best trap bars we have evaluated. Even the Kabuki Strength hex bar has 17” loadable sleeves. The only hex bar that has such long sleeves is the HulkFit Olympic open Hex bar, which is not meant for hardcore training sessions.
Longer sleeves means you can load plenty of plates and yet, you will have space to add a barbell collar.
Here are some of the best barbell collars that we recommend. You also might want to check our detailed review of Fringe Sport bumper plates that are highly durable and affordable too.
Fitek Premium trap/Hex bar has a welded frame
Not a major complaint because Rogue open trap bars too have welded frames.
However, this is a premium quality product meant for rigorous training. You can expect the users to load 600lbs to 1000lbs weight or even more. While the welded frame might not fail when subjected to such a heavy load, it may not last long, especially if you keep dropping it regularly. A non-welded frame would have been better.
Check out the Kabuki Strength hex bar for example. Its frame is made of one single piece of steel, which makes you feel confident enough to load it with heavy weights.
If you want to train with 400-700lbs of weight, the Fitek open hex bar should be good for you but if you want to train heavier than that, go with Kabuki Strength hex bar or other similar products that do not have any joints or welds that could fail.
It is pricey
Fitek open trap bar offers nothing more than what other best trap bars are offering. Yet, it costs much more than them. Plus, you will have to pay extra for shipping. We are not sure if that much is worth spending.
But, again, it is better to spend more and get a good quality product than buy a mediocre one and then keep replacing it after every few years.
We are giving this a rating of 4.3 out of 5.0.
Open Trap Bar Buying Guide and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the difference between a trap bar and hex bar?
Both of them are the same. Trap bars are made of multiple bars (or a single bar) that are joined together (or bended) to form a hexagonal shape, which is why they are also referred to as hex bars.
Who invented the trap bar?
It is believed that the trap bar or hex bar was invented in 1985 by Al Gerard, a renowned powerlifter. He came up with this unique barbell design in order to reduce the chances of injuries involved with the use of standard barbell for deadlifts and other powerlifting moves.
What is the difference between a trap bar and open trap bar?
The above image is self-explanatory. A trap bar or hex bar has a closed hexagonal area and you need to stand inside it.
But, being trapped within this bar significantly limits the type of exercises you can do. For example; you can’t simply do farmer walk to shoulder press using a trap bar without compromising your form or risking an injury.
Open trap bars address this issue. The open end makes it easier for you to do almost every exercise that you can do using a barbell instead of sticking to just trap bar deadlifts.
Wondering how heavy is a trap bar and how much does an open trap weigh?
Well, there is not much difference in their weight. In fact, they weigh almost the same, which could be anything between 30lbs to 75lbs or even more, depending on the brand and model you choose.
Why use an open trap bar?
The hexagonal trap area helps lifters maintain a neutral posture while lifting, thereby reducing the strain on the spine. If you already have a pre-existing back injury, this is probably the only safest option for you to train with weights.
However, the trapped hexagonal design is very restrictive. It is mostly useful for deadlifts, which is why not many of us would want to have it in our small, space-constraint home gym. We would rather want to buy a more versatile piece of equipment that can be used for doing a wide range of exercises. This is why many manufacturers have come up with an upgraded open-frame design.
Is an open trap bar necessary?
No. They are not an absolute must-haves for home gyms or even for commercial places. Plus, no matter what upgrades are made, trap bars will never be as versatile as standard barbells.
But, if you have back issues or if you want to train heavy without straining your spine, investing in a good quality open trap bar should make sense to you.
When you are training with a standard barbell, the weight is either in front of you or towards your back. In both these cases, chances of hyperextending your spine are high. Plus, there are also high chances of losing your balance, especially if you are a beginner.
But, when you are using a trap bar or an open hex bar, the weights will be on your sides. This will help minimize overextension of the spine, which in turn will helps minimize the strain on the back. Plus, your body will not have to focus too much on the balancing part, so you will be able to lift heavy. If you are a beginner at weight training with not enough flexibility, this will help you stay safe while working at home without the help of a spotter.
So yes, as we said above, an open trap bar or a conventional trap bar is not a necessary piece of equipment but if you have mobility issues or back issues or if you want to train harder, it is good to have one.
Which way do you face an open trap bar?
It depends on the exercise you are doing. Most of them such as trap bar deadlifts, farmer walk, shoulder press, etc. require you to have the open end behind your back. But, if you want to squat, you will have to keep the open end forward.
There is no standard rule though. So, if you don’t know which way to face an open trap bar, choose any direction that lets you exercise comfortably keeping the weight to your sides.
How heavy is a trap bar or hex bar?
Trap bars can weigh anything between 30 lbs to 75 lbs. Some of the best trap bars meant for advanced trainers can weigh even more.
The weight of a hex bar depends on its build quality, the brand, and the purpose for which it is supposed to be used. For example; the hex bars meant for beginners weigh less than or equal to 45lbs, which is the standard weight of an Olympic barbell. The weight of hex bars meant for advanced trainers could go up to 100lbs.
Wondering how much does an open trap weigh?
It weighs almost the same as standard trap bars.
What exercises can you perform with an open trap bar?
This video should give you an idea of the type of hex bar exercises that you can do other than trap bar deadlifts. Basically, you can do almost all types of barbell exercises including deadlifts, lunges, bent-over rows, shoulder press, pushups, farmer walk, etc.
What is the best trap bar on the market?
In this article, we have reviewed some of the best open trap bars that we recommend for home gyms. We have another comprehensive article on best trap bars that you can go through in case you are looking for recommendations. We have created these lists after evaluating almost all popular products available in the market, so we are pretty sure you won’t have to look for anything else.
If you are just getting started with trap bar workouts, Everyday Essentials trap bar should be a good option for you.
Are there trap bars with built-in jacks?
Hex bars usually do not come with built-in jacks, CAP Barbell Olympic Trap Bar being an exception. That's because a jack or feet may not give you a free range of motion. You may accidentally hit the ground with them.
If your hex bar is not rackable, you can buy a BRTGYM Deadlift Jack so you can easily load or unload plates.
Most of the best open trap bars that we have evaluated, however, come with feet or jacks. We have included some of them in this article.
What are the pros and cons of deadlifting with a trap bar?
Here are some of the benefits of doing trap bar deadlift:
- It is beginner-friendly exercise
- It puts less strain on the lower back and spine, so it is suitable for people suffering from back problems.
- Since the weight remains in line with your body, you will be able to lift more weight using a hex bar than a barbell.
- Trap bars provide you a neutral grip, which is safer for your wrist.
- Trap bars are easier to use than barbells, even by people who do not have enough stability.
The major cons of trap bar deadlift are:
- It does not activate the muscles of the lower back and biceps as much as barbell deadlift does.
- It doesn't activate the core muscles.
- The stabilizing muscles do not have to do a lot of work and may start to weaken with time.
- Not much glute activation happens during trap bar deadlifts.
Best Open Trap Bar Article Wrap-Up
There are a few things that you should consider while buying an open trap bar.
One of them is the weight of the barbell. Hex bars weigh more than standard barbells due to their bulky size. Their weight could vary between 41lbs and 71 lbs or more, depending upon their make and model. If you are just getting started make sure 41lbs isn’t too much for you.
The second thing that you should know is that not all hex bars are rackable. For example; the Kabuki Strength hex bar that we have reviewed above has a square frame, which is not compatible with j-hooks of the squat racks. You will have to use spotter arms to hold such frames.
The third thing that you need to keep in mind is that trap bars require more floor space than the standard barbells that could even be stored vertically in a barbell holder. Trap bars can’t be stored vertically. So, if you have a really small home gym, you really need to figure out if you can have a dedicated space for it. If not, then you should go with standard barbells instead.
We have already created detailed lists of best affordable barbells, best mid-price barbells, and best high-end barbells so you don’t have to brainstorm a lot. We have also selected some of the best barbell collars and best weightlifting belts that you can use to train safely and confidently.
We have also created a detailed article on the benefits of smith machines and some of the best smith machines for home gyms. In case you have poor balance and coordination or if you want to train with 100% safety, they are a better option than trap bars or standard barbells.
That’s it for this article. Keep reading our website for more such useful advice and genuine product recommendations.
