Our new line of barbells is our first, in-house, engineered lineup. Every part of these bars was designed by our Colorado-based engineering team to meet our specifications and to perform better than any bar we’ve ever carried.

This bar is for weightlifters who appreciate the fine details on a bar they intend to use for many years. It’s compliant with International Weightlifting Federation standards for a competition bar for men – plus it has high-end details, like laser etchings on the inside of the sleeves and decorative, metal endcaps. The Alpine™ has premium, hybrid needle-bearing sleeves, which provide a super smooth rotation, while protecting the shaft. This isn’t just another barbell; we designed this to be the best 20kg Olympic weightlifting barbell possible – one that you will use and love for years to come. Read more here.

The 20kg Alpine™ weightlifting bar is available with hard chrome-coated shaft and sleeves, black chrome-coated shaft with hard chrome-coated sleeves, or fully stainless steel.

The main difference between hard chrome and decorative chrome is the thickness of the chrome application and how that improves durability. Decorative chrome is the shiny surface you see on car wheels, musical instruments, tools, and hardware. It provides good rust resistance, but it is subject to wear and flaking. On the other hand, hard chrome is more frequently found in industrial applications where high wear resistance is needed. As such, it’s much less prone to flaking and other wear issues found with decorative chrome. The finish has a more matte sheen to it, similar to stainless steel in appearance. It’s the most durable finish we offer, beating even Cerakote. Check out our blog on barbell finishes for more information.

Both bushing and bearing sleeves produce sufficient sleeve rotation, but ball or needle bearings allow for a faster, smoother, quieter spin and have a more reliable turnover for maximum loads, which is a better fit for Olympic-style lifts. By comparison, a bushing sleeve is more efficient for powerlifting movements, which are slower and more strength focused. The 20kg Alpine™ weightlifting bar’s hybrid needle-bearing sleeve design is optimal for Olympic lifts, such as the snatch and the clean and jerk.

The knurling on a barbell is the crosshatch pattern on the shaft that increases the grip of your hands on the bar. We use three types of knurl styles on our barbells: hill, volcano, and mountain. Hill-style knurling is the most passive and won’t dig into your hands for lifts. It is a good option for training bars, but if you’re looking to max out, we recommend a bar with another style. Mountain is the most aggressive knurl style. You’ll see this style with most of our powerlifting barbells to provide the best grip for your one-rep maxes. The most common knurl style you’ll see on a lot of our weightlifting and mixed-use bars is volcano. Volcano knurling has a good amount of grip without tearing up your hands. Learn more about knurling here.

Passive center knurling is smoother and less aggressive than standard center knurling. This provides added grip for cleans and back squats, but it’s less rough on your skin for high-volume training (and if you catch a clean wrong).

There are two major standards for where to put knurl markings on a barbell: International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) and International Weightlifting Federation (IWF). The knurl markings allow for athletes to set up properly for the lift they are attempting and provide a visual for even hand placement on the barbell.

REP’s barbells are designed to work with any Olympic plates featuring 2” diameter center holes.

The 20kg Alpine™ weightlifting bar is rated for 1,500lbs.

This depends on the type of training you do and your goals. If you are not sure how to decide on a barbell, reach out to our team of passionate lifters here and we will help match you and your training style with a barbell. You can also check out this blog that compares REP’s various straight barbells.

When your barbell arrives, there will be a light coating of oil on the shaft and sleeves. This is to protect the barbell from the elements during shipping. After a few uses, this light coating of oil will begin to dissipate. However, if desired, the best way to clean the barbell when it first arrives is to use a durable rag and a disinfecting wipe/cleaner that is free of harsh chemicals (such as bleach, ammonia, alcohol, or peroxide). For even more grip, we recommend using chalk.

This bar is designed to last many years without anything more than 3-in-1 oil added for lubrication. Remove dirt or chalk from the knurling with a brush and oil on a microfiber cloth. If you have any issues beyond that, please reach out to our Colorado-based customer support team here.

Yes, it comes with a lifetime warranty*.