What's the difference between the Open, Regional & Games barbell?

When it comes to the Regional and Games bar, the whip, 1500 lb maximum weight capacity, and 190,000 PSI are the same. The only difference is the barbell coating. The Regional Barbell comes in Hard Chrome OR Black Phosphate. And the Games Barbell comes with a Cerakote shaft and Black Phosphate sleeves.

The cerakote increases the longevity of the barbell – it will last longer and looks newer for longer. Out of these 3 coatings, the Black Phosphate tends to show wear the fastest. If aesthetics of your barbell is important to you, I would strongly suggest the Games Barbell!

The Open Barbell is different from the Regional and Games Bar in a few different ways: it has

• two needle bearings per sleeve;

• black phosphate shaft and chrome sleeves (note: chrome, not hard chrome, which is more prone to scratches); and

• 150K psi tensile strength rating and a max load of 1000 lbs.

The Open Barbell will get the job done for home gym use. If you are looking for a barbell with a great spin for Olympic lifts, that can handle drops from shoulder height or overhead, or to outfit a commercial space, I would encourage the Regional or Games Barbells over the Open.