Trap Bar Buyer’s Guide

Tips to choose your perfect Trap Bar OPEN-X

We get it. Sometimes a lot of options can be overwhelming. Trap Bar OPEN-X is highy customizable specialty barbell and if you know nothing about its features, we recommend to check them first. Check our homepage overview to have a better idea about main advantages of this product.

Now it is good time to see all available options so you can select the most suitable trap bar for your training. Feel free to check the product page now or during any step of the buyer’s guide.

Handles diameter

Our goal was to start fresh. We ignored all “traditional” diameters used by other manufacturers and we decided to choose diameters that provide best comfort and performance.

After a lot of testing we chose 3 diamaters of the handles that we think are the most comfortable and suitable for human hands.

32 mm

So-called thin handles. Suitable for athletes with smaller hands and for people with preference closer to the standard olympic barbell (28mm).

35 mm

Marked as standard handles. Suitable for average male hands and above average female hands.

38 mm

Thick handles. Created for athletes with big hands and for people who prefer thicker handles during training.

Sleeves length

The ideal length of the sleeves (loading part) depends on the:

  • Workout space dimensions
  • Thickness of the plates – some plates can be twice as thick as other
  • Workout plan – some exercises are better with more compact trap bar (e.g. farmer walk)

To compare: Sleeve length of standard olympic barbell is around 40 – 41,5 cm.

21,5 cm

Short sleeves. Perfect for smallers gyms and for people that prefer smaller dimension of the bar.

Despite the shorter length, it is still possible to achieve quite a heavy weight – more than 150 kg (including trap bar) with competition or other thinner plates.

36 cm

Compact sleeves is very popular choice. Trap bar can take a decent amount of weight (more than 250 kg with competition plates) and still feels compact enough.

43 cm

Long sleeves are good choice for the owners of thicker plates (e.g. bumper plates) and for everyone who wants to load as many plates as possible. They are slighly longer than standard olympic bar.

None

There is also an option to purchase trap bar without sleeves. That is useful if you already have the sleeves from different products (e.g. swiss bar) and you plan to swap them regularly.

Basic color sets

The final look of the trap bar is achieved by the color of the frame and finish of the handles and sleeves. On the product page, we have created several color sets to choose from. Like what you see? Just select what you like.

Some of the basic sets have the same frame color, but different finish of the handles. It affects not only look, but in small matter also the grip of the handle. You can see detailed information about the gris in the product description, but also in the lower portions of this guide.

If you want to explore more options or need different type of handles (e.g. stainless steel), choose the option to customize your trap bar.

If you still haven’t found the perfect solution, get in touch with us.

Customize trap bar

1. Frame color

The main frame of the trap bar is powder coated. The process creates durable finish with fine texture and good protection. If you’re looking for a specific color, e-mail us for a quote.

2. Stopper nut

Custom-designed locking mechanism to securely hold the sleeves. It acts also as the stopper of the bar.

The finish is matched with the finish of the sleeves.

3. Sleeve finish

There are 2 different finishes available.

  • Zinc finish offers great corrosion protection. It has typical silver-bluish color.
  • Black Oxide finish provide nice matte black color and it pairs nicely with many frame colors. The corrosion protection it provides is just mild.

Logo

FITRON logo in the middle of the frame can be:

  • Made from stainless steel – usually paired with zinc sleeves
  • Powder coated – black version is usually used for trap bars with black handles and sleeves
  • Custom ordered – option to create interesting color combination, e.g. black frame with red logo.

4. Handles finish

Since the handles are the primary point of contact when using a trap bar, their surface is one of the most important parameters. Since there is no perfect surface finish that meets all 3 main criteria (grip quality, corrosion protection, and good price), we have left the choice to you.

Imagine it like choosing the right tires for your car – you have to consider the conditions in which you will be using them, how much you are willing to spend, and what your priorities are.

Black Oxide

It is known that raw steel offers the best grip. The only surface treatment that does not impact this grip is blackening.

It also provides a pleasant matte appearance, so the handles stand out nicely in combination with many colors. The disadvantage of this surface finish is its lower corrosion resistance, and after a while, some care may be required.

Zinc finish

Zinc plating is a proven classic among surface finishes. Zinc plating provides a standard silver-bluish surface created by applying a microlayer of zinc.

It provides excellent corrosion protection, but slightly dulls the texture of the knurling, resulting in a slightly slicker surface compared to raw steel.

Stainless steel

The handles of the Trap bar OPEN-X can also be made of stainless steel. This guarantees protection against corrosion even in the most aggressive environments.

Since no extra layer is added to the steel, the grip is not affected either. This is the best, but also the most expensive option.