The Edge Rackable Cambered Bar

Absolutely love this bar. In a small garage gym where every inch matters, the shorter length is honestly perfect. The short sleeves haven’t been a problem at all, mainly because I’m not benching numbers that require a spotter, ammonia, and a crowd. The camber is also absolutely dialed in. The stretch at the bottom of presses feels incredible — like your chest is getting opened up by a medieval torture device designed specifically for pec gains. Some specialty bars feel gimmicky after a week. This one has earned permanent rack space in the Lab.

I bought this bar to fit a very specific niche for myself: Seal rows (hence the camber) in a cramped part of my gym (hence wanting a short bar). This is the only bar I could find that fit both of these things. It works great, although I will say the coating was scratched before I even got it out of the box, and continues to get scratched if I so much as breathe in its direction. Do I really care? No, but it irks me a little

This is a fun little bar to use. Being shorter than most bars it doesn't handle as much weight. For a fat old man like me that isn't much of a problem. The coating on the bar is poor. Yes, I do agree with Dave Tate that you should expect equipment to get beat up but this coating will scratch if you look at it hard. The bar also took around 6 months to arrive. At least Exponent Edge was good about updates on when it would show up.

I think referring to this bar - as the company Exponent Edge had done when it was released - as a “curl bar” - does this bar a real injustice. It has many more and better applications than just that. It is a cambered bar (straight grip, not Swiss or Football obviously) that works well for benching and chest supported rows (my two favorite uses) as well as skull crushers and of course curls. I won’t be using it for curls at all. The main reason I purchased this bar over any other straight cambered bar is that it is short but still Rackable. This makes for more easier maneuvering in and out of my rack. Same reason that I own a Rogue Stump Bar, and their C70-S Barbell. The bar is cerakoted (not great quality) and the sleeves are a smooth chrome with Titanium/gunmetal coating. It has light somewhat passive knurling that is divided up along the length of the bar at different sections. • There is 3” of knurling on the 30 degree bends • ⁠There are two small areas of knurling (3” on either side and 11” on center) to the central straight 16” portion of the bar • ⁠No center knurling • ⁠Knurling on outside straight portion for benching starts at 28.5”width and runs to 43.5” Inches (so 7.5” of knurling on each side). I would have preferred continuous knurling. Dimensions & Specs: ⁠Overall Length - 71” • ⁠Inside Length (Sleeve rim to Sleeve rim) 51 3/8” • ⁠Sleeve length - 10.5” • ⁠Weight - 31lbs • ⁠Inner straight portion of bar runs about 16”, outer straight portions about 12.5” on either side and bends run about 5.25” on either side • ⁠Single bilateral bends at 30 degrees positioned 21.5 inches on center of knurled grip (for reference Rogue curl bar’s outer angled grips are 18” on center) • ⁠28mm diameter • ⁠700lb capacity rating Purchased for $258 shippep. For under $300 it is a versatile enough bar for me to recommend.

The bar is made well, and it's a fair price. It may be the right choice for some people (depending on what you want to use it for) but I have some critiques based on what I'm looking for with a bar like this. This bar would be best used for accessory movements. Like bicep curls or tricep extension, or a few others. I don't love it for bench, for a couple of reasons. It's a smaller diameter than most "normal bars". And it weighs 31 pounds. The sleeve length is also pretty short. The knurling is fairly passive, but It's not a problem.