A barbell is essential. You need it to clean, jerk, and deadlift weights—no ifs, ands, or buts. REP Fitness’ Colorado Bar is our pick for the best barbell on this list because it’s a multi-use bar, meaning you can use it to perform static and dynamic lifts, that should last you forever (assuming you treat it right).

The knurling (the cross-hatch pattern on the shaft that helps your grip), is mildly aggressive. The composite bushings allow for enough spin to make Olympic movements like cleans doable but not enough spin to hamper your static lifts (deadlifts, bench presses, and squats). There isn’t any center knurling, which helps the bar stick to your back during squats, but that’s OK for most people and can be uncomfortable on your neck during more common CrossFit movements such as thrusters, front squats, and cleans.

You can purchase the Colorado Bar with a Cerakote or hard chrome finish. We suggest the Cerakote, a ceramic coating that not only looks sweet but protects your barbell from rust and discoloration. The one downside is the price. At nearly $300, this bar is pricey. That said, you will use the thing nearly every day and REP built it to last. This isn’t the category to cheap out on.