The Hero Barbell company was started by three “normal” guys that like to surf, snowboard, play, golf, workout and enjoy a hoppy beer. Sound familiar? Anyways, they were not happy with the current barbell options out there, so they decided to start their own! Let’s talk about the first barbell they’ve brought to the market – The Legend Barbell.
It’s well constructed, durable, and includes the specs needed to perform CrossFit style, the Olympic lifts, and other general strength movements as necessary. It includes a Cerakote finish, 28 mm diameter, 215k tensile strength/1,500 lb rating, 8 needle bearings, and an easy-to-grip knurl. All of this, combined with a price under $300, and we’ve got a barbell many home gym owners should consider.
Performance Specs
With 8 self-lubricating needle bearings, the rotation of the bar is extremely smooth for Olympic Lifts. Most “multi-purpose bars” like the Ohio Bar include bushings, which do not spin as quickly. However, the spin on the Legend Bar is not so overwhelming that you can’t do deadlifts, squats, or bench. There will be a moderate spin on the bar when plates are loaded on the j-cups, but this should not affect most lifts. However, if the Olympic lifts are not your number 1 priority, a bar with bushings will be a better fit for you.
The Spin
In addition, it includes a 28mm shaft, unlike the “traditional” multi-purpose bars, which use 28.5mm. This feature makes it more appealing to those performing Olympic lifts (snatch, clean and jerk) regularly. The thinner diameter also makes it easier to grip for higher rep workouts, provides more whip than a thicker bar, and is easier to “hook grip.”
The overall knurl is somewhere between “mild” and “moderate,” but still very grippy. Even without chalk, it’s easy to get a firm grip, and you’ll most likely find yourself using less than you may typically use on other barbells coated with something like black zinc or e-coat. With that being said, it does pair well with chalk if necessary.
No center knurl is included, which will save your neck during high-intensity workouts, including power cleans, but that also means a little less grip when doing back squats. While that shouldn’t cause too much of an issue, it may not be ideal for someone performing heavy back squats (specifically low bar squats) frequently.
These specs highlighted add up to a barbell that is best for someone doing CrossFit style workouts or Olympic lifts regularly. If you are not doing any clean, clean and jerk, or snatch regularly, this bar is not the best option for you. A more traditional multi-purpose or power bar would be a better option.
The Coating
The Cerakote coating is really what makes this bar pop! It’s a beautiful bar with a clean coating in the middle of it. It stands out in a good way when sitting next to other bars.
There are a few other additional benefits to having a Cerakote barbell:
- It provides excellent corrosion resistance. Therefore, little maintenance will be needed overtime to maintain the look.
- While other coatings (e-coat, black zinc) take away much of the “feel,” this bar’s knurl is not dulled out too much by the coating. It’s not quite a raw feeling like bare steel or stainless steel, but it is still easy to grip, as mentioned above.
The sleeves are also coated in Cerakote. It looks extremely nice now, but over time this will most likely get dinged up a bit. There are some knicks after a few months of use, but there shouldn’t ever be any issues with its actual functionality. Nevertheless, hard chrome sleeves would be an ideal option.
Price
The barbell is priced at $299 and includes free shipping. For a quick comparison, that’s about $65-$85 cheaper (shipping to Indiana) than a few similar Cerakote options from larger companies – the American Barbell California Bar and Rogue Ohio Bar. It is priced $50 lower than the camo bar from Crandall and about the same as a nearly identical option from Giant Lifting after considering shipping.
A Few Other Notes
- While these are more convincing from companies that have been around a long time and are almost guaranteed to be here for a while, a lifetime warranty is included on the construction and bending of the barbells from Hero.
- There is a band around the barbell collar that identifies the brand. It is already showing some wear. Ideally, this would be completely solid, and since there is already a logo in the middle of the bar, it seems unnecessary. Most of this comes down to personal preference, though.
- There are 4 total Cerakote color options (red, blue, gray, black) and a hard chrome option that is $30 cheaper.
Conclusion
To conclude, this is a very solid and high-value all-around bar for the oly lifter, CrossFitter, and many other “Suburban Legends” who also want to be able to do a little bit of everything. It is designed for those performing power cleans, snatches, etc., regularly. Many brands are making a barbell similar to this, but to our knowledge, this is as well priced as any other Cerakote barbell on the market today.
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