The 5 Best Buffalo Barbells For Top Workouts

There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission on anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Buffalo barbells, also known as bow bars, ox bars, or simply buffalo bars, can be helpful pieces of equipment. Find out what the best options are.

Best buffalo barbells top picks

1. Titan Fitness Yukon Bar
2. Strongarm Buffalo Bar 2.0
3. Fringe Sport Longhorn Buffalo Bar
4. Kabuki Strength Duffalo Bar
5. Vulcan Buffalo Barbell

These specialty weight lifting bars go by many names but they all come down to a bent barbell. These can make your workouts more comfortable and increase your range of motion in exercises like the bench press.

Keep in mind that it is not possible to create one perfect ranking for everyone. Sometimes buffalo barbells lower on the list will be better for your personal preferences, budget, body size, and training goals.

How we selected our top picks

Our fitness experts spent a lot of time looking at and comparing all the different important factors of buffalo bars. Some of the things that were taken into consideration when making our selection include:

• Weight capacity, sleeve length, drop height, etc.
• User reviews
• Anecdotal reviews from fitness experts
• Price
• Brand trustability

If a pick seems interesting click it to see the online prices.

5 Best buffalo barbells reviewed in depth

The list of top picks can offer a quick overview. You can also look at each of the buffalo barbells reviewed in depth to make sure the model you have in mind is the right choice.

1. Titan Fitness Yukon Bar

Our top pick for the best buffalo barbells is the Titan Fitness Yukon Bar. Besides the high quality features a nice number of happy customers, something that really stands out is the budget-friendly price compared to other models.

One thing to note is that the curve height, aka the drop, is a bit above average at 6″ (15.24 cm). This curve is the main reason why you would want to get a buffalo bar but some people may 6″ just a bit too much.

Besides that, it is hard to find downsides to the Titan Fitness Yukon Bar. It has a high weight capacity of 1500 pounds (680 kg) which should be more than enough even for experienced lifters.

When it comes to other specific dimensions, the bar has a total length of 96″ (243.8 cm). This includes two sleeves of 17.5″ (44.45 cm) each.

The grip diameter is standard at 1.26″ (32 mm). The same goes for the sleeves with a diameter of 2″ (50). These dimensions are the same for all the buffalo bars on the list but are worth mentioning for people who are new to these bow bars.

With the helpful features, relatively budget-friendly price, and many happy customers that mention this is a great bar, the Titan Fitness Yukon Bar will be a great choice for most people.

2. Strongarm Buffalo Bar 2.0

The Strongarm Buffalo Bar 2.0 is another solid buffalo barbell, though a good amount pricier than the previous option. Another small difference is the slightly less pronounced curve.

This model has a 5.5″ (14 cm) drop which should still be enough to offer the benefits of training with a buffalo bar. Whether this is enough or lacking is a case of personal preference, your body dimensions, and the state of your body.

Besides that, most lifters will find the weight capacity of 1500 pounds (680 kg) of this buffalo bar more than enough. The total length of the bar (95.6″ = 242.8 cm) and the sleeve length (17.7″ = 45 cm) are standard but solid. Unloaded, this bar starts at 50 pounds (22.7 kg).

One downside is that there are a few cases where customers receive a bar with some rust on it. At the same time, there are many more customers who get a great buffalo barbell.

3. Fringe Sport Longhorn Buffalo Bar

The first thing that stands out in the Fringe Sport Longhorn Buffalo Bar is its weight capacity of 800 pounds (362 kg) which is lower than the previous options.

This should still be more than enough for most people but does indicate the sturdiness of the bar to some extent. For most people, this is not an issue but some of the other options offer more capacity at a similar or lower price.

Another thing to note is that the curve is a bit less pronounced at a 3.75″ (9.5 cm) drop. Some people like it this way, others will want to get a buffalo bar with a bigger drop.

The total length of Fringe Sport Longhorn Buffalo Bar is also slightly smaller at 87.5″ (222.3 cm). This also comes with somewhat shorter sleeves of 16.5″ (41.9 cm) on each side.

As long as you can put the buffalo bar in your bar holders and load the desired number of weight plates, this compactness can be a small upside.

Another nice addition is the 1-year satisfaction guarantee and the lifetime warranty against bending or breaking.

If you like a smaller curve and don’t mind the lower weight capacity, this model from Fringe Sport could be the best buffalo barbell for you.

4. Kabuki Strength Duffalo Bar

The Kabuki Strength Duffalo Bar is typically considered to be the best buffalo barbell in the quality sense but this does come at a steep price.

If you are interested in a premium option and don’t mind paying more for it, this bar could be the best one for you.

The Kabuki Strength Duffalo Bar has a weight capacity of 1500 pounds (680 kg) which is the result of the above-average tensile strength of 195,000 KSI.

Something that is somewhat unique to this buffalo bar is that the 17.25″ (43.8 cm) sleeves are pointed somewhat upward. This will help keep the weight plates you use in place. Barbell collars will still be useful but the attention to detail is a nice addition.

The total length of the Kabuki Strength Duffalo Bar is 96″ (243.8 cm) and starts at 55 pounds (25 kg) without weight plates.

One thing Kabuki Strength could improve on is mentioned the exact height of the curve of their buffalo barbell. This would help with putting the bar into perspective compared to the other options.

That being said, the Kabuki Strength Duffalo Bar is generally considered the premium option. If you have the budget for it and find the extra tensile strength and angled sleeves worth it, you can consider this model.

5. Vulcan Buffalo Barbell

This Vulcan Buffalo Barbell is very similar to the Fringe Sport model but with a slightly bigger curve and fewer customers to prove that they can handle a lot of orders successfully.

The total length is 87.5″ (222.3 cm) which is just a bit shorter than most of the other buffalo barbells. Additionally, the length of the sleeves (16.5″ = 41.9 cm) is the same story.

A tensile strength of 165,000 KSI and the 800-pound (362 kg) weight capacity that comes with that is sufficient for most people but on the lower side compared to many of the other buffalo barbells.

Unloaded, this bar starts at a weight of 45 pounds (20.4 kg) which is just a bit below the average buffalo bar weight.

As mentioned before the height of the curve is somewhat below average at 4″ (10.2 cm). You will still get the benefits of using a buffalo barbell but some people prefer a bigger curve.

On the other hand, a smaller curve could make the bar more convenient for less typical buffalo bar exercises like a shoulder press.

Most people will find one of the previous options a better choice. That being said, if you really like the Vulcan brand and/or happen to stumble upon any good deals you can consider this bow bar too.

FAQ