Bells of Steel Open Trap Bar
A trap bar with one end open, so you can walk into it and carry loaded — which a closed hex bar cannot do.
Specs
| Bar weight | 46.30 lb |
|---|---|
| Handle diameter | 0.98 in (25 mm) |
| Overall length | 59 in (1,500 mm) |
| Loadable sleeve length | 9.7 in (247 mm) |
| Max capacity | 700 lb (317.5 kg) |
| Knurl | Light |
| Shaft finish | Black oxide |
| Sleeve finish | White zinc |
| Sleeve assembly | Bushings and snap rings |
| Warranty | Limited lifetime |
These figures are copied from Bells of Steel’s own published specs and were last checked on 2026-08-31. Manufacturers revise products without notice, and variants differ. Confirm anything your decision depends on with Bells of Steel before you buy.
Choose this one if
- You want to deadlift heavy without loading your lower back the way a straight bar does
- You want to do farmer’s walks and loaded carries with the same bar
- Your lower back is the thing that limits your pulling, not your legs
The detail
The open end is the whole point. A conventional hex bar is a closed loop, so you step in and are boxed until you set it down. This one opens at the back, which means you can walk into it, walk out of it while loaded, and use it for farmer's walks and carries — a second exercise category the closed design simply cannot do.
The trap bar's usual argument still applies: the handles sit beside you rather than in front, so the load line runs closer to your hips. That takes shear off the lower back and lets the quads contribute more. For most people it means pulling heavier with less back fatigue, which is why it is often the first bar bought after a straight one.
Two constraints worth knowing before you buy. The capacity is 700 lb, the lowest of any bar here — fine for the overwhelming majority of lifters, but a real ceiling if you are pulling in that territory. And the loadable sleeve is 9.7 inches, which is very short: with 2.4-inch-wide bumpers you fit four a side and no more.
The 25 mm handles are thinner than a barbell's 28.5, and with only light knurl. That is a deliberate choice for a bar you may be holding for a 40-metre carry — aggressive knurl on a farmer's walk shreds hands — but it means grip will fail before the bar does on a heavy pull. Straps, or a chalk habit, close that gap.