PRX Dakota Power Bar
A stiff, aggressively knurled 28.5 mm power bar with a centre knurl, made in the USA at 190,000 PSI.
Specs
| Weight | 20 kg (45 lb) |
|---|---|
| Total length | 86.5 in |
| Sleeve dimensions | 15.4 x 1.96 in |
| Barbell diameter | 28.5 mm |
| Knurl marks | Power |
| Knurl depth | Aggressive |
| Center knurl | True |
| Whip | Stiff |
| Sleeve | Bushing, pressed bright zinc, lightly grooved |
| Barbell finish | Black zinc |
| Tensile strength | 190k PSI |
| Origin | Made in the USA |
| Warranty | Manufacturer defects |
These figures are copied from PRX Performance’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 PRX Performance before you buy.
Choose this one if
- You squat, bench and deadlift and do not clean or snatch
- You want aggressive knurl and a centre knurl for low-bar squats
- You want a stiff bar that stays where you put it
The detail
Everything here says powerlifting and nothing hedges. Aggressive knurl, a centre knurl, power marks only, stiff whip. There is no version of this bar that is pleasant to snatch, and PRX has not pretended otherwise — which is more useful than a spec sheet trying to be everything.
Stiff whip is what you want under a maximal squat. A whippy bar oscillates across your back as you stand up and the load arrives at the top out of phase with you; a stiff bar simply goes where you put it. It is also why the shaft is 28.5 mm rather than 28 — thicker resists flex.
Aggressive knurl and a centre knurl are the two specs to be honest with yourself about. Aggressive grips brilliantly on a max deadlift with sweaty hands and will tear your palms on a set of fifteen. Centre knurl stops the bar sliding down your back in a low-bar squat and will shred a t-shirt during high-rep bench. If your training is heavy and low-rep, both are correct. If it is not, PRX's Thresher with medium volcano knurl is the more livable bar.
Compare the PRX Reef, which takes the same brief further: 29 mm, mountain knurl, 220,000 PSI and a 2,000 lb rating. The Dakota is the American-made, slightly friendlier version of the same idea.
At 190,000 PSI the steel is the good standard. PRX does not publish a static load rating for this bar — the Reef is listed at 2,000 lb and this one is not — so ask before planning to load past 500.
The 15.4-inch sleeve is a little shorter than the 16-inch norm, which on a bar meant to be loaded heavily is worth checking against the plates you own. Black zinc is the least durable of the common finishes.