PRX Swift Barbell
The entry bar in PRX's range — 165,000 PSI and a 700 lb rating, with the same volcano knurl and dual marks as the expensive ones.
Specs
| Barbell type | General training |
|---|---|
| Length | 86.5 in |
| Barbell weight | 20 kg (45 lb) |
| Shaft diameter | 28 mm |
| Shaft coating | Decorative chrome |
| Sleeve coating | Chrome |
| Sleeve texture | Grooved |
| Usable sleeve length | 16-1/8 in |
| Whip level | Low |
| Static load capacity | 700 lb |
| Tensile strength | 165,000 PSI |
| Knurling type | Volcano |
| Knurling aggression | Medium |
| Knurling marks | IWF/IPF |
| Bushings | Copper |
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 are buying a first bar and your lifts are comfortably under 400 lb
- You want dual knurl marks without paying for premium steel
- You want chrome rather than zinc at this price
The detail
Seven hundred pounds and 165,000 PSI are the two numbers that place this bar, and they place it clearly: below the 1,500 lb / 190,000 PSI standard that PRX's Thresher and Mako hit, and roughly level with the Force USA Olympic barbell.
For a lot of people that is genuinely fine. If your squat is 300 and your deadlift is 400, a 700 lb bar is not the limiting factor and the money is better spent on plates. The honest question is where you will be in three years — bars do not get stronger, and a bar that takes a permanent set is finished.
What is not compromised is the geometry. Medium volcano knurl, dual IWF and IPF marks, a 28 mm shaft and a 16-1/8 inch loadable sleeve are the same specification as bars costing considerably more. You are paying less for the steel, not for a worse-designed bar.
Low whip on a 28 mm shaft is an unusual pairing — 28 mm normally implies an Olympic bar with some flex. Here the low whip figure suits pressing and squatting better than it suits cleans.
Copper bushings rather than bronze or needle bearings means moderate, durable spin. Copper is softer than bronze and will wear faster under heavy use, which is consistent with where this bar sits.
Decorative chrome is a thinner plating than hard chrome and will show wear sooner at the knurl. It still beats bare steel for corrosion resistance in a garage.
Grooved sleeves hold plates and collars a little more securely than smooth ones.