The Best and Safest Barbell Collars of 2021

If you own a set of bumper plates, or barbells then you’re probably already familiar with barbell collars.

The ones that come with weight sets are simple – spring-loaded pieces that resemble hand-strengthening equipment designed to hold weight plates in place on dumbbells and bars.

These are essential equipment for CrossFitters who might be focused on their AMRAPs or are simply exhausted and forget about safety. Due to the HIIT workouts, and the timed nature of CrossFit workouts, these safety equipment are more important in this sport than any other.

As with most exercise equipment, not all barbell collars are created equal. Let’s take a look at what you should look for and our reviews of some of the best barbell collars on the market today.

Jump to product reviews

Here is our quick summary. Keep reading to see how we chose our best and what you should consider when purchasing these safety equipment.

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Rogue HG 2.0 Collars
  • Most durable solid Nylon Resin Construction
  • Patented locking mechanism with easy on off, but firm grip
  • Compatible with almost any bar
View on Rogue Fitness

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Clout Fitness Quick Release Clamp
  • Best Plastic Collars on market
  • Quick Release Clamp design
  • Versatile and Various color options
View on Amazon

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Rogue OSO Barbell Collars
  • Aircraft grade Aluminum alloy material
  • Easy on off clamp mechanism with rubber lining
  • Manufactured in the U.S.A
View on Rogue Fitness

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Lock-Jaw HEX Olympic Barbell Collar
  • Proprietary blend of durable plastic material
  • Excellent grip with clamp
  • Various colors to choose from
View on Amazon

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Greententljs Olympic Barbell Clamps
  • Durable ABS plastic material
  • 12 color options
  • Most affordable option
View on Amazon

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Synergee Aluminum Barbell Collars
  • Aluminum construction collars
  • Rubber lining interior for firm grip
  • Most affordable metal option
View on Amazon

Our Top Picks for CrossFit Barbell Collars

Each of our top picks were chosen for their unique fit for different types of uses or preferences. See which one fits your needs best.

  1. Rogue HG 2.0 Collars (Top overall pick for durability and versatility)
  2. Clout Fitness Quick Release Clamp (Best plastic construction and economic pricing)
  3. Rogue OSO Barbell Collars (Aircraft grade Aluminum alloy construction for durability and an modern look)
  4. Lock-Jaw HEX Olympic Barbell Collar (Durable plastic material with various color choices)
  5. Greententljs Olympic Barbell Clamps (Most affordable and durable option)
  6. Synergee Aluminum Barbell Collars (Economic Aluminum construction option)

What Are Olympic Barbell Collars?

Barbell collars

As their name suggests, Olympic barbell collars are designed to keep your weights in place on Olympic barbells.

Unlike standard barbells, the bar is actually two inches in diameter, capable of handing more weight safely than a standard bar.

If you’ve purchased an Olympic barbell with a set of plates, chances are you have some classic spring-style colors.

These may be the ones that you’re most familiar with – they’re cheap, you see them everywhere and they can be effective when used properly.

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The downside is that they tend to be difficult to use if you don’t have a lot of hand strength, and they tend to lose tension over time.

How to Use Barbell Collars?

Barbell Collars Benefits

Using barbell collars is simple but necessary, especially if you’re lifting a lot of weight.

All you need to do is load your bar, then slip the barbell collar onto the bar to secure the plates in place.

The exact method of tightening will depend on the barbell collars that you choose. Some screw down, others uses pressure clips, springs, or even velcro to secure the plates on the bar while you’re lifting.

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Benefits of Barbell Collars

benefits of barbell collars

The primary benefit of using barbell collars is that it keeps you from losing your plates while you’re lifting.

Ideally, you want to make sure that you’re keeping your bar balanced to ensure proper form, but anyone who’s ever lifted a bar knows that it doesn’t always work that way.

Without barbell collars, if you lean too far to one side or the other, your plates will slip off the bar, hitting the floor and potentially damaging both the plates and the floor itself.

Ease of use is also a benefit that you might want to consider.

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Traditional spring collars are tough to use unless your hands are strong. For those lacking in hand strength, different locking mechanisms are easier to use and more secure.

Considerations Before Buying

Rogue Fitness OSO Barbell collars

While buying barbell collars might seem pretty straightforward, there are a few things that you need to consider before making your final purchase, including:

  • Material – Barbell collars can be made of anything from hard plastic to metal and some are more durable than others. If you’re worried about scratching your bar, avoid the metal collars, or those that don’t have a liner to prevent scratches.
  • Durability – As with most exercise equipment, not all barbell collars are created equal. Look for collars made from durable materials that have good reviews on the site that you’re purchasing them from. Sometimes experience is the best teacher, and you can use the experiences of other to keep you from making a costly mistake.
  • Locking Mechanism – How do the collars lock onto the bar? Look for a collar that will keep your plates secure, but one that is easy for you to use. Many use pressure switches to lock the collars in place, while others use velcro or hex keys to lock the collars down.
  • Size – All of the barbell collars that we’re going to review today are designed for olympic bars with a diameter of 2 inches. If you’ve got a standard weight bar with a smaller diameter – standard bars are usually 1 inch thick and hold smaller plates – you’ll need to find some other collar options.
  • Weight – This isn’t usually a problem – most barbell collars don’t weigh more than a couple of ounces each, but if you’re concerned about the additional weight, collars made of rubber or plastic tend to weigh less and might be a better option for your needs.

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It may also be worth looking into whether or not your seller offers a warranty on their product, in case of failure due to manufacturer defect.

Top Barbell Collars Reviewed

Let’s take a closer look at some of the best olympic barbell collars on the market today and see what sets them apart from other similar products.

Overall #1 Pick

Rogue HG 2.0 Collars

  • Most durable solid Nylon Resin Construction
  • Patented locking mechanism with easy on off, but firm grip
  • Compatible with almost any bar
Rogue HG 2.0 Collars

When considering highest quality, great product design, and great service in the fitness equipment space, Rogue Fitness always tops the list.

We chose this particular product as our top pick for various reasons. First off its special Nylon Resin Construction is light weight, and can handle an unlimited wear and tear. This material also will not scratch up from repeated friction against metal plates.

The clamp is unique and is patented. It has a spring in the tab for quicker release. This means that it allows for easy release without bruising your fingers as some other collars will do.

Last thing you want is to have an amazing grip from a collar that bruises your fingers every time you want to release it. Again, this is why Rogue is our top pick because their product design team seems to understand the audience they cater to.

Also all components such as the hardware inside – the springs, and the locking metal parts are all stainless steel. This means that these collars will not rust even if you leave them in the garage gym in a humid environment.

Lastly, we also love the versatility of these collars. They obviously fit a 2″ Olympic bar, but they are also compatible with many specialty bars. Basically ensuring that no matter where you got your bar, this collar is likely not going to be an issue.

If you are looking for a pair of collars that will literally outlast you, then we highly recommend these collars. They are pricey for a collar, but then again when it comes to safety of heavy weights and fingers, it is absolutely worth the price.

Clout Fitness Quick Release Clamp

  • Best Plastic Collars on market
  • Quick Release Clamp Design
  • Versatile for different bars
  • Various color options
Clout Fitness Quick Release Clamp

These simple ABS plastic barbell collars might not look like much, but they’re some of the most highly reviewed collars on the market.

They use a quick release/quick clamp design that makes it simple to change plates during even the most intense workout.

The interior of each collar is designed to grip the bar so they don’t slip, even if you do.

If making sure that all of your workout equipment matches is important to you, these collars come in multiple colors – black, blue, red and green, to name a few.

These collars also come as a pair, and are fairly inexpensive so it’s easy to pick one up for each of your bars rather than switching them between bars during a workout.

They will fit any olympic or speciality bar with a diameter of up to 2 inches.

Rogue OSO Barbell Collars

  • Aircraft grade Aluminum alloy material
  • Easy on off clamp mechanism with rubber lining
  • Various color options
  • Manufactured in the U.S.A
Rogue OSO Barbell Collars

Similar to the Rogue HG 2.0 Collars, these collars are well designed and have been a staple for many CrossFit Boxes and professional CrossFitters.

Going from a spring clamp to these is going to feel like you are going from a Ford Model T to a modern Electric Vehicle.

They are made from Aircraft grade Aluminum alloy material, making them light weight and almost indestructible. They have a rubber lining on the interior ensuring that your barbell is never scratched up.

The construction material also seems to work very with the paint. Repeated usage, drops on hard surfaces etc, will not chip off the paint color. The color options also make for a great gift for women CrossFitters when you pair it with the Rogue Bella Bar 2.0.

The quick release clamp makes changing out weights super easy. They create a grip that does not budge with heavy plates and drops of the barbell, but also make taking them on off very easy for anyone.

Lastly these collars are made in Rogue’s Columbus, Ohio facility. Some might not care about where the product is made, but adding American made quality ensures the product’s standing as a product to own for a lifetime.

Lock-Jaw HEX Olympic Barbell Collar

  • Proprietary blend of durable plastic material
  • Excellent grip with clamp
  • Various colors to choose from
Lock-Jaw HEX Olympic Barbell Collar

These lightweight barbell collars are crafted from a proprietary blend of materials and are ideal for anyone who wants to make sure that their plates aren’t going to shake loose but don’t want to add any extra weight to the bar that could throw off their workout.

They are easy to slip on and off the end of the bar, but once they’re locked down they aren’t going to move until you release them, no matter how much weight you’re lifting.

These collars are ideal for use in a variety of applications and workouts, from your home gym to a professional competitive setting.

They come in bright neon colors so they’ll always be easy to spot.

Greententljs Olympic Barbell Clamps

  • Durable ABS plastic material
  • 12 color options
  • Most affordable option
Greententljs Olympic Barbell Clamps

If you like having color options, you can’t go wrong with these barbell collars which come in 12 color options from black and gray to neon green and yellow.

They are designed to fit 2-inch olympic or specialty bars, and are crafted from a combination of ABS plastic and nylon for maximum durability.

They hold your plates securely, but are designed to be locked and unlocked one handed for ease of use

These collars won’t lose tension like the spring-style collars that you might be used to. They’re designed to provide the same secure hold for years to come, and if you’re not satisfied with the product, the seller provides a satisfaction guarantee so you can just return it, no questions asked.

Synergee Aluminum Barbell Collars

  • Aluminum construction collars
  • Rubber lining interior for firm grip
  • Most affordable metal option
Synergee Aluminum Barbell Collars

These Olympic style barbell collars are the only non Rogue Fitness Aluminum construction ones on our list which provides superior durability.

The lock is made of ABS plastic and the interior of the collar is lined with rubber to provide the best hold while protecting your bar from scratches.

In spite of being made from metal – in this case, aluminium – these collars are lightweight and won’t add any extra drag to your workout.

Synergee provides a lifetime guarantee for their barbell collars, so if there are ever any problems with them you can easily return them or get a replacement.

They only come in three colors – red, black and gray – so if color is important to you these might not be the best choice.

For the price, these are the most affordable quality aluminum barbell collars available on the market.

Wrapping It Up

Whether you’re lifting 3 pounds or 300 pounds, you don’t want to start your workout without a set of barbell collars securely in place.

A good set of collars will keep you, your spotter and your floor safe from falling plates if something becomes unbalanced.

You’re not stuck with the basic spring-style collars that came with your bar.

A new, high quality set is relatively inexpensive and if you invest in a high quality pair, they will serve you well for years to come.