IVANKO OBX-20KG The Powerlifting Olympic Bar

It's hard to say something is the "best" because it really begs the question, "best for what?".There are a lot of great barbells designed for specific applications, Crossfit, Oly, Powerlifting, beginners, etc.I do a combination of these sports but was never happy with the "all purpose" barbells I tried at many gyms.Multi purpose barbells tend to be "jack of all trades, master of none" because of compromises made in the spec, design, etc.But my experience lifting with the OBX changed my mind -- it does everything with aplomb and then some.At 28mm its thin enough for DL but the steel spec/quality is stiff enough to hold up heavy squats and bench.The knurling is aggressive but not painful -- 20 rep sets are no problem.Knurl spacing is IPF at 32” with non-standard rings at 22” and 42” (no IWF on this particular bar).The 22” mark is great for overhead press and close grip bench and I like the 42” to center the for squats (ie they are equal from the J-cups and make centering the bar a snap).Bushings are sintered bronze -- very smooth spin with no stalls or overspin and zero side-play or rattle when the bar is dropped.And here's another thing: these bars have been made by Ivanko since 1967 and its nearly impossible to find a used one for sale. That says a lot. Even used, used Ivanko's command top dollar. People love them and rarely part with them if ever.Drawbacks? Well for Crossfit/Oly you probably don't prefer center knurling so the OB version of this would be more suitable.If you PL 500+lbs, you probably want to go 29mm and the OBSX is basically this bar but stiffer.In the end I was happy to pay more for the OBX all-around utility and quality and know that it will last me (and my kids) a lifetime of hard use.