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Originally Posted by cdkrug
Bar ratings are a bit like fairy gold. Pretty to look at but not real.
A $150 barbell set comes with a bar with bolt-on ends and a chrome finish. It's fine for slow lifts, but the bearings aren't all that great and it won't stand much dumping.
For between $300 and $700, you can get a bar with snap-ring ends and good bearings. The weight remains stationary as you whip your elbows round into a full squat clean. The finish is black oxide that doesn't rust and holds up better. The grip diameter and weight are closer to "official" for the type of bar–Olympic Mens, Womens, Juniors and Powerlifting federations all have different rules about what makes a "legal" bar.
A competition bar and (almost always) bumpers are calibrated to be within +/-0.5 kg of their marked weight (iirc) and certified by an independent lab to be rule conforming. They start at 4-figures. They have expensive bronze bearings that, should you spin a plate, will permit it to keep spinning for about a year.
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I've heard good things about Jesup's bars (around 100 bucks)