The 6 Best Barbell Collars In 2024 (Budget, Premium & More)

Do you own a barbell and weight plates? If so, you need barbell collars to hold everything in place and keep you safe.

The question is, which are the best barbell collars on the market today?

Read on because we’ll be going over the 6 best options on the market. On top of that, we’ll go over what to consider before making a purchase and other relevant information.

Let’s dive in.

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The 6 Best Barbell Collars On The Market

1. Best Barbell Collars Overall: Rogue USA Aluminum Collars
2. Runner-Up Best Barbell Collars: OSO Barbell Collars
3. Best Premium Barbell Collars: Eleiko Öppen Collars
4. Best Budget Barbell Collars: Clout Fitness Olympic Barbell Clamps
5. Best Barbell Collars on Amazon: DMoose Olympic Barbell Clips
6. Best For Dumbbell Handles: Strengthco Barbell Collars

1. Best Barbell Collars Overall: Rogue USA Aluminum Collars

The Rogue aluminum collars are simply the best on the market, and the first thing that stands out about these is their design.

You get a pair of great-looking collars with black latches and a silver finish. The black latches have the Rogue logo, and two additional logos are on the collar itself.

The inside of the collars is padded with black rubber, which doesn’t add much to the design but provides good traction to lock the collar on the barbell sleeve.

Another thing you’ll notice about these is that the latches take some effort to open, unlike some plastic alternatives on the market. Once you place the collar on the barbell sleeve and squeeze it shut, there is no unlatching.

All of that is tied together well with the overall feel of these collars. The aluminum feels nice to the touch, and you can tell a lot of time and effort have gone into the design and manufacturing.

2. Runner-Up Best Barbell Collars: OSO Barbell Collars

The OSO barbell collars by Rogue are another fantastic product in the same price range. These have a similar design but come in multiple colors, including silver, orange, blue, and red.

Like the previous option by Rogue Fitness, these are also made of high-quality aluminum that feels great to the touch. The inside is padded with rubber that goes all the way around, ensuring a strong grip on the barbell sleeve.

The lever has three options: all-the-way open, neutral, and closed. For the most part, the neutral option will work well enough because it opens up the collar enough for you to slide it over the barbell sleeve.

However, the all-the-way open option works slightly better because it allows you to slide the collar without friction.

Once you’ve put it in position, press the lever to lock the collar, and you’re good to go.

3. Best Premium Barbell Collars: Eleiko Öppen Collars

It’s no secret that Eleiko products aren’t the… cheapest on the market, but there is a good reason for it.

If Rogue offers quality collars, the Öppen Collars by Eleiko are one tier above that. Of course, they also cost twice as much, which is something to consider if you’re unsure which ones to get.

Unlike most other collars on the market, these have a unique design because they are open-ended. In other words, they don’t grip the barbell sleeve all the way around but instead leave a small opening.

That might seem like a design flaw, but it isn’t. Despite not offering 360 degrees of coverage, these bad boys lock in place and keep your weights in position. There is no wiggle room, and you never feel like the plates are sliding out.

An advantage of the open design is that you don’t have to slide the collars from the end of the sleeve to the plates. Instead, you can simply place it against the plate and lock it in place. Of course, that doesn’t mean you’ll save a ton of time or energy; it’s just a nice extra you get from the best premium collars on the market.

As a whole, these collars are perfect for everyone willing to wait longer to get delivery and doesn’t mind paying extra.

4. Best Budget Barbell Collars: Clout Fitness Olympic Barbell Clamps

Now that we’ve seen the best premium option, let’s look at the opposite: the best budget option.

Picking a winner in this category isn’t easy because there are plenty of cheap barbell collars on the market.

Unfortunately, most aren’t that good simply because they don’t last as long and tend to wear out quickly. What is the point in getting a cheap pair if you have to replace it three, six, or twelve months later?

Fortunately, that’s not the case with the barbell clamps by Clout Fitness. Despite only costing $16, these plastic collars work great. Slide them on the barbell sleeve, push them against the weight plate, push the latch to lock them in place, and you’re good to go.

These might not last as long as a pair of Rogue aluminum collars, but you still get a ton of value because they will likely last for at least a few years.

5. Best Barbell Collars on Amazon: DMoose Olympic Barbell Clips

The DMoose barbell clips are quite similar to the previous ones we covered above. They only cost around $17 and are made of plastic, but you get fantastic support for your weights.

Slide these on the barbell sleeve, press the latch, and these bad boys will lock into position. The rubber padding on the interior ensures good traction, keeps your weight plates in place, and keeps your barbell sleeve free of scratches.

As an added benefit, you can pick from seven colors: black, blue, gray, green, pink, red, and yellow.

6. Best For Dumbbell Handles: Strengthco Barbell Collars

The collars by Strengthco have a similar design to the Eleiko ones because they don’t close fully around the weight sleeve.

Despite that, I recommend these if you have loadable dumbbells that support olympic plates, similar to those by Rogue Fitness.

These collars are slightly more expensive than the options we reviewed by Rogue, but the price is worth it. Their design is quite remarkable, and you can get them in black or silver––both look great.

Additionally, these are much thinner (1.25” or 3.1 cm) than standard barbell collars, which makes them ideal to use on shorter sleeves, such as those on loadable dumbbells and curl bars. Less space is needed for the collar means more space is available for actual weight plates.

Despite being thinner, the Strengthco barbell collars offer excellent support and lock your weights in position.

What Are Barbell Collars, And Why Consider Purchasing Any?

In the most basic sense, barbell collars are a form of security. Their sole objective is to clamp over the barbell sleeve and hold your weight plates in position. Doing so is necessary for safe and effective training.

Proper weight training requires you to balance the weight you use, but lifting a loaded barbell without collars generally causes the plates to drift outward, even if you train with fantastic technique. That creates imbalance and can lead to serious issues, especially when lifting sub-maximal and maximal loads.

Interestingly, the barbell collar revolution began only a few years ago. Back in the day, the only ones available were these basic spring collars, where you had to press both ends together and slide over the barbell sleeve.

These days, collars are much more sophisticated, easier to use, and more reliable. Even cheap models are generally fine and should last a few years.

More expensive options on the market are nothing special but feel sturdier and are slightly more satisfying to use.

The locking mechanism is typically the same among different models. Open the collar, slide it on the sleeve, press it against the weight plate, and clip it closed. Once you’re done using it, push the latch to open the collar and take it off. It takes 10 seconds to clip both sides and secure your weights.

Best Barbell Collars Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What are the advantages of good barbell collars?

Good barbell collars will generally tighten more strongly and be able to support more weight. For example, if you’re squatting and the bar leans slightly to one side, quality collars will stay locked in and prevent the plates from sliding off, potentially leading to an injury.

Quality collars are also preferable to cheaper models because they last longer. You will be using your collars countless times, so it’s better to get good-quality ones because they are more likely to last for years.

2. Which barbell collars should I get?

It mostly comes down to preferences and budget. If you’re looking for something affordable to get the job done, the DMoose Olympic Barbell Clips and Clout Fitness Olympic Barbell Clamps will do best.

If you can afford it, the Rogue USA Aluminum Collars will be the best choice because they will likely last for many years, even if you use them several times per workout.

3. When can I use barbell collars?

You can use your collars on every barbell, straight bar, or EZ bar exercise where you add weight plates. 

Best Barbell Collars: Final Words

There you have it:

Six of the best barbell collars on the market in 2024.

Unlike other types of training equipment, collars are less sophisticated, and there isn’t as much to consider before making a purchase––it mostly comes down to your budget.

You won’t see a difference for the most part, but a more expensive pair could last longer.

Check out other similar lists:

• The 7 Best Short Barbells For Your Gym (2024)
• The 7 Best Trap Bars For Your Home Gym (2024)
• The 7 Best Safety Squat Bars For Your Gym in 2024
• The 9 Best Curl Bars On The Market (2024)