Primal Armor Appalachian Bar Review – Better than the Duffalo in 2024?

Last updated on April 5th, 2024 at 02:02 pm

The Primal Armor Appalachian Bar was on my list as soon as Jeff from Primal Armor announced it. A bow bar made specifically for home gym peeps. This will be my first bow bar, as I just never could pull the trigger on the other offerings.

This was the number two vote getter in the Q1 and Q2 2023 Review Pipeline voting. I sold off a few “extra” pieces in the gym to make budget for this. And it arrived mid-August. I’ve been using it ever since, and now I’m ready to share my full review.

Transparency Note

I purchased my Primal Armor Appalachian Bar out of my own pocket. But, Jeff from Primal Armor does sponsor the Garage Gym Competition. We exchange his entry fee as a sponsor, for his continued contributions in the form of articles for the website, plus he tosses up a barbell as a prize for each event.

So, I do not see any money exchange between myself and Primal Armor (the links aren’t even affiliate links), but we do have a working relationship together. Hopefully my review of the bar is still accurate.

Primal Armor Appalachian Bar Video Review

Background

The Primal Armor Appalachian Bar is a specialty bar that came onto the scene towards the end of 2023, and I snagged one to continue to expand my specialty bar lineup. As you know, I’ve got a little bit of a Pokémon syndrome with specialty bars, I gotta catch em all!

I had been looking at the Duffalo bar for awhile from Kabuki Strength but I wasn’t a fan of the Kabuki Kadi, and for $600 to $700 for a bar that I’d use occasionally, I just wasn’t jumping for joy in pulling that trigger. Especially since I had talked to a number of people that were really mixed on the bar as a whole.

Fringe Sport makes the Longhorn Bar, you’ve got Titan which was never on my radar, Strong Arm Sport and a few others, and of course the Rogue CB-4. So you have some options if you are looking at a Bow Bar.

I had connected with Jeff of Primal Armor in 2023 as he wanted to sponsor the Garage Gym Competition. We worked out some details and he ended up writing our Kids Lifting series for the GGC website. I learned more about him, Primal Armor, and the cool stuff they were doing… and I bought the Primal Armor Appalachian Bar.

Why A Bow Bar?

A bow bar is essentially the evolution of a straight bar that got bent from heavy squats. It curves around the back nicely for back squats, and it provides a unique hand position and increased range of motion on bench press. You might have seen Arnold using a legit BENT bar back in the day.

You aren’t likely to do much else with this bar, though I have heard of people doing block pull style deadlifts due to the higher starting position, and you could always do some overhead press. But squats and bench are your go to exercises here.

For squats, the main win is the stress relief on the elbows and shoulders. A traditional bar has the weight straight across, and can roll a bit off the bar, requiring you to get your shoulders all the way back, hands fully under the bar, and the wrists to bear some of the weight. With a bow bar, the weights sit below where the bar sits on your back. This shifts the center of gravity slightly, and means that the bar is pulling straight down on your back. So your wrists have less weight to support as the bar isn’t ever rolling down your back, and the hand position in general is slightly down and further in front.

The other good thing here, is that a bow bar is different, but not by a lot. So the specificity of using one isn’t as crazy as say a Safety Squat Bar or other options.

How Do I Program a Bow Bar?

Same way you would any other bar. Yeah, I know, that is a cheap move. But honestly, your programming shouldn’t revolve around specialty bars, but instead revolve around sound practices of volume, intensity, and progression, aimed at attacking your weaknesses.

If you want a little more than that… For bench I would toss this in during a hypertrophy cycle. Slightly lighter weights will make sure that the increased range of motion doesn’t immediately cause issues. Focus on making sure you go ALL the way down, even consider an extended pause on the chest for a 3 count here on each rep. Really milk the benefits of this bar, and translate it into a difficult and effective lift.

For squats, I might use it after a heavy block of lifting, during a hypertrophy cycle, or on a second squat day of the week. Remember that our primary purpose here is likely to alleviate some wrist and shoulder strain, so we aren’t getting any strength or hypertrophy incentives here. Instead, use it to prevent and help alleviate some built up aches in the joints.

Primal Armor Appalachian Bar Specs

• Brand: Primal Armor
• Made In USA: Yes
• Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.5”
• Bar Length: 87.5”
• Diameter: 32MM
• Bar Weight: 50LBS
• Knurl: Moderate
• Center Knurl: Oversized
• Knurl Marking: Powerlifting
• Coating: Bright Zinc
• Camber Drop: 2.5 / 3in

From Jeff himself

Our bar’s are made of 100% American made steel. We take big pride in this as many of the mills overseas do not have the same regulation standards of their finished product as we do here in the States, so you are likely to get a lower quality steel as a result. We also used a high-carbon steel when creating the Primal Armor Appalachian Bar, which provides extra strength to the bar, which is needed on a cambered shaft as metal loses strength when it is bent. 

Jeff

Primal Armor Appalachian Bar Construction

The website claims the bar weighs 50lbs, which I’m always a fan of 45lb bars, but 50lb is the next best option. The interesting part, is I weighed mine and it weighs just a tad over 45lbs. I confirmed with a few of my buddies Chip and Coach Carp, that their bars weigh just over 45lbs. So I’m both happy that the bar weighs 45lbs, but also confused as to why it SAYS 50 on the website.

The bar has a 16.5” loadable sleeve, which should be enough for the majority of lifters. Even with my vintage deep dish plates that sit close to 2” thick, I’m able to load a solid 8 plates a side, plus collars… So we are looking at 700+ pounds.

The bar is 87” in length, where as most power bars like the ones from Rogue, Texas Power Bars, and the like come in at about 86”. So we are right in the ballpark of a traditional power bar. The nice thing here is that this means the bar is going to feel like a traditional barbell on your back and in your hands.

The bar comes with center knurl, powerlifting ring marks, and measures in at 32mm for the diameter, with a Bright Zinc coating. I’m personally a fan of some kind of coating vs Bare Steel, as we get so much fluctuation of rain, no rain, hot, cold, etc. in my garage, that bare steel gets gross fast. So I approve of the coating choice.

An interesting part of the bar construction is that the bar has no bearings or bushings. This aligns to some of the cheaper barbells on the market. So this was something that stood out as soon as I unpacked it. The lack of bushings means more noise, more slop, inconsistent sleeve movement, and overall a less finished product.

Primal Armor Appalachian Bar Performance

So I mentioned the bushings. In use, especially with a few hundreds pounds on your back, I don’t notice a damn thing. The bar doesn’t feel any different compared to my schedule 80 bars, my Olympic bars, you name it. I’ve never personally had any issues with the bars that don’t spin. So this, in my experience, doesn’t translate to any difference once the bar is on your back.

Do I still WANT bushings? Yep… I do! But I don’t think we NEED them.

I’m not sure how much it would cost to add bushings here, but I’d wager that if the bar costs $425, and you could add them for $25, it would be a worthwhile change to round out at $450.

The end caps are pretty basic. They mirror the Primal Armor logo, and pay homage to their Appalachian Mountain name. They include the weight, diameter of the bar, and made in the USA. Unique, plain, simple. Nothing fancy.

I’ve loaded it up with over 500lbs for a squat, and the bar didn’t have any troubles. The website doesn’t list an actual weight limit, but I loaded all my 45s and unracked and had no issues. So I’d wager we are good for whatever most people will throw at it.

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I’m not a huge fan of the real bity, aggressive knurling. I just haven’t found it to do anything but tear up my skin. I owned a bare steel Texas Power Bar for awhile, and this comes in a little less present than that, but not quite as fine and grippy as the Ivanko bar I own. When I use it, especially for the heavier sets, I definitely get that bar tattoo on my upper traps, and the bar sticks plenty fine for squats and bench. The knurling is nice and clean, well done, and adequate for my purposes across the board. As you can tell, I’m not a knurling nerd, but this does what it needs to do.

The bar has held together, after 6 months of use it still looks great, and this is after a very wet and rainy winter and heading into spring. This is where signs of oxidation would pop up, but I’m not seeing anything.

Bow bars can have issues sitting in a rack correctly. I own a 2×3 rack, and the Primal Armor Appalachian Bar, once loaded, sits fine. I checked with Chip who has a 3×3 Monster Rack, with the standard monster j-cups. He said the bar sits nice and flat and sturdy with 185+ on it. I got a comment on my Video Review, that if you own an imported rack, it is just SLIGHTLY off, which means the bar can rotate and flip on you. Something to consider depending on your rack choice.

Primal Armor Doesn’t Make The Primal Armor Appalachian Bar

One more thing I want to bring up… Jeff himself is not making this bar. Meaning, he isn’t working a lathe, bending bars, making sleeves, whatever. Jeff has partnered with another company in the US who white labels barbells, meaning they manufacture them, companies buy them and slap on whatever end-cap they want and sell them in some fashion.

This is potentially more common than you might think. The GGC Junior Bar that I helped bring to the market, that we sell through Weight It Out, goes through the same process. We found a company who made the bar we wanted, we customized the end caps, and we contact them whenever we get an order.

So this isn’t a knock against Jeff and the Primal Armor Appalachian Bar. But there is a very high likelihood that this bar, is the exact same bar as what Fringe Sport once sold as their domestic Longhorn Bar. This bar is no longer listed for sale, but you get the idea.

A Barbell For A Cause

Here is the kicker… The piece that sold me over everything else.

Jeff runs Primal Armor essentially as a Non-Profit, donating all proceeds to Huntington’s Disease Research, which is a very gnarly disease that has directly impacted his family.

All of Jeff’s profits from the podcast, apparel, bars, and everything he raises goes towards Huntington’s Disease research. At the end of the year he matches what he raises as well. So his sponsors for the podcast are directly helping him help others. Buying a bar from Jeff? You are getting a top of the line bar and helping a good cause. Jeff is doing awesome stuff, and helping people in the process.

Jeff hopped into the r/HomeGym discussion to clarify, and provided some details to me as well to help make sure you know what he means by “all proceeds”.

You can donate yourself right here.

Other Bow Bars On The Market

The Duffalo Bar from Kabuki Strength is without a doubt the premium option for a bow bar, on paper. It has multiple finish options, it has bushings, the premium stainless steel end caps, and it held up to Chris Duffin’s 1000lb squat. This thing is a monster.

But the length of the bar I have heard a number of times is an issue in a home gym setting, requiring custom j-cup inserts. It was designed to work inside a combo rack or monolift. My struggles with the Kadi were largely due to that same issue, it not being Power Rack friendly. So even if this is the most premium option, I don’t think it is right for the typical Home Gym Owner, or at least not for me. The Duffalo claims a 2in camber drop.

The Rogue CB-4 had similar feedback and issues with the size, curve, and even the finish wasn’t highly thought of by guys like Brandon Campbell. I like the blacked out look personally, and the thicker bar is a nice touch for both squats and bench as a thick bar sits better and spreads the weight better, which can mean even less wrist and elbow stress. Rogue make’s their bar in the US, so 100% if I was considering buying a different Bow Bar, this was at the top of my list. Rogue claims to have a 4.4 inch drop on their camber, making it the most pronounced drop of the mainstream bars.

The Longhorn Bar seems to have gone the route of the XL sizing, and I believe it is now imported. The price is appealing, on sale currently for $262 bucks… But I think we get the negatives of the Duffalo AND an import bar. For me, this is a no go, but I totally get biting at $262 (and Fringe often has additional coupons and sales). The Longhorn Bar has the same 2in camber drop of the Duffalo.

Vulcan Strength makes a Buffalo Bar, and it was a top contender against the CB-4 and Primal Armor Appalachian Bar.

Titan makes a bow bar, StrongArm Sport makes one, and several others. I can’t possibly cover EVERY single one. But you get the idea. The ones above are what I see people using regularly.

Additional Videos & Resources

My man The Kurt Locker reviewed the Primal Armor Denali Bar.

Rob from VintageWeightsPGH and host of the Home Gym History Podcast had Jeff on to talk about the History of The Cambered Bar:

Wrap Up

Overall, the Primal Armor performs well. Bushings would be a good choice for a round 2, and maybe a little more than just a flat sticker for the end cap would be nice. These would up the aesthetics and finished feel.

In the end, the Primal Armor Appalachian Bar is the better home gym fit bar, that meets the performance needs, stands up well over time to the elements, is American Made, AND supports a good cause. That is a pretty good selling point from my end to seal the deal.

If you are looking for a buffalo or bow type bar, especially in a home gym setting, I think you have to consider the Primal Armor Appalachian Bar to be at the top of the list all around.

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