XMaster Barbell Collars Review

The XMaster barbell collars are light, lock down like a snapping turtle, and never rust.

Made with a simple lockjaw design and two rubber inserts, these clamps are affordable and durable.

Let’s check them out!

Unboxing

The pair of collars came in a small box wrapped in plastic.

Nothing special about the packaging but they travelled well and were in mint condition.

And these are the collars out of the box.

The locking tab has XMaster’s logo at the top and 4 ridges on the bottom to aid with grip.

They use a double hinge design that give the collars a wider diameter in the unlocked position and smaller diameter when locked.

Here I unlocked the barbell clamp to show you the ridges under the tab.

On the inside of the collars there’s a pair of rectangular rubber inserts that prevent it from sliding on the barbell sleeve.

The collar itself is made out of aluminum which I like because I workout in a humid garage gym, so this prevents rust.

Specs

• Material: Aluminum

• Weight: 0.28kg / pair (super light)

• Thickness: 30mm

• Diameter: 70mm

• Collar opening: 50mm

• Inner lining: Rubber

What Are The XMaster Barbell Collars?

Barbell collars (also known as barbell clamps) are accessories that have one job… keep weight plates on your barbell.

This is important because it prevents weight plates from shifting around while you lift so it protects you from getting injured.

And it keeps equipment from getting banged up especially with Olympic lifts where there’s lots of dropping involved.

SEE ALSO: XMaster Fitness Bumper Plates

Top Benefits Of The XMaster Barbell Collars

Prevent Accidents

The main benefit of barbell collars is injury prevention.

They lock down and keep weight plates from sliding off the barbell and keeping both sides balanced.

Stability & Noise Reduction

Keeping the weight plates tightly pressed against each other prevents rattling while I lift.

This is more noticeable when I load the bar with thin weight plates that don’t cover a lot of surface area.

Not so much with bumper plates but it can still happen especially with exercises like deadlifts and cleans where the plates are slammed on the floor.

Best Features Of The XMaster Barbell Collars

Lock

The locking tab on this collars works well.

I loaded 100 lbs on one side of the bar and stood it upright to test how the collar would hold up and it didn’t move so it locks down as it should.

I’ve seen other guys test this with heavier weight but I don’t do any lift with the bar in this vertical position so I didn’t see the point in adding more.

The way the barbell collars lock down is with the use of a tab.

On the left side, I have the collar in the open position with the tab flipped up.

To the right, I pulled the tab down and it clamps down.

You can see the one on the left has a bigger diameter than the one on the right which allows it to slide in and out of the barbell sleeve.

Check out this short clip where I show you how easy they slide on the barbell sleeve with the tab in the unlocked position.

I recorded this on an EZ curl bar and it slides the same way on my powerlifting barbell and safety squat bar.

Here’s the collar after I pushed it all the way down the barbell sleeve.

I have to put a little bit of power when pushing the tab down but I rather have that resistance knowing it’s going to clamp down tightly.

And here it is in the locked position.

With the two rubber inserts compressed between the clamp and the barbell sleeve, it’s not going anywhere.

Rubber Lining

Here’s a closer look at the two rubber inserts.

They’re two rectangular pieces on each semicircle and each one has raised squared ridges for added grip.

Aluminum

I’m in a garage gym where it gets real humid during the summer so using aluminum when possible makes sense.

They’re light weight and aluminum won’t rust so that adds to their durability.

XMaster Olympic Barbell Collars Pros & Cons

Pros

• Safety: Keeps the weight on the barbell

• Stability: Maintains balance and stability on both sides of the bar

• Aluminum: Does not rust in humid environments like garage gyms or outdoor gyms

• Protection: Rubber lining protects both the barbell and weight plates when weight it dropped

• Compatibility: Fits my rackable curl bar and safety squat bar too

Cons

• Break in: Initially they can be hard to close the tab but they break in after using them consistently

XMaster Barbell Collars Price

XMaster sells the aluminum barbell collars for $49 a pair which is a good price.

Competitors have a similar or slightly higher price for similar aluminum clamps.

Keep reading below and I’ll show you how to save a few bucks extra so you don’t pay full price…

XMaster Fitness Discount Code

Here’s how to get an XMaster Fitness discount code for the aluminum collars (and everything on their website).

Click the red button below to reveal a 5% discount code.

XMaster Aluminum Barbell Collars Alternatives

Rogue USA Aluminum Barbell Collars

Rogue USA aluminum collars are a great alternative.

The have one long rubber insert (instead of two) since it only has one joint at the top of the collars.

At $55, they’re slightly more expensive than XMaster’s.

Titan Fitness TwistLock Aluminum Barbell Collars

Titan TwistLock aluminum collars don’t use a tab, so how do these lock down?

You slide them all the way down until they’re flush against your weight plates.

They’re magnetic so that keeps them on the plates, then you twist clockwise to tighten them, and the opposite to loosen them up.

Smart design and they have a medium volcano knurling all around.

Ironbull Strength Aluminum Barbell Collars

Ironbull Strength aluminum collars are similar to XMaster’s in that they have a dual joint.

Also have a double rubber insert but these are a little bit lighter.

They’re available in 4 colors and sell for $45.

My Experience Using The XMaster Barbell Collars

I like how the aluminum collars clamp down on my barbells and keep the plates from moving.

Especially when I’m using thinner weight plates that tend to wobble side to side and make more noise than bumper plates.

They slide in and out of the sleeve easily and the aluminum prevents rust which is important in garage gyms.

EXPLORE MORE: XMaster Chrome Weight Plates

Are The XMaster Barbell Collars Worth It?

For $46, these are well worth the safety they provide.

There’s nothing fancy about them but they do one job and they do it well.

They grip my bars tightly, eliminate rattling, and everything stays in place.