The Gungnir Allrounder Olympic Bar: A Complete Review
From our experience working with clients, we know it can be hard to decide what weight and strength training equipment for your home or commercial gym works best for you. When it comes to barbells, there’s a lot of detailed consideration that goes into picking the right equipment.
The Gungnir Allrounder Olympic Bar has been getting a lot of attention in this line of products for reasons that we will cover later in the article. At Akfit we pride ourselves at maintaining a rigorous vetting process for products that we stock and recommend to people. As such, we reviewed the features and design elements of the Gungnir Allrounder Olympic Bar to see how it compares to other barbells available on the market today.
In this Review …
- Allrounder’s Patented Design
- Features, Size, & Specifications
- Advantages of the Allrounder
- How Does the Allrounder Hold Up?
- What Reviews Say About the Allrounder
- Is the Allrounder Right For You?
Allrounder’s Patented Design
The Gungnir Allrounder Olympic Barbell is the Norwegian company’s crown jewel. This 20kg barbell is equipped with patented engineering and design that aims to set itself apart from every other barbell on the market.
The patented engineering is a feature called SlideLock™ technology, which replaces the need to use collars or clips when securing plates on the bar. Essentially, the Allrounder Barbell has mechanical collars integrated into the bar that simply slide and lock into place to secure plates after they’re loaded on.
The SlideLock™ mechanism is housed internally in the sleeves of the barbell. When you first take a look at the Allrounder, the sleeves are what will stand out due to its unique design.
The sleeves of the barbell are grooved, providing 415 mm of loadable length. The actual lock, or internal collar piece of the SlideLock™ is housed near the end of the bar on each side. It is built into the bar so that, when not in use, it is flush with the surface in order to load and remove plates.
When you want to use the lock to secure plates on the bar, simply pull the lock up from its housing and slide it inward toward the shaft to lock the plate. Even though the sleeves of the bar are machined slits, the edges of the slidelock run along “grooves” that are part of the bar which makes the movement smooth and satisfying.
To secure the lock in place, simply align it with a groove closest to the plate and drop it in position. The edges of the lock secure themselves within a slit above the groove. Additionally, the lock is magnetized so that when it is placed down there is the extra magnetic force keeping it in place.
The biggest question surrounding this kind of locking system is how it remains reliable and secure under the pressure of a heavy load of weights.
Features, Size, and Specifications
Beyond the innovative slide-locking collar technology in the Allrounder, it is key to look at the design and performance of this multipurpose barbell in and of itself. There are certain details of this bar originally crafted in Norway that are slightly different from other olympic multipurpose barbells.
For one, Gungnir uses an electroless nickel deposit for the sleeve coating. The finish is attractive and differentiates itself due to the fact that most barbells don’t use electroless nickel deposit. That material proves effective as a durable and protective finish for the bar which lets the masterful machining on the bar sleeves stand out. The shaft is finished in satin hard chrome that has a matte finish, another unique design element of the bar.
The Allrounder has a shaft diameter of 28 mm and is the minimum for men’s bars which is the most common size for multipurpose lifting. Preference on how it affects performance is largely subjective.
On the shaft, the Allrounder has dual knurl markings for olympic lifts and powerlifting. The dual rings provide the user with the proper hand placement for powerlifting and olympic weightlifting. While the center knurl allows for grip onto other parts of the body or clothing, it’s also a smoother knurl that provides easier contact on your skin. The center knurl can help grip the bar to your back for back squats, or on your chest for front squats. This really emphasizes the Allrounder’s multi purpose use.
As for the sleeves, the machining pattern of the knurl is extremely precise and clean.
Advantages of the Allrounder
The advantages of using the Allrounder fall into two categories. The first are the advantages associated with the SlideLock™ technology and how that may fit a lifter or facility owner’s needs. The other category would be with respect to the performance and quality of the Allrounder as a barbell.
SlideLock™ offers advantages in safety, ease of use, maintenance, and the overall lifting experience. The internal locking mechanism of the bar provides excellent security on weights and has not experienced failure. It is arguable that since the system removes the potential for human error when securing clips and collars, it is safer to hold weights in place.
Another consideration is in the fact that clips and collars present the need for replacement and storage. While not a huge expense in the scheme of things, the fact the collar is internal on the Allrounder does remove some clutter and reduces the need for replacement of lost and broken collars.
Most feedback from lifters who have used the Allrounder mention how smooth and easy it is to slide the locks into place. The Allrounder largely exhibits little to no drag with a satisfying noise due to the precise machining of the grooves in the sleeve.
As for the overall quality and performance of the barbell, the materials, finishes, and machining provide the user with a versatile lifting bar. The medium, precision machined kurn and 28 mm shaft diameter provide a comfortable grip. With an above average tensile strength of 216,000 PSI, the Allrounder is a durable bar that can be used for multi purpose lifting.
How Does the Allrounder Hold Up?
An immediate question that people have about the Allrounder is how the locking system holds up under pressure. We’ve already explained the mechanics of the system with how the lock is crafted of titanium and is magnetized in its core for additional security.
The main downside to the SlideLock™ technology is that since the collars fit into grooves on the bar, the collar may not sit with complete direct contact against the plate and could create some movement with the weights. While the movement is extremely minimal in this situation, it is still a possibility.
Gungnir has run testing on the Allrounder, placing it under extreme pressure to push the limits of its integrity. According to Gungir, the barbell withstood drops at heights of 1.6 m loaded with 320 kg of plates and drops from heights of 2.2 m with a 90 kg load of plates. There was no failure or loosening experienced from those tests. The company also conducted pressure tests on the actual lock mechanism, which stayed intact.
Gungnir backs up its product with a lifetime warranty. Included in that warranty, Gungnir will replace the bar or refund the money in the event of breakage.
What Reviews Say About the Allrounder
The Allrounder does not suffer from a lack of positive reviews and recognition. For one, the product won the 2021 Red Dot Award for its innovative design, an award that recognizes products internationally.
Garage Gym Reviews rated the Allrounder Olympic Barbell a 4.4 out of 5 with especially high rankings in construction, knurling, and features categories. Garage Gym Lab reviewed the product as well and awarded it a 9.2 on a 10 point scale. The criteria that ranked highest for them were the bar’s unique sleeves and spin, aesthetics, and specs.
Is The Allrounder Right for You?
Because the Allounder is a premium multipurpose barbell, the hinge pin in deciding whether or not it’s right for you or your gym is in how much you value its specs and features. With many of our clients, the decision often falls to how attractive the Allrounder SlideLock™ system is to them when it comes to factors like ease of use, convenience, and security. Some find it worth the cost of the bar to upgrade to having built-in slide-lock collars, while others might not feel the same way.
Lifters who are looking for a lot of value in their multipurpose bar might prefer other options in the short term, as there is other good equipment available at lower price points. As always, it’s a balance of features, quality, design, and cost. But if you want a long term bar that provides durability the Allrounder may be worth your investment. The best way to find out more is getting in touch with us online, by phone or in person at our showroom.
Akfit professionals can help you weigh the pros and cons with added insight of knowing what you’re looking for. We offer a wide range of lifting bars that we stand behind, so we can help find the perfect barbell for your needs and give you information on other options for comparison.
Considering Purchasing The Allrounder?
The Gungnir Allrounder Olympic Bar is in-stock on the Akfit website and available in-store as well. It's on sale currently, with financing options available. And if you're wondering, we do ship to the US!
If you place an order online, you can see all the shipping details available to you. As always, we at Akfit are here as a resource to help you, so if there is anything you still have questions about regarding the Allrounder, feel free to contact us.
We provide expert guidance and consultation for consumer home gyms and commercial facilities. Akfit has been an equipment partner for commercial gym facilities for over 30 years. We can help you build your gym, replace equipment, develop service and maintenance plans, and more. Just reach out to us and we’ll tell you all about it.
