Best Trap Bar UK 2026: Hex Bars for Deadlifts and Carries

A trap bar, also called a hex bar or shrug bar, is one of the most useful single bits of kit a home lifter can own. You stand inside the hexagon-shaped frame and lift with neutral handles either side, which keeps the weight in line with your hips and takes a lot of strain off your lower back. One bar covers deadlifts, shrugs, farmer's carries, rows and even squats, which is why it has gone from a strongman oddity to a staple of serious home gyms. This guide rounds up the best trap bars and hex bars on Amazon UK, across standard and open frames and every budget.

1. Mirafit Olympic 2" Trap Bar: Best Overall

The Mirafit Olympic 2" Trap Bar is the one we would point most home lifters towards first. Mirafit is a well-known UK brand, and this hex bar hits the sweet spot of price, build and availability. It is made from heavy gauge steel, takes standard 2" Olympic plates, and has dual height handles so you can flip it over for a higher start (kinder to longer torsos and great for shrugs) or use the lower grips for a fuller range deadlift. The empty bar weighs around 25kg, so you have a solid starting load before adding a single plate.

It suits anyone with a 2" plate collection who wants a do-everything bar for deadlifts, shrugs and carries. The knurling is moderate rather than aggressive, which most home users prefer, and the frame is wide enough to stand in comfortably. The honest cons: the sleeves are on the shorter side, so very strong lifters loading lots of thick bumper plates may run out of room, and the closed frame means you have to step in over the bar. For the money, it is hard to beat.

Check price on Amazon

2. Mirafit Standard Shrug Bar with Stand: Best Budget

If you train with 1" standard plates rather than Olympic ones, or you just want the cheapest sensible way into trap bar work, the Mirafit Standard Shrug Bar is the pick. It takes 1" plates (25mm hole), comes with quick release collars, and crucially ships with a built-in stand so the bar sits off the floor for easy loading and a tidy storage position against a wall. The lighter frame makes it easy to handle, which is handy for beginners and for higher rep shrugs and carries.

This bar suits newcomers, anyone with an existing cast iron 1" plate set, and people short on space who like the fold-against-the-wall stand. The trade-offs are what you would expect at this price. The 1" sleeves limit how much weight you can realistically load compared with an Olympic bar, the knurling and finish are basic, and stronger lifters will outgrow it. As a first trap bar or a budget option for lighter accessory work, though, it does the job well. If you need plates to go with it, see our weight plates guide.

Check price on Amazon

3. METIS Olympic Hex Bar 27kg: Best Dual-Height Handles

The METIS Olympic Hex Bar is a heavier, more substantial closed trap bar with a chrome finish and a generous 270kg maximum load. At 27kg it is one of the beefier bars here, which gives it a planted, no-wobble feel under heavy plates. The standout is the dual height multi-grip handles, with a clear gap between the high and low grips, so taller lifters and anyone who finds the floor pull too low can flip the bar for a raised start without stacking mats under the plates.

It suits intermediate lifters who load it up and want a bar that feels rock solid, plus anyone who values the higher handle option for back-friendly pulls. The chrome finish looks smart and resists rust better than bare steel. On the downside, 27kg of empty bar is a lot to manoeuvre and store, the chrome can mark over time with heavy plate loading, and like all closed hex bars you step in over the frame. If you want a sturdy, higher capacity Olympic bar with proper dual height grips, it is an excellent shout.

Check price on Amazon

4. RIP X Olympic Open Trap Hex Deadlift Bar: Best Open Trap Bar

When you want the versatility of an open frame without the premium price, the RIP X Olympic Open Trap Bar is the value pick. Leaving one end of the hexagon open means you can walk straight in, which makes lunges, split squats and walking carries far easier, and it removes the awkward step-over of a closed bar. It runs rotating sleeves to reduce the torque on your wrists and elbows as plates spin, and it has a built-in deadlift jack so you can tip the bar up and slide plates on and off without crouching. That jack is a genuinely rare feature at this price.

It suits home lifters who want one bar to cover deadlifts, carries and single-leg work, and who load and unload plates often. The rotating sleeves and jack are real quality-of-life wins. The cons: open bars can feel slightly less balanced than a closed hexagon if you load unevenly, the finish and knurling are good rather than premium, and you need a bit more floor space to use the open end properly. For an open trap bar with rotating sleeves and a jack at this money, it is strong value.

Check price on Amazon

5. Bells of Steel Open Trap Bar: Best Premium

The Bells of Steel Open Trap Bar is the one to buy if you want a near-commercial piece of kit at home. It is an open-ended Olympic hex bar with a 700lb (around 317kg) capacity, smooth rotating sleeves, a pair of built-in bar jacks for loading plates inches off the floor, and 25mm dual height handles. The open frame lets you walk straight in for carries, lunges and even partial barbell-style work, and the build quality is a clear step up from the budget bars here.

It suits committed lifters and small commercial setups who train heavy and want a bar that will outlast everything around it. The jacks and rotating sleeves make loading and pulling genuinely nicer day to day. The catch is price and logistics: it costs significantly more than the other bars on this list, it is heavy to ship and move around, and the sleeves are kept shorter to stay compact, so check your plate setup. If budget is no object and you want the best open trap bar for a home gym, this is it. Compare it against a straight bar in our best barbell guide.

Check price on Amazon

Why train with a trap bar?

The big selling point is the back-friendly deadlift. Because you stand inside the frame, the load sits in line with your hips instead of out in front, which lowers the leverage on your spine. A biomechanical study comparing straight and hexagonal bar deadlifts found the hex bar produced lower peak moments at the lumbar spine, hip and ankle, and let lifters move more weight (PubMed, 2011). Later work has confirmed the hex bar deadlift is a reliable, high-output strength lift in its own right (PMC, 2023).

It is also the easiest way to do loaded carries at home. The neutral handles keep your wrists happy and the long frame is simpler to balance than two separate dumbbells. Carries hammer your grip, trunk and posture at once, and the biomechanics of strongman-style loaded carries are well documented as a total-body builder (PMC review). The NHS recommends muscle-strengthening work for all major muscle groups on at least two days a week, and a trap bar covers a lot of them in one movement (NHS).

Which trap bar should you buy?

The right trap bar comes down to your plates, your budget and whether you want an open or closed frame. Here is the quick version:

• Best overall: the Mirafit Olympic 2" Trap Bar suits most home lifters. Olympic plates, dual height handles and a fair price.
• Best budget: the Mirafit Standard Shrug Bar with Stand is the cheapest sensible option if you train with 1" plates.
• Best dual-height handles: the METIS Olympic Hex Bar 27kg is a heavier, high-capacity bar with a proper raised grip for back-friendly pulls.
• Best open trap bar: the RIP X Olympic Open Trap Bar adds a deadlift jack and rotating sleeves for walk-in versatility at a sensible price.
• Best premium: the Bells of Steel Open Trap Bar is the near-commercial choice with bar jacks, rotating sleeves and a 700lb capacity.

A quick note before you start: match the bar's sleeve size to the plates you own (2" Olympic or 1" standard), warm up properly, and build load gradually. A trap bar is forgiving on the back, but it is still a heavy compound lift.

Recommended reads

• Best Barbell UK
• Best Weight Plates UK
• How to do the Farmer's Carry
• Home Gym equipment guides