Sporzon! Total Body Weighted Bar 20 lb

I feel like I need to start off with why I purchased this product. I currently have a barbell and weight plate set from Rogue and Fringe Sport, respectively. The barbell is 45lbs, and I can always go heavier using my plates. But there are some days when I want to do more reps with less weight. I also wanted something that was a little more compact and easier to handle while doing lunges in my garage gym, so it needed to be short. So I decided to purchase the 30lb soft barbell off of amazon for a steal. I don't know if it was priced wrong or if they needed to clear inventory, but it was pretty cheap compared to others I have seen. When I got this in the mail, it was packaged as if it was a regular barbell. That means it was encased in a heavy duty cardboard cylinder with screws on the end caps. Upon further inspection, I think some of the screws may have gouged the outer rubber ends on the one side where I didn't take the screws out. But that is not a reflection on the product itself. And I'm honestly not too worried about how this product will do just because the rubber was scratched up a little. But please be aware that when you get it in the mail you may not have a perfect product straight from the factory. Shipping does take a toll on heavy items, and most workout equipment, so keep that in mind. Other than that it was protected very well and I would rather have minorly gouged rubber over a broken shaft. Onto the product; I purchased this in a 30 lb weight and I immediately went to the scale to verify that it was exactly 30 lb. It was off by -0.4 lb. I mean, for a product that isn't meant to be calibrated it is very accurate. I was impressed! The rubber/foam on the outside is very cushiony and plush. The rubber ends on either side are very durable. You can absolutely stand this up against your wall, as the edges are squared off. I used this for a workout on the first day that I got it, and I am blown away with how much I liked it. I was able to do more reps with a lower weight, and I am feeling DOMS even 3 days later because of how much easier this is to lift than an a 45lb barbell, meaning I am able to do more reps and get that effective workout. If you need something small and compact for a home gym, aren't thinking of going up in weights, or waiting to buy equipment for a large home gym, I would suggest one of these 30 lb weights in the interim. Someone told me that it actually feels heavier than 30 lb, and I have to agree. This has to do with how compact the product is and being so DENSE. The only thing I have to say is that I have smaller hands than the average female and the shaft is a bit wider than I expected. It says it is 2" wide, which I did not see when I bought it. In some instances I *feel* like I will drop the barbell (even though I know I won't). If you have small or extra small hands like me, then you may feel overwhelmed while trying to grip this. I would totally buy another one if these in any weight if they were on sale. One hopefully it's this brand, because it is great at this point. No complaints at all.