I got the Vulcan Elite 3.0 about a month ago. I've been using it for olympic lifts and assistance work (squats, pulls, etc.). Here's my review: Pros: 1. Whip: The whip is really nice. Catching heavy cleans is relatively soft on the the shoulders. 2. Strength: For a 28mm bar, this bar feels STRONG. Some of the lower end Pendlay bars feel like they do not return to straight after repeated use. This bar starts to bend with about 140kg on it but returns to straight afterwards. I am confident it will hold up for a long time. Neutral: 1. Spin: The spin is fine. It spins relatively well, especially for a bearing bar, but nothing to write home about. Cons: 1. Knurling: To me, the knurling does not feel sharp enough for olympic lifts. It's not as soft as a worn down globo gym bar, but I've used Rogue weightlifting bars, DHS training bars, and pendlay bearing bars and I prefer the knurling on all of those compared to the Vulcan Elite 3.0. Also, the center knurling is almost comically soft. I specifically wanted a bar with center knurling for use during squats but the center knurling on this bar serves almost no purpose. 2. Finish: This is one the biggest cons of all in my opinion. I was quite stunned when I opened the package and immediately saw that the bar has a sort of matte finish to it, rather than that shiny finish I am accustomed to seeing on high quality bars. While I don't think it really affects the quality of the bar, I just really don't like it and I don't think the photos of the bar's finish on Vulcan's website show the finish clearly. 3. Packaging: The package that the bar came in was standard cardboard which is fine but there was no notice on the packaging that the bar should not be stored vertically. It seemed clear the bar had been stored vertically since the bar arrived quite greasy from lubricant that leaked out of the sleeves during transit. 4. Sleeves: Another huge drawback in my opinion. As a weightlifter, I'm accustomed to not using collars during most lifts. I've performed olympic lifts and assistance work in this fashion using many bars and have never really had an issue with plates sliding. This is NOT the case with the Vulcan 3.0 Elite. Especially during squats, it feels like if the bar does not remain perfectly straight, the plates will start to slide. I WOULD NOT LIFT ON THIS BAR WITHOUT USING COLLARS. 5. Price: Taking into account the numerous cons versus few pros, I think the bar is overpriced. Overall: I'd rate this bar 3 out of 5 stars. It's hard to find a reliable 28mm bar with decent spin for under $400 so I'll give Vulcan credit for that. I really wanted to love this bar but I cannot rate this bar more 3 stars due to the soft knurling, slippery sleeves, cheap looking finish, and inflated price for a bar with these flaws.