Guide · Cable bars
Lat bar length vs grip spacing and grip diameter
The three lat pulldown bar numbers that get mixed up, overall length, grip spacing and grip diameter, and what each maker publishes or leaves out.
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Picks that fit
- Synergee Pro-Style Lat Bar Cable Attachment (Straight 24")Check price on Amazon
- REP Fitness 48" Solid Lat BarCheck price on Amazon
- Bells of Steel 30" D-Handle Bar Cable AttachmentCheck price on Amazon
Short answer
Three numbers describe a lat bar, and listings often give only one: overall length (end to end), grip spacing (between your hands) and grip diameter (how thick the grip is). Check which one the maker means. A bar must clear your machine at its overall length, while grip spacing and diameter decide how it feels.
Picks that fitAll picks and how to choose
- Synergee Pro-Style Lat Bar Cable Attachment (Straight 24")Check price on Amazon
- REP Fitness 48" Solid Lat BarCheck price on Amazon
- Bells of Steel 30" D-Handle Bar Cable AttachmentCheck price on Amazon
The three numbers
- Overall length: the bar end to end. This is what has to clear your rack uprights or tower frame as the bar travels.
- Grip spacing: the distance between the grips. It sets how wide your hands are, which is the variable lat pulldown studies change.
- Grip diameter: the thickness of the part you hold. Makers we read list figures from about 25 mm to 28 mm.
A listing title such as "48 in lat bar" is usually the overall length, but not always. If a page gives one number without saying what it measures, you do not know which it is.
What each maker publishes
REP Pro Series Neutral Grip Lat Bar. REP lists 28 mm handles, a 26 mm bar, 29 inches between handles, and a hard chrome finish with shallow knurling.[1] The page does not say how the 29 inches is measured, for example center to center, and gives no overall length. REP also states that the bar does not come with a carabiner.[1]
American Barbell Revolving Straight Bar. American Barbell lists it as 21 inches long with a 25.4 mm grip, in solid steel with a hard chrome finish, attaching by an eye-bolt fastener.[2] The page gives two different grip lengths in two places, so we do not publish one.
Bells of Steel D-Handle Bar. Bells of Steel's "30 D-Handle Bar Cable Attachment with Carabiners" is a powder-coated bar with 25 carabiner holes on each side, and it includes two carabiners.[3] The "30" appears only in the product name; the page gives no length, so treat the bar's length as not published. You clip handles into the holes to set your own grip spacing, and the handles are sold separately.
Published and missing, side by side
| Bar | Overall length | Grip spacing | Grip diameter | Carabiner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| REP Neutral Grip Lat Bar | Not published | 29 in between handles (method not stated) | 28 mm handles, 26 mm bar | Not included |
| American Barbell Revolving Straight Bar | 21 in | Not published | 25.4 mm | Not stated |
| Bells of Steel D-Handle Bar | Not published | Set by you, 25 holes per side | Depends on the handles you add | Two included |
How to choose a length
- Measure your machine. Find the clear width between whatever the bar could hit at the top and bottom of the movement: rack uprights, tower frame, a pulley housing.
- Compare that with the overall length. If the maker does not publish one, ask before you buy.
- Choose the grip spacing for the movement. One study found similar overall lat EMG at three grip widths; see lat pulldown grip width.
- Check the connector. Most bars clip on with a carabiner; budget for one if it is not included.
Picks that fit4 products
Choose the length variant that clears your machine. Synergee: 'a) Straight 24 Inch Bar', 'b) Straight 34 Inch Bar' or 'c) Straight 38 Inch Bar'.
More on choosing
REP: '38 Solid Pro-Style Lat Bar' or '48 Solid Lat Bar Pro Style' (REP says it ships without a carabiner). Titan's Pro-Duty bar is one size. Bells of Steel's D-Handle Bar comes without handles, so add a pair. Lengths are the seller's sizing. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or the brand.
Lat bar in three lengths, with a center swivel
Short lat bar for a hook-type connection
Bells of Steel 30" D-Handle Bar Cable Attachment
Next
Questions
How long should a lat pulldown bar be?
Long enough for the grip you want and short enough to clear your machine's uprights and pulley path. No standard length exists; check the overall length the maker lists against the space on your machine.
What is the difference between bar length and grip spacing?
Overall length is end to end. Grip spacing is the distance between where your hands go. REP's Neutral Grip Lat Bar, for example, lists 29 inches between handles but no overall length, and does not say how the 29 inches is measured.[1]