If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best portable pull up bar for quick home workouts is, then I’d recommend the Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym Doorway Pull Up Bar Portable Gym System as the best one.
Pull ups are one of the best upper body strength exercises that you can do. It’s a body weight exercise that can be done almost anywhere.
If you like to exercise at home, or want to get in some extra pull ups practice outside of the gym, then getting a portable pull up bar is one of the best choices you can make to elevate your fitness.
However, with so many options available it may get a bit overwhelming to figure out which one is best for you.
That’s why we’ve done the research for you to help you choose the best portable pull up bar based on your needs.
Here are the top portable pull up bars we’ll be reviewing:
- ProsourceFit Multi-Grip Chin-Up/Pull-Up Bar
- Ikonfitness Pull Up Bar with Smart Larger Hooks Technology
- Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar
- Iron Age Pull Up Bar
- Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym Doorway Pull Up Bar Portable Gym System
How to Choose the Best Portable Pull Up Bar
There are 2 main things to consider when choosing a pull up bar. How much will the pull up bar cost?
And will you be living in a house that you own, or renting an apartment temporarily?
Cost
When choosing the best portable pull up bar for your individual needs, your budget will play a large role in your options.
Pull up bars range in price from under $20 to over $100.
You don’t necessarily need to spend over $100 for a quality product.
However, it will benefit you to decide which features are the most important to you.
The more expensive pull up bars often offer more attributes.
House or Apartment
Something else you may want to consider when choosing the best portable pull up bar will be whether or not you’re in a house.
Houses tend to have different types of doorframes than apartments.
In houses, doorframes are typically against walls and near corners which may make hanging a pull-up bar a bit difficult depending on the model.
Another consideration is that in an apartment, you’ll want to minimize any wear and tear.
So looking for pull up bars that won’t strip the paint from doorframes and won’t mar the trim are important things to keep in mind.
What are the Advantages of a Portable Pull Up Bar?
Portable pull up bars are one of the best pieces of equipment that you can get for quick at-home workouts.
They allow you to exercise your large muscle groups from various angles, which will recruit more muscle fibers and help you to improve your exercise performance.
Bodyweight exercises are a great way to strengthen your back, shoulders, abs, and arms.
They’re especially effective when using a pull up bar because it allows you to use gravity to increase the resistance you’re working against.
Things to Look for in a Portable Pull Up Bar
Grip cushioning
One of the most common features of the best portable pull up bar is the grip cushioning.
Some bars don’t have a cushion on all of the grip positions, while others have padding or foam cushioning layered onto each hand position.
Grip cushioning can prevent you from getting blisters, and keep your hands more comfortable while working out.
Number of hand placements
There are 3 basic hand placements that a pull up bar will usually facilitate:
- neutral or hammer grip
- wide grip
- traditional grip
Some pull up bars will offer a variety of grips in addition to the basic hand placements.
If you’re a beginner, then the 3 basics should be sufficient when you’re first getting started.
While a more advanced person may require different hand positions to increase the variety and difficulty of their workout.
What is The Bar Made of?
Most pull up bars are made of hard metal. Sometimes the manufacturer will specify whether it’s steel or another type of metal.
The harder the metal the better.
When you’re hanging from a bar, you’ll probably want to feel as sturdy and stable as possible.
So, the type of metal the bar is made from is a significant feature to pay attention to.
Will it Fit Your Doorway?
This is an important metric to take note of. Measure your doorframe before purchasing a pull up bar to make sure that it will fit properly and safely.
Does it Come With Outer Handle Foam Covers to Protect Doorframes?
You probably don’t want your portable pull up bar to create any kind of damage while you’re using it, so checking to see if the product comes with foam covers to protect your doorframe from the bar may behoove you.
Some pull up bars are constructed in a way that prevents damage to your doorframe so it’s something to be aware of, especially if you’re in an apartment that you’re renting.
You’ll want to minimize or eliminate the risk of any damage as much as possible.
How Much Weight Can it Hold?
A lot of pull up bars are made to be sturdy enough to hold up to 300lbs with some even having the capacity to hold up to 440lbs.
Depending on your weight, you may want to check products for their safe weight capacity limits just to be sure that the bar will hold your weight safely without breaking.
Assembly Options
There are plenty of pull up bars that come with easy to follow instructions and just a few screws.
You usually don’t even need to own any tools to put them together.
However, there are also pull up bar options that fold up and need no assembly at all.
What’s the Best Way to Use a Portable Pull Up Bar?
Portable pull up bars can be used for a variety of exercises including:
- pull ups
- hanging leg raises
- push-ups
- dips
- hanging oblique crunches
- sit-ups
You can even attach exercise bands, and yoga swings to pull up bars.
You’ll want to measure your doorframe to be sure that the pull up bar will be a good fit for wherever you’re planning to use it.
The Top Portable Pull-Up Bars
Short on time? We’ve round up some of the top portable pull-up bars to elevate your training and help you build your upper body strength.
ProsourceFit Multi-Grip Chin-Up/Pull-Up Bar
The ProsourceFit Multi-Grip Chin-Up/Pull-Up Bar has 12 different grips and handles, which is a lot more than most pull up bars.
This can be a helpful feature for someone who can already do pull ups and is looking for a way to vary their workout and increase the difficulty.
It’s made from high-grade steel and has foam/PVC hand grips to make working out more comfortable.
This product can hold up to 300lbs, so it should be safe for most people.
Like many pull-up bars, some assembly is required although it’s pretty minimal.
Instructions for installation are included, which should make putting it together a lot easier.
At 41in long, this pull up bar provides a wider grip option than a lot of smaller bars.
This can be useful if you want to do wide grip pull ups or have a wider body frame.
It will fit any doorway between 24in and 36in and includes 2 foam covers to place on the ends of the bar to keep your doorframes from getting damaged.
Pros
- solid and strong
- so many grip options
- easy to assemble
- thick foam protection for doorframe is great
Cons
- padding on support bar is thin and may peel off, potentially causing damage
- may not hold over 200lbs or the bar might bend at the joint
- foam covers to protect doorframe may stick to paint on doorframe after awhile
Ikonfitness Pull Up Bar
The Ikonfitness Pull Up Bar is a great option for someone who doesn’t want to deal with the hassle of assembling the product when it arrives.
It comes already put together and ready to use, plus it folds up which makes it easy to store.
You can slide it under a bed, or hang it in your closet with one of the fold-out hooks.
It’s designed for wide doorways, suitable for doorframes ranging in width from 27.56in to 36.22in.
Plus it comes with cushioned pads that will help to prevent the bar from damaging your doorframe.
It also includes soft foam grips to keep your hands from slipping and prevent blisters.
The rod on this pull up bar is also extra thick which can make pull ups a little more challenging.
However, a thicker bar will help to strengthen your forearms and increase your performance more so than a smaller diameter bar.
Another notable feature of this bar is that instead of using grip hooks that may not be as sturdy, it’s made to use grip brackets which are more secure.
They provide an added level of stability and make the pull up bar safer. The hooks are foldable and supported by springs.
This is also different from other pull up bars in that it has a raised bar design which makes it suitable for taller people.
The pull up bar sits above the doorway at about 8in higher than standard pull up bars. It can safely hold up to 440lbs.
Pros
- as soon as you get it you can use it because there’s no assembly required
- well-built, connecting joints feel sturdy
- durable, even a 285lb person couldn’t bend the bar
- folds flat for easy storage
Cons
- thicker bar makes it harder to grip
- the safety hooks that latch onto the top of the door frame may put holes in your wall
- no cushion to protect doorframe
Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar
The Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar is on the lower end of the pull up bar price range, so it’s pretty affordable.
It will fit a doorway that’s between 24-32in wide. The doorframe can be up to 35.4in.
This pull up bar comes with foam grips for your hands.
However, it doesn’t have any protective foam or shielding to prevent damage to your doorway so it may not be the best option for renters.
However, it’s easy to assemble and has a safety clip made of metal that you can insert at the top of the doorframe to help keep it stable.
One of the convenient things about this pull up bar is that it’s lightweight and easy to move around, put on the doorframe and remove without having to permanently install it.
It’s strong and durable, made from heavy duty steel and can hold up to 300lbs.
Pros
- easy to assemble
- feels sturdy
- won’t slip out of place
- affordable simple option
Cons
- may dent doorframe and chip paint off
- no assembly instructions
- may come missing pieces for proper assembly
Iron Age Pull Up Bar
The Iron Age Pull Up Bar doesn’t require any assembly, which is great if you just want to take it out of its packaging and put it to use right away.
It comes with 2 durable plastic pieces that fit flatly against the doorframe in order to prevent dents.
It should fit doorframes that are about 27.56in-36.22in wide, but the depth of the doorframe cannot exceed 8.27in or it won’t fit properly.
The weight capacity is 440lbs max.
The Iron Age pull up bar has an upper handlebar that’s 6in higher than traditional pull up bars.
This feature makes it a perfect option for taller people who don’t want to worry about keeping their knees fully bent while doing pull ups.
Ribbed foam handles make the bar comfortable to grip and eliminate the necessity of workout gloves.
Pros
- sturdy, definitely holds a 200lb person without issue
- no installation
- easy to take on and off the doorframe
Cons
- if your doorframe is white or light-colored, the bar may leave marks or scratches
- won’t work if the trim on your doorframe is more than 4in high
- the hooks that hang over the doorframe may take paint off
- no neutral grip position
Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym Doorway Pull Up Bar Portable Gym System
Although the Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym Doorway Pull Up Bar Portable Gym System does have to be assembled, the tools for assembly fit neatly and securely inside of part of the pull up bar system for convenience.
It will fit most doorframes up to 33in in width, and 6in in depth.
In addition to having padded handles for comfort, the Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym pull up bar has ergonomic handles that are curved.
Plus it has wide grip, close grip, and hammer grip options for hand placement.
The U-shaped grips are comfortable and make switching between different pull up positions easy.
Most bars don’t have the U-shaped grips so it’s a nice addition as far as hand grips are concerned.
You can also place the bar on the floor and leverage it against a doorframe in order to anchor your feet for sit-ups.
The bar is made with protective features like durable protective cushioning that shields the doorframe from damage.
A flat pad is used, rather than foam pockets, which is more effective for keeping the bar from denting your doorframe.
The weight capacity limit for this bar tops out at 300lbs.
Pros
- very easy to put together, just apply and tighten the 4 screws
- instructions are very clear and detailed
- the wide grips are better than on other bars
- don’t have to worry about hitting your head on the door frame
Cons
- might have to re-tighten screws periodically
- certain bars may come with manufacturing defects
- screws supplied for assembly may be too short in some packages
…And the Winner Is
Based on our research and the most important criteria to consider when choosing the best portable pull up bar, the Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym Doorway Pull Up Bar Portable Gym System seems to check most of the boxes.
While it does require a bit of assembly, it’s minimal and very easy to put together.
Plus it’s sturdy and will keep you safe while you’re exercising, which is one of the most important things that you can look for in a good pull up bar system.
It will fit most doorframes and has comfortable handles that are padded to enhance your grip and keep your hands comfortable.
The ergonomic handles also make it a great option for people who may have wrist pain and need to be extra cautious about keeping their wrists in safe positions.
This bar will also facilitate the 3 basic hand grip positions, plus a few more for those who may want to increase the intensity of their workout.
The protective cushioning will also keep your doorframes from undergoing premature wear and tear while you’re working out.
