Spend less time and energy loading and unloading barbells and more time destroying PRs. Here is a breakdown of the best deadlift jacks and wedges.
Today was the day.
It finally happened.
You crushed a huge PR on your deadlift. The pride swells, running through your ragged breaths and burning forearms.
Now it’s time to unload all of those weight plates from the bar.
But there’s a little issue:
With all of that weight and the plates flush to the ground, once you’ve unbuckled the barbell collars it’s a game of tug of war to pull the plates off.
That’s where the right deadlift jack or deadlift wedge can help.
Both devices elevate the bar and weight plates so that you can quickly load and unload plates.
In this breakdown of the best deadlift jacks and wedges, we are going to:
- Look at the differences between deadlift jacks and wedges
- Review the best full-size barbell jacks for commercial and home gyms
- Break down mini portable jacks
- And look at deadlift wedges—a cheap and portable alternative to deadlift jacks
Ready?
Let’s do this.
Best Deadlift Jacks
Rogue HD Bar Jack
⭐⭐⭐ Best “price isn’t an object” deadlift jack
Rogue sets the bar high when making gear and equipment for hardcore gymgoers and athletes. Whether it’s their flat weight bench or series of trap/hex bars, Rogue flat-out kills it.
In this case, Rogue lifts the bar on deadlift jacks (rather literally).
The Rogue HD Bar Jack is hands-down the best deadlifting jack for heavy-duty lifters.
Made in the United States with North American steel, Rogue’s HD Bar has the distinction of being the only deadlift jack I’ve ever used that allows you to roll a loaded bar across the gym floor.
Six embossed wheels mean that you can load up the bar in one corner of the gym and then roll it over to the other side of the gym.
The T-bar, coasted with rubber for superior grip, makes titling the weight up and pulling the jack a breeze.
See also: 7 Reasons the Rogue Deadlift Platform Kicks Butt
A key feature of the HD Bar is the thick plastic coating where the barbell rests—this is to ensure that the knurling on your barbells doesn’t get scratched up and damaged due to metal-on-metal contact.
At $275, all the bells and whistles don’t come cheap, but after quickly pumping the bar up and down you will be stunned at how much time, energy, and frustration you are saving yourself.
If you are building the ultimate home gym, run powerlifting meets, or want something for your commercial gym, the Rogue HD Bar Jack is hands-down the best deadlift jack on the market.
Ader Barbell Deadlifting Barbell Jack
⭐ Best no frills, but full-size, deadlift jack
The Ader Full Bar Deadlifting Bar Jack is larger—the footprint is 44 inches by 44 inches—but the one-piece construction provides a nice balance between the Rogue HD and the smaller, portable jacks that I will cover in a bit.
If you have the room for it in your home or garage gym, this is an economical and easy way to quickly lift barbells for loading and unloading weight.
The cups (where the barbells rests) are lined to protect the barbell, and a rubber-gripped handle makes leveraging the stand easy.
Assembled quickly (it comes in two pieces, with a handful of bolts to be tightened from the handle to the stand), the Ader Barbell Deadlifting Jack is a great choice for those who don’t want all the bells and whistles of the Rogue HD or the two-step lifting that the mini deadlift jacks require.
YES4ALL Mini Deadlift Barbell Jack
⭐ Best budget-friendly mini deadlift jack
While I love the big deadlift bar jacks that you most commonly see in commercial gyms, the reality is that they aren’t always practical (or economical) for the home garage.
Mini deadlift jacks solve this by providing the main functionality (getting the bar in the air) with a fraction of the footprint. Pull them out when you have a big lift, and when the plates are unsleeved and tucked back onto the weight plate rack, tuck the jack away as well.
The YS4ALL is a perfect example of this kind of mini deadlift jack.
- See also: Figure 8 Lifting Straps for Deadlifts. Power up your deadlift with figure 8 straps, which are perfect for chasing down heavy lifts and PRs.
Made of heavy-duty steel, you simply slide the two levers under the barbell, and using either the handle or the pedal on the lever, apply pressure, and just like that, up goes the bar and plates.
The only downside with this kind of set-up is that you have to lever each side individually. Make sure your plates are properly buckled in with weight collars otherwise they will slide right off.
YES4ALL backs their mini deadlift jack with a 365-day warranty, and the contact “U” where the barbell sits is padded to protect the knurling on the bar.
Rogue Mini Deadlift Bar Jack
⭐⭐ Best quality mini deadlift jack
Yup—another offering from the folks at Rogue.
The Rogue Mini Deadlift Bar Jack is perfect for people who want a bombproof jack, the convenience of being able to easily store between workouts, and the legendary quality of Rogue gear (made in the USA, baby!), but don’t want to spend a few hundred bucks to prop up a barbell.
The Rogue Mini Deadlift Jack is built to another level compared to the Yes4All jack. For lifters who want the best, the Rogue mini jack is the way to go.
The thing I love most about this particular jack is that you can easily store it between workouts. The reality is that you aren’t going to be doing deadlifts every day, so a big unwieldy jack can soak up a ton of room needlessly in smaller workout spaces like a single-car garage.
The Rogue Mini Deadlift Bar solves this problem like a boss.
Made in the USA, with the Rogue logo emblazoned across the top, and a much-appreciated update to the jack that includes a plastic lining on the catch to protect your barbell, the Rogue Mini Bar Jack is the perfect tool for the serious lifter short on space in their home gym.
Deadlift Jacks vs. Deadlift Wedges
There are two kinds of tools to keep the bar elevated for easy plate changing. (Obviously not including the safety arms or J-hooks on a power rack.)
Both have their own perks and benefits.
Deadlift jacks utilize leverage and heavy-duty steel frame to, yup, “jack” a loaded barbell into the air.
The primary benefit of deadlift jacks is that they raise plates so high that many lifters don’t even have to bend over to slide weights off the sleeves.
More expensive, and available in a range of pro-models to portable models that you can tuck away after use, deadlift jacks are built to take a beating.
Deadlift wedges are small, sloped tools that allow the plates to rest.
The trick is to have the wedges lined up to the most inner plates (the two plates closest to your body) so that you can slide the other plates on and off.
Deadlift wedges are also great because they keep your bar from rolling between sets.
Smaller, and cheaper, they do require you get down closer to the floor to peel off plates compared to jacks, but this is a small inconvenience when you consider that you can drop them into your gym duffel bag.
Best Deadlift Wedges
Barbell 1 Lift-EZ Deadlift Wedges
Deadlift wedges are simple, cheap, and portable. Although they require accuracy to line up, I love the fact that they keep your fully loaded barbell from rolling away.
The HarderWill Deadlift Wedge executes the simplicity of this device superbly. (HarderWill also makes my favorite squat wedges.)
Made with high density rubber, and available in six different colors, the HarderWill wedges offer a significantly cheaper and more portable option compared to deadlift jacks.
HarderWill retails a pair of these deadlift wedges–which you can also use to protect your floor while deadlifting–for less than $20.
Dead Wedge Lifting Wedge
⭐ Best deadlift wedge
Finally, we have the Dead Wedge.
The best deadlifting wedge I have ever tried.
Thinner than the Barbell 1, the width of the Dead Wedge is the same as one Olympic weight plate. Which means that if you set it down on the innermost plates, you can remove nearly every plate without having to lift the bar at all.
The Dead Wedge is available in a couple of colors. I appreciate the orange one because it is easier to line up after a heavy round of reps, whereas the black one can melt into my black gym flooring.
Portable, durable (it’s rated for over 900lbs), and with over 1,500 five-star ratings on Amazon, the Dead Wedge is a killer choice for keeping the bar in place and elevating it enough that you can quickly access plates on the sleeves.
Other Deadlifting Gear Guides and Resources
We love deadlifting and we love testing out the newest and greatest gear for deadlifting and sharing with you.
Below are some other deadlifting gear guides and round-ups to help you level up your deadlift:
3 Best Deadlifting Slippers (and Why You Should Use Them). Deadlifting slippers are a tool for safer, stronger lifts. Here is a breakdown of the best slippers for deadlifting, and why you should add them to your training.
6 Best Deadlift Drop Pads (Lift Heavier and Protect Your Floors). Looking for the best set of deadlift pads for your home gym? Our expert guide lists the top options on the market so that you can protect your floor and focus on lifting heavy.
The Best Deadlift Platforms for Home Gyms. Deadlift platforms are another excellent tool for the serious deadlifter. Protect your gear, improve your grip, and lift with confidence with our selection of the top deadlifting platforms on the market.
