First a disclaimer, I'm not one of the heavy lifters, but I can tell you a few things I like & dislike about my barbell. I like it because it's not really long which has probably prevented a few wall scrapings & dog injuries. It is just under 1" which means I can't use the easy (fast?) clips. The fastener for the weight plates comes loose. It will soon be replaced with a bar that accomodates the easy clips.
There are some cushioned bars but it doesn't seem like you can load much weight on them. It also seems like the cushioning peels. Since I only want 1 barbell, a cushioned one will not be my next bar.
I do use a pad on my barbell when I place it on my back. You'll see them on Cathe's videos.
I'm sure you'll get lots of opinions.
Debra