Vive Metal Grab Bar: a straight steel handhold in three lengths

Of all the things a bathroom can be fitted with, a plain straight grab bar is probably the most familiar. It is simple, it stays out of the way, and it gives a hand something solid at the moment it is needed. The Vive Metal Grab Bar is now on our shelf in a range of sizes and colors. This post sticks to what Vive publishes.

What it is and who it suits

Vive's listing describes the bar as a help with balance and stability in the tub or shower, and its FAQ adds that it can go on other walls where extra support is wanted. The bar can be set in any orientation: horizontal, vertical or on a diagonal. Vive mentions the diagonal position in connection with climbing out of the tub.

Because it comes in three lengths and four finishes, it is easy to match to the space and to the fixtures already in the room. A short bar can fit beside a toilet; a long one can run along a tub wall.

Key specs

These figures come from Vive's product page for the Metal Grab Bar:

• Weight capacity: 440 lbs
• Grip diameter: 1.25 inches
• 12-inch bar: 15.11 inches end to end with the flanges
• 16-inch bar: 19.11 inches end to end with the flanges
• 24-inch bar: 27.11 inches end to end with the flanges
• Material: stainless steel
• Finishes: brushed nickel, bronze, white, black

Note the difference between the named length and the end-to-end length. The flanges at each end add about three inches, so measure the clear wall space you have against the larger figure, not the smaller one.

Placement is personal. Before ordering, walk through the motions the bar is meant to help with: stepping over the tub edge, turning to sit, reaching up to stand. Notice where the hand goes each time, and mark it lightly with painter's tape. That mark tells you both the length you need and which way the bar should run.

Mounting, in Vive's words

Vive is specific about how the bar should go on a wall, and it is worth reading before you buy. Its page says the bar "can only be installed with screws and wall anchors where appropriate," and that ideally it goes into a stud, with the anchors supplied as a backup. Vive lists fiberglass or acrylic surrounds, plaster and drywall as suitable surfaces, and says ceramic tile needs extra hardware that is not in the box. Follow Vive's instructions, and have the work done by someone you trust to do it properly.

What's in the box

• One Vive Metal Grab Bar
• Six 2-inch stainless steel pan head screws
• Six screw anchors

Warranty

Per Vive's product page:

• Vive Health guarantee: one year
• Register it within 30 days of buying it

Vive's guarantee policy page covers how its coverage works overall.

Pairs well with

• Vive Angled Metal Grab Bar, a bent version for corners and short walls.
• Vive Transfer Bench, a bench that straddles the tub wall for sitting down outside the tub.
• Vive Stand Alone Toilet Rail, a freestanding frame for the toilet that needs no wall at all.

Our bathroom safety collection has the rest.

Shipping

We send orders anywhere in the lower 48 states and DC. Shipping is free above $500 and $15 below it, and we cover the sales tax. Check our shipping by state page for your area. A grab bar on its own is a small order, so if you are planning several bathroom pieces, it can make sense to order them together. Contact us at info@faithmobility.com with any question.

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See the Vive Metal Grab Bar on Faith Mobility.

Sources

• Vive Health: Metal Grab Bar
• Vive Health: Guarantee policy