TITAN hefty bench vs Reflex decline bench

This is a comparison between the TITAN xxx and Rogue xxx including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally posted in Which TITAN bench to get? Follow the links for details.

Overview and review of the Reflex Olympic decline bench

The Reflex Olympic decline bench press comes in at $1882 and is a great addition to your existing gym to widen the possible exercises you can do. This article was originally published in "Which bench to get to from Rogue".

What else to consider from Rogue

Overview of the Reflex Decline bench

The Reflex decline bench provides you with a sturdy decline bench press setup for the big boys. This bench is going nowhere no matter how big the weights or athlete. You will have the bench set up steady so that you will always have the same setup. There are also safeties in place. Overall a solid piece of equipment, especially when your gym is specializing in big guys or bodybuilding. The specifications of the Reflex decline bench are:

Combination of 3×3 11ga. & 3/16-walled fully Welded Tubular steel construction.
Powder Coated finish.
Plastic lined weight bar saddles.
7 position adjustable roller pads.
Adjustable Saddles w/ 11 positions.
Weight storage.
7 position adjustable safeties.
1in high-density foam pad
145 - 450 LB
Length 62”-92”
Width 48”
Height 47”-53”

This is a good addition to your gym when you have a lot of space and many big guys or very new athletes.

Pros of the Reflex decline bench

The sheer size of this will make it a favorite for all your athletes who don’t fit into other machines. Once a transportable bench becomes too small, you probably want to graduate to this beast. Some might also appreciate that the bench will always be set up at the same distances. This is hard to achieve with a transportable version. The reflex decline also provides space for plates and is a good addition to any gym with plenty of floor space.

Cons of the Reflex decline bench

The reflex decline bench press is not very versatile. If you do a lot of circuit training and have little room, it probably won’t be the best investment. It takes up a lot of floor space and can be intimidating to some clients. If you are planning a home gym it is pretty much out of the question, unless you live in a mansion.

Alternatives to the Reflex decline bench

Alternatives to the reflex decline bench are

The reflex incline basically does the same as the decline setup, just for an incline bench setup. Again you need a lot of space in return for security.

The reflex military bench takes the incline and decline approach and uses it for the military press. Again you are taking up more space in return for being able to move bigger weights more secure.

The Rogue AB3 is a portable bench from Rogue which can be set up for incline and decline benches presses. This will probably the tool of choice for anyone who wants to build their home gym.

Summary for the Reflex decline bench

The reflex decline bench machine is probably the piece of equipment I would consider the most from reflex. The decline bench press is the one where you most need a secure setup. All other forms of bench presses I am personally happy to do with a bench and barbell in a rack. I might feel different if I did those with more than 300 pounds for repetitions.

Overview and review of the TITAN hefty bench

This is an overview of the TITAN hefty bench including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally posted in Which TITAN bench to get? Follow the links for details.

Overview of the TITAN hefty bench

Price: $209

The TITAN hefty bench is the right choice for you if you like bench pressing heavy. Once you breach about 300 - 400 pounds of the bench press depending on your body size, some of the regular benches can feel a little small and flimsy. This is where you either need a professional powerlifting setup or a fat pad bench. TITAN does not disappoint with a hefty bench that is worth its name. The full specifics of this bench are:

Designed to handle heavy weights
Enhanced vinyl covering for extra grip and support with 4-in pad
Durable steel construction with 3-in tubing- 3-foot design allows athletes to use proper positioning of the feet.
Welded metal endcaps.- Handle and wheels for easy transport.
Powder-coated paint job prevents rust and corrosion
Overall Height: 17.5-in.
Overall Length: 53-in.
Overall Width: 24-in.
Pad Dimensions: 50-in x 15-in x 4-in.
Color: Black
Material: 3-in x 3-in 11-Gauge Steel
Weight Capacity: 1,200 lb.
Product Weight: 84 lbs.

This is a nice upgrade to a regular bench, if you already have one that is old and sweaty or when you are building your first gym.

Pros of the TITAN hefty bench

Pros of the TITAN hefty bench:

Price
Fat pad
Easy to transport

Compared to the competition this bench against comes in at about half the price. If you want to build a semi-professional gym for yourself TITAN is hard to beat at price. Especially if you do not mind to take matters into your own hands for some on-site adjustments.

The fat pad is a delight to bench on. Once you use a fat bench you will never go back to what you used before. If you are torn between a regular flat bench and the hefty, get this one. It is definitely worth the $50 or $70 extra and you will be using it for a couple of years anyway. In addition, you will also use it in almost any session.

With the included handle and wheels this bench is also easy to get to different places in your gym without having to carry it around.

Cons of the TITAN hefty bench

Cons of the TITAN hefty bench are:

Size
Finish
Not adjustable

While a fat pad is nice, it can also be a little too much. If you are a very small athlete or a beginner you might prefer to first work on a smaller bench until you have built up some size. Having a bench press set up that is wider than you back can be uncomfortable at times.

This bench is not adjustable. If you only get one bench you have to weigh up whether you want an adjustable bench or a flat bench with a big pad. In most home gym scenarios the adjustable bench is probably the better pick to keep things interesting.

With TITAN product you always run a higher risk of minor issues in quality in the finish for the welds or the coating of your products. The good news is that the TITAN hefty bench is a very easy product to manufacture is there are not a lot of moving parts. Therefore this is more of a safe place for the buyer when quality control is not as tight as with other vendors.

Alternatives to the TITAN hefty bench

Alternatives to the TITAN hefty bench are:

If you are looking for an adjustable bench for your home gym or commercial gym, then the FID single post is the go-to option to save money or pay and spray. It is only slightly more expensive than the hefty bench, but in return is more versatile for a broader audience.

The flat weight bench is one of the absolute budget options from TITAN. This is just a simple flat bench like you would find at any doctor or rehab center. Maybe not for the very ambitioned, but it does the job for a little more than $100.

The single post competition flat bench is probably the best pick from TITAN if you do not want any incline or fat pad, bu still bench press heavy. It is slightly less expensive than the hefty bench but carries the same DNA.

Conclusion for the TITAN hefty bench

If you weigh more than 120kg do yourself a favor and get this and do not go near other flat benches. Everyone else can ask themselves of heavy they already bench press and whether they felt uncomfortable on other benches. If that is the case you might want to upgrade to the hefty bench. If it is between the hefty bench and an adjustable bench for your first home gym, take the adjustable option.