TITAN Single post adjustable FID bench vs Reflex decline bench

This is a comparison between the TITAN Single post FID adjustable bench and Reflex decline bench 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 Single post adjustable FID bench

This is an overview of the TITAN FID single post adjustable 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 Single post adjustable FID bench

Price: $249

The single post adjustable FID bench is a rock-solid option for a home gym that wants to save money or a professional gym that wants to add a couple of incline benches to their existing setup. For buying in bulk or on a budget, this product is hard t beat in quality for the price. You will get everything you need to get some incline work in and can also use it for heavy flat bench presses unless you are an absolute monster (120kg plus). In that case I would recommend the hefty bench instead of the FID for flat bench presses. The specifications of this bench are:

7 back positions, 4 seat positions.
Plastic endcaps prevent feet from scuffing gym floor.
Handle and wheels for easy transport.
Included foot roller gives you many more options for exercises while in the decline position including decline sit-ups and dumbbell press.
Overall Height: 53-in.
Overall Length: 56.75-in.
Overall Width: 25.25-in.
Bench Height: 18.25-in. (Top of pad when in flat position)
Back Pad Dimensions: 36-in x 11.75-in x 2.25-in.
Seat Pad Dimensions: 15-in x 15-in x 2.25-in.
Color: Black
Material: 2-in x 2-in 11-Gauge Steel
Capacity: 1,500 lb.
Product Weight: 71 lb.

Overall a solid bench for a solid price.

Pros of the TITAN Single Post adjustable FID bench

The pros of the Single post adjustable bench are:

Price
Incline
Solid build

As with all TITAN products this Incline bench comes in roughly at half of the price of a comparable product from another major brand like Rogue or Eleiko. This makes it a great option to buy in bulk or for a home gym on a budget, that still does not want to be made of amazon flimsy purchases.

This bench does what it says on the tin. The incline is easy to adjust and does not have a pin system, which I personally like, This makes this bench easier to adjust in the spur of the moment, without having fiddle around with a pin that needs to be locked in place. I personally do not get why these pins are used in incline benches. This is really only necessary if you use a bench for declines for safety reasons. The decline on this works but can get a little wobbly.

For the money, you pay this is a very sturdy bench. If you just randomly go to amazon for a bench for the same price it is very likely you will get something of inferior quality. Unless you buy used benches.

Cons of the TITAN Single Post adjustable FID bench

The cons of the TITAN Single post adjustable FID bench are:

Quality issues
Injury risk
Stability

As with all TITAN products you need to cut some corners to offer a very similar product made of the same materials for half the price. This usually shows in the finish of the product itself, missing instructions as good handbooks are expensive to make or parts that not completely fit. Anyone who buys from TITAN runs a higher risk compared to other brands, that they will have to put in some extra elbow grease to finish the product off when it is unboxed. This usually means widening a whole, sanding down an edge, or getting a bolt that was not shipped. It happens with other vendors too, but the likelihood is higher with TITAN.

The Single post benches do have a higher injury risk compared to pin based benches. It is easier for your hands and fingers to get caught in the mechanism than with the pin systems. While this makes it easier to adjust, it also exposes the mechanism for a finger to get caught in it. You will not chop off your finger in the process, but it is still unpleasant when it happens.

if you are planning to do a lot of tools, hanging, and flipping movements on this bench it is not ideal. In this case, opt for the bigger brother the Max adjustable FID bench. The mechanism is ok for normal bench presses and declines. If you intend to go Jackie chan or bruce lee on this bench for situps and all kinds of weird Kung Fu moves, get the FID Max bench instead.

Alternatives to the TITAN Single Post adjustable FID bench

Alternatives to the TITAN Single post adjustable FID bench are:

The max adjustable FID bench is the big mama of benches you can get from TITAN. If you intend to do a lot of decline work or use the bench for split squats, step-ups, and all kinds of other gymnastics, then this bench leaves you with more options and is heavier. This also means that it will cost about twice from the single post adjustable bench.

The hefty bench is a good alternative for serious powerlifters who just want to bench press or very big athletes. Compared to the single post bench it has bigger padding and no incline. Depending on your needs and whether you already have a bench, this is a good option.

The single post competition flat bench is a bread and butter bench for any professional gym. For a home gym, it might not be versatile enough, as you can spare some extra change for buying just for one person. This bench is easy to transport and store, while it still does the job.

Conclusion for the TITAN Single Post adjustable FID bench

The single post adjustable bench is the ideal buy for a home gym from TITAN that wants to stay versatile. It is also a good value for money option, as its big brother might not give you the same return. Only if you use your bench for complicated movements or you are massive the hefty bench or Max FID might be a better option.