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Reflex Incline bench vs AB2

Posted by Pascal Landshoeft

Jul 15, 2020 9:00:00 AM

Reflex Incline bench vs AB2

This is a comparison between the Reflex incline bench and the AB2 including pros, cons and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

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Overview and review of the Ab2 Adjustable bench 

The AB-2 bench comes in at $815 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".

Bench press calculator

What else to consider from Rogue

 

Overview of the AB2 Adjustable bench

 
The Rogue AB2 bench comes from the designers of the Nebula 1080 bench which has been on an established reference in the fitness industry. The Ab2 includes 6 different seat settings and nine back positions. This makes it a strong piece of equipment for any home gym which needs versatility and space-efficient setup. The specifications of the Rogue AB2 bench are:
 
  • Adapted from the Nebula 1080 "Awesome" Utility Bench
  • Weight: 94LB
  • Length: 52"
  • Pad Width: 12"
  • Height: 18"
  • Footprint: 51 1/4" x 22 1/2"
  • Steel: 2 x 2" and 3 x 3" 11-Gauge Steel
  • 6 Adjustable Seat Settings
  • 9 Adjustable Back Pad Settings (from flat bench to 78 degrees upright) 
This is the upmarket version from Rogue if you do not want to do decline bench presses.
 

Pros of the AB2 Adjustable bench

 
The AB2 has a pin design which keeps the bench firmly in place. It is heavy duty and well made and gives you more options than the cheaper versions from Rogue
 

Cons of the AB2 Adjustable bench

 
$815 can still be a hefty price tag for a bench. As you are not buying any kind of structure with this and probably did not consider yourself that much of a beast to look into the Reflex options, you might as well want to save a little more on the bench itself. This bench has the price of a rack. 
 

Alternatives to the AB2 Adjustable bench

 
Alternatives to the AB2 are
 
 
The AB3 is the weapon of choice if you need a bench that can be moved around and used for incline, decline, and flat bench press setups. It comes in at a slightly higher price tag than the AB2 and makes more sense in my opinion if you are looking for a high-end bench
 
The Rogue Adjustable bench 2.0 would probably my personal choice for a bench from Rogue. This is the middle priced bench which covers any need you might have. Production costs are lower compared to the AB2 as not as many holes need to be drilled. It still does the same with fewer options to adjust the bench. To be honest, in practice you will most likely only use one incline, one decline, and the flat position anyway.
 
The Rogue Flat utility bench would be my tool of choice if I had to equip an entire gym with Rogue benches. They have multiple options for customization and are only a fraction of the cost f the AB2 and AB3. You basically get 4 of these four one AB2
 
 
Reflex Incline bench

Overview and review of the Reflex Olympic incline bench 

The Olympic incline bench comes in at $1905 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".

Bench press calculator
 

Overview of the Reflex Incline bench

 
The reflex Olympic incline bench press is a good option to provide your athletes or yourself with a safe environment for heavy incline bench presses. Once you hit a 400-pound bench press for repetitions you might not want to do them on a bench on rolls. This incline bench press addresses this need. The reflex Olympic incline weight bench comes with the following specifications: 
 
  • Combination of 3×3 11ga. & 3/16-walled fully Welded Tubular steel construction.
  • Powder Coated finish.
  • Plastic lined weight bar saddles.
  • Aluminum Spotter Deck.
  • Adjustable Saddles w/ 11 positions.
  • Weight storage.
  • 7 position adjustable safeties.
  • 1in high-density foam pad.
 
This is a beast of machine that will make your big guys smile. 
 

Pros of the Reflex Incline bench

 
Solid, heavy incline bench with good material. In addition, you will also get a good bit of plate storage which might help with your CrossFit box. If you have a team or if you do incline benching on a regular basis with big weights, this is the station to get. 
 

Cons of the Reflex Incline bench

 
The reflex incline bench is a single-purpose piece of equipment which takes up quite a bit of floor space. This makes it not ideal for group training settings with changing demands or home gyms unless you are Oprah or the rock. 
 

Alternatives to the Reflex Incline bench

 
Alternatives to the reflex incline bench are 
 
 
The reflex decline bench executed the same idea of a fixed bench station with a lot of weight but for a decline bench press set up. This is a good alternative to be secure when it gets very heavy. 
 
The Reflex military bench takes the idea of a big metal station that goes nowhere for the seated military press. 
 
The Rogue AB3 is a portable bench which can be set up as a decline, Incline or flat set up to be used with a regular rack or with dumbbells. 
 

Summary of the Reflex Incline bench

 
The reflex incline bench press is a good option when you want to ensure the same setup for any incline bench or if you move a lot of weight. As long as you have space it can be an item to aspire to. Especially if you considered the ISO leg press you might want to have a look at the reflex range to make your dollars stretch.