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REP fitness AB-5000 bench vs Rogue westside bench 2.0

Written by Pascal Landshoeft | Jun 5, 2021 4:00:00 PM

REP fitness AB-5000 bench vs Rogue westside bench 2.0

This is a comparison between the Rep Fitness AB-5000 bench and the Rogue westside bench. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the Rogue Westside bench 2.0

The Westside 2.0 comes in at $725 and are 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

Most popular Rogue bench

This is an overview of the most popular Rogue benches based on views and click throughs for purchase on Marathon-Crossfit.com in 2020. If you want to dig deeper on the details of the data you can read what were the most popular rogue products in 2020. 

 
These were the most popular rogue benches on Marathon-CrossFit.com in 2020. The rankings were as followed:
 
 
The Rogue AB3 is the most expensive bench you can get from Rogue. In return, you get a monster of a bench that can do incline and decline bench presses. I am not a huge fan of decline bench presses, especially for a home gym where you might pin yourself without any help around. Therefore I lean more towards the AB2. You can read the full review of the AB3 by following this link.
 
The Rogue AB2 is the little brother of the AB3. It is the same bench except that it is missing the mechanics to do decline benches. This makes it the best value for money bench from Rogue in my opinion. You can read the full review of the AB2 via this link.
 
The Rogue west side bench 2.0 is the bench of choice if you weigh more than 120kg and you are a huge fan of the west side method. In my opinion, you can get no bench which is as sturdy at this price point. This bench allows for all the band variations you can dream of and can take a 1000 pound bench press as long as you bolt it to the ground. If you are not a monster, this might be a little overkill. You can read the full review of the Rogue Westside bench 2.0 by following this link.
 
The Rogue adjustable bench 2.0 is a cheaper design than the AB2 which does the same thing. I personally prefer the pin and lock system of the AB2 as it is sturdier and leaves you with less risk of catching your fingers in it. The adjustable bench 2.0 is easier to adjust but more likely to slip a notch during exercise when not put in place correctly or catch a finger in the mechanics. You can read the full review of the Rogue adjustable bench 2.0 via this link.
 
The rogue combo rack could also be listed under racks. I chose to list it under benches because if you buy this instead of a power rack, you buy it for the competition bench and not for the squat stand. Compared to other combo racks in the market the price is decent and you will get a high-quality combo rack. It is not recommended if you are not already an experienced lifter. You can read the full review of the Rogue combo via this link.
 

Overview of the Westside bench 2.0

 
The Rogue west side 2.0 is a bolt-together version of the Westside bench to bring down the cost in production and shopping. You will have more moving parts, but it is still a 1000+ pound bench press set up for the serious athletes. One of the main features of this bench is that you can adjust it in 1” increments and use it with bands and chains effectively. If you are a fan of the west side training method and benching big this is a great option. The specifications of the Westside 2.0 bench are: 
 
  • Made in the USA
  • 2x3" 11-Gauge Uprights with Westside hole spacing
  • Total Height: 54.625"
  • Bench Height: 17.5” (adjustable up and down by 1" increments)
  • 1000+LB weight capacity
  • Your choice of either a 12" wide standard bench pad or a 14.5" wide Thompson Fat Pad™ (at additional cost)
  • NEW Bolt-Together Design with 0.625" Hardware
  • NEW 7-Gauge Reinforced Steel Spine Under Pad
  • NEW Laser-Cut Rogue Side Panels
  • Infinity J-Cups with UHMW inserts to protect the bar knurl
  • 24" Pin/Pipe Safety Set
  • 4 Adjustable Band Pegs
  • NEW Optional Spotter Decks (at additional cost)
  • Color: Black
 
If you are into the Rogue setup for west side benching, this is the way to go. 
 

Pros of the Westside 2.0

 
This is a lower-cost version of the west side bench and is probably one of the most cost-efficient setups in the market I which you can comfortably go to 1000 pounds for the bench press. 
 

Cons of the West side 2.0

 
Compared to other bench stations or combos you will have little to no plate storage and no support for heavy incline or decline bench presses. If you care about a 1000 pound bench press you will probably more than this. 
 

Alternatives to the Westside 2.0

 
Alternatives to the Westside Bench 2.0
 
 
If you care about a west side bench I would conveniently assume that you already own a normal bench press setup or just don’t care about getting a portable bench. 
 
The west side bench is the big brother of the 2.0. You will have fewer moving pieces and bigger beams which brings the cost up but also means that you get more integral stability. If you have the money and do not want to transport the bench often, why compromise? 
 
The reflex incline is an alternative to consider or even an additional purchase to the west side bench 2.0. If you are equipping a gym with a west side bench I know you mean business, so where are your freaks going to do their incline bench presses? Same goes for the decline. 
 

Summary for the Westside 2.0

 
The west side 2.0 is a great option for the serious athlete who wants to train at home with a buddy. If you are equipping a professional gym you might as well go for the big one.

Overview and review of the REP fitness AB-5000 bench

This is an overview of the REP fitness AB-5000 bench including pros, cons, and alternatives. The original was published under which rep fitness bench to buy. Follow the links for more details.

Related articles

 

REP AB-5000 Adjustable Bench zero-gap

 
The REP AB-5000 bench is the zero-gap bench option from REP fitness. The lower part of this bench can be moved in place so that the gap disappears. This is a great bench for very lifters who still want an adjustable bench to move around but no gap when flat benching. The full specifications of this bench are:
 
  • Patented: This product was designed by REP in the USA and protected by one or more issued patents.
  • 11-gauge steel frame.
  • Flat, incline, and decline positions with 7 back pad adjustments and 4 seat pad adjustments.
  • Laser-cut degree markings on a stainless steel wear guard
  • Unique pop-pin and bearing system adjustment for zero gap between seat and back pad. Adjusts in 1 second.
  • Easy to move with urethane grip handle and wheels
 
  • Total Height: 17.75"
  • Total Pad Length: 53.5"
  • Back Pad Width: 12.25"
  • Total Footprint: 8 SQFT
  • Weight Capacity: 1,000 lb
  • 3% Tolerance
 
This is a solid option at the higher price range of REP fitness bench portfolio of like the pin design and want no gap between the two pads of the bench.
 

Pros of the REP  AB-5000 Adjustable Bench

 
The pros of the REP AB-5000 bench are:
 
  • Zero gap
  • Good inside the rack bench
  • Harder cushion
  • Longer seat
  • Labeled degrees
  • A HIgher degree of safety due to push pins
 
The main feature of this bench is the zero-gap design. This makes it a good bench to keep inside your rack as it is not as easy to adjust as other benches in the REP fitness lineup.
 
It also comes with a harder cushion than some of the other REP fitness options and a longer seat than the REP AB-5200.
 
The labeled degrees on this bench are one of the biggest distinguishing features of the REP fitness compared to the competition. If I was a designer at someone else’s company I would probably copy it.
 

Cons of the REP  AB-5000 Adjustable Bench

 
Cons of the REP AB-5000 are:
 
  • Cumbersome to adjust
  • Heavy
  • Vertical instead of a horizontal handle
  • 90-degree incline
 
This is a big and hard-to-adjust bench. What you can in options for the setup you lose in speed for the adjustment itself. I also don’t like the 90 degrees top spot and prefer the 85-degree option in the REP AB-5200. The vertical handle to move the bench is also not of its time anymore as horizontal handles are easier to use.
 

Alternatives to the REP  AB-5000 Adjustable Bench

 
Alternatives to the REP AB-5000 are
 
 
The REP AB-5200 bench is the better option if you don’t mind a little gap in your bench while gaining a lot more comfort in adjusting it. I am personally not a huge fan of the safety pin design on adjustable benches as it is a pain to use. The hook system is more dangerous for your fingers but has greater ease of use.
 
The Rogue AB2 adjustable bench works with the push pin design and can also be upgraded to the AB 3 by buying a leg attachment. These are the sturdiest benches you can get from one of the best vendors in the market. Their price is off-putting. The range close to $1000. At TITAN fitness you can build an entire gym on this budget.
 
The Rogue adjustable bench 2.0 is the model a personally own and I am very happy with it. This bench can be stored upright, is beefy, and still reasonably easy to move around. The price is also not outrageous even though it comes in higher than REP fitness’s top model AB-5200.
 
The TITAN Max adjustable FID bench is TITAN’s take on a beefy adjustable bench. If you want something for a low price to rival REP fitness and Rogue TITAN is the right place to shop.
 

Conclusion for the REP AB-5000 Adjustable Bench

 
The REP zero-gap bench does what it says on the tin. You can always set it up in a way that there is no gap between the upper and lower pad. This makes it a pain to adjust at times with the pushpin system, but that is the price you pay for this feature to work.
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