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REP fitness AB-5100 bench vs Reflex flat bench

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

REP fitness AB-5100 bench vs Reflex flat bench

This is a comparison between the Rep Fitness AB-5100 bench and the Reflex flat bench. Follow the links for more details.

 

Overview and review of the Reflex flat bench 

The Reflex flat bench arm kit comes in at $1674 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

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 Reflex Flat bench

 
The reflex flat bench is the sturdy design of the reflex line applied to a regular flat bench setup. You will get a solid piece of equipment with little moving parts apart from the barbell. This is a good setup for your big athletes who are moving big weights. The specifications of the Reflex flat bench are: 
 
  • Combination of 3×3 11ga. & 3/16-walled fully Welded Tubular steel construction.
  • Powder Coated finish.
  • Plastic lined weight bar saddles.
  • Adjustable Saddles w/ 11 positions.
  • Weight storage.
  • 7 position adjustable safeties.
  • Weight storage.
  • 1in high-density foam pad.
  • Weight 167 - 470LB
  • Length 60” - 70”
  • Width 48”
  • Height 58” - 64” 
 
The reflex flat bench will stay where you place it and go nowhere. This is especially good when you want to ensure the same setup each and every time you bench. 
 

Pros of the Reflex Flat bench

 
A sturdy setup that keeps you safe, even when moving big weights around. Can also be used as central plate storage in the middle of multiple racks.
 

Cons of the Reflex Flat bench

 
Single-purpose use and not a lot of flexibility to change. Needs more floor space than other solutions you might come up with for the bench press. 
 

Alternatives to the Reflex Flat bench

 
Alternatives to the reflex flat bench are
 
 
The reflex competition bench comes in only slightly more expensive than the flat bench version. In return, you get an IPF approved machine to practice for the real thing. Of you are considering a bench press setup like this you might as well spend the few extra to get the competition version. 
 
The reflex decline bench press is the piece of equipment that I would get if I had the floor space left. Out of the different bench press variations, the decline is the one I feel most uncomfortable with when done on a free-standing bench. The reflex decline would address this. 
 
The AB3 bench is Rogues portable bench which can be used for flat, incline and decline setups. As it is on rolls it might not be as stable as the Reflex series, but if you are not a beast, this will be more than sufficient to get your work done. 
 

Summary for the Reflex Flat bench

 
The reflex Olympic flat bench is not something I personally would consider. I would either go for the decline or competition bench press if I was in the market for a bench machine. 

Overview and review of the REP fitness AB-5100 bench

This is an overview of the REP fitness AB-5100 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-5100 Adjustable Bench $399

 
The REP AB-5100 bench is a good option with a push pin design that can also be turned into a decline bench. The only drawback of this design is that this is one of the benches with the widest gap between the two pads from REP fitness. The full specifications of this bench are:
 
  • 11-gauge steel frame.
  • 1,000 lb capacity.
  • Seven back pad adjustments & four-seat pad adjustments with laser-cut degree markings on a stainless steel wear guard.
  • Three large steel supports on the back pad and two on the seat pad for rock-solid stability.
  • Pivoting urethane grip handle and wheels for easy portability.
 
  • Total Height: 17.25"
  • Total Pad Length: 53.25"
  • Back Pad Width: 12.25"
  • Pad Gap: 3"
  • Overall Footprint: 7.5 SQFT
  • 3% Tolerance
 
This is a great bench to convert into a decline bench. Otherwise, you might want to opt for the REP AB 5200 or REP AB-5000 instead.
 

Pros of the REP  AB-5100 Adjustable Bench

 
The pros of the REP AB-5100 are:
 
  • Labeled degrees
  • Big and beefy
  • Heavy bench
  • Decline bench (attachment needed)
  • Pushpin safety
  • Wheelguards
 
The design is big sturdy and will meet the needs of big athletes who want to move big weights but do not have space for a dedicated be ch press station. The pushpin mechanism will provide further stability when benching.
 
The REP AB-5100 can also be turned into a decline bench. For this, you will need to purchase an additional attachment that comes in at slightly under $100. This is a nice upgrade option for anyone who wants to do everything with their bench.
 

Cons of the REP AB-5100 Adjustable Bench

 
The cons of the REP AB-5100 adjustable bench are:
 
  • Heavy bench
  • Hard to move
  • 90 degrees
  • Pushpin adjustments
  • 4-inch GAP
 
This bench is heavy and can be hard to move sometimes. While this is great when everybody is big and burly and might not be the best portable bench to get in a commercial setting with mainly average-sized humans.
 
The highest incline is an exact ninety degrees. I always find that to be quite uncomfortable for overhead presses as it easier to lean against a setup that still provides a 5-degree tilt in the highest setting.
 
The push pin adjustments can be hard to adjust. Compared with the fact that this bench is heavy this can get annoying. I am personally not a huge fan of the pushpin design on any bench as it does not allow for quick and easy adjustments.
 
The bench has probably the widest gap between the bottom and top pad compared to other be benches out of the REP fitness lineup. This allows for decline settings at the cost of a possible annoyance for flat benching. This is why o prefer the 5200 or 5000 models I am also not an advocate for decline benching.
 

Alternatives to the REP  AB-5100 Adjustable Bench

 
The alternatives to the REP AB-5100 bench are:
 
 
The REP AB-5200 is my personal favorite among the REP fitness benches. It is easy to adjust and move for a beefy bench and can be stored upright. The only drawback is the price.
 
The REP zero Gap bench is in a similar price range as the 5100 but provides the possibility the adjust the lower pad in a way that there is no gapping. If you really struggle on benches with gaps based on your build then this is the one to get. The downside is the pushpin mechanics. I always hated those and I just would not use benches that are being adjusted this way.
 

Conclusion for the REP-5100 Adjustable Bench

 
The REP 5100 adjustable bench is the best model from REP fitness if you are looking for a decline bench option. Otherwise, I would recommend the 5200 or 5000 models if you do not care about the decline.
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