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REP fitness AB-5100 bench vs TITAN Drop in

Posted by Pascal Landshoeft

Jun 12, 2021 9:00:00 AM

REP fitness AB-5100 bench vs TITAN Drop in

This is a comparison between the Rep Fitness AB-5100 bench and the Titan Drop in. Follow the links for more details.

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Overview and review of the TITAN Drop-in rack bench

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

 

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Overview of the TITAN Drop-IN rack bench

Price: $159
 
A drop-in rack bench is a solution to a specific problem. It is an ok solution, but maybe not for everyone. If you already own a TITAN rack and want to have a competition-sized bench setup, this is the perfect fit your you. Especially if you own gym ith multiple racks you can sacrifice one instead of buying a combo rack for $999 to achieve the same goal. Another example is a home gym owner who is annoyed with their bench setup at home as it is always slightly off. For these two scenarios, the drop-in bench is a very cheap solution to this problem. Otherwise, it is a bit cumbersome. The full specifications for this bench are: 
 
  • Installs directly into your power rack to provide increased stability
  • Comes with pins to install the bracket – or use your power rack band pegs
  • 17-in height allows athletes to train with competition bench standards
  • Tough steel construction will last for years with proper use
  • Powder-coated paint job protects against rust and early scuffing
  • Bench height: 17-in
  • Bench pad length: 51-in
  • Bench pad width: 11-in
  • Bench pad thickness: 2 1/2-in
  • Connection bar width: 42”
  • Overall weight: 50 lbs.
  • Weight capacity: 1,000 lbs.
 
This is a solid drop-in bench that almost can't be beaten on price. If you have the problems mentioned, this is an easy and cheap fix. 
 

Pros of the TITAN Drop-in rack bench

 
Pros of the TITAN Drop-in rack bench are:
 
  • Price
  • Consistent setup
  • Easy to install if you have two people
As with all TITAN products they can almost not be beaten on price. This also goes for the drop-in rack bench. If you want to save money and upgrade one of your racks to a competition bench press setup for temporary max tests, this is a great solution. Just pop the bench in for the weekend for your mock meet and you are ready to go. 
 
With this bench, you have nor problems in terms of positioning towards the bar. Distances are the same as in competition and you will always be dead center under the bar. This makes training for competition easier as you do not have to go one inch left, right, forward, and backward each time you want to bench heavy.
 
If you have two people at hand, this is also an easy install. The pins provided slide in easily and the whole construction is easy to lift in and out of the rack.  
 

Cons of the TITAN Drop-in rack bench

 
 
  • Hard to handle for one person
  • Takes up the entire rack 
  • Can not be used on its own
  • Problems with the finish
If you are by yourself, this is an annoying setup. You have to put it in the right place, then put the pins in, then something will misalign and you repeat the process all over. With two people this is very easily fixed as you just give instructions to the other person holding the bench while you put the pins in. By yourself this can becomes tedious. 
 
Once installed, the rack can not be used for squats, deadlifts, or most other exercises anymore. The structure stretches over the entire rack space and therefore makes it impossible to be used for anything else than bench press related exercises. To buy a power rack for $300-$400 and then to invest another $$150-$200 to make it less versatile is not good economics or space management. In these departments, the drop-in fails, even though it does address an easy competition bench press set up perfectly. 
 
The drop-in also can not be safely used just on its own. You can not bolt it down and you will also have some balancing issues. 
 
As this is a TITAN product that is retrofitted into their racks after they have been delivered it is ver likely that some things ill not align smoothly. This is one of these products that need attention to detail to work properly and provide the convenience you are buying with it. As these are all finishing related topics, TITAN might not be the best place to go for this kind of idea to buy a highly specialized product at a dumping price. 
 

Alternatives TITAN Drop-in rack bench 

 
Alternatives to the drop in rack bench are:  
 
 
The TITAN combo rack is a good alternative to the Drop-in rack bench if you have a gym that is spacious. Here you can rather get a proper full competition setup, if your clients demand it, rather than sacrificing a rack to turn it into a bench setup on occasions. This strategy will give you more satisfied clients and less hassle changing setups around. The only downside is that a combo rack can be intimidating, especially if you have to operate by yourself. 
 
The hefty bench is a good alternative to the drop-in rack bench for any home gym owner with a serious flat bench press. If you weigh over 120kg you might want to consider to beef up the bench you are pressing on. The same goes for anyone who benches more than 300lbs for repetitions. 
 
The TITAN bench press rack is a good alternative for anyone who wants a very sturdy, competition bench press setup who does not want to shell out 1000 for an extra station and needs convenience. Compared to a combo rack you get the same bench press setup, but it is way easier to handle. Especially for board presses and other specific partial repetitions, the bench press rack is better than a combo rack. 
 

Conclusion for the TITAN Drop-in rack bench

 
The TITAN drop-in rack bench is a good option if you occasionally do mock meets in your own professional gym with multiple members attending. In this scenario, you save yourself quite a lot of money, while still having a good bench press setup to work with. When you are not doing a competition you can remove the drop-in and make the rack more versatile. Home gym users might find this to be too cumbersome, even though the very low price is tempting. Anyone who regularly benches heavy and has space might want to consider the bench press rack instead. It costs a little more, but basically takes up the same space if not dissembled and is a lot more convenient. 

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.

 

 

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.

Topics: Powerlifting, Bench, Garagegym, Home Gym, Bodybuilding, REP Fitness