REP fitness AB-5100 bench vs TITAN Max adjustable bench
This is a comparison between the Rep Fitness AB-5100 bench and the Titan Max adjustable bench. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the TITAN Max adjustable FID bench
This is an overview of the TITAN Max adjustable bench FID 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 max adjustable FID bench
Price:$449
The
Max adjustable FID bench is the most versatile bench TITAN has to offer. With over 70 different positions to work from you can do your
incline, decline, and
flat bench presses. This is a bench that can also be used for decline bench presses as it comes with the necessary foot attachment to keep you safe. This also leaves you with more options for sit-ups and other core workouts on this bench. The full specs of this bench are:
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Heavy-duty construction
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Double frame for extra stability
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Wheels and handle in front for easy transportation
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10 Bench pad position from horizontal to vertical
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7 Head/Seat positions to suit a variety of workouts
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Removable foot roller attachment included
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For indoor use
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Footprint: 70-in x 23.5-in.
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Head/Seat Pad Dimensions: 13.5-in L x 8-in x 11-in W.
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Bench Pad Dimensions: 36-in. L x 11-in W.
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Gap Pad Dimensions: 5.5-in L x 11-in W.
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Foot Roller Length: 7-in.
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Foot Roller Diameter: 4-in.
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Weight Capacity: 600 lb.
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Product Weight: 92 lb.
This is a top-notch bench for anyone who is out to build an elite home gym. It will also find its way into some professional establishments to be used in free weight areas.
Pros of the TITAN Max adjustable FID bench
This is a bench that can be used for the full range of incline and decline positions for your workouts. As such it is very versatile compared to normal
flat benches or
incline benches. It is built sturdy and will take a beating.
As with all TITAN products, the price comes in at about half of the competition from Rogue and Eleiko, who are currently the market leaders for free weight equipment. Especially if you are buying in large quantities or need to build a semi-professional gym on a tight budget, cutting costs in things like benches, plates and dumbbells can be a good way of achieving your goals.
Attaching a pair of wheels to high-end benches has become standard in the industry to make them easy to transport. Still, not every model and vendor provides this. Especially in a gym set up with many clients where you expect the bench to be moved a lot, this is something to consider.
Cons of the TITAN Max adjustable FID bench
The finish is something that haunts most TITAN products. You have to cut some corners to get to half the price of your competition. The best way to do that is by saving labor costs or extra machinery in finishing your product. Therefore, TITAN products are more likely to have problems with their powder coatings, fit of nuts and bolts, and movement in hinges. Most of the time these shortcomings are fixable with sandpaper, grease, or some other DIY skill, but it gives things a little bit more of a makeshift feel. The adjustable bench is no exception.
The price of the
Max adjustable bench is pretty high compared to other benches you can get from TITAN. This also applies to every other vendor when you get a bench that does
incline and decline variations. It seems like the decline benches always cost about twice what an
incline bench costs. So if you are being honest with yourself, how many decline exercises do you actually do? Does this justify shelling out twice the money for the bench or could you get other equipment for the money saved, that gets you to your goals quicker? If you buy the Max Incline bench you save yourself $200. For that amount of money, you can get a massage gun to recover quicker. That will probably have more impact on your performance than the odd 3x12 decline bench once a week.
A decline bench always needs an extra attachment so that you can strap your feet in. This makes the bench longer, which can get problematic in tight spaces in home gyms. Taking the attachment on and off to move the bench can be annoying and finally, you end up with an
incline bench that you paid twice the money for, because you just could not be bothered to get the attachment on and off.
Alternatives to the TITAN Max adjustable FID bench
The
TITAN combo rack comes in at $999 and also includes a very sturdy bench. If you are a powerlifter trying to get ready form home for your next competition, then this might be the right road to travel down. Still, this is rather a niche product compared to the other benches from TITAN.
The
single post FID bench is the incline version from FID that only goes up and not down. It also comes without a foot attachment. For most home users it would recommend this one over the
Max adjustable FID bench unless you already hang upside down quite a bit in your current workout routines.
Conclusion for the TITAN Max adjustable FID bench
The
max adjustable FID bench is good for a home gym, when the owner is into mobility and rehab. For this, the many options to adjust height and angles are of advantage. For a professional gym, it is also wise to maybe have one or two of these decline benches around, depending on how many clients and what other equipment you have. It is not an item I would recommend to buy in bulk. In most scenarios, an
incline bench will suffice and cover the most needs at a reasonable price. Decline bench presses are programmed very little and can usually easily be supplemented with other exercises that can be done on an incline bench to attack the lower pecs.
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:
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11-gauge steel frame.
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1,000 lb capacity.
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Seven back pad adjustments & four-seat pad adjustments with laser-cut degree markings on a stainless steel wear guard.
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Three large steel supports on the back pad and two on the seat pad for rock-solid stability.
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Pivoting urethane grip handle and wheels for easy portability.
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 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
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Heavy bench
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Hard to move
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90 degrees
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Pushpin adjustments
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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
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 R
EP 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.