REP fitness AB-5100 bench vs TITAN power tower bench

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

Overview and review of the TITAN power tower bench

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

Overview of the TITAN power tower bench

Price: $189

The power tower is a classic all in one home gym that you can have in your garden or in your basement. You can do dips, pull-ups and leg raises on this machine for a full-body workout. TITAN also added a bench so that you can do dumbbell bench presses, flyes, and other exercises to attack your back and front. All in all, this is a great station for a very low price to get started with bodyweight exercises and light bench presses. The full specifications of this tower are:

Full-size bench
Adjustable j-cups
Dip station
Multi-grip pull up bar
Push-up handles
Length: 79 1/2"
Width: 34"
Height: 86 1/2"
Bench Length: 43 1/2"
Weight: 99 lbs
Capacity: 350 lbs

This is a good little extra or start to a home gym when you do not have other options. For this low price, there is not a lot you can do wring except eating up space where you put the power tower itself.

Pros of the TITAN power Tower bench

These are the pros of the power tower bench:

Low price
Dedicated station for dips, pull-ups, and leg raises
Bench included

The Power Tower bench is a good all-around starting point when you are building your body at home. You can not beat the price tag for starting a home gym with all the necessary basic movements. With some little weights, you can get started and if you do not want to become a massive powerlifter or football player the power tower might be eve enough for all of your strength needs.

Cons of the TITAN power tower bench

The cons of the tower power bench are:

Lightweight
TITAN finish
Space requirements

This tower is quite lightweight for the amount of movement you put it through. If you are a big athlete, this tower will move which is not ideal. As with most TITAN products they have to cut some corners to provide prices to you which are mostly about half of what the competition does. Therefore the finish on the pads and handles can be a bit sketchy. Nothing that a bit of glue and DIY can not fix, but still minor quality issues.

Alternatives to the TITAN power tower bench

Alternatives to the tower power bench are:

If you are building a home gym or need a bench for a professional gym to competition measurements, then the single post competition flat bench from TITAN can be an option. It is very easy to transport as it comes with a handle and wheels and the single post makes it easy to handle. It will also get not in the way of your bench press setup as it has a single post at the foot end.

The flat weight bench is the classic workhorse that you will find in any gym. Sturdy, cheap and easy to use. You can not do a lot wrong with this bench, especially if you want to save money and are not particularly into powerlifting.

Conclusion for the TITAN power tower bench

The tower power bench is a great start to a home gym for a teenager in a big house. IT is also great for anyone who does not want to lift weights and only focus on calisthenics at home or provide an extra station for that purpose in a professional gym. Apart from this, I think you are giving up too much space for too little choice of exercise, even though the price is so low that even if you buy it and never use it again it won't hurt too much.

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.