REP fitness AB-5200 adjustable bench vs Rogue AB2
This is a comparison between the Rep Fitness AB-5200 bench and the Rogue AB2. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the Ab2 Adjustable bench
The AB-2 bench comes in at $815 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".
Related articles
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:
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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 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.
Overview of the AB2 Adjustable bench
The
Rogue AB2 bench comes from the designers of the Nebula 1080
bench which has been on an established reference in the fitness industry. The
Ab2 includes 6 different seat settings and nine back positions. This makes it a strong piece of equipment for any home gym which needs versatility and space-efficient setup. The specifications of the
Rogue AB2 bench are:
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Adapted from the Nebula 1080 "Awesome" Utility Bench
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Weight: 94LB
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Length: 52"
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Pad Width: 12"
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Height: 18"
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Footprint: 51 1/4" x 22 1/2"
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Steel: 2 x 2" and 3 x 3" 11-Gauge Steel
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6 Adjustable Seat Settings
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9 Adjustable Back Pad Settings (from flat bench to 78 degrees upright)
This is the upmarket version from Rogue if you do not want to do decline bench presses.
Pros of the AB2 Adjustable bench
The
AB2 has a pin design which keeps the
bench firmly in place. It is heavy duty and well made and gives you more options than the cheaper versions from
Rogue.
Cons of the AB2 Adjustable bench
$815 can still be a hefty price tag for a bench. As you are not buying any kind of structure with this and probably did not consider yourself that much of a beast to look into the Reflex options, you might as well want to save a little more on the bench itself. This bench has the price of a rack.
Alternatives to the AB2 Adjustable bench
Alternatives to the
AB2 are
The
AB3 is the weapon of choice if you need a
bench that can be moved around and used for incline, decline, and flat
bench press setups. It comes in at a slightly higher price tag than the
AB2 and makes more sense in my opinion if you are looking for a high-end
bench.
The
Rogue Adjustable bench 2.0 would probably my personal choice for a
bench from
Rogue. This is the middle priced
bench which covers any need you might have. Production costs are lower compared to the
AB2 as not as many holes need to be drilled. It still does the same with fewer options to adjust the
bench. To be honest, in practice you will most likely only use one incline, one decline, and the flat position anyway.
The
Rogue Flat utility bench would be my tool of choice if I had to equip an entire gym with
Rogue benches. They have multiple options for customization and are only a fraction of the cost f the
AB2 and
AB3. You basically get 4 of these four one
AB2.
Overview and review of the REP fitness AB-5200 adjustable bench
This is an overview of the REP fitness AB-5200 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-5200 Adjustable Bench $469
The
REP AB-5200 is the current top dog among the REP fitness benches. It is easy to adjust, has a minimal gap between the lower and higher pad, and can be easily rolled around with it included pair of rolls. The full specifications of this bench are:
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This product was designed by REP in the USA and is a Patent Pending Product.
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11-7 gauge steel throughout 2x3" steel frame with a 1,000 lb capacity.
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7 back pad adjustments with laser-cut degree markings in 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 85 degrees.
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3 seat pad adjustments to find the perfect angle.
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High-grip pad material with an ultra-dense foam core, backed by 3/4" plywood.
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Ladder back design with cage. Nylon cover over bolts to protect the paint on the ladders.
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Urethane-covered back pad handles.
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Oversize stainless-steel handle and wheels with a low lift-off point for easy maneuverability.
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Thick steel wheel guards to protect the wheels when being maneuvered, and to lessen tripping hazard.
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Space-saving design allows the bench to be stored in an upright position.
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Stainless logo plates.
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You can not go wrong with this bench except for the price. This the most expensive bench from REP and you might opt for something else to push your savings further. Compared to the competition from Rogue Fitness you are saving a lot as you are still staying under $500 where the top range of Rogue fitness products can take you close to $1000.
Pros of the REP AB-5200 Adjustable Bench
The big pro of this bench is that it is easy to use and transport even though it is beefy. The horizontal handle at the base of the bench makes it easy to lock up and roll around. This makes it great outside the rack bench for all purposes on a free-weight area.
The incline options run up to 85 degrees and it can also be stored upright when in the flat position. This makes it easy to put this bench against a wall when it is not being used to free up some space. I personally also like that the highest option is not a true 90-degree angle as this is easier to train in while putting less strain on your shoulders.
REP Fitness also has three extra features on this bench compared to Its main competitor Ro hue Fitness. The mechanics for putting the bench up and down are protected by a little rail. This makes a lot less likely to catch your fingers in them. The angles for the different inclines are numbered so that you always know which degree you are training on. The last bonus is that REP Fitness offers different color options for its benches where Rogue only comes in black.
Cons of the REP AB-5200 Adjustable Bench
The seat has a gap and the lower part is always quite short. If you have a very big backside or it happens to fall on the gap in your bench press setup then you might want to go for the
REP zero-gap bench instead.
Compared to other bigger benches from competitors this bench is fairly light. Within the REP range, it is the beefiest you can get, but other vendors offer some bigger benches specifically for powerlifters. This is only a consideration if you intend to be ch press more than 700 lbs on a regular basis on your bench. For all other scenarios, I personally think that the
AB-5200 is more than enough.
The last thing is that this is the most expensive bench from REP Fitness you can get. That is nOt the definition of the ultimate bargain, even though REP fitness will already save you a lot of money competed to Rogue fitness.
Alternatives to the REP AB-5200 Adjustable Bench
The
REP zero Gap bench is a good alternative if you think you need a longer lower seat and no gap in the bench pad. The
Zero gap also works with a push pin setup for the different incline settings which makes it more secure once it clicks in. The downside is that it can be a pain to adjust mid-session.
The
Rogue AB2 adjustable bench works with a push pin mechanic and comes very close to the
REP fitness Zero gap bench design. If you want your bench from the best vendor around and like the push pin design, this is it. I personally think that this bench is a little pricey even for Rogue standards.
The
Rogue adjustable bench 2.0 is the closest design from Rogue to the
REP AB-5200. I own this bench myself and if you have any worries about a gap I can assure you that it is virtually nonexistent for the
Adjustable bench 2.0. Price-wise it is close enough to the
AB-5200 to consider it if the rest of your gym is also from Rogue.
The
TITAN max adjustable FID bench is TITAN’s approach to a beefy adjustable bench. Titan Fitness is the low-cost competitor in the home gym space to REP fitness and Rogue fitness. They are known to have more quality issues on minor things like the coating and welds but make up for it with dumping prices.
Conclusion for the REP AB-5200 Adjustable Bench
The
REP AB-5200 is an excellent bench for the price tag and will be beefy enough for all your needs in a home or commercial gym. You can not do a lot wrong here unless you are super worried about the gap in a bench, which this model has a minimal one of. The best alternative would be the
Rogue adjustable bench 2.0 it a slightly higher price.