REP fitness AB-5200 adjustable bench vs TITAN drop in
This is a comparison between the Rep Fitness AB-5200 bench and the Titan drop-in bench. Follow the links for more details.
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:
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Installs directly into your power rack to provide increased stability
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Comes with pins to install the bracket – or use your power rack band pegs
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17-in height allows athletes to train with competition bench standards
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Tough steel construction will last for years with proper use
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Powder-coated paint job protects against rust and early scuffing
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Bench height: 17-in
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Bench pad length: 51-in
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Bench pad width: 11-in
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Bench pad thickness: 2 1/2-in
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Connection bar width: 42”
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Overall weight: 50 lbs.
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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:
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
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
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 T
ITAN 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-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.
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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.