REP fitness AB-5200 adjustable bench vs TITAN MAX adjustable FID
This is a comparison between the Rep Fitness AB-5200 bench and the Titan MAX adjustable FID. 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-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.