REP fitness FB-4000 comp lite bench vs Reflex flat bench

This is a comparison between the Rep Fitness FB-4000 bench and the Reflex flat bench. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the Reflex flat bench

The Reflex flat bench arm kit comes in at $1674 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".

What else to consider from Rogue

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:

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 AB2 is the little brother of the AB3. It is the same bench except that it is missing the mechanics to do decline benches. This makes it the best value for money bench from Rogue in my opinion. You can read the full review of the AB2 via this link.

The Rogue west side bench 2.0 is the bench of choice if you weigh more than 120kg and you are a huge fan of the west side method. In my opinion, you can get no bench which is as sturdy at this price point. This bench allows for all the band variations you can dream of and can take a 1000 pound bench press as long as you bolt it to the ground. If you are not a monster, this might be a little overkill. You can read the full review of the Rogue Westside bench 2.0 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.

The rogue combo rack could also be listed under racks. I chose to list it under benches because if you buy this instead of a power rack, you buy it for the competition bench and not for the squat stand. Compared to other combo racks in the market the price is decent and you will get a high-quality combo rack. It is not recommended if you are not already an experienced lifter. You can read the full review of the Rogue combo via this link.

Overview of the Reflex Flat bench

The reflex flat bench is the sturdy design of the reflex line applied to a regular flat bench setup. You will get a solid piece of equipment with little moving parts apart from the barbell. This is a good setup for your big athletes who are moving big weights. The specifications of the Reflex flat bench are:

Combination of 3×3 11ga. & 3/16-walled fully Welded Tubular steel construction.
Powder Coated finish.
Plastic lined weight bar saddles.
Adjustable Saddles w/ 11 positions.
Weight storage.
7 position adjustable safeties.
Weight storage.
1in high-density foam pad.
Weight 167 - 470LB
Length 60” - 70”
Width 48”
Height 58” - 64”

The reflex flat bench will stay where you place it and go nowhere. This is especially good when you want to ensure the same setup each and every time you bench.

Pros of the Reflex Flat bench

A sturdy setup that keeps you safe, even when moving big weights around. Can also be used as central plate storage in the middle of multiple racks.

Cons of the Reflex Flat bench

Single-purpose use and not a lot of flexibility to change. Needs more floor space than other solutions you might come up with for the bench press.

Alternatives to the Reflex Flat bench

Alternatives to the reflex flat bench are

The reflex competition bench comes in only slightly more expensive than the flat bench version. In return, you get an IPF approved machine to practice for the real thing. Of you are considering a bench press setup like this you might as well spend the few extra to get the competition version.

The reflex decline bench press is the piece of equipment that I would get if I had the floor space left. Out of the different bench press variations, the decline is the one I feel most uncomfortable with when done on a free-standing bench. The reflex decline would address this.

The AB3 bench is Rogues portable bench which can be used for flat, incline and decline setups. As it is on rolls it might not be as stable as the Reflex series, but if you are not a beast, this will be more than sufficient to get your work done.

Summary for the Reflex Flat bench

The reflex Olympic flat bench is not something I personally would consider. I would either go for the decline or competition bench press if I was in the market for a bench machine.

Overview and review of the REP fitness FB-4000 comp lite bench

This is an overview of the REP fitness FB-4000 bench including pros, cons, and alternatives. The original was published under which rep fitness bench to buy. Follow the links for more details.

REP FB-4000 Comp lite bench $115

The FB-4000 is one of the lowest-priced options in the bench department of REP fitness. This bench is a little beefier than the FB-5000 but not compatible with a Thompson fat pad. The full list of specifications is:

Total height: 17"
Total Pad Length: 45.25"
Pad Width: 12"
Total Footprint: 7 SQFT
Designed with Competition Standards
3% Tolerance

If you want a good bench for a low price this is it.

Pros of the FB-4000 Comp lite bench

Pros of the FB 4000 bench are:

Light and easy to move
Low price
Single post design
Grippy cushion

The grippy cushion is one of the best product ideas of REP fitness for their benches. Combine it with a low price and single post design and you get yourself a good recipe for a nice bench for a home gym.

Cons of the FB-4000 Comp lite bench

The cons of the FB-4000 are:

Vertical handle
700lbs limit
Finish
Instability when sitting on it

Vertical handles are not as good as horizontal ones for rolling your bench around. Minor issue, but still worth mentioning and will probably be fixed I future designs.

This bench has a 700-pound limit while others of REP fitness have a 1000 or even 1500 pound limit. If you want a big sturdy bench this is not the one. Even though you could bench 700 on this, I wouldn’t recommend it.

This bench is also designed for bench pressing, not for general use. The single post makes it unstable for exercises like hip thrusts or step-ups.

Alternatives to the FB-4000 Comp lite bench

The Rogue Utility bench and the TITAN hefty bench are good alternatives to the FB-400 if you want a thick pad or a multi-purpose bench.

Conclusion for the FB-4000 Comp lite bench

Good price , solid bench... can not do a lot wrong here.