TITAN power tower bench vs Rogue AB2

This is a comparison between the TITAN power tower bench and Rogue AB2 including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally posted in Which TITAN bench to get? Follow the links for 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".

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:

Adapted from the Nebula 1080 "Awesome" Utility Bench
Weight: 94LB
Length: 52"
Pad Width: 12"
Height: 18"
Footprint: 51 1/4" x 22 1/2"
Steel: 2 x 2" and 3 x 3" 11-Gauge Steel
6 Adjustable Seat Settings
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 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.