Customer Reviews

Best Fitness BFOB10 Olympic Bench

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've been working out with weights for 15 years but have been out of the game for the last several due to personal reasons. A few months ago I was told by my Dr. that I need to lose about 25 lbs. so I decided to get back in the game after a 2 year hiatus. However, because of my very limited time and having 2 young children at home, I did not want to go back to the gym at this time. I'm away from my kids enough during my work day so I decided to set myself up at home. The problem was, as it is with most people, I have very limited space and certainly don't have a large extra room I can dedicate as a home gym.

I bought this bench because the price was appealing and because I needed something that would fold up and take up less space since it's being stored in our bedroom. I was actually surprised at how sturdy it is for a folding bench. The bench is solid and folds up and stores very easily in a small corner of our bedroom. The mid width is perfect for my 6' bar. It will handle 6' and 7' bars but you won't be able to use it with a bar less than 6' long (the distance between the uprights is too wide for shorter bars). It's very stable and wide enough that you don't pinch your hands when re-racking the bar. It's not as heavy duty, stable or wide as an olympic size bench but it's less than half the price of a good olympic width bench and takes up much less space as well. And there are no folding olympic width benches available that I know of (not to mention I don't have the room for a bench that wide). The uprights have a good range of adjustment heights and can be turned around to do squats. The adjustment pins seem a little thin to me but this isn't a gym quality olympic bench and it is not rated to hold a dumptruck like those benches.

On the down side (and the only minor reasons that I did not rate it a 5), the back rest pad is spaced a little far away from the seat pad making for an uncomfortable gap under your lower back when doing flat presses. It's not detrimental to the exercise as your lower back doesn't touch the pad when doing flat presses anyway, you just need to make sure that you slide down far enough toward the leg developer so that your butt is fully supported by the lower pad. The backrest pad really could have been moved a little closer to the lower pad to close up this gap some and decrease the overhang of the pad at the top end (see comment about squatting). With inclined presses, it's not an issue, only when laying flat on your back. Also, the top of the backrest pad extends a little to far past the uprights and is partially in the way when aproaching the uprights from the top end for doing squats. Ideally, you should pivot the backrest up and out of the way to use the bench for squatting, a minor inconvenience.

One other downside is that the owner's manual does not tell you what the weight capacities of the bench are. This information is not posted on any web sites I visited when shopping for a bench either so I had to contact the manufacturer to get this information. Incidentally, the maximum weight for the uprights is 300 lb. and the maximum weight for the leg developer is 100 lb. I think the weight capacity for the leg developer is a little low but when using the heavier weights one could always do one leg at a time, effectively doubling the weight capacity per leg. I think this is a minor compromise considering the low cost of the bench.

Assembly was very easy and took only about 45 minutes. They even give you the tools you will need to assemble the bench. The assembly instructions were pretty good with only 1 or 2 minor discrepancies that anyone with any type of common sense could figure out. Bolt holes all lined up, the finish is very good and there are not a lot of parts to get lost.

Overall, I would rate this bench as an excellent buy. For people looking for a good quality stable bench for the home that does not cost a lot, takes up little space when stored and can handle a full 300 lb. load, this bench fits the bill very well. Of course if you are a serious bodybuilder who needs to squat 500 lb. you will need to look at full sized olympic benches and cages, but you should already know that. This bench was not designed to do the work and hold the weight of a full cage, but it doesn't take up the whole room either. This bench was designed for the average person looking to get/stay in shape at home and it meets that goal very well. The average person working out at home typically won't need to load more than 300 lb. on the uprights.

I would not hesitate to buy this bench again.

This bench is great for those without a lot of space. It folds up real nice and stays that way with a locking pin that pops in, plus a manually installed pin underneath that you can add also. It was easy to put together, comes with the tools you need (but use your own if you have them) and is a sturdy bench. I use mine with a 6-foot, 15-lb aluminum bar (200 lb load capacity) and together they make a perfect home workout center. Comes with leg extension/hamstring curl attachment which is easy to get on/off (but you need tools for the nut/bolt that holds it in place). Finish is a nice satin gold color (looks good) and quality of manufacture is good also. The supports are wide enough so that one person can load weights without the bar tipping.
Only two nitpicks: #1: the weight supports wobble some at the higher settings,and at the highest setting - for squats - it is just right for my 5'8" frame; taller folks will bend down some to get under the bar.
#2: the gap between the seat and back support is too wide (on my bench, it is exactly 3 and 3/4 inches). It should really be no more than 2 inches. But although the large gap is a little annoying, it does not bother me. Taller/shorter people may be bothered by it, though.

I hate going to the gym because my local gym always has people using up all the benches. I never get a good workout in, because I can only use the machines, which are the only things available. I like being able to workout at my own convenience, so I shopped around for a bench.

I was looking for a bench that could do flat/incline presses and not take up too much space.

This was the only one I found that folded up. For the price I saw on Amazon, I was a bit hesitant. Not only was it cheap, it was eligible for free prime shipping as well, so I was a bit skeptical because shipping alone for this probably cost $40. The reviews were better than the other benches so I went for it.

When I opened the box, it looked like the box just exploded in my room and all I saw was a thousand nuts/bolts, and some metal bars. I was scared to death because the instructions were only 4 pages long, and it was very intimidating at first glance. After about a half hour though, I could see the bench starting to come together, and it was fairly easy to put together. As another reviewer mentioned, there was a mistake with one of the steps, but its easy to catch.

It's exactly as I had wanted, and it folds up like a dream. The leg attachment is probably the bulkiest part when folded up, but it's not that big of an issue.

There is NO decline on this bench though. The lowest it will go is flat, then it goes three steps ascending slightly. Since this bench has been in my room, I've gone from inclining 95lbs to 125lbs in three weeks. It's amazing, because I was barely able to bench 100lbs, and now I can do 3 sets of 8 @ 125lbs. When I get to a point where I want to take a break or a commercial is on TV, I'll just do a few reps here and there. I feel like I'm starting to plateau a bit, but I'm still pushing myself to go even higher and hope to get up to 160 (all the weights I have).

I noticed another reviewer pointed out the back of the seat isn't that great for short people. I'm 145lbs @ 5'5" and I did notice it at first, but after a week of ownership, I don't even realize what the issue is anymore.

All in all I think this is a great bench, and is competitively priced. Why go through the trouble of getting one at a B&M store when you can get something shipped directly to your house, for free!

i received the BFOB10 in great condition in just over a week from when i ordered it, i was happy about that... when i put it together, it took me a lil longer than some other reviewers (about 1 1/2 hours), but it was pretty easy... all the tools and bolts that are needed to build the bench is included in the package, so don't worry about not having the proper tools... when i finished it, the bench felt sturdy (i'm about 250 lbs)... there are only a few things i didn't like about the bench... 1st, the issue people having about the gap between the seat and back pad is true... it's just a lil too far apart to do a comfortable flat bench press... however, it's not an issue when doing incline bench presses, leg extensions, or hamstring curls.... this leads me to my 2nd issue, there are 3 incline settings available... but ideally, you'd like to know what the angles (degrees) of all 3 positions are, but nowhere on the machine or manual does it say what the angles are... so that's a lil disappointing... other than that, the bench is a great product, i'd recommend it to anyone looking to get in better shape and gaining muscle... love your body.

Ordered on 3/15 and it arrived on 3/18. Was easy to put together, however when we got to the end and were putting on the seat, we noticed that a few of the screws and washers were missing. Don't know if it is UPS fault because the box tore a little from where the rope was wrapped around the box or if it was Amazon's fault as it was obvious that this product was put together and sent back by some one else.

*Some of the parts actually came put together and some of the bags that the pieces came in were torn.*

Called Best Fitness and told them what parts were missing and the nice man said he would mail them to me. However, it would not be going out in the mail until some time next week and then another few days for them to get to me. Decided I could not wait and was able to get the pieces from a hardware store.

One thing to note: The description on here does not tell what length bar you should use. I ordered a 5 foot bar from amazon and it was too short. Should have paid more attention to the measurements in the description, doh! The Best Fitness website states you should use a 6' or 7' bar.

I am female, about 5'6'' and not a heavy lifter, so the bench is quite good for me. This may not support the type of weights hubby wants to lift.

Another note: The bench can only do flat and incline positions, not decline as amazon incorrectly states.
Will update after myself and hubby give some good work outs.

3/26 update: Received the missing pieces 3/24

I am satisfied with my purchase, as it is sturdy enough for a folding Olympic bench and it folds compactly enough to fit into my apartment bedroom. I'd also recommend this to anyone who has limited space and simply cannot afford to leave a weight-bench set-up in a dedicated workout area. My only minor qualm is the leg-developer, as I cannot put large weights on it as they slam against the ground. The spindle is too close to the ground and the spindle is also so narrow in diameter, and my Olympic weight's center ring much larger, so the weights shift when the developer is raised high during leg curls. Oh well, I will experiment with smaller weights and maybe closing the center weight ring gap somehow. Other than that, I really have no complaints for the price, especially since it shipped free with Amazon Prime.

It's high quality and the price couldn't really be better. But, it came with a couple of the nuts/bolts switched out for the wrong size.

Annoyed that I had to go to the hardware store after I had already given the gift to my husband, he finally got to enjoy it a few days later.

Now he likes it, and it's really strong. We have a small place and love that it folds up so well.

I was looking for a basic bench for my garage/exercise room. It was either this one or a more expensive, "gym-quality" bench. Basically I simply wanted a strong, stable, bench for bench press.

When I saw the OB10, I was excited to think that I could get a folding bench and not compromise as much of my garage/exercise room floor space.

My big fear was that at this price (sub $160), and because it folds, it would not be stable. Alas, no worries. It is plenty stable for me (6'0 185 lbs) and the amount of weight I plan to use (~225lbs).

Took about 45 minutes to put together. Very straight forward.

Folding is very easy. As a mid-width bench, as expected, wide-grip benching is not possible. But everything else is, and I can get the same workout on this bench that I do at the gym.

Excellent product. Perfect for a home gym where space is a premium.

Really solid product. Works great in my apartment. Very easy set up and feels solid.

I selected this bench because I only have a small area to work with, but I still wanted a full-size Olympic set. A 7' bar fits just fine on the supports, and the whole thing is sturdier than I expected, yet still light enough I could pull it away from the wall and fold it down to go to work with it. It folds up easily, and there's both a catch and a pin that help keep it upright and prevent accidental collapses.

Assembly itself was very easy. Many of the rubber caps had already been placed on the equipment, and most of the nuts and washers had already been threaded on to the bolts to make it easy to match them up appropriately. The two flat wrenches that came packed with the bench worked great. I did have minor complaints: one of the braces for the cross support bar was slightly bent, and I was missing two small lock washers. However, neither affect the stability of the construction. Because I was down to just the bottom seat with the lock washers, I just left the two of them out. If the seat starts getting unstable, I'll just go out and purchase two lock washers at the local hardware store.

As stated in a previous review, the bench does not decline despite the product description. However, by elevating the foot, it can be accomplished. The bench lies flat across the support, and there are three levels of incline. The cross bar looks a little thinner, but it actually feels fairly solid. That bar stores upright in a small sleeve near the bottom of one leg of the bench. The gap in the seat is not a big deal at all, and is a consequence of the design. If that gap didn't exist, the two parts of the bench/seat would be rubbing together. The back rest is as long as it can get without being a problem for the incline function.

One complaint about the back rest, and the main reason I knocked off the one star, is there is no padding at the bottom edge. When I opened and inspected the pad, there was not a problem with it. However, after just raising the back rest a few times, a cut appeared along the bottom edge. Turns out the support board on the inside touches right up against the cover, and the edge of the board cut through the material when it pinched against the bar beneath it. I hope the manufacturer will put some kind of sleeve around the wood or insert a little more padding in the future to prevent this from happening.

Overall it's a good bench and I look forward to getting a lot of use out of it.