Customer Reviews

Everlast Freestanding Reflex Bag

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(21)

 

 

Length:: 0:29 Mins

I got this bag for my 9 year old son because he has some coordination issues. I wanted him to work eye hand coordination and get some exercise. He really enjoys working out with this reflex bag.

We filled our base with a 50 lb bag of sand rather than water. I figured that it would end up in the house and I didn't like the idea a flood on wood floors if it leaked. Also that quanity of sand is twice as heavy as the same amount of water. This means the bag will stay upright if it gets hit hard. The play sand that we used had to be dried on a tarp to get it to pour into the opening. When it was damp it had to be forced into the opening and it took a long time to get a small quantity of sand inside. Other than that it was very easy to assemble. Everlast provides a hex key and a cheap stamped out wrench to assemble the bag.

It does unscrew slightly form the base as it is struck. This should not be a deal breaker for you, but something you need to be aware of.

Other reviewers have posted negative reviews must be hitting this bag with powerful blows. From my experience a reflex bag is more for speed and reflex training than power blows. If you want to lay into something with power, get a heavy bag. It will suit you much better.

For our use we are very happy with the bag. I think any kid would really enjoy this as a gift. Dad likes it too, and I like that my son getting some exercise rather than sitting in his room playing with his Nintendo DSi.

We got the Everlast 8 ounce Youth gloves to go with this Reflex Bag. I would recommend them as they offer good wrist support and excellent construction.

Everlast Pro Style 8-Ounce Youth Training Gloves

Update5/26/10: Yesterday one on my son's friend used a bat on the reflex bag. It is not bat proof. It knocked the bag off. I poured Gorilla glue into the hole and on the post and let it dry with the post pointed up for a day. It seems as good as new.

Update 7/3/10 The bag is better than new. Two kids parties and near daily use and the bag is still firmly on the pole. The Gorilla glue has secured this bag with no sign of wiggle. They should manufactur them like this.

Update 11/8/11 The bag is still on as good as when I first glued it. No wiggle. The unit has been stored on our patio and is starting to rust at the spring and shaft. Nothing that affects the performance. It's just not that sightly. My son wants a B.O.B. Body Opponent Bag It is a training bag that looks like a torso. $250...ouch.

I disagree with the previous review. I bought this item and have been having fun with it. I'm a serious martial artist weighing 195 lbs and I hammer this thing with punches as hard and fast as I can and it keeps bouncing back. I purchased this to use inside during the winter months. If you want a heavy bag--buy one. This is meant to work speed, and it also gives you a chance to work defensive head movements, since it snaps back at you. For the price, it's a good value.

Minor complaints, the spring will unscrew slightly as you work it. I just screw it back down afterwards. The construction isn't heavy duty--but it's fine for the price.

My gym has two of these and they both take a beating, are still in great shape. I purchased this for my son, 5'11" & almost 200 lbs after seeing it and he & I both used it at the gym. Not sure about the core workout, but it's great for dancing around and dodging the blows (it will come back at ya!) It's fun and does help a lot with the reflexes. It's not as easy as one may think to hit this bag over and over as fast as it moves. I paired it with a set of Everlast Grappling gloves and there you have it. A fun little work out that MOM and son can do together. Guys looking to throw their weight around should go for the hanging bags.

The bag was great at first. The spring makes the reaction speed to the bag fairly slow. My biggest complaint is the bag itself started tearing apart from the inside from impact. Every time I punch it, bits of foam the bag is made of keep falling out of it. I keep thinking my next punch will knock the bag off the pole and then I just wasted $40. Was great until it started falling apart. Might as well pay more for a better bag. I guess you get what you pay for.

UPDATE: Like many others, I experienced problems with the foam head. I LOVE this thing and am working on finding a way around the problem. The base is great, the spring is terrific, the pole holds steady... but the top doesn't stand up to repeated punching. This... despite what I wrote about going easy on it. I still use it regularly and enjoy the added dimension it brings to my boxing routine. But buyer beware -- an otherwise tremendous rig has a potentially fatal flaw!

Let me state right off that I feel like a kid on Christmas morning with this thing. All I want to do is keep playing with my new "toy."

Please understand, however, that this is NOT a toy. As a previous shopper for this item, I realize that the number one concern for potential purchasers is build quality. To be honest, I don't know what Everlast could have done to make it sturdier without doubling the cost.

You just have to know in advance what this unit is meant to do. If you want to wail on it to let your aggression out, buy a heavy bag instead. If you want to work on quickness and timing, then get a speed bag. But if you're looking to improve your reflexes and don't have the space to set up a ceiling-to-floor rig, this is far and away the best solution you'll find for anywhere near the price.

If it helps, I consider the head unit to be a strike zone with imaginary electronic sensors to score my blows. This is not about force, but about accuracy and consistency. I WANT the thing to bob and weave, to provide me a moving target. When I want to pummel, I turn to my MME heavy bag. When I want the rhythm of steady blows, I rip on the speed bag. But for the challenge of hitting a practice opponent who actually moves around, this thing delivers -- and is a heck of a lot of fun.

The base, when filled with water, is plenty stable. The spring -- the most important piece in the whole contraption -- is way sturdier than I expected. The head is not inflatable with a bladder like my speed bag, but made of a foam that seems tough and yet pliable, just what you'd want to do the job.

Yes, there is a screw-down clamp in the middle to adjust the height. If you picture a microphone stand, you'll get the gist of how the thing lowers and extends to a range of sizes. Aware that some people were having issues with this aspect, I was sure to give that thing an extra turn, and so far, it hasn't even budged.

I never considered this a punching clown that would hit the floor and bounce back up again. I hit it hard and rhythmically and allow it to bob and weave to challenge me at a variety of angles. This was exactly what I was looking for and I couldn't be happier with what I got for my money.

Would I buy it again? 100 out of 100 times. I can't imagine my boxing workout without it.

Before I got into boxing, I couldn't figure out what all the fuss was about. I live in LA and hear about celebrities doing it for roles and conditioning. But I was content to do Body for Life and P90X as standalones, never thinking that adding a few tools to the toolbox would change everything.

Let me tell you, the best thing it adds is FUN. I look forward to my workouts more than any other time I can remember. And having a heavy bag, a speed bag, and now a reflex bag challenge me in ways that sharpen my focus, drive and energy.

In short, don't be put off by negative reviews. Know what you're buying and what the reflex bag was meant to do. If you buy it with those parameters in mind, you'll be more than happy you did.

It might even make you feel like a kid again -- especially with Santa on his way.

I don't understand what the other reviewers have against this bag. If you are such a pro boxer then maybe this isn't the bag for you. As someone who is new to boxing and who wants to do something different instead of just my usual workout routine this bag is it. Yes after a intense session you may need to tigten the pole and spring but this takes about less than 10 seconds. Professionals and people who are serious into boxing may want more expensive types of reflex bags, but this one suits the rest of us fine. Can't go wrong for less than $50.

I don't even know why there are so many, negative reviews for this item. It works well, I move around the base throwing punch after punch and it comes back at me. I hit it hard too, and with those hard hooks, it really snaps back and it forces you to move out of the way or you're going to be smacked in the face.

I'm 5'4 about 160lbs and I bought this to shed some weight off. I filled the base with water and it stays put. I would recommend this for people who want to throw some punches while dodging the bag coming at you. It's a great work out and for about 60 bucks, it's well worth it.

Assembly was a snap, you don't need tools because it comes with them. Took me about 10 minutes to set up.

I wouldn't recommend this for somebody who trains professionally. I'm sure there are better reflex bags that can handle better abuse than this one.

My only complaint on this product is you can't kick it, it's not meant for kicking only punching.

I can only wonder why there are so many negative reviews for this. My guess is that people set it up poorly or that some meat-head hit it as hard as they can with one hit, and sent the bag flying. It's not meant to be hit as hard as you can, you can hit it hard but don't throw your weight around. If you want something like that get heavy punching back that can take that kind of abuse.

If you want to see how one works check out this video from YouTube:
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If you get one, look YouTube to learn how to throw some punches and buy a boxing book to read on how to do it too. I have the Boxer's Start-Up: A Beginner's Guide to Boxing. Great book and get gloves and some wraps and let loose on the bag.

I bought this and within one day the bag head came off and I see no way to fix it. This was a result of a punch from my 15 year old daughter.. Are you kidding me?

WOW this thing is not made to be hit. The first one i got tore in less than 15mins of hitting. I returned it and got a new one, hoping it was just a lemon. When the new one got home, it was the same story. The top tore off within just a few minutes of use. This is a flawed produced. It just amazes me that companys are able to sell junk like this to people. Its not worth the money. You would much better off buying a TITLE or Cobra reflex bag for the extra 50 dollars.

If you have the patience, dump one or two bags of play sand onto a big plastic garbage bag in your garage or basement. After a couple days it will be completely dry and have no clumps. It will then pass through a funnel into the punching bag base with ease. I found it totally a piece of cake when it was dry and a total tedious pain in the neck when it was even slightly moist.