Customer Reviews

Powerline PLM180X Lat Machine

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Nice machine for the price. Need to make a minor change to go from Lats to Rows but takes less than a minute to do. I am 6'3" and machine works for me but any taller and you may not get full reach.

I've had this one for a few years, and I love it. It still works flawlessly and has held up despite considerable use. Just note that the weight posts are for standard weights, so if you use Olympic weights, buy a set of adapters (the set listed in the "Customers who bought this also bought" section worked for me).

I wanted this for a long time. This one acts like the one at my health club. Its tall enough, 6'6", so you can do a range of excercises without the carriage hitting the top. You may want to add a block at the feet for low rows, so the carriage wont hit the bottom while doing hard reps.
i zip tied 75 lbs to the lower support column, do it wont tip forward when doing low cable curls.
other than that, its a great piece of equipment.
good fit and finish. i took car wax, and put it on the chrome column, and it really slicked it up! beats using sticky, nasty petroleum jelly.
at this price, get one, dont wait.
just a FYI, i made a copy of their instruction piece layout, and numbered them. starting with the I beam, and working the 2 columns next.
I have to say, it was a breeze. just use 2- 11/16 wratchet or tools.
it took me 1 hour, off and on, cause i was watching battlestar galatica final shows friday night.
Buy it...dont wait.
Amazon was so smooth. I love them.
i had the item delieved to my work, and loaded it into my honda civic...easy

I purchase mp3's from them too....
great company.

This is a pretty cool addition to my home gym. It is a very versitile machine that widens the array of excercise possibilities.

My only knocks would be that this machine can make you look like a bit of a puss (I'm half joking on this one, but its true). Like most gym rats, I have always loaded up the rack with plates on lat pull downs, tricep extentions, etc. There is something with the way this machine is constructed that you can not do a lot weight. I remember being excited once getting the machine together, and sitting down to test out a set of pull-downs with some "warm-up weight." I could barely even move the thing. I had to start stripping weights of until I felt like a little girl. I have found this to be true with all excercises. This machine is many things, but an ego booster it is not. I did try to lubricate the rollers, etc., but to no avail.

My only other (real) knock would be that the seat and the pads to hold your legs in place are not adjustable. While putting the machine together you have 2 choices of where to place the leg pads, and then that's where they stay. If neither one is ideal for you, then you have to make do. Also, if more than one person is going to use this machine and each is built differently (height, etc.) it may be an issue.

But back to my original thought. The machine is great for a home gym and is worth the price. It is near gym quality, but if you want actual gym quality (adjustable seat, leg pegs, etc) you are going to have to pay up.

The shipping through me off a bit as I received box 1 of 2 in a matter of days. I thought I was in for a big hassle in trying to get to the bottom what happended to the rest of my order, but the 2nd box came in a few days later. I had the entire order in about a weeks time, so it was actually pretty good. So just be aware of this if you decide to order.

I also found that the unit was very easy to put together, and I hate putting things together.

Powerline PLM180X Lat Machine

I have read some very good reviews on this item and was a little shocked when I had finished putting it together. First of all know that there are no instructions that have any meaning. Fortunately, it was not difficult to figure out. The machine appears very cheap. I have a difficult time believing that it has a 500 pound weight capability. I bought the machine for its price and reported strength of being able to hold this much weight. This is not my first weight equipment that I currently own; however, it appears to be made much cheaper than my other equipment. Aside from the cheap construction of the unit, also be aware that there is no way that any of the other people providing feedback on this item is able to get a full stretch from this machine. For $270 plus another $30 for the Olympic adapters I wish that I would have spent a little more to buy a lat machine worth owning. I wish that I would have seen a review like this prior to buying this item. If anyone knows if Amazon is good at exchanges please let me know.

I love this machine. The price is great and it works with all the weight I have ever wanted to put on it (up to 220 pounds). It's very sturdy and easy to take apart should you need to move it. The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because I cannot do cable curls with it using the low pulley which is something I hoped I could do. When you try to do anything standing up with the lower pulley, the whole thing tilts back and will fall over. I mainly use it for tricep pushdowns and all sorts of back exercises.

Never having a lat machine of my own, I am glad to have one now and it pretty much was a good purchase. There are a few issues. The height given was 80 inches. Not true. The wheels that hold the pulleys go over the top horizontal bracket a few more inches and because of that fact, I had to go into my ceiling tiles in my basement. The height is actually more like 82 inches. Also, the entire apparatus should ideally be secured to the floor as when you change the cable to the lower bearing for row or arm curls, the back of the machine lifts off the ground as you pull up for curls. Instead of bracketing it to the floor, I put my feet on the closer floor bracket and that keeps the machine from jumping up off the ground. I have new bamboo floors and don't want to bracket the machine into them. It's not so much a big deal for me because I prefer doing curls with free weights anyway. But for lats and pulldowns it is very good. Robo T

I am transitioning to a home gym. I bought this because it had good reviews and I like this setup for my triceps, lats and biceps. My 12 year old and I assembled it in about an hour. It was fairly simple but did take some thinking. It did not come with step by step instructions, just a assembly picture and you had to figure out what should be done first.

I have used it twice now. The first thing you need to do is either somehow secure it to the floor or strap about 100 pounds to the front of it. If you don't when you use the front pulley you will be lifting the machine right off the ground and that can freak you out.

While using it I was a bit unhappy with the workout. It did not feel like I was getting the full effect like I did at the local gym. I woke up the next morning and my triceps were sore to say the least. I guess I just have to get use to the workout. Being that it uses free weight I do agree with another reviewer that it will make you look weak. I usually use 150 pound at the gym for my triceps but with this thing there was no way I could do pull downs with 150 on it. I settled for 90.

It was well worth the money in my opinion and a really great addition to my home gym.

works really well. i use this to do lat pull downs and tricep pull downs.
it fits standard size weights, i have an adaptor to use with my olympic wts

This produce came in the mail quicker than expected, and I was a little nervous about not getting a good quality machine for the price I paid. However I was pleasantly suprised! The pully system is VERY smoothe and comfortable, and well designed.

The only flaw is when doing curls you need to stand on the lower brace so the machine doesnt lift off the ground. But that is a minor setback. Overall, great machine and I've been using it for over a month with no wear and tear!