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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
The worst bench of the 3 that I purchased, August 31, 2009
I purchased 3 benches over the course of a few months, returned 2 of them and am very happy with my final purchase. I'm reviewing all 3 of the benches because it was an educational experience and I hope other people don't have to make the same mistakes I did.
As background, I have a small apartment in NYC and wanted a bench to use with dumbbells because I was quitting my gym membership. I wasn't trying to get a full workout machine because while that might be optimal, I don't have enough space for something like that. So the goal was a sturdy, as-small-as-possible bench that would lie flat, but also do incline, decline, and 90 degrees.
I initially went with the Cory Everson FID Weight Bench. I purchased this bench because it can fold up, lean against a wall and save space. Its main selling point to me was that it seemed similar to the Danskin Space Saver Bench that I had purchased a few years ago (and later sold on Craigslist when I joined a gym). I loved the Danskin bench because even though it's seemingly made for women, it was sturdy enough for my 170 pounds and 5'9" frame but folded up neatly. It was also just $119. I would have gladly purchased another one except it was no longer available. I'm not sure why Danskin no longer makes this great bench, but oh well. Anyway, the problem with the Cory Everson is that it is NOT sturdy. It was wobbly and felt like it might break at any moment. Therefore, I returned it to Amazon. I wouldn't recommend this bench to anyone, any gender, no matter how much you weigh.
Next, I went with the Bowflex SelectTech Adjustable Bench Series 3.1. While it seems like this bench would be able to fold up and lean against a wall, I was surprised that it was so BIG. It was very sturdy, but it just wasn't small enough to lean up against a wall and keep a low profile. The seat is also too wide and it makes doing a simple bench press awkward. I should have known that it was going to be big because the dimensions are clearly specified, but I didn't "internalize" the dimensions until I saw the bench fully assembled. Anyway, I also returned this bench. I wouldn't recommend unless you don't care about the wide seat and you have sufficient space.
The last bench that I bought was the Ironmaster Super Bench Adjustable weight-lifting Bench. It still doesn't beat the Danskin in terms of space-saving abilities, but it's solidly built (extremely so), smaller than the Bowflex (smaller footprint), and comes with a number of attachments to do dips, pull/chin-ups, sit-ups, etc. It's relatively expensive with the attachments that I added, but I couldn't ask for much more. My only complaint is that the height of the bench is higher than benches I've used at various gyms and so my feet don't reach the floor when doing bench press. Also, the seat is awkward when doing incline because it's square, it doesn't remain parallel to the floor (it's always at a 90 degree angle to the bench) and you can't straddle it as easily as other bench seats. But that being said, if you're looking for a dumbbell bench that's relatively small but sturdy, this is the bench for you. I'm very happy with this purchase.
Incidentally, I also purchased the Ironmaster 75 lb Quick Lock Adjustable Dumbbell System and it's the best dumbbell system out there. It's way better than the Bowflex and PowerBlock dumbbell systems. Without going to a store and putting all 3 dumbbells in your hand, you might not be convinced, but I called up Ironmaster and found a local store in my area and took a look in person. The main thing is that the Ironmaster do NOT rattle around at all (like the Bowflex) and the Ironmaster do not constrain the movement of your hand (like the PowerBlock) because they're essentially a "regular" dumbbell except that you can change the weight plates.
If you have further questions, leave me a comment and I'll get back to you.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Work-Out Bench, February 14, 2008
This bench is awesome. Folds for easy storage under a bed or in a corner, great for people with small apartments. Bench is very sturdy, and there is NO assembly required.
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1.0 out of 5 stars
Completely unsatified, August 28, 2009
This bench is exactly what I needed. However, it came with directions that didnt match up with the bench. Some things were NOT pre-assembled that were suppose to be, and some things WERE pre-assembled that were not suppose to be. The result is hardware that doesnt match up and some is missing. No problem, i'll call the 24 hour help line included in the box! I called the company and they said, "oh we sell that old stuff to Amazon and really cant tell you anything about it". Wonderful.
Good news is Amazon has the greatest return policy ever (UPS home pick-up rules). I just ordered a different one.
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by Michael Jespersen
by Myatt Murphy
