My journey to purchasing the Weider Power Club 290 started with a simple search for a pull up bar. After reading numerous reviews of pull up bars, it seemed there were a lot of variables that made a simple pull up bar difficult to select. They were either not sturdy, or didn't fit certain doorways, or would damage the door's trim paint, etc.

In that research I learned about the Weider Power Club 290 and several other VKR-type equipment that had pull-up bars. The Weider is more expensive than others, but reviews constantly gave it accolades for being sturdy and easy to assemble. Having limited space, minimum foot print was also important. Compared to lower priced brands, this model takes up the least amount of floor space. I also liked the fact that in addition to pull-ups and chin-ups, I could add vertical knee raises and dips to my routine. Pull-ups, chin-ups, VKR, and dips are all some of the best compound movements that can be done to gain strength, so it was easy to convince myself to spend the extra money.

After receiving this equipment last week, I agree with the reviews I'd read. It is easy to assemble with excellent instructions so long as you spend a few seconds studying each picture (in addition to reading the instructions). It is sturdy (minimal flex...I'm 175 lbs), looks nice, and gives a great workout. Those unsure about whether you can do a pull-up or chin-up may want to look into the Weider Power Club 390, which offers an assist feature to reduce the weight you have to pull up.

My tips for assembly would be (as mentioned above) to study each picture for a few seconds paying attention to when washers are used, etc. I mistakenly assumed washers were used on a couple of steps when they weren't. I didn't discover this until a later step when I ran out of washers but still needed 4. I was able to assemble this unit entirely by myself, though the step of adding the arm rests was a bit awkward - a second set of hands would have been helpful. The only tools used were a ratchet wrench set, phillips screwdriver, and rubber mallet. Adjustable wrenches would work in place of the ratchet wrenches, but you need to use two.

In summary, I am very happy with this purchase. The equipment looks nice, takes up minimal floor space (for VKR equipment), is sturdy, and provides a great workout compliment to my existing equipment.

Update July 2010: I've been using this equipment for 7 months now, and I am still happy with it. One drawback that another reviewer mentioned (and I agree with) is the lack of a real close-grip pull-up. You can do shoulder-width, wide-grip, and the 'inside' narrow grip, which is still a pretty good variety. Still a 5-star in my opinion though, as I'd much prefer the added ability to do full body weight dips and VKR's (not to mention the extra confidence in the stability) as compared to a cheap doorway pull-up bar.