I''ve had this bench for 5 years now and it has held up great. I don''t usually write reviews, but I saw such a low rating for such a great product and figured I would weigh in. I use it for bench press, never really use the leg attachment. Work out with 150+, so I''m not lifting tons of weight, but I''m not gentle with the bench and there isn''t even a wobble after 5 years (though I probably just jinxed it). The point is, if you''re looking for a bench, this one pretty good.
One tip I''ve learned from previous benches. If you wan''t it to last, don''t set weights on the cushion overnight or prolonged periods of time. It can make the seams of the padding come apart on any bench. I''ve avoided that problem with this bench.
The package arrived (after some terrible tracking issues) in very good shape, considering it''s a single, large, heavy box. Upon opening, I was actually surprised at the well-executed packaging (including recyclable bags around most parts). There was one square box of hardware and a decent instruction manual. The first couple pages were filled with the usual disclaimer and a full-sized rendering of all the bolts, helping to ensure the right ones were used in the right spot. The rest of the manual was filled with decent illustrations and directions, with several pages in the back talking about how to exercise. It''s not the end-all-be-all of workout instructions, but it''s a nice touch and the info is accurate. Upon laying everything out and inspecting, I did find a couple spots of damage. One was just a small spot of flaking paint where one of the legs was capped, another was where one of the bench supports is missing a plastic cap and the last was where it looked like the olympic sleeve (for the leg developer) was dropped, causing a small dent and chipped paint on the end. I had the right amount of hardware and all other parts looked fine. Assembly from that point only took about 40 minutes, including moving the old bench out and this one into its place. The bench assembly went very smoothly, and make sure you wait to tighten the bolts until they tell you to do so. Some of the connections are slotted to allow for minor irregularities in the production. The bench tightened up easily and I was surprised at the amount of clearance for wrench-swing while doing so. I did add a drop of thread lock to all the bench fasteners without lock nuts (all the thru-bolts have lock nuts), as I have seen them start to come loose and get wobbly on other benches. Once assemble and moved into place, I adjusted the uprights and found myself to be almost in between adjustments. I''m 5''-11" and could probably use an adjustment hole about 1" from where it is located, but it''s not uncomfortable or dangerous where it''s at... just not what I''m used to. The leg developer, which a lot of people complained about, has been modified a little in the form of a small adjustment in the butt portion of the bench. There is now a bracket that allows the butt padded portion to be raised a few inches, inclining your pelvis and thus lengthening the distance to the shin padding. It''s definitely an improvement (detailed by a stapled-in page in the assembly instructions), but still not very natural feeling. I might break out the welder and make my own attachment. Speaking of the developer, there is a single lock pin that attaches it to the bench and it''s a very wobbly connection. The slide-in developer has too much play in the sleeved connection to the bench and would probably benefit from a couple this shims. Unless you''re planning on removing it frequently to swap in the lat tower or just to get added space in your gym, I''d shim it and thru-bolt it to tighten it up. The padding on the developer is typical... nothing better than expected but better than some of the cheap Wal-Mart benches I''ve seen. The inclusion of the bar retention loops (for safety when swapping plates) is fantastic and my 6'' standard bar fits with plenty of room. My 6'' olympic is a little tighter of a fit, but I still have a couple inches of room. The padding on the bench seems adequate, though some of the staples holding in the covering and trim are loose or pulling out. I added some staples of my own, so I can''t say that the factory ones would have help up or not. Overall, it''s a steal at $140. If I would have spent $300, the finish might be better and the leg developer would probably be better thought-out, but I think it provides a good solution for a lot of home gyms that aren''t focused on benching 300+#. My savings on this bench will go toward more equipment, so this is perfect for my gym.
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Ive been using this bench for at least 4 years. It is very sturdy for its weight and holds up well. I use it almost every day and bench 300+ lbs. Ive never had an issue with it. My dog chewed off the fabric, and while benching on hard flat wood isnt that great, I just lay a towel on it so it doesnt scratch me.
Not Pheonix''s fault my dog chews stuff, but it withstood my dog, a large pitbull, and it withstands me almost every day.
Great bench for the price, yes there are better, but not for 150 there arent.
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I am 6''1". This bench is a very good fit. It feels sturdy and stable when lifting. There is a good span between the uprights to ensure your hands don''t hit when replacing the bar. It was easy to assemble. I have decided to remove the leg lift, but it was not in the way. The padding is comfortable and seems durable. I would definitely recommend this bench for a daily workout.
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I ordered this bench a little worried about the fact that there were very few reviews and 1 of the reviews mentioned the drilled holes were not aligned or something like that, so I was a bit scared that I wasted my money. That was NOT the case, this bench does not sacrifice quality for price. The steel is very strong the the bench is very stable, if you are on the fence about this one..worry not..this bench is awesome especially for the price!
Its better if you have someone help you build it (just to hold pieces in place)otherwise you''ll spend a little more time with it. The leg developer is a bit high, I''m around 5''10 or so and the pads rest just under my knees which is a bit awkward but manageable. Also remember to adjust the bar holder for decline and incline otherwise it may feel a bit weird.
Overall, the bench was easy to build, the quality is excellent and the shipping was fast too! If you are really focused on the leg developer, than this might not be the right bench for you but for good old fashioned pressing this bench should not be overlooked. I am very happy I bought this and I definitely recommend this product for anyone considering it.
****the max lbs for support on the uprights is 300 Heavy lifters should keep this in mind!***
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