Valor Athletics Inc. CB - 12 Lat Pull Down / PLG / Low Row

I bought this lat pull down machine as part of a home gym I''m building. Lat pull down machines can be very expensive: one of the most expensive devices one can purchase. They can easily run into the thousands of dollars for a "commercial grade" machine. I bought this one because of the low price and features it has. I didn''t want the kind that can be added to a power rack as an attachment because that would just clutter up my power rack and the cost (without a weight stack) was as much as buying a separate lat pull down machine. Thus I bought this Valor unit. It came in 2 boxes. Unpacking it and assembling it took about 2 hours. All the parts were there, and the packages of nuts and bolts are clearly labeled. One piece that has metal ears on it to hold a pulley had the ears bent. It was probably crushed during shipping. This worried me because I thought it might affect the rotation of the pulley. Using a piece of wood and a small sledge hammer I was able to straighten the metal ears. One person can assemble this machine. It comes with 2 cheap metal stamped wrenches, but I recommend you use a ratched, sockets, and wrenches. You''ll need a 17mm socket and wrench, and a 9/16" socket. There are many nuts and bolts. I highly recommend using a cordless impact wrench to speed up assembly. Start your nuts and bolts by hand to avoid stripping the threads, and then zip them on with your impact wrench. This speeds up assembly. There are two different diameter cables that are used for the pulley system. This can be a little confusing, however the diagram is fairly clear and very accurate in displaying the assembly. You can''t install all the pulleys and then feed the cables last. You need to feed the cables and install the pulleys as you go along.

My impressions are as follows:

Pluses: For the low price you get a lat pull down machine without a weight stack that can perform several exercises: lat pull downs, tricept pushdowns, arm curls, front shoulder raise, and abdominal crunches. The seat can be set low enough that I (5''10") can get a full stretch doing front lat pull downs. This machine is also good for doing seated rows plenty of range of motion. You can do seated crunches, but the range of motion is limited. The smoothness of operation is acceptable. The machine feels solid but is fairly light. One should consider fastening it to the floor for maximum stablity. When assembling the pulleys, don''t overtighten the fasteners or the pulleys will start to drag.

Negatives: The product arrived damaged. The metal ears for one of the pulleys were bent. I considered sending the unit back, but decided to straighten the ears myself it worked. The seat of this unit is too short front to back and too close to the front column. This makes doing behind the neck lat pulldowns impossible. You''ll either hit your head on the pad attached to the column in front of you, or bang the bar against the back of your head. There just isn''t enough room. It''s like this machine was designed for a child or a midget. The seat needs to be longer front to back. When I first tried doing tricept pushdowns I ran out of travel with the cable; it would bang against the upper pulley while pushing down on the bar. Thus I couldn''t achieve full extension. After some thought I discovered that if I add about 10" of chain between the lat bar and cable, the bar hangs lower in front of you and you have more travel to do tricept extensions and achieve full extension. Problem solved.

Conclusion: If I had been able to try this unit out in a store I''m not sure I would have bought it. Ergonomically it is cramped front to back, and the unit could use more pulley travel so one wouldn''t have to monkey around with different chain lengths to achieve full range of motion for different exercises. The machine needs to be about 4" taller, and have a seat about 6" longer to make it more comfortable to use for larger people. It''s probably designed to be compact so it will fit in cramped bedrooms and small basements with low ceilings. The seat height is low, but acceptable. After assembling this unit you will feel like an "iron worker". There are a lot of parts and nuts and bolts. Buy a cordless impact wrench to speed up assembly. After putting this piece together I decided to keep it. It would take hours to disassemble and repackage it in order to send it back. This is not a "commercial quality" machine, but should work fine for a home owner. It should be durable if not abused. If you learn how to make this machine work for you, by using different lengths of chain for various exercises, you can use it effectively. I''m going to buy a seperate tricept pushdown bar, and add a specific length of chain to it, to use exlusively for tricept pushdowns. For front lat pulldowns I''ll simply use the cable and lat pull down bar. Thus less monkeying around between different exercises. I will also make a new a seat for it that is longer. So... this is probably the least expensive lat pull down machine with these features that one can buy, but it does have it''s limitations and shortcomings. If you are willing to do a little modification to it to make it fit you and do what you want it to do -you can save thousands of dollars. That makes it worth it in my opinion to own this machine.

Actually bought this lat machine from Overstock. Machine arrived via UPS in two boxes. The heavier box was beaten up pretty badly but all contents were intact and undamaged. Putting it together took around two hours. Don''t bother using the tools included. It would take you forever!. You only need two sizes of rachets. Directions were terrible. Luckily I am somewhat mechanically inclined and figured it out. The owners manual is a joke and directions are basically two diagrams with one of the main body and the other with the cables. Make sure you feed the B cable from the kick plate back toward the back of the machine. Any other way will require you to backtrack. Quality of the machine is very good. Feel is good. Lubricated it with some WD 40 and it is very smooth. Tried to call Valor Athletics to give them my feedback and only got a voice recording. Left my name and number. They never called back. The next day I could never get through. Would get a continued message that my call could not get through. No where on there web site to give a review just a rating. Like Powertec this company makes a good product just not good at the customer service end. No literature on exercises like Powertec. No if these companies could be like Bowflex. My last Bowflex had the best directions for assembly I have ever had and there customer service is great. Like my Leverage gym from Powertec, I am hopeful I never need parts from Valor Athletics.

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I needed a lat pulldown machine that would also allow me to do various rowing exercises yet was compact enough to fit in my home gym. While I was not looking for pro gym quality, I did want something very well built as I work out six days a week religiously. With respect to this machine, I needed something that would stand up to regular use twice per week. While I have only had the machine for a week now I can tell that it is exactly what I was looking for. The design is very good and the machine is well made. In summary, I would point out the following pros and cons of this machine:

Pros:

-It has a very small footprint yet a good range of motion (cable length) relative to its size. This was important to me as my home gym is simply a spare bedroom in the house (10'' x 12'') and many of these machines are like TVs at Costco--they look small in the store, but when you get them home they are huge and dominate the room.

-The action is smooth for the type of machine (plate weights). Not as smooth as a stack machine in the gym, but very good for what it is.

-It is light enough for one person to move around, yet if you store enough weight on the include rack below (a very nice feature by the way), it will not move around while being used.

-The folding foot plate for doing rows is very well designed and a nice touch. Many of the other machines forget this feature and it makes it infinitely more difficult to do rowing exercises.

-The seat and back pad are thick and well made.

-Finish is good and the machine is very attractive. While it does not affect how the machine works, it is a plus that it looks so nice.

-The build quality is good and the frame is solid; I can''t see any part of the machine ever wearing out or breaking, with the exception of possibly one of the two cables (I guess it''s possible but I doubt it).

-It comes with both a lat pull down bar as well as a short bar for doing rows and other arm/back exercises.

-The Valor Fitness website contains not only a video showing all of the features of the machine, but also a detailed diagram complete with measurements so a potential buyer can make sure the machine will fit well in their intended space. Perhaps a small issue to some, but I thought it was a big deal since I did not want to order something on line and then not have it fit in the space I had.

-Finally, as noted above, it has a storage bar on the bottom back frame rail to place the weight plates on when not in use. This really helps as it not only stabilizes the machine, it makes weight changes very fast for this type of machine.

Cons:

-It might be a bit small for some users. I am 5''7" and the machine is perfect for me. However, I can see really huge guys having an issue with the size. I believe one of the previous reviewers commented on this fact, sating that he thought the machine was made for "midgets" or something like that. While I don''t agree with that, I am not 6''4" and 280 pounds either...

-If you want to do pull downs behind the back (I never do), this is not the machine for you. The previous reviewer is quite right on this issue--if you try to do this you will plant your face right into the back pad. This is the only single defect that I have found in the design of this machine. However, if it were large enough to do this, it would have probably been too large for my room. Again, I do all of my pull ups in the front so I would never have even noticed this issue had I not read the previous reviewers comments.

-My machine arrived with a defective pulley (it was missing an inner bearing part). However, on the up side I made a quick call to the company and they had the part to me within three days. The guy who answered the phone was not only very nice, he was also the owner of the company. I give them 5 stars for customer support. Not their fault really that some machine in China put a bearing together wrong and they got me a replacement part in days with no questions asked.

-The seat pad is somewhat small and close to the machine. I also agree with the previous reviewer that this part of the machine should be about six inches (or so) longer to accommodate larger users. Again, it is not a problem for me and I doubt it would be noticed by anyone 6'' tall or shorter, but for the really big guys this might be an issue.

Overall--great machine. I highly recommend especially considering the price, quality, customer support and quick delivery (four days for me).

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I purchased this product after weeks of searching for something that would allow me to continue the lat pull-down exercises that I was doing in physical therapy once I was discharged and continuing to recover on my own. In all my searching, this was the only Lat Pull down machine that was even close in price, and it has a pulley connection near the floor, and at about chest level.

I do agree with the other reviewers, the directions consist of a couple of diagrams, with no indication of where to start. My husband and I were able to put it together in about an hour though, so it was not as bad as I thought it would be.

In addition to lat pull downs, I am able to use this machine for standing cable rows, and a pivot exercise using the middle pulley (the one that is supposed to be for crunches) and leg abduction exercises using the bottom pulley.

The frame of this machine will probably last the rest of my lifetime.

The only problem that I have had so far is that the cable comes off the bottom pulley when doing the leg abductions. I also had to shorten the cable as it was twisting in the middle. Just use fewer links of the chain above the weights.

The harness for crunches looks nice, but it restricts your range of motion. If you really want to do crunches, hook up a couple of ankle straps and do crunches pulling on those.

Update on February 16, 2012

After one of the cables developed a small bulge, I contacted Valor Athletics using the contact form on their website, and in less then a week, they sent me a new set of cables, free of charge. I am very happy with not only the product, but the service from Valor as well.

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Like the other reviews have said, the assembly directions for this machine aren''t very good, but once you figure out which screw goes where, it''s pretty easy. Although the screws aren''t labeled in the package, they are numbered on the directions: Just turn to the second page and see the quantity of each screw and you have it figured out. It took me about 90 minutes to put this machine together with a socket wrench and an adjustable wrench. In terms of quality, I owned a lat machine made by Buckeye Barbell (long out of business) and have used other machines over the 40 years I''ve been lifting, and I have to say this machine is built extremely well. It''s a compact machine made for home use, so it is somewhat smaller than other lat machines, but I''m 6 feet tall and weigh 185 pounds and this works well for me. I can get a full stretch using both the lat machine and the low row with cable to spare. The lat bar is smaller than a standard 48" bar so some may not like this feature, but I don''t like a very wide grip. For those who have said about behind the neck pulldowns being cramped, two things: First, you will smash into the seat pad, and second, behind the neck pulldowns are great for ruining your shoulders and rotator cuffs and are one of the worst exercises you can do, so it''s not an issue for me. The seat is smaller than those found on other machines but again, I fit on it with no problems. I can see someone who is really big having some difficulty but for the average person this is fine. I can see someone as tall as 6'' 2" using this with no difficulties. Buy a good low row handle and triceps rope and you''re good to go. The metal is strong on this machine and it''s relatively light so if you need to move it, it''s fairly easy. Cables and pulleys are high quality. I would highly recommend this machine regardless of price.

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Progold Prolink Towels (Tube of 90 wipes)

I was a little skeptical at first when I got these towels (I won them). I thought, how can they be worth it? Seems like a rag would work just as well.

Well, I was wrong. Completely wrong. I''m on my second tub now, and every time I pull one out I''m amazed at how well they cleanespecially for the chain. I will never be without them again. Especially for Cyclocross, I find them irreplaceable.

If you''re never tried them, trust me, they''re amazing GET SOME. They clean every part of the bike so well, and they cut through grease and dirt like no other. 100% worth the money.

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Everlast Muhammad Ali Collection Authentic Cotton Handwraps

Solid 180" wraps, nothing out of the ordinary, but not at low below quality, real cotton, if you are a fan of muhammad ali these are better than plain ones!

I got these for my husband and he was so impressed by the product. He admired that "Muhammad Ali" was printed on the wrap and that there was a loop for the thumb. He was happy :D Thank You :D

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Nice product !!! I love it! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !!! good,good !!!

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I wanted white wraps to make it easier to get them into the laundry cycle. These wraps are only 100" long, which is no good for an adult. I''ll probably toss them so I don''t lose any more money sending them back.

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Supermats Solid P.V.C. Mat for Treadmill

I don''t actually have this item so can''t review it personally, but I thought I''d try to clear up some of the confusion regarding the two different types of Supermats that come in the 3''x6.5'' size. Apparently there is a Treadmat (model 11GS) that is cheaper but THICKER. The Treadsolid (model 14GS) is more expensive but THINNER. But here, thickness is misleading because of the type of material used. For those of you who ordered the Treadsolid and received a mat with 1/8" thickness, that seems to be the correct thickness because this is a solid PVC vinyl mat, rather than a foam mat (which is used in the cheaper yet thicker 11GS).

Here is a helpful explanation/review I found online while researching these mats:

"Review of the Supermats Various Mats

The 14GS Supermat, 15GS Supermat, 27GS Supermat and 29GS Supermat Equipment mats have a thickness of 1/8" and are made of solid vinyl. Many of the other mats on the market are thicker (usually 1/4") including the SuperMats styles 10GS Supermat, 11GS Supermat, 12GS Supermat and 30GS Supermat but are foam vinyl. Foam vinyl flooring mats are half the material and half the weight because the are made with a blowing agent which adds the air and makes them foam. These foam vinyl mats are great for mats that are not going to be used with heavy traffic or equipment."

"However, if you need a mat that will take abuse (i.e. the continuous pounding and side to side and front to back stress of a treadmill) with out ripping the mat the 1/8" solid mats are the equipment mat of choice. For the few bucks more you get twice the mat."

Not a lot to say about a mat... but it is very functional, sturdy and really does "level the playing field" so to speak. Heavy weight (and Heavy!!) does a nice job on floor to floor carpeting if that''s all you have to work with...

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This mat is of excellant quality and priced below some much less durable. I have it under 260 lb. treadmill and it works well.

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This mat is under a 250# treadmill. So far, it meets or surpasses all expectations. Great value.

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I am completely satisfied with this purchase. The mat is about 1/3 inch thick and the material is very durable. I placed it under a gym quality treadmill. It was exactly the right size. The mat was slightly textured on one side. It rolled out flat and did not have any adverse smell.

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Valeo 20-Pound Weighted Vest

I''ve been using the weighted vest now for 5+ weeks. I began with just power walking in it 5 days a week. Then added running of stairs in it for 2 minute intervals and then occasionally jogging in it. Within 2 weeks I noticed a large rip by the chest area on the left hand side. Luckily it is not a structural rip, but does make me nervous that it will not last so I''ve been reduced to only power walking with the vest 5 days a week and no running at all, as the material does not seem to be able to handle the added stress of bouncing. So if you are only going to be walking in it and not bouncing then this will work great for you.

I''ve been using the Valeo weight vest for about eight weeks during daily, ~60-minute treadmill sessions. I''ve found it to be a great addition to my workouts as well as a comfortable and well constructed product.

Pros:

a) It fits comfortably with plenty of wide strap adjustments and snap buckles to keep it snug during workouts. This vest does not flap around during exercise.

b) It is well constructedstitching is still solid, removable sand weights are easy to use, velcro holds weights securely. The vest has some reflective trim too for poor lighting situations on trails and roads. I have a hunch it will outlive my ability to jog with it!

Cons:

a) It''s pretty expensive, tho'' it should last forever...

b) The high right side, skinny "ipod pocket" is inconveniently placed and hard to open/close. Although the pocket functions, it''d be nice to have a small pocket that''s easier to open with one hand and more conveniently locatedfor keys, headphones, cell, or ipod.

If I were buying this type of workout gear all over again, I''d happily buy this vest.

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after 10 days of normal walking with the vest....the seam along the shoulder began to tear. I wouldn''t recommend this vest to anyone. Svae your money and buy a high end vest that will last.

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Bought this item for my son. With average use, (2-3 days a week) the vest did not last long. Investing in a more expensive vest would have saved money in the long run. Vest is frayed and torn around most of the seams. Again, poor, poor quality. Not worth the money.

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This vest started to come apart at the seams the second time I wore it for a workout. The weight literally fell out. I would not recommend this vest.

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Teeter Hang Ups EZ Up Inversion and Chin Up System

For many years I have been suffering from lower back pain as well as some occasional neck pain. Being a long-time distance runner this seems to come with the territory. Having visited a Chiropractor over the years, I noticed that I would require ''adjustments'' more and more often to feel put together. After speaking to a personal trainer at the gym, I got the idea about ''gravity boots'' and thus started doing some research. This is how I stumbled upon the Hang Ups EZ Up system. Let me point out a couple of things before you buy this system:

1) You MUST have a relatively strong core in order to use this system and CANNOT weigh more than 250 lbs.

2) The brackets used for the inversion bar require being ATTACHED BY SCREWS to the outside of a door frame -i.e. The brackets are visible and permanent.

3) The first couple of times you use this, you WILL fumble trying to get up into an inversion position.

All of these things being said, once you get this system down, YOU WILL BE HOOKED!!! The sensation of inversion is so relaxing and relieving that it is almost euphoric. You can literally feel your spine decompress. AHHHH!!! After a couple of weeks of occasional use (every other day for 4-5 minutes) my back pain is all but gone. My neck is noticebly looser as well. For me this was truly money well spent. One last word of warning: If you are not athletic, perhaps you should stick to an inversion table as just the action of getting into the inversion position is like a heavy-duty pull up.

EZ-Up Inversion Rack With Gravity Boots

Pro''s:

RACK: very easy to use, easy to dismount for regular use of the door frame, good grip.

BOOTS: firm hook grip on the bar, I don''t believe putting it on and off could be easier (but it still takes over a minute to put them on "comfortably")

Con''s:

RACK: not portable (mounting brackets screwed to the door frame three 2-inch-long screws each)

BOOTS: not really comfortable, but one has to keep in mind, that you cannot cheat physics, and the gravity IS still there, pulling the weight of your body down. The only thing constraining are the shoes, with half of one''s weight at each foot base. In my opinion the foam should be either thicker or less deforming, and/or the boot shell could be better profiled to distribute the load on a bigger area.

Just be prepared for some pain until you''ll figure out the right boot setting for yourself ;)

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I was originally looking at inversion tables but then happened to come across this. The system is built quite tough, as long as you assemble it properly, of course. No creaking, no crackling when inverted. Very sturdy in the door frame. Also remains above my head when going through the doorway. Big PLUS as at 6''4'''' I was going to have to remove the rig to walk through the doorway. But this is not even necessary. And the door can be closed without any issues.

As to inversion and its benefits. I spend a few minutes on it every day and can tell my spine "thanks me" every day! Very cool and simple way to get relief. Plus doing "sit ups" or crunches is an added benefit, which you probably could not do with an inversion table. So all in all I am very satisfied and would recommend.

Getting on it and off of it is a bit tricky if you don''t have the strength to lift your legs above your head. So may not be suitable for everybody. Also you''ll need to get used to some discomfort associated with having the gravity boots on, but there is no way around it. They are padded right, so there is no hard surface pressing against your ankles/feet, but it still feels tight. But it is expected as you are HANGING by your FEET :)

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Since when I was 14 years old, I have a back problem due to a trauma caused by excess of weight that I had to carry. Since then, I suffer from terrible back pains. I did a MRI that showed my intervertebral discs damaged and going out from where it was supposed to be (prolapsed disc). So, going to a chiropractic would relieve my pain due to the strech. I figure why not buy an inverter... So I did and I can tell it will relieve your aches. In the beginning you may feel nauseous but you get used to the new position and will be satisfied with no more pains. If you make an inversion at least once each two days, probably you will live a normal life and won''t be limited due to the stress the pain causes you. Recommended!

PS: The boots are comfortable. Of course, you are upside down and at a point you will feel some discomfort in your anckle, but I can''t imagine something holding you upsidedown more comfortably than this.

UPDATE 11/20/2012:

Never had a back ache again!!! The product is still in shape, still in place at my door and I use it less than before, simply because my back aches are gone! I mean, right in the beginning I used it once a week, then I started to use once a month and now... It''s like once each 3-4 months. And that is because I am feeling "young" again and doing stuff I was not supposed to do, like lift weight and stuff.

This is totally worth and for the benefits it brings your health, you can''t go wrong.

I am very glad I bought it and if you have back aches like mine (when in crisis, I wouldn''t be able to leave bed!), you look no further.

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I''ve used this system for a little over a month now and all I can say is that it is as good as advertised! I work out a lot during the week, specifically running, road cycling and weight training, and this system helps me stretch and relax my entire body after a long workout. It also works great if you want to do an upside-down abs workout, though I haven''t been doing that as often as I would like to.

The system is relatively simple to set up. Just follow the instructions and you should be alright. My only quibble about the installation is that some of the bolts provided seem to be a little short, which doesn''t give you a feeling of safety. Anyway, that can easily be taken care of by buying longer bolts at a hardware store, so no biggie.

As for ease of use, I agree with with some of the other reviews that at first it will be difficult to swing yourself into position and that you will fumble this maneuver a few times, but after a couple of uses, you will have this down pat. Also, be sure to start off by hanging yourself for only a minute or two at first and then increase that over time as your body gets used to being inverted (and your ankles get used to some slight pain). Finally, in order to get the full benefit of the system, your body needs to be COMPLETELY relaxed, which in the beginning can be difficult to do as you are not fully used to being upside-down

In summary, I would recommend this product to anybody that is interested in stretching and relaxing after a long workout, as well as anybody that wants to relieve back pain. Believe me, you will not be disappointed!

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Gym Ball Replacement Plug Adapter Kit

Bought an exercise ball from Wal-mart, and it was missing the plug. I didn''t notice until I got to my office (long after I threw the box in the dumpster. So I emailed the company the same day I ordered this little kit. Needless to say I received the adapter kit within two days and fixed the issue very nicely and now have an extra plug; the replacement from the company is still no where to be found.

I used this to replug a BOSU ball. It worked perfectly. I didn''t use all the parts; saved them for a future gym ball repair if necessary.

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this repair kit was the exact one we needed to continue using a ball we already had instead of buying a new one. glad to find it here and it arrived on schedule

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What can I say? The plug kit arrived quickly and I was able to repair my balance ball in about 30 seconds.

Good value for the money.

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I am so pleased with the gym ball replacement plug adapter kit! I never knew they had these. Just needed a replacement plug cause my old one had broken. I looked on Amazon and saw this kit! Very nice removal tool!!! I was using a butter knife all this time :)

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SanDisk Sansa Clip+ 2 GB MP3 Player (Black)

• Store up to 500 songs
• Memory card slot for pre-loaded cards
• Digital FM tuner with 40 presets
• Rechargeable battery lasts up to 15 hours
• Built-in clip for easy carrying

This player is great for all the general reasons you can probably seeit is small, has cheap additional storage via micro SD cards, etc, but one thing I love about it is the bookmarking for podcasts and audiobooks. You can resume where you left off on a track, so you are free to bounce around. All the other MP3 players I have had were terrible for books and podcasts because if i wanted to change to another track (or accidentally bumped the forward or back buttons) I would lose my place and have to scan forever to get back where I was. I felt like a prisoner to a track because I knew if I stopped listening 45 minutes into a book, I would never come back to it.

The only two cons I have on this player are the battery life and the sleep/wake options. This is mainly compared to my Walkman, so it may not be bad for most players of its size.

In terms of battery, my Walkman never really seemed to need to be recharged. I guess the occasional plug-in for transferring music was enough to keep it going. The Clip+ seems to always be almost dead and has gone dead on me a couple of times in workouts because the indicator isn''t that good (goes from half to empty). That said, it''s a rechargeable battery so it''s no big deal, you just have to remember to charge it a bit more.

Regarding sleep/wakethe Walkman would go into sleep mode within seconds of stopping a track and i could leave it for days and when I came back and pressed play, it would start instantlyno logon, no hello, just the track playing right where i left off. The Clip does not turn off when you stop playing. There are options to set it to turn off or sleep automatically after a given duration, but when i have that on, it will sleep or turn off even if music is playing sometimes. If I am missing something, let me know, but that seems ridiculous. So I have to manually turn it off when I am done and when I turn it back on, it takes about 3 to 5 seconds to get back up and running.

These negatives are pretty minor and are well worth the advantages of the resume features in playback. It''s a great little player.

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This is the perfect mp3 player. The fact that you can expand the memory to 18+ GB with an inexpensive microSD card??? holy cow. I used my wife''s iPod shuffle before this, and there is no comparision, really. Except that this is 20-30% cheaper, and 1000% better. This has a built in customizable equalizer, something which the ipod did not. It has a screen similar to many expensive ipods that help you navigate the simple menus, although it does not play video ( I don''t watch video when I work out, run, or mow the lawn). Battery life is great, and this isn''t much larger than the shuffle. Clips on in the same fashion, weighs just as much, and the sound quality is phenomenal. It is a USB plug and play, so you can just drop and drag files to it. SOOOOO easy. No proprietary garbage software to use, like i-tunes. There is an option to sync playlists and things with Windows Media Player, but I haven''t, and won''t care to try. I just load all my favorite songs and randomly play the music. And now with Windows 7..hehe...Mac will dwindle back to fan-boy status and they''ll have to start making cheaper, less proprietary hardware and software, or they will never survive. I''m Robert, and I''m a PC :)

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This is my second Sansa Clip. The first is still in perfect cosmetic and working condition. I just wanted a new upgrade. I love the new features that Sansa has added. The ability to go as far as 18GB using the mini SD card! Awesome.

The sound quality is perfect. Reception on the radio is never a problem even when I am in locations with alot of interference.

Durability is great. I throw mine in my purse and it gets tossed around. My son uses it everywhere and is as careless with it as any 9 year old would be.

Adding MP3s is as easy as connecting the USB cable to your computer and dragging the file. All the MP3s are sorted alphabetically. I name my files numerically so that they will play in the order I would like.

Only Downside: Battery life is not perfect. It''s what to be expected with electronics including my cell. A fully charged Sansa Clip will last me approx 6 hours throughout my workday. If I charge connecting the USB to the laptop I can''t listen while charging. However, if I charge with the AC adaptor I can listen while charging. Also, even with the Sansa Clip turned off the battery will lose it''s charge. A little annoying when I think it''s fully charged and the battery is already drained. Again, I have these same problems with my cell phones.

I''ve never used IPODS and can''t compare. However, this is a much less expensive music player. I have never thought I was trading quality to save money. This has always been a very good quality player.

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I love mp3 players, including this one, for the most part. I use it mainly for listening to audio books, downloaded radio podcasts, and FM radio, but also for downloaded music. I''ve used this updated model (the Sansa Clip+) for only month but I used its predecessor (the Sansa Clip) for a few years. I take it with me everywhere and use it constantly, so it suffers a lot of punishment.

I bought this product because I liked the older model and because the "mp3 players" review chose it as the best mp3 player under $100.

I''ve owned two Clip+ (2 gb) players and about five Clip (1 gb) mp3 players over the last few years, and I''d say they last an average of about 4-6 months before breaking down. That may not sound like much, but I''m hard on them (I listen for several hours a day, accidentally bang them around, etc.). No other mp3 player I''ve owned has been as durable. I''ve previously owned a Sandisk Sansa m250 and some cheap "Creative" brand mp3 player. The Clip and Clip+ are far superior. And smaller, too.

One problem: I bought a Clip+ (2 gb) player a month ago and, unfortunately, the battery died after 2 weeks. Yet Amazon handled it very well by sending me a new one in two days (without charge) and paying the return shipping fee on the dead one. Good thing it died within the 30-day return period!

The newer Clip+ model is an overall improvement over the older Clip model. However, some of the changes they made to the new model actually made the mp3 player worse! I hope a product designer at Sansa reads this review and makes the suggested changes to future models. Or, better, makes these changes to the Clip+ by way of their downloadable firmware updates.

STRONG POINTS OF THE CLIP+

1. The new model has a micro SD card slot; the older model doesn''t, as with most mp3 players. Very nice. So, there''s no point buying a 4gb or 8gb Clip or Clip+. Instead, save your money by buying the 2gb Clip+ and boosting memory by buying a 4gb or 8gb micro-sd card for $5 to $20.

2. They made the actual clip permanently attached to the mp3 player, unlike the older model''s removable clip, which would fall off your belt when the clip separated from the player while walking or jogging.

3. It plays many digital formats, a few more than the older Clip model did.

4. It''s easy to download firmware updates from the Sandisk website. It wasn''t easy with the older model.

5. It''s fast and easy to load songs onto the player-just drag and drop, as with a flash drive

6. Nice voice recorder, though recordings take up too much memory

7. Good FM radio reception, better than my bulky Sony walkman.

8. Good sound quality

9. Somewhat easier navigation of the menus and nicer display than the older Clip model. The menus also give you a little more info than the older Clip model did.

WEAK POINTS OF THE CLIP+

1. Takes too long to "boot up" when you turn it on. For the impatient person, that matters!

2. The display is hard to read in bright sunlight

3. The older Clip has a far better "locking" feature (you can choose to lock the device so nothing happens when you press the buttons). With the newer Clip+, however, you cannot lock it to keep it from accidentally turning on. And it takes longer to activate the lock function.

4. With the older Clip model, when using the useful "play previous"/ bookmarking feature, you always resume play where you left off on the last audio book, podcast or song you listened to. A very convenient and time-saving feature. However, with the newer model, this only happens if the last song/ audiobook/ podcast is in the "Music" folder, but not if it is placed in the "Podcast" or "Audiobook" folders. This is a real annoyance, since you have to remember what you were last listening to, navigate back to the correct track, and select "resume playback" from previous point. Too many clicks; it takes too long. One solution is to put whichever song/book you repeatedly go back to in the "music" folder only.

5. Here''s the most IRRITATING problem with the Clip+. Unlike the older model Clip, on the Clip+ model you cannot easily rewind through the various tracks of an audiobook because you can''t rewind past the beginning of the track you''re on. If you want to re-listen to a passage by rewinding to, say, a point 20 seconds earlier in the book, and that happens to be on the previous track, you cannot directly rewind to that point. Instead, you have to waste time by clicking many times to navigate to the *beginning* of the previous track and then fast forward for a while until you get to the end of the track. That takes way too long. If, like me, you like to get an audiobook cd or music cd from the library and rip it to your computer in mp3 format and then download it to your mp3 player, you will frequently run into this problem. (Compact discs are broken up into a series of tracks of three or so minutes in length).

6. This may sound nit-picking, but there''s an ugly "slot radio" icon permanently on the Clip+ navigation menu and you can''t get rid of it. This slows down your navigation through the menus. Most people, including me, will never choose to buy a $40 "slotradio" card, no matter how hard Sandisk pushes the product. It''s a read-only micro sd card loaded with 1000 songs that they''ve chosen for you. You can''t choose which songs are on it and you can''t even see the full list of songs or artists. All you choose is the genre. The songs can be played only in a random sequence and you can''t delete songs or record the songs you like to your computer. (I''m reminded of this lame slotradio product every time I see the ugly icon on the menu, like a bad advertisement you can''t escape.)

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The built-in clip is handy, but also obvious since it is in the product name.

Here are some notable features which are all either non-obvious or uncommon for the price and size:

1. Slot for adding memory. Not sure how much memory you want to buy? Get the cheap model and add more later if you want. I recommend buying this cheap model, because adding an extra card later is virtually the same price difference as buying the high-capacity model up front, so you don''t lose any money. If the unit is damaged or scratched too much for your fashion sense, it is much cheaper to remove your large-capacity card and just replace the cheap player. In fact, I think mp3 players ought to include NO memory and an empty card slot, since upgrading to newer models is a waste of the memory locked in the old unit.

2. Standard size mini USB transfer and charging port. No stupid proprietary MacinSoft (Yes, it''s OK to hate them both!) data/power ports. I already have mini USB cables hanging off of all of my computers for other devices, though this unit includes a handy travel-length cable.

3. File/folder browsing, OR tag-based sorting. Browse your songs by tagged artist, album, style, or rating, OR just look through them by the same file and folder structure you copied onto it. Many cheap players do it one way or the another, but don''t offer a choice.

4. Transfer files either as a standard removable USB drive, or a wacky mediaplayer-based MTP connection. This is one of those things which you probably don''t need to worry about if you don''t know what it means, but it''s another thing which most cheap mp3 players only work one way or the other. The default setting figures it out for you, but advanced users can force it one way or the other if they want to.

5. Bright display which is easy to see outside. It''s a 2-color OLED, which is ideal for when you only need to read text. Not a power-hungry full-color display which blacks out in sunlight.

6. Do file management stuff from within the player. Rate songs, delete songs, and view full file properties.

7. Create a playlist from within the player itself. Called the "Go List", pressing and holding the center button will add songs to a temporary playlist. It can only hold one of these in-player playlists at once, but it isn''t typical to get a low-priced player which can do this at all. And of course you can add multiple playlists if you add them from the PC software. If you don''t want to mess with official playlists, just drag&drop the songs you want as a "playlist" into their own folder, and select that folder to play.

and finally...

8. GREAT sound quality, both from the player itself and from the included headphones. Very few players of this size have such good sound quality (even full-range response, and no amplifier noise), let alone any for this price. Sandisk also picked some pretty good earbuds, which is a feature often given no respect by manufacturers.

One minor complaint:

There is no key illumination, although the d-pad is very simple and I can operate it in the dark just fine.

One tip:

I was initially confused about how to get back to the playing screen if I was messing with settings in the menu while listening to music. The "home" button doesn''t just go to the home screen (the top-level menu screen) as per the house icon, but toggles between that screen and the player screen. So the answer is, just push the home button twice.

There isn''t anything significant I would want added to this mp3 player which already has high-end features and sound quality for a low price. I don''t need a 4-inch screen to hear music. I also don''t need a higher price, not just because I want to save money up front, but for peace-of-mind. I like listening to music during physical activity without worrying about damaging some $150 iZune.

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Garmin FR60 Black Fitness Watch Bundle (Includes Foot Pod, Heart Rate Monitor, and USB ANT Stick)

• Comes with FR60, heart rate monitor, USB ANT Stick, quick start manual
• Water resistant to 50 meters
• Can be used for running, cycling and other fitness activities
• ANT+ technology: Wirelessly connect to heart rate monitor, and speed cadence sensor, then share fitness data with your computer
• Battery life: One year, user-replaceable coin cell battery

I Purchased the Garmin FR60 Bundle W/ Foot pod to Help me learn run pacing and for Triathlon Training. My old HRM just gave up but the chest strap works still works with most of the equipment at the gym without the watch. But there is no need since I have the FR60 but there are some "Issues" to deal with first. The Look and function is very good. However since I''m new to Garmin the menu''s took a little getting used to and programing was a little bit difficult, but from what I''ve heard this is typical. Once you do get the menus down it''s very intuitive and similar to other models they offer. The other reason I picked the Garmin unit is the Manufactures of other HRM''s in this price range had non replaceable batteries. IE you had to send them back to the factory to be replaced. This is something I really wasn''t fond of since I use mine daily. This unit fits nicely on the wrist and can be used as a "Sport Watch" and no-one would know you a Workoutaholic if they didn''t know you.

Packaged in the box were the Owners manual and Watch, Foot-pod, HRM-Strap, USB Ant+ stick. There is no software to speak of since it''s self loading on the Ant+ Stick. You also need to set up an account with Garmin to download your data and analyze it. BEWARE: Firmware Updates will erase your data and settings on the watch and they need to be set back up!!! There is no Off-line option to review your data :-(. This means you upload your data to Garmin then re-download it in Excel or TCX format then upload it into a training website like Training Peaks(Online) or Sport Tracs(Stand Alone Runs Offline). Granted it takes only a few minutes to do but is a little bit of a pain. Also when uploading you have the option to leave the data on your watch for you to review or when the download is completed the workout date is erased. It takes a little bit of faith to let your data go. When setting up your account you can set up your Heart Rate zones based on age and resting Heart Rate. You can add as many zones as you see fit. For Simplicity I just use 5, now when you look at your data though the amount of time in each zone is not displayed on the website on your HR Graph. The graph look really good but the only data given is Avg HR, Max HR. It would be nice if the time in each Zone was given as well. My old HRM(Which was $40) displayed these with times and % in zones on the watch and didn''t need to upload the data. Other data that is Give is Workout Time, Avg Speed/Pace, Max Speed/Pace, Avg Cadence, Max Cadence. All good Data that is essential for training/racing purposes.

For Running the Foot Pod Sensor tracks steps, pacing and speed very accurately out of the box. Pick a spot on your shoes to mount the sensor and pair the device with your FR60, I did a test run at the track and it was spot on after a 1 mile test run. You can either adjust the stride length automatically or manual adjust. There are supposed to be shoe on the market that the Foot-pod will mound directly into the sole under the shoe insert. I believe Nike makes one. Mounting in the laces are just fine for me. The advantage the FR60 has is It can be used indoors without a GPS signal. The combination of the Foot-Pod and HRM gives you very accurate Calorie data when running of a treadmill. I have found that most treadmills are off speed wise to the FR60, for example I warm-up at 10:00 indicated pace on the treadmill and my FR60 shows anywhere from a 9:20-9:35. No a big deal since I''m logging the information for later retrieval.

Since I Cycle I use the GSC-10 Speed and Cadence Sensor for my Bicycle. Same setup as the Foot-Pod with regard to pairing. This can be used indoors as well during winter months on Stationary Fluid Trainer or Rollers to track speed and distance. The downside is NO FREAKING Odometer!!!!!!! what was Garmin Thinking. You get everything else, Distance, Current Speed, Calories, Avg/Max Speed, Avg/Max Cadence, Time, Lap/Distance/Time/AvgSpeed/MaxSpeed/LapCalories, blah blah blah... I had to add my old Speed sensor back to the front wheel to capture Overall ODO distance.

Functionality: The FR60 is pretty easy to set up once you figure out the page layout and logic. You get your data input(AGE, HEIGHT, WEIGHT, ACTIVITY Class(read the manual for this one) into the devise under SETTINGS/USER. After pairing your footpod and Speed/Cadence sensor, You can then set up your "TRAINING PAGES" This is where the FR60 really shines. You can take all the data collected from either your Run/Bike/Other and display up to 3 pieces of data on the screen and have 5 pages to display the data. You can have one screen for Time only and another for Distance and Pace then another for Heart Rate, HR Zone, Calories and so one. If only One line of info is displayed it fits almost the entire screen and gets smaller from there. the Dot Matrix LCD Screen is fairly easy to read at a glace either running or biking.

The FR60, HR Chest Sensor, Foot-pod are all waterproof to 3 Meters so they can be worn during the swim portion of Triathlons or during off road runs that cross creeks or during Steeplechase events. I''ve worn mine during the swim of a sprint Triathlon. For Triathlon the F60 is not Tri Friendly meaning you cannot change sports easy. I just set it up in Other and Just Press Lap during transitions in and out. Since I''m only concerned with overall time and HR. The FR60 can be set up to scan for Pods so it will pick up either sensor when you press the lap button during T1 or T2. If your set on sport specific Timing press and hold the MODE button and you can then change sports.

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I have been using this watch/footpod/HR monitor now for about 6 months and I absolutely love it. It is like having a coach. I am a fairly new runner and completed a half marathon this past spring and loved it. I decided to get more serious about my training and run a fall marathon. The longer runs were really a pain because I''d have to get in my car and drive the route each time....and then remember them as I ran . And of course if an unpredicted problem came up (angry dog, suspicious person, etc) I couldn''t really deviate without blowing the run and not knowing how far I''d gone . And also......my paces were off. I was running my recovery runs and easy runs WAY too fast. And then at the time I was using an old treadmill that was totally off pace, so my faster runs---well, who knows how consistent they were. I needed help !

And I got it. Everything fell completely into place after getting the watch. It basically sets ITSELF up,too. So easy to use. The Garmin website is awesome. I understand they had bugs at first, but I have encountered none of that. I can look at a run and see my heart rate and pace on a graph. I can also see reports on mileage, etc. And the ability to see cadence per mile is cool,too. I have learned so much by having all this data. It has made me a much better runner. I pay attention to heart rate now,too.

And of course it is wonderful to be able to track my distance and pace as I run outdoors. I can just take whatever direction I want now....I feel totally free and spontaneous out there. And I use it on the treadmill,too. Way more accurate than the treadmill as far as pace is concerned.

I also run in a lot of trees, which is why I avoided the GPS version. The footpod works everywhere and GPS will lose way points in heavy trees or in a city with tall buildings.

It coached me to a 4:14:01 first marathon finish this past October. It is really accurate and I have never calibrated it. Although I plan to go to an indoor track this week and do that this week before I start training seriously again (I wore it in the marathon and it tracked the the distance as 26.58---not bad over that many miles with no additional calibration, but still.....).

I highly recommend this product to anyone who would like to be able to monitor their training. It is all they say and a lot more. I plan to try to qualify for Boston this spring and I know my chances are much improved with my Garmin FR60 (yes, all my friends are definitely tired of hearing how much I love the watch!).

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I thought about this a lot. I read probably 100 reviews of all the GPS trainers and this watch. I am incredibly happy. I run and I row. I wanted an accurate pace and heart rate for zone training. This watch has been perfect. The calibration was important for me. I ran un-calibrated and it was probably 30 meters off over 800. Not bad but after calibration it is scary accurate. Over a mile it was within 3 feet. You can also find some great information from dcrainmakers blog but he did a 7 mile cross country run and the 310xt and fr60 had the exact same distance. So I don''t know why people had problems with accuracy. I think it might be they didn''t calibrate or didn''t do it correctly. I could also be that the pod was not in the laces tight enough. I don''t think I lost any accuracy from not getting the GPS watch or if I did the ability to use a treadmill is ample compensation. Ok so I thought about how cool it would be to see where I went on the map from a GPS watch, but I don''t really care. I''m looking to improve my run from the data. I''m not going to show my kids one day that I ran down the same beach a thousand times. Who cares. The other big benefit is realtime pace. It seams spot on. I really need to know how fast I''m going so I can predict whats going to happen to my HR. From using this I''ve really been able to see things and train in ways I never could have before.

The heartrate functions are what you would expect. They simply work. No surprise there.

The Ant stick is awesome. I walk up to my computer the watch beeps and a few seconds later my data is up. Much better than having to type it or even syncing an Ipod sorry Nike but your website sucks. Its slow, the first page shows and almost useless graph. Garmin''s site is all business. Its easy to use. Is it perfect? Of course not, but I haven''t been frustrated once using it. I would recommend you follow the directions for the ant stick and have a workout in the watch and the software downloaded before you plug it in. I use a mac and it worked great.

The watch is really normal looking. You would never know it was a training watch. It''s water resistant. You can hop in the shower and not have to worry. You can even go in the pool but your not supposed to use the buttons underwater.

Ease of use... Well its easy if you read the manual, and watch the videos. If you think your going to take full advantage of the watch just by fiddling with it your probably wrong. It can do so many things that it has a fairly large set of menus but they are very logically laid out.

For rowing I use the General mode and just collect heart data. It works perfectly. Don''t be afraid of this watch. If you are looking for a normal appearance watch that you can wear all day and train with when time allows and not have to worry if you charged it or left it at home. This watch is great. I leave it on work, workout, live life and don''t think about it. Its just there at the end of my arm and my data is always updated on my computer.

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I''ve used the watch for 2 months, and have updated this review several times.

Setup: If you''re not very good with hardware and techno gadgetry, you might not find the owner''s manual to be very helpful, and complete setup very frustrating. However, search "Garmin FR60" on YouTube and you''ll find some great instructional vidoes, by Garmin, on how to set up the watch. These videos include screen shots. By the way, you should know the owner''s manual is available online only, but you can save and print if you must.

Use: Again, the owner''s manual wasn''t very helpful on how to actually go use the watch, and go through the "pages." But it is pretty easy if you''re not afraid to hit some buttons. Take it on a couple test runs before you actually need the watch.

Foot Pod: no problems at all. It''s smaller than I thought it would be, and is not noticeable at all on my shoe.

The ANT stick: once you have everything paired and you''ve signed on to the website (watch YouTube if you''re techno-impaired), the stick does exactly what they say. You get the watch near it, and it wirelessly gets your data off your watch. I have not found how to dump the data off the watch. The software is run/stored on Garmin''s website (you create a free account--very easy and quick)....oh, very cool. Goals, history, multiple sports...great great great.

Pace/Mileage Accuracy: Be sure to follow the instructions for calibrating the watch. It''s so EASY! And very very accurate!!! I didn''t want the GPS watch because reviews have said that 1). the GPS can sometimes take several minutes to find the satellite signal and 2). they lose the signal if they''re in trees. With the FR60, you have none of those problems.

Heart Rate Accuracy: 100%

Heart strap: I''m usually like the Princess and the Pea, but I found the monitor to be so comfortable I dind''t know it was there. And don''t buy this "I''m sooooo little the strap is too big" that you might see on other posts. It fits my 11-year-old skinny son, so shut up.

Design: I have a small wrist, and the watch doesn''t look bulky. The strap could easily fit a pre-teen girl''s wrist, as well as larger-boned women. My husband scams it once and awhile to check his own heart rate, and the watch fits him. The strap is a little stiff, so I''m hoping that will loosen up, though if it doesn''t, the watch was comfortable enough.

I had to give product only 4 stars because I think they really fell down on the set-up and usage instructions, which may be a problem for some. Otherwise, I LOVE THIS WATCH!!!!!!! Once you''re set up and ready to go, this watch should get 10+ STARS.

AMENDED REVIEW: SEPTEMBER 22, 2011:

The battery on this watch finally died. No problem, you can chage it yourself without sending it back to Garmin, which I guess you have to do on their other watches. HOWEVER!!! All my settings and calibrations are gone! Everything. And given how hard this watch is to set up, I''m selling it. And after building a solid running base for a year and working out at differenet paces, the watch is not at all accurate on distance and pace, which is dependent on stride length because of the foot pod. My stride lengthens on faster runs than a long, slow run.

I went to Target and bought a $10 sportswatch. So cheap I can''t even mark splits. The Garmin was useful as a beginner, but now I have a better sense of pacing and don''t need it. I''m going to rock it Old School now!

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Awsome product for new runners. Purchased for wife''s birthday(I am a romantic at heart). She is far from tech savvy as am I but basic functions simple enough to utilize without delving too deeply in manual. Also purchased the seperate foot pod that provides more detailed info and feedback on runs. As time goes by I can see her utilizing more of the functions on the watch and the website but for now viewing her results after a run give her the motivation to get back out for the next time. The Lilac color gives product more of a feminine flavor as opposed to a slimmed down man''s watch.

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6 Second Abs - Ab Crunch Machine w/ DVD

With a rating of 1, it''s way over rated. Cheap, plastic a mere toy. Our drummer picked one up and trashed in less than a week. Products of this (low) quality only make suspect ANY item for sale on an info-mercial. I was pleasently surprised that I was able to pull it up on Amazon and give it a proper burial. Save your money, hit the floor and give a batch of crunches a go.

It''s a great concept although resistance is almost useless. I''m in my mid-thirties and, although reasonably fit, have never been able to pull off hundreds of crunches mainly because of back problems when doing them. Here was a solution which claimed to get around this.

When I first got the unit, I gave it a go and found the resistance almost unnoticeable. I opened the front, replaced the yellow bands with the "heavy duty" orange ones and tried again again, almost nothing.

At 6 seconds a rep, 10 minutes gets you 100 reps. Don''t know about you but although I could do 100 crunches in the conventional sense, I would certainly know about it the next day. I tried 100 reps on this contraption two days in a row without feeling a thing. This makes the commercials you see showing the six pack wielding workout freaks claiming they "feel the burn" very hard to believe.

With that said, this isn''t necessarily the fault of "As Seen on TV" that they sell this product what''s worthless to me may still be of value to someone else although I can''t imagine who. They did offer my money back in full despite the usual 10% restocking fee but given that a third of the sale price was a non-refundable shipping cost, it hardly makes it worth the effort. Am going to find another use for it perhaps a coat hanger?

Positive voters must be getting kick-backs from somewhere. Perhaps they got their money back if they agreed to promote it.

Don''t believe me buy one and find out for yourself.

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When I got the machine, my first impression was "I paid $60+ for this piece of plastic? I probably fell for the old infomercial again!" I was expecting the feel of a little more quality than what it was, however it has not broken over a couple month''s "casual" use. To it''s credit, it is easy to store being compact, and it is light. For the down side, I am a middle-aged office worker, a far cry from the hard bodied actors that advertise this product, yet I was not all that challenged with this machine''s highest resistance. It has four rubber resistance "tubes" that are interchangeable, however the machine can only use two at a time. To increase from it''s highest resistance, you must buy some stronger "tubes" from the manufacturer. Overall, because of the price versus the lack of flexibility to challenge me and the feel of "plastic" quality, I rated it a 2. I might have given it a 3 or 4 if it either had the feel of high quality and durability, OR had more resistance options, OR was priced at around $30. At the $60 price, I would expect a "durable" rather than a "cheap" feel to it, and a wide range of resistance. If this would have been the case, I would have gotten into the 5 star range because the idea of it is fantastic for those of us who do not visit the gym on any regular (or never) basis.

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It''s a great concept although resistance is almost useless. I''m in my mid-thirties and, although reasonably fit, have never been able to pull off hundreds of crunches mainly because of back problems when doing them. Here was a solution which claimed to get around this.

When I first got the unit, I gave it a go and found the resistance almost unnoticeable. I opened the front, replaced the yellow bands with the "heavy duty" orange ones and tried again again, almost nothing.

At 6 seconds a rep, 10 minutes gets you 100 reps. Don''t know about you but although I could do 100 crunches in the conventional sense, I would certainly know about it the next day. I tried 100 reps on this contraption two days in a row without feeling a thing. This makes the commercials you see showing the six pack wielding workout freaks claiming they "feel the burn" very hard to believe.

With that said, this isn''t necessarily the fault of "As Seen on TV" that they sell this product what''s worthless to me may still be of value to someone else although I can''t imagine who. They did offer my money back in full despite the usual 10% restocking fee but given that a third of the sale price was a non-refundable shipping cost, it hardly makes it worth the effort. Am going to find another use for it perhaps a coat hanger?

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Contrary to the opinion expressed in the previous review I found the resistance levels more than adequate. It might be that it was being used incorrectly by using the back and arms rather than pulling from the abs. I developed very good ab definition after around 2 months working out at 120 crunches on my back 3 times/week. Only problem was the machine broke when it wasn''t even on the highest setting but I intend buying another!

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New Balance Fitness Jacket

I love this jacket. I''ve worn it running and on a boat on vacation for protection from the sun. Its light weight, dries quickly and the color is gorgeous. Definitely recommend it. I have long arms and it the sleeves are long enough for me too!

I loved this jacket but after only 3 months the zipper completely fell apart! Zipper is cheaply made but everything else about this jacket I love!

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I like the style (it has a good length and flattering lines) but I thought it would be a little heavier,i.e., warmer.

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ASICS Men''s ASX Brief

I bought these for the primary purpose of leg day at the gym but upon donning them I felt the immediate urge to make a porn at the gym. These babies do run a bit small as others have said but what no one is telling you is that these man panties are the equivalent to a push up bra for your most prized area. I mean seriously I felt like Evan Stone ready to lock and load (no pun intended).

Right now for the actual review of what these were intentionally (I think) designed for:

These man-huggers are great at just that, hugging and supporting. They do not ride low when doing crossfit at my local CF gym nor do they move about when doing any other types of training at my free weight gym. They are also great for running and keep everything in place while also keeping the walnuts cool, dry and stink free. I have owned several sports style man huggers for training usage and these are by far in my top 3.

Do yourself and your prized possession a favor, buy these, slip them on and train like a madman with confidence.

I bought a pair of these to try them out for workouts, and running. They work great and are a good material to not bind up or drag you down when running, they are however a little on the smaller size so if you are thinking about getting a pair make sure you size up or get your size just right. Besides that I highly recommend them. The waist band is super small and will give you a lot of motion with out resistance which works great for runners.

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These have proven to be very usefull for me.Great padding for riding my roadbike which did my gooch very good.great for running and no abbrasions to worry about,and very comfortable.

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I have never reviewed an underwear purchase before, so here goes nothing....

Supportive, with the only seam in the crotch. Knit so that theres more space where its needed, and less where it isnt.

Only gripe is the polypropylene. Putting them in the dryer will cause them to melt.

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If you run anything from 5k to 26.2 miles these are the best Asics breifs yet

No seams to rub you the wrong way nice & light

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Womens MIO Motiva Pink Petite Heart Rate Watch

This is a great watch. I selected this model because I have small wrists and was worried it would not fit and would look big on my arm. This is a great watch to keep track of calories with. You can also enter the calories you eat. You can enter how much weight you want to loose and it will tell you how many calories you can eat a day. It tracks your heart rate and then based on the data you have input lets you know how many calories you are burning. I used it when I was on a tread mill with the heart rate monitor and found that it tracked my heart rate the same. I''ve used it for tennis, nautilus etc. This watch might be a little difficult to use for someone running. If that is your main sport I would recommend a watch with a heart strap as you have to place two of your fingers on either side of your watch to get your heart rate. Im sure it can be done while running but I would think it would be rather annoying.

I was wary of buying this after reading some of the mixed reviews, but I didn''t want a chest-strap heart rate monitor so this seemed like the best choice.

Pluses first: 1) perfect size for my medium-sized wrist; 2) changeable strap so I can wear it as an everyday watch; 3) measures my heart rate accurately comparable with the machines at the gym; 4) calories burned bars at the top give you motivation to work out more.

Minuses: 1) can be hard to get a reading if you are moving a lot (no problems when you are stationary) it can take anywhere between 5 and 30 seconds to get a reading, and I would say I get a reading on first attempt about 75% of the time; 2) obviously, it does not monitor your heart rate continuously, so if you want to religiously track your calories burned, this is probably not the watch for you; 3) difficulty getting a replacement strap. I use the black and pink band, and after 6 months of wearing it nearly every day, it is looking dirty. I wrote to the manufacturer asking them how to clean it but they didn''t answer my question. So I decided to order another strap in pink and black, but they have been continuously "out of stock"; 4) I have single-sided deafness so I can''t hear the beep once my heartrate has been measured unless I hold the watch up close to my good ear. It''s not a very loud beep.

Overall, I like this watch for its size, design, and the fact that I can easily (most of the time) measure my heart rate and roughly figure out my calories burned. I guess I go more for style than function. I am apprehensive about having to get a new battery though when this one expires, as I''m a bit worried about the manufacturer''s customer service.

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I love the look, functions, etc, but the HRM was rarely correct. Don''t know if it was just the watch malfunctioning or what, but it was rarely correct. I sent it back and ordered a Polar F6 and I am waiting on this watch.

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Overall:

I chose the Mio over the HR monitors because of its sleek, compact wrist-watch style design. I didn''t want the annoyance of hooking up wires to my chest or a placing a band around my chest during exercise. In convenience the Mio succeeds over the other designs. Its accuracy is comparable to the other monitors, in my judgement (rough comparisons at the gym). Is it ideal? No, the ease-of-use could be improved. But it is sufficient for most functions, well-made and fairly priced.

Band:

Nice color pink band and comes with an extra back-up band. Unfortunately I had to use my back-up band because the pink band was stained and my stain-removal job discolored the band.

Functionality:

Works OK. No problems. But the user interface could be better.

Design:

The buttons are difficult for me to press when in aerobic activity. You have to simultaneously hold down opposite sides steadily to measure your heart rate. When will they make HR monitors that allow you to track your pulse without compromising your form, I wonder?

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Bought this for my wife and she loves it. Never works out without it. We also take on our hikes. Helps motivate her when she sees how many calories she''s burned, which just motivates her to keep going. It took some patience to learn but now she''s learned the tricks.

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Gaiam Fat-Burning Boot Camp Kit

The workout video is great. Unfortunately, the items you need to work out are not in this kit they are in the Gaiam Crosstraining kit. Luckily I bought both. Although they both come with a resistance band the one in the cross train kit is the one from the video and the only one you will be able to use to do some of the exercises. I recommend buying the crosstraining kit and purchasing the video from this workout separately. If I had not bought the other kit this would have been absolutely useless.

I dont understand the problems that the other reviewers had. My kit came with everything in it, the weighted water ball, the balance disc, resistance band. I LOVE this work out. It works you hard no matter how long you work and you can adjust the work out for how much time you are willing to spend and or body part you want to work. This kit is like a gym in a box. I have had this product for a little over a year and have used it many times. I highly recommend for all fitness levels.

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I''ve really liked the Gaiam series so far, and Tanja has been one of my favorites. The workout itself is Fantastic! As a **workout**, I recommend it highly! (5+) Setting the workout segments by length of workout, area to tone, or packaged workouts (by body parts) is fantastic. Some workouts are definitely more relaxed than others, but you''ll still feel it when you''re done. (Smile, it helps!)

The equipment is what brings the review down. The water ball was tossed the first week I had the set as the leaky ill-formed mess it was. The pump for the water ball leaked some grease/oil/lubricant all over the inside of the box before it ever arrived; this has also been tossed. And I''m not as fond of the new style "resistance band" the set features. (I greatly preferred the old cloth-covered cords like the instructors use in the video. I guess I''ll have to snag mine back from the friend who tried out _that_ set of workouts!) The stability disk is great.

All-in-all, great purchase! Just pick up a free weight or weighted ball at another store and toss the junky water ball that comes with the disk. I''ve been using a five pound dumbbell and getting great results. Regardless, this set is still well worth the purchase price.

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I purchased this kit and found it to be a great work out. The equipment ball was not useable though and I ended up going out to purchase another ball. When you recieve your kit you are instructed to fill this ball with air and water. The problem is that it does not seal well and no matter how hard I tried to seal it, I had water leaking out as I worked out.

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This is a joke: be careful, the box I received contained items already used and dirty (and yet, I paid full price!) and approximately everything (including the video) was missing!! Do not order this kit, you will receive one item and you won''t be able to do anything with that.... it''s inacceptable!!....What''s more, amazon want to take another amount on my CC for another of this kit, without any refund for the moment and without my permission, I can''t believe it!

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Quick Callanetics - Hips & Behind - Amazon.com Exclusive DVD

Bottom Line:

***This 20 minute dvd will smooth out saddlebags and trim the "butt-thigh" (ladies know what I''m talking about) and smooth out cellulite in a very short time! A week and a half for me. Every other day. All this while still eating biscuits.

***These "tiny pulses" are nothing short of MAGIC! I don''t understand how this works when weight lifting and running does NOTHING for my legs, in particular the hip/side bun area.

***The magic of Callanetics has made the shorts that I''ve been wearing for 4 years now....almost fall off me, without losing more than 3 lbs!! Formerly size 6 shorts, now I can get a 2. This is the same weight fluctuation I''ve had on/off for years all while looking the same, but NOT NOW!

***My buns/legs look better now than when I was training for a marathon running 10+ miles a day for almost 8 months. (Actually, I think that made me fatter, another story). Callanetics acts like a "girdle" pulling you in a up and tighter.

***Be careful not to do this dvd too late at night, the deep muscle movements will keep you up! I think working the deep muscle tissue releases growth hormones, something must explain the (small) weight loss and total structural change when nothing else in my routine has changed.

--Also, look online, you can find before and after Callanetics pictures, they will blow your mind. Seriously.

When I first started reading about Callanetics I thought it was out-dated and for "older" people, boy was I wrong. This dvd and Callan''s others are from the 80''s but who cares when your legs start looking this good!!!! (I also have 10/10 but find myself too lazy to do it more than 1x a week because it''s an hour long.)

If you think you are stuck being a "gooshy pear" (a Callan-ism for you) just give this a try. And while I am not overweight per se, I have always had this round lower body that is now leaning out with just this exercise. In fact, I have stopped running and am just walking now.

Good luck!

callan Pinckey is the pioneer of YOga!! she is GREAt teacher to learn from....

LOVe this product!! I recommend for aLL to buy!!

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Armitron Men''s 408232RED Sport Chronograph Black Resin Strap Watch

it was difficult to tell the time even in the daylight, dark numbers on a black face, a major design flaw, I could turn on the light but I shouldn''t need to use two hands to tell the time.

Amazon once again # 1

This item arrived very quick and it looks great. I have not had it long enough to speak on it''s performance but I appreciate the product delivery and condition. The only slight dissapointment was that it appears that I may need a battery for it already. I hope that is all that is needed because the display is very dark. I have owned a watch with this type display before and it was not this dark. In any event, I will replace the battery and then make a judgment on the performance.

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I like this watch and think it looks great but there are a few detracting features. The face is hard to read in most lighting conditions (dimmer conditions are actually better using the backlight button). The strap is a bit stiff, a bit short, and thus hard to buckle and unbuckle especially if you are in a hurry. Finally the face "crystal" I think is plastic and can scuff or scratch pretty easily. All that being said, I gave it a 4 because i think it is a very good looking watch and looks more impressive than you would expect for the price. The other major positive is the the price (less than $17). Again, I think it is one of the better looking sports chronograph type watches I could find for even 2 or 3 times as much money on Amazon.

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I started having an interest of buying a watch since a relative got one and I needed to check the time without pulling out my phone. So I started looking through brands such as Casio, US Polo, and others. Then I found Armitron, a brand I never heard of but the moment I saw this watch, I knew I had to have it. I ordered this soon enough and arrived later in the week. The box that the watch is in feels and looks cheap, being a all gray box with armitron on it. I took out the watch which was on a weird plastic thing which took me a while how to remove. The watch feels very nice and looks decent, it does not feel or look cheap. The watch comes with the following functions: basic time, date(week and month), a light, stop watch, alarm, and the time for a different time zone. The watch came being a minute ahead which was a problem and even more of a problem since it did not come with a manual or any paper booklet. The time can be formatted with the left top and bottom buttons and the right top button. Despite having no instructions, this is a fantastic watch to have and I do not regret buying this.

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I''m not much of a sport watch kind of guy...prefer casual/dress watches, especially the rectangular shaped ones. But somehow I was attracted to this watch. The build quality is quite good. The style is attractive to the eye which is what I believe caught my attention. It is somewhat big so it won''t really look good on a "skinny" or "slender person with thin hands. I''m a big guy so it looks quite well on my wrist. The ONE downside to this is that the numbers are dark and it''s not that easy to see. I haven''t taken it out into day light yet as I just got it, but the light is an illuminator which lights up the entire thing and is quite easy to make out. NOT BAD AT ALL for $18.74!!!

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Marcy Upright Mag Cycle

Bought this item via Amazon over other retailers because of the free shipping (delivered very quickly by Fed-Ex). Took a while to put together, and the tension chord was a complete bitch, but I broke out my trusty wrench and got it in place. This bike is very sturdy, and I tightened the piss out of the nuts and bolts so it would be. I can see where the base legs and seat may wobble if the bolts are not tight, so be vigilant about that. Had to get used to the smooth, noiseless ride, and the higher tension settings will get smoother as I get more used to it. The lower settings are very smooth and effortless. The plastic case was intact, no bolts were missing, all was good, and the bike fits into a convenient spot in my apartment and takes up little space. As a cardio exerciser, it works well, and after 15 minutes of use I was sweating like, well, like a fat guy on a bike. After 30 minutes I could barely walk, but, again, that''s due to me, not the bike. The seat really does hurt the ''taint'' area, but I''d chalk that up to my ass being too fat, and not as a fault of the seat. As of now, after one day''s use, I am completely satisfied with this relatively cheap and very convenient (and silent) exercise bike. I recommend it, though I am no expert on exercise. Good value, solid structure, free and quick shipping = very satisfied.

I don''t know why Marcy changed the model number on what was a great-selling and highly rated exercise bike on Amazon, and somehow managed to lose its 100+ mostly flattering reviews, but this looks and sounds exactly like the one I''ve been using 2-3 times per week for the last year-and-a-half. It works really well, and it is definitely worth the money. I''m in fairly decent shape and I use it at level 3 for 20-30 min. Level 8 would be really really hard for more than a few minutes. People who don''t find the tension difficult at level 8 either got a defective tensioner or had trouble installing it properly.

The calorie expenditure readout also seems pretty accurate. The flaw, but not a fatal one: the uncomfortable seat, which could not be easily replaced with another one. I tried using a sheepskin cover, but that created its own problems. You probably just have to get used to it as I''ve tried and mostly succeeded doing. (And the seat doesn''t seem to bother everyone.)

As for durability, it''s as quiet and smooth as when I first got it. I don''t stand on the pedals or the plastic chassis and neighbor kids are not allowed to play on it, etc. I treat it like it''s not very tough, although maybe it really is.

Another interesting thing about this exercise bike is that the price has bounced around a lot from $99 to $200 and all over the map and now back down again to $107 with free shipping, at the moment. That makes this an excellent deal to me. I don''t know why the three or four other reviewers had such bad luck with it.

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I bought this bike mainly because of its low price and small size. It does fit into a rather small space in my home office, and it''s quiet and smooth. It took me about an hour and a half to put it together (I''m a 61-year-old woman)a little challenging, but not impossible. I had to buy a gel seat for it, since the seat is pretty uncomfortable without it. My biggest complaint is the configuration of the handlebars. I''m not racing anywhere, but the handlebars are way out in front like a racing cycle. This means I either have to stretch out for it (hard on the arms and shoulders), or sit up very straight with my hands holding onto the back of the seat. I never realized what an issue this would be when I saw the product description. If you can get a similar cycle with "normal" handlebars, you will be much happier.

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I purchased the Marcy upright mag cycle and initially loved it. I''m not particularly demanding on what I expect from an exercise bike, but I do expect the pedal not to break from regular use. I know that I''m straining the product, what with my massive 140 pound body and all, but I sort of expected more from this product than one of the pedals bending and eventually breaking off.

I contacted the manufacturer to make a warranty claim and did not initially receive a response. After several attempts, I was able to find someone who told me that they would gladly mail me a new pedal in six to eight weeks. The pedal never arrived and I was ignored on all further communications.

Avoid this brand like the plague, unless you''re a fan of being lied to and ignored.

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I am a male in my late 20s.

I''m about 5''9" and 160lbs.

I ride a real bike regularly (when the weather permits) for distances around 30+ miles. (Nighttime riding into and around NYC and then back to the burbs)

That course includes some steep uphills and having to pedal for your life to get away from cars.

As the winter weather (slowly) started I wanted something I can fit in the house and is affordable.

To get it out of the way.. there is NO WAY this bike has enough resistance.

I can overpower the ''magnetic resistance'' on its highest setting and make it feel like the pedals ''skip'' instead of providing smooth resistance.

But resistance from the pedals isn''t the only way to get a good exercise.

You can get an excellent exercise from pedal speed.

I usually leave it at ''3'' while changing pedaling speed and then putting it to higher resistance periodically (almost like interval training)

You can get as hard of a workout as you want with your pedaling speed (I can get this sucker reading out past 40mph at my highest effort... which makes me doubt any of the readouts other than the time)

It''s also really really quiet. (even at ''top speed'')

The bike itself is actually well designed, the handlebars give you a variety of options for extended rides.

The seat is actually pretty comfortable (if you''re at all used to riding bikes). They spend enough effort to actually give you a channeled groove in the center to relieve pressure in ''that area''

It also has a very small footprint.

I''ve so far used the bike for about month and it''s not showing any indication that it will fail on me soon.

The assembly is about as easy as I expected and took all of 20 minutes. (I did struggle a little bit attaching the cable for the resistance adjustment)

It''s not going to replicate hill climbing type of effort and it doesn''t exactly FEEL like you''re riding a real bike, but for the money you pay and for all the pros, it''s hard to go wrong with the bike.

At the price point it''s really hard to even point out any cons... err.. I don''t like orange on the plastic shroud?

Wait, no... I do.

***Update 5/30/12***

I''m going to update the rating to 5 stars.

The bike as seen less and less use since the weather''s been getting warmer, but it''s holding up very well.

Even with fairly regular use nothing broke, and there''s no squeaks or rattles to speak of.

I''m very impressed with how well it held up so far and expect the bike to hold up (mainly as a coat hanger until this winter) and provide its service when called upon (and beyond)

--I also want to RE-emphasize how SILENT it is even at FULL SPEED, I don''t have to adjust the TV volume at all while riding and even late night I don''t have to worry about making too much noise.

--Still liking that orange shroud =)

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