I was looking for a good basic set of weights to start a Power90 program, and these looked very nice for a price 40% of comparable ones. I also liked the product shot showing these could be used to to pushups without bending my wrists at 90-degrees--a big deal to me because my wrists are pretty messed up from working with computers for so long. I''m not a fitness guru or anything so weights and fitness equipment are not my expertise, but here are my thoughts:
Initial Impressions: It''s boxed together pretty tightly inside a block of styrafoam. The weights are on top, and if you flip over the block of styrafoam, the disassembled storage rack is embedded in the bottom. While the weights come out easily, the rack was wedged so tightly I had to tear out parts of the styrafoam to get it out. I don''t know if that will be an issue if you have to return them, but be aware of it.
The weights appear quality made and look sharp. The neoprene coating is thick enough to feel comfortably spongy and the weight is printed neatly on the caps. The handles have a pill-shaped cross section about 1 1/8" tall that is a little thicker toward the top and fits neatly in my hand. Given the size of the handles, I think people with smaller hands wouldn''t have any trouble either.
The handles on the weights are nearer to the top of the triangular-shaped caps. Something I hadn''t considered before buying them is that with the handles off-center the weights are not evenly balanced. That probably won''t make a difference for some people, but for those with problem wrists, in certain positions you can really feel the strain from the weird leverage. You can adjust positions to minimize the problem (face the wider bottom of the caps toward your elbow) but be conscious of it before you buy. I wanted that triangular caps to help align my wrists during pushups, so it''s sort of a win/lose thing.
The rack is made of a mid-weight plastic. It''s not as heavy or stiff as I thought it would be, but it holds together tightly when assembled. While it appears to be made of about 3/8" stock, it''s actually only about 1/16" and punched out/extruded/molded to appear that thick and hold the weights safely. It does rock side to side when shook, but honestly I think it will last well enough for normal home use. There are no assembly or use instructions for the rack but it''s not rocket science to figure out. 3 short rods plug into the sides, and 6 silver wood screws hold it together (I had 7 screws included). The rods hold it tightly enough together it almost didn''t need the screws (use the screws!). There are 2 rods at bottom and 1 at top (you can see the top screw in the product photo). The rod at top I use to carry it with weights loaded on top, so it''s holding together well enough. Something to note is that the weights do not pull out of the rack freely with a weight loaded on a slot above--so if you''re pulling the 6lb weight, you have to remove the 2 and 4lb first or twist the handle firmly about 90 degrees and pull, pull, pull. From a design standpoint, it seeps like that should have been done a bit differently, but for the $19 I paid for the weights I really don''t care so much. Also worth noting is that when grabbing the weights from the rack, an average size adult male hand will scrape into the sides of the rack (especially while reaching for the 4 and 6lb). While the edges aren''t overly sharp, they aren''t exactly comfortable.
All in all, seems pretty nice for the price and has a good look to it that I don''t mind seeing against the wall in the family room. If the rack didn''t scrape my hands so much and the bottom weights were easier to draw from it I''d give it 5 stars. The weight seem great, but since I''m scoring it as a complete package I have to judge the rack too.
I''ll let you know how they work in practice when I start my fitness program.
Pros:
The price. It''s cheaper than the similar sets I viewed.
I like how the weights can also be used as push-up stands.
The black color. The pretty colorful ones look yucky after using them for a while.
Cons:
The bar uniting the weights isn''t round so gripping the weights the way I want to feels weird.
The quality of the stand is poor. It''s made out of cheap, thin plastic.
Overall I gave it four stars because my biggest priority was price. Though not perfect, it was the best I could find for that price.
Buy Cap Barbell Unisex-adult Workouts Neoprene Dumbbell Set Black Now
I am pleased with this entire product.
Great product at a great price.
Shipped fast and an easy set up.
Thanks.
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