This can be a assessment of the Rep Health AB-5200, a commercial-grade, adjustable ladder bench with not solely all the usual options you’d count on from a business bench, however plenty of very distinctive traits as properly; issues like grippy vinyl, improved mobility, an non-compulsory spotter platform, and extra. The 5200 can be one of many solely ladder benches (if not the one) that may be saved upright. And the worth! It couldn’t be extra aggressive.
On this complete assessment of the AB-5200, I’ll cowl the specs and options of this bench, listing all the professionals and cons, and put the AB-5200 up in opposition to the notorious Rep AB-5000. As all the time, if this assessment leaves you with unanswered questions, go away a remark!
AB-5000 Bench Evaluation – Desk of Contents
- AB-5200 Adjustable Bench Specs
- Caged Ladders
- Seat & Again Pad
- Mobility Options
- AB-5200 Execs & Cons
- Rep AB-5000 vs the AB-5200
- AB-5200 Evaluation Abstract & Last Score
Rep Health AB-5200 Adjustable Bench Specs
- 11-gauge and 7-gauge 2″ x 3″ metal body
- most capability: 1000-lbs
- whole weight: 125-lbs
- dimensions
- footprint: 20.5″ x 56″
- again pad: 12″ x 42″ x 2.5″
- seat size: 11.75″
- whole pad size (flat): 55″
- flooring to high of pad (flat): 17.5″
- seat/again pad hole (flat): 1.8″
- (7) again pad changes (0º, 15º, 30º, 45º, 60º, 75º, 85º)
- pads are dense foam with grippy vinyl cowl
- (3) seat pad changes
- encompasses a distinctive caged ladder system
- makes changes tremendous straightforward
- helps make it attainable to retailer the bench upright
- wheels and deal with for straightforward mobility across the gymnasium
- horizontal deal with is extra user-friendly than a vertical deal with
- accessible in (3) colours with extra seemingly being added
- non-compulsory spotter deck accessible ($90)
- retail value $449
Rep AB-5200 Adjustable Bench Evaluation – Cages
The characteristic that makes the Rep AB-5200 actually stand out amongst different adjustable benches; (particularly different ladder-style adjustable benches) is the inclusion of a cage round each the ladders. The cages maintain the adjustment rod close to the ladder always, which helps us out in a few other ways.
First, it makes elevating the pads simpler than every other adjustable bench. With one hand, you solely must carry the pad to the specified top, then let the pad go. The rod will fall into place and also you’re good to hop on. I’m not exaggerating, you may regulate both pad in not more than a second.
I additionally discover it simpler to decrease the pad because you don’t have to actually do way more than carry the pad up by the help meeting and permit it to softly slide again to the bottom place. That is made even simpler by a pair of handles, one thing not all ladder benches have.
Lastly, and arguably better of all, it’s the cage across the rear ladder that helps even make it attainable to face this bench up on its finish. Ladder benches can’t often be saved upright as a result of it’s gravity that retains the again pad in place. Attempt to place every other ladder bench on its finish and it’ll immediately collapse, or unfold, and fall over.
The rear help bar of the AB-5200 permits you to stand it on its finish, and that ladder retains the again pad from swinging and sliding away from the body and toppling over. It’s actually an extremely intelligent characteristic, the ladders.
Rep AB-5200 Adjustable Bench Evaluation – Pads
The Rep AB-5200 has 2½”-thick, vinyl-covered, dense foam pads. The fabric is certainly a dense, supportive materials and the vinyl is Rep’s grippy vinyl, the identical product used on the Rep FB-5000 pads. As with all of Rep’s present benches, the craftsmanship and stitching of those pads is top-notch; very skilled.
The 5200 has a really lengthy whole pad size; about 55″ when flat with solely a 1.8″ hole between the seat and the again pad. That is good for the easy cause {that a} lengthy bench is manner higher than having a bench that’s too brief. It’s additionally extra than good within the sense that the again pad will help even the tallest lifter’s head when the AB-5200 is in any of the incline positions. There might be no heads hanging over the again pad throughout seated overhead presses.
The width of the pads is 12″, which is good in my skilled opinion. It’s an important width for any and all the upright positions, and it’s greater than ample for working with the bench in a flat place. The seat tapers down from 12″ over it’s 11¾” size, however contemplating that the again pad alone is 42″, there may be nonetheless loads of 12″ broad pad for utility work (ought to anybody discover themselves doing mentioned work on their AB-5200.)*
* I nonetheless counsel proudly owning a devoted flat bench along with an adjustable bench; ideally one thing with a 14″+ broad pad.
Rep AB-5200 Adjustable Bench Evaluation – Mobility
The AB-5200 weighs in at about 125-lbs. Fairly rattling heavy. Too heavy to not have wheels and a deal with. Fortunately, it does. Higher but, it has the very best deal with I’ve ever seen!
The Rep AB-5200 has a chrome steel, horizontal deal with positioned low and fairly far ahead on the bottom of the entrance foot. It couldn’t be simpler to succeed in, and the horizontal place couldn’t be extra ergonomic. You’ll by no means have a look at a bench deal with the identical after selecting up the 5200. It’s simply a lot simpler to choose up than every other bench I’ve ever owned, even lighter benches just like the FB-5000, and particularly heavier benches just like the AB-5000. The horizontal deal with might be going to develop into a factor on future benches, and I don’t know why this wasn’t considered sooner.
Lastly, and I can’t affirm this personally, however I’m informed the addition of the non-compulsory spotter platform doesn’t forestall the bench from being cellular. That’s to say, it’s not purported to intrude with wheel perform. In the event you can affirm this, please go away a remark. Thanks!
AB-5200 Adjustable Bench Evaluation – Execs & Cons
Execs
- The body is constructed with 7-gauge and 11-gauge metal. Your complete body is powerful and it’s indestructible.
- The backbone of the AB-5200 is intense; extraordinarily broad for higher pad help.
- The size are all in a great place. Good top, nice size, small hole, and so on.
- Again pad settings are in 15º intervals from 0º to 75º, and the much less helpful 90º is changed with the extra helpful 85º. These are nice pad angles; very properly thought out.
- The above-mentioned angles are all laser-etched into the ladder.
- The pads are supportive but comfy, and the grippy vinyl is a pleasant contact.
- The horizontal deal with is a superb design innovation because it makes selecting the AB-5200 up extraordinarily easy.
- The cages across the ladders are ingenious. Such a easy characteristic so as to add to the bench and it makes changes a lot faster, to not point out granting the flexibility to retailer a ladder bench upright when not in use. This characteristic alone places the AB-5200 miles forward of the competitors’s ladder benches, to say nothing of all the opposite positives.
- Urethane-coated handles on the again pad adjustment meeting make changes rather a lot simpler. Not having to decrease the pad by the backbone means no threat of getting pinched.
- There’s an non-compulsory spotter deck for these interested by such an adjunct. The spotter deck doesn’t intrude with the wheels.
- Presently, there are three colours to select from, and there’ll little question be extra added sooner or later.
- Rep delivery is quick and meeting of the AB-5200 shouldn’t take greater than 20 minutes.
- As with all of Rep’s merchandise today, the worth is simply insane. Rep Health has among the best bench and energy rack costs within the business. Such a high-quality product line for such low costs is simply remarkable.
Cons
- This can be a very high-value piece of kit, nevertheless it nonetheless requires a really giant funding. I’ve completely no difficulty with the $449 price ticket for a bench of this high quality and with all these improvements, however it could nonetheless be out of many individuals’s price range.
- Private con: I’m an enormous dude with an exceptionally lovely however nonetheless fairly giant booty, and if that seat was even 1″ longer I’d be as comfortable as a pig in Titan. This solely issues to me within the 85º place btw, because the seat finally ends up very near the pad on this specific place, making it really feel only a tad too brief.
Rep AB-5200 Adjustable Bench vs AB-5000
I’ve a assessment of the AB-5000 Zero Hole Bench that you could be need to check out if you’re additionally contemplating that bench in your gymnasium. You possibly can learn that right here.
AB-5000 Intro
You probably have area for just one bench in your gymnasium, the Rep AB-5000 is an incredible product. It’s the one adjustable bench available on the market that has a sliding seat that eliminates the big hole that may usually be created when the bench is ready to flat. You recognize, that hated hole your butt sinks into if you attempt to bench press on an adjustable bench.
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Set your AB-5000 to any incline setting, any decline setting, or fully flat, and the seat could be adjusted to fully take away any and all hole. It’s one heck of a design innovation that makes it attainable to lastly personal a single bench for each carry.
The AB-5000 will not be solely versatile, it’s additionally extraordinarily over-built and under-priced. I imply It’s a commercial-quality bench that sells for less than $499! The non-compulsory leg attachment that makes decline settings worthwhile is an additional $90 however we’re nonetheless speaking a few business, heavy-duty, 3-way bench for below $600. I feel you’d be hard-pressed to search out somebody who owns the AB-5000 who additionally didn’t imagine that it was the perfect bench for a single-bench gymnasium.
However what in case your area doesn’t prohibit you to only one bench? Then what of the AB-5000?
Properly, should you’re like me and also you need each an adjustable bench and a flat bench with a one of many 14″+ broad pads (just like the Rep Large Pad or the Thompson Fats Pad) then it’s the Rep AB-5200 you have to be .
AB-5000 vs AB-5200
I’ve had a flat bench with a large pad for years now, and I’ve had the Rep AB-5000 since its launch late final 12 months. I’ve beloved it, really, however since I don’t use the AB-5000 as a utility bench I don’t actually care in regards to the Zero Hole characteristic. That’s why after I first obtained the AB-5200 and assembled it, I knew instantly my AB-5000’s days have been numbered. I knew the brand new AB-5200 was going to exchange that 5000 when it was all mentioned and completed.
Why although? The AB-5000 is a extra versatile bench with the flexibility to be adjusted to twice as many positions. It’s greater, it value extra, and decline isn’t even an choice with the 5200.
There are a selection of causes I just like the AB-5200 greater than the AB-5000 for my gymnasium, and I’ll deal with all of them proper now!
Ease of Use
I’m all the time going to need my Fats Pad, which suggests I’m not going to make the most of an adjustable bench for something that requires the Zero Hole characteristic. Now usually it wouldn’t matter how a lot of a spot there may be however within the case of the Rep AB-5000, adjusting the bench is definitely a bit cumbersome and time-consuming, as any adjustment to the again pad requires adjusting the seat each earlier than and after adjusting mentioned pad.
It’s one factor to must make all these changes if it’s what permits you to have entry to each incline and flat settings (helpful flat settings) on a single bench. It’s a trade-off! It’s fairly one other factor although to have two benches and nonetheless must make all these changes.
The AB-5200 adjusts so rapidly! Actually carry the pad and let it settle on the angle and top you need. Identical for the seat. You solely want one hand in both case because the cage across the ladder prevents the locking mechanism from going anyplace. It actually couldn’t be simpler to regulate a bench than it’s with the AB-5200. It’s simply so rattling good how fast it’s!
It ought to be talked about that the Rep AB-5000 was launched alongside the AB-5100, which is the non-Zero Hole model of the AB-5000. Had I chosen the AB-5100 as an alternative of the AB-5000 I’d not have a sliding seat to screw with, however I’d nonetheless have the identical versatile flat/ incline/decline, commercial-grade bench. Once more it’s a trade-off; a single bench for all lifts in trade for having additional changes to make.
Seat Distinction
The seat of the AB-5000 is fairly giant; giant sufficient, in actual fact, that I really feel like I’m straddling it fairly than sitting in it, and I’m an enormous dude. Now, I understand the seat of this bench wanted to be a little bit greater than common, and I’ve realized learn how to sit in it in order that I’m not uncomfortable (it was solely actually ever a problem within the 30º & 45º positions) however I used to be nonetheless immediately appreciative of the AB-5200’s extra compact seat. The AB-5200’s seat will not be almost as lengthy or broad so it doesn’t push into the interior thighs just like the 5000’s seat tends to.
Paradoxically, I generally marvel if the seat measurement of the AB-5200 isn’t too small for the 85º pad place, Eh, I assume that has extra to do with my massive ass than the seat itself.
Minor Perks
The deal with of the AB-5200 is a lot simpler to seize being that it’s a horizontal deal with, and never the standard vertical-style deal with. I like it, and I hope this turns into the brand new technique to set up a deal with on a bench because it makes lifting the bench onto its wheels infinitely simpler. You’ll see.
The vinyl used for the AB-5200 is identical grippy vinyl discovered on Rep’s FB-5000 and -4000 bench pads, and I feel this can be a very good contact.
There’s nothing unsuitable with the vinyl used on the AB-5000; it’s a premium, high-quality vinyl with glorious, skilled stitching; I simply occur to desire the grippy vinyl.
Replace: Phrase is that the subsequent batch of AB-5000’s can have the grippy vinyl which, in fact, eliminates this specific distinction for any new patrons.
AB-5000 vs AB-5200 Abstract
Each of those benches are excellent in their very own proper. I can consider no different adjustable bench that I’d advocate over these two except you have been simply decided to spend a ship load of cash. The AB-5000 is the very best choice for many who have the area for a single bench however who hate flat benching with a pad hole, and the AB-5200 ought to be the go-to for everybody else.
You possibly can spend much less in your adjustable bench. You possibly can positively spend much less. Even Rep has a handful of different adjustable bench choices; all of which value lower than these two. However there aren’t any others on this value vary constructed to the identical [commercial] commonplace with such a novel array of design improvements (sliding seat, caged ladder, and so on). And once more, I can’t emphasize sufficient how unbelievably low the costs are on these two heavy-duty benches. You’ll not do higher for a similar cash, and you’ll definitely do no higher for much less cash.
My suggestion, for many who need it, is to make room for 2 benches; a utility bench with both the Rep Large Pad or Thompson Fats Pad, and a Rep AB-5200. Each of them could be saved upright to avoid wasting area when not in use; that means when not getting used, they’ll take up solely about 2½ ft² of flooring area every.
Rep AB-5200 Evaluation Abstract
I’ve come to the conclusion that Rep Health will not be going to be content material till they’ve bought you pondering the Rep identify it doesn’t matter what form of bench you need and what sort of price range you might be working with. With at least 10 benches being provided on the time of this writing, and with at the least half of them being pretty new additions (if not model new additions), is there every other firm with such a whole assortment of high-quality, well-designed adjustable and flat benches on the market? I don’t assume so!
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