|  | | | Customer Reviews: | | | Average Customer Review:
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
 First bench Jun 12, 2010
I got my bench the other day and I was really happy with it. I don't know why people say the bench doesn't decline, it does...you just have to buy the crunch/situp accessory separately if you want something for your legs. I bought the bench, chin up attachment and the situp accessory and I love it. It seems rock solid. The bench does have a tendency to "walk" a little bit when doing a lot of chin ups, but this wasn't enough cause for me to deduct a star. I found the bench to be great. I don't have any complaints.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Great bench Jan 20, 2010
I bought this bench directly from the manufacturer only because it was cheaper. The bench is great. You don't have to do to much assembling once it arrives. Has various options. Debated between this one and the bowflex. In the end, I bought the dumbbells from bowflex and the bench from ironmaster. Good combo I reckon.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Now...THIS is a weight bench! Nov 12, 2009
Cheaper directly from the manufacturer (no, I don't work for them, but I am always looking for the BEST deal). This bench is substantial, which means it's fairly heavy, but still compact in comparison to other brands, which tend to look like flimsy ironing boards. It's design is one of a kind and simple to adjust, the angle of the bench, with it's foot lever. The packaging it's shipped in is thorough and somewhat difficult to unwrap, which means it won't get damaged. Assembly is a snap: insert and tighten (two wrenches needed) four screws to install the feet. That's it. Worth the money if you workout frequently, like a variety of angles, and prefer a substantial feel to your workout equipment. Get the situp/crunch attachment if you plan on doing decline exercises.
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
Not perfect, but the best dumbbell bench on the market Aug 31, 2009
I purchased 3 benches over the course of a few months, returned 2 of them and am very happy with my final purchase. I'm reviewing all 3 of the benches because it was an educational experience and I hope other people don't have to make the same mistakes I did.
As background, I have a small apartment in NYC and wanted a bench to use with dumbbells because I was quitting my gym membership. I wasn't trying to get a full workout machine because while that might be optimal, I don't have enough space for something like that. So the goal was a sturdy, as-small-as-possible bench that would lie flat, but also do incline, decline, and 90 degrees.
I initially went with the Cory Everson FID Weight Bench. I purchased this bench because it can fold up, lean against a wall and save space. Its main selling point to me was that it seemed similar to the Danskin Space Saver Bench that I had purchased a few years ago (and later sold on Craigslist when I joined a gym). I loved the Danskin bench because even though it's seemingly made for women, it was sturdy enough for my 170 pounds and 5'9" frame but folded up neatly. It was also just $119. I would have gladly purchased another one except it was no longer available. I'm not sure why Danskin no longer makes this great bench, but oh well. Anyway, the problem with the Cory Everson is that it is NOT sturdy. It was wobbly and felt like it might break at any moment. Therefore, I returned it to Amazon. I wouldn't recommend this bench to anyone, any gender, no matter how much you weigh.
Next, I went with the Bowflex SelectTech Adjustable Bench Series 3.1. While it seems like this bench would be able to fold up and lean against a wall, I was surprised that it was so BIG. It was very sturdy, but it just wasn't small enough to lean up against a wall and keep a low profile. The seat is also too wide and it makes doing a simple bench press awkward. I should have known that it was going to be big because the dimensions are clearly specified, but I didn't "internalize" the dimensions until I saw the bench fully assembled. Anyway, I also returned this bench. I wouldn't recommend unless you don't care about the wide seat and you have sufficient space.
The last bench that I bought was the Ironmaster Super Bench Adjustable weight-lifting Bench. It still doesn't beat the Danskin in terms of space-saving abilities, but it's solidly built (extremely so), smaller than the Bowflex (smaller footprint), and comes with a number of attachments to do dips, pull/chin-ups, sit-ups, etc. It's relatively expensive with the attachments that I added, but I couldn't ask for much more. My only complaint is that the height of the bench is higher than benches I've used at various gyms and so my feet don't reach the floor when doing bench press. Also, the seat is awkward when doing incline because it's square, it doesn't remain parallel to the floor (it's always at a 90 degree angle to the bench) and you can't straddle it as easily as other bench seats. But that being said, if you're looking for a dumbbell bench that's relatively small but sturdy, this is the bench for you. I'm very happy with this purchase.
Incidentally, I also purchased the Ironmaster 75 lb Quick Lock Adjustable Dumbbell System and it's the best dumbbell system out there. It's way better than the Bowflex and PowerBlock dumbbell systems. Without going to a store and putting all 3 dumbbells in your hand, you might not be convinced, but I called up Ironmaster and found a local store in my area and took a look in person. The main thing is that the Ironmaster do NOT rattle around at all (like the Bowflex) and the Ironmaster do not constrain the movement of your hand (like the PowerBlock) because they're essentially a "regular" dumbbell except that you can change the weight plates.
If you have further questions, leave me a comment and I'll get back to you.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Great Bench Aug 10, 2009
We just purchased the Super Bench by Ironmaster. It was ordered on a Tuesday and was delivered on Thursday. It took longer to unpack it than it did to "assemble" it. Assembly consists of attaching the legs with four bolts and nuts. The bench is awesome. It is easy to adjust but super solid in every position. It takes up very little room in our bedroom. It is light enough that I can pull it out when I use it an then tuck it back into the corner of the room afterward. We also ordered the situp attachment. This is pretty much required if you are going to do decline bench presses. The attachments take less than 2 seconds to install and remove. With the easiness of changing angles and the quickness of installing/removing attachments, you can reconfigure the bench for different exercises with ease and little time. I have not owned other benches so I can only comment on this one. I would not consider any other bench simply because I am completely happy with this one. The only thing that would be nicer is if the ironmaster products were available in local stores. This would enable a buyer to see and test the products before buying. I own the bench and the dumbbells and couldn't be happier. I would not hesitate buying other ironmaster products as a result.
|
| | |
