All different manufacturers?

[G]

Hey,

I been looking at Power racks, squat stands, cast iron plates, benches, barbells etc.

I found Rogue Fitness near where I can go look...

They got an adjustable bench at $1250...

I found Any Faster - They seem really expensive as well.

Whats up with the prices, and whats the point to it?

I mean...

A lot of the time the saying goes "You get what you pay for"...

But - a Bench at $1250 vs a bench at $450 that can handle 500+ KG...

I mean... whats all the 'extra' for... Sure I can get someone to make a bench out of 20mm thick steel and pay 5000 for it and it wont wreck even if you put a grenade under it... but thats like paying all extra for no practical gain... either one will never break...

So Im trying to work out, is it features and other stuff... or is it just name and totally pointless for a home Gym?

Strength training/Body building

What should I be looking at getting?

 

[Goosey]

In a commercial setting it's important to have a strong bench.
For the legs of the bench, straight steel welded mostly, not bent

things to look for;

*The guage of the steel used, is it using straight pieces of square tube, or are they bent
*the legs must be well braced so it doesn't collapse
*are parts welded together, or bolted
* is the pad well supported on the frame, does it move when you push against it
*is it heavy

if you are just going to use it, then the cheaply is the go, but then again if you really are into it, then the commercial grade is a good investment.

 

[G]

Thanks Goosey,

Well here is why I am stuck on what to do...

http://www.gymdirect.com.au/shop/st...hes/commercial-adjustable-flat-incline-bench/

Load certified to 700kg rating in flat and 600kg in incline position.

Meaning - The strongest power lifter in the world will not be able to break this because to my knowledge, no human being can bench press 700kg.

Check the specs out and images.

$550.

Option 2:

http://www.rogueaustralia.com.au/ab-2-adjustable-bench-au

$1250

More than double the price...

What is all that extra for? I mean - the other one is certified at 700kg... so I just don't get why spent more than double for... is it features, rather than how solid it is, or is it the fact this is made in the USA and USA labor = a lot more, while steel = steel regardless of who did it.

Also - I noticed a fairly large gap between back rest and seat rest on the $550 dollar one at gymdirect. Was a good 5-6cm gap.

Does that gap matter? I mean i tried to lay on it in flat position, the lower back doesn't touch, so is that even relevant, or that comes more into play on an incline? Friend of mine told me to make sure I get a bench that hasn't got a big gap as it can get annoying... but i didn't feel anything when I laid on the bench... not sure what thats about?

Same deal with all the power racks... from the rogue place there all over 1000-1500 dollars. From the other place 500-1000 with over 700kg certified rating which is more than any human will ever lift.

only difference being... the way the pull-up bar is.

http://www.gymdirect.com.au/shop/st...ower-racks-and-cages/power-rack-with-dip-bar/

One looks like this on pull-up bar.

Other looks like this:

http://www.rogueaustralia.com.au/rogue-rml-390bt-power-rack-au

Which has 2 bars (skinny and thicker) across the top... straight, not curved like the other..., is there a point to the ones with the curves, or are the straight ones better? Im thinking from a wide grip pull-up position, a straight one will kinda make your wrists in a funny spot no?

Then Barbells...

Rogue use bronze bushings... the other place using needle bearings. Rogues bars are near $500, the other ones are more like $200-$400 depending and claim 240,000 psi tensil strength while Rogue is only 190,000 (and costs more?)

What about center knurling marks? Is it good to have them or better without them? I would think center knurling would irritate the back? Your personal preference?

So as you see... I can look at a bunch of stuff, i come up with a huge price difference... and I don't know what the spend is for... I mean, hell, I can go pull out $5000 to buy what I need, but just because it can be done, doesn't mean there is a point to it.

I am trying to work out 'why' spend that when the 'cheaper' ones seem to be stronger than anything a human could ever lift in any case...

 

[Felixflex]

at the end of the day it comes down to what you want to use and your budget. Sure a piece of equipment might be good now (ie you are benching 100kg) but in the future it might not (ie you are benching 200kg+) . one thing i have noticed is the cheap adjustable benches are shit flat bench as they move around underneath while your are performing the lift, while the expensive ones are solid when in the flat position. its helps testing the product in person before buying it.

 

[G]

Hey and thanks.

I finally made the trip out to see Rogue equipment.

Well - Nothing beats seeing things in person. Online, cant really tell the difference from pictures.

In person... WOW.

Those Rogue power racks, with the ability to attach more 'rack' to the existing if you want to make more, 11 gauge steel, 5mm thick, 75x75mm posts, the thick pullup bars and thin ones, all plugged into the posts before welding so that if the welds ever broke, they wouldn't fall out, the quality hooks that hold the barbell in place, the pins, the powerlifting attachments available for squatting 1 RM, the powerlifting bars, olympic lifting bars etc...

All I can say is... there is no comparison between that and what I was looking at before.

This is high end gear made in USA with lifetime warranty vs Made in China.

Pricing everything up... going the cheaper route of what i looked at before, I would still end up at about $2000 with a good rack. Maybe $1500 if I go a cheaper rack (50x50mm posts, 2mm steel).

Going with this stuff that looked 'really expensive and asking 'why bother'... well it came out to about $3000.

I mean, 2000 or 3000... may as well go 3k and get all that extra vs the cheap and nasty in comparison for 2k.

If it was like $2000 vs $6000+, then fair enough, 2000 will last a lifetime anyway, why spend all the extra on overkill. But like this, 2 or 3k... would be a waste of 2k in my mind to go the cheaper stuff when this is so much better, sturdier, designed smarter, and lifetime warranty.

Anyway, thanks for the input and you were right. Gotta go see the stuff in person then it makes sense.

 

[Bazza20]

Thanks Goosey,

Well here is why I am stuck on what to do...

http://www.gymdirect.com.au/shop/st...hes/commercial-adjustable-flat-incline-bench/

Load certified to 700kg rating in flat and 600kg in incline position.

Meaning - The strongest power lifter in the world will not be able to break this because to my knowledge, no human being can bench press 700kg.

Check the specs out and images.

$550.

Option 2:

http://www.rogueaustralia.com.au/ab-2-adjustable-bench-au

$1250

More than double the price...

What is all that extra for? I mean - the other one is certified at 700kg... so I just don't get why spent more than double for... is it features, rather than how solid it is, or is it the fact this is made in the USA and USA labor = a lot more, while steel = steel regardless of who did it.

Also - I noticed a fairly large gap between back rest and seat rest on the $550 dollar one at gymdirect. Was a good 5-6cm gap.

Does that gap matter? I mean i tried to lay on it in flat position, the lower back doesn't touch, so is that even relevant, or that comes more into play on an incline? Friend of mine told me to make sure I get a bench that hasn't got a big gap as it can get annoying... but i didn't feel anything when I laid on the bench... not sure what thats about?

Same deal with all the power racks... from the rogue place there all over 1000-1500 dollars. From the other place 500-1000 with over 700kg certified rating which is more than any human will ever lift.

only difference being... the way the pull-up bar is.

http://www.gymdirect.com.au/shop/st...ower-racks-and-cages/power-rack-with-dip-bar/

One looks like this on pull-up bar.

Other looks like this:

http://www.rogueaustralia.com.au/rogue-rml-390bt-power-rack-au

Which has 2 bars (skinny and thicker) across the top... straight, not curved like the other..., is there a point to the ones with the curves, or are the straight ones better? Im thinking from a wide grip pull-up position, a straight one will kinda make your wrists in a funny spot no?

Then Barbells...

Rogue use bronze bushings... the other place using needle bearings. Rogues bars are near $500, the other ones are more like $200-$400 depending and claim 240,000 psi tensil strength while Rogue is only 190,000 (and costs more?)

What about center knurling marks? Is it good to have them or better without them? I would think center knurling would irritate the back? Your personal preference?

So as you see... I can look at a bunch of stuff, i come up with a huge price difference... and I don't know what the spend is for... I mean, hell, I can go pull out $5000 to buy what I need, but just because it can be done, doesn't mean there is a point to it.

I am trying to work out 'why' spend that when the 'cheaper' ones seem to be stronger than anything a human could ever lift in any case...

I don't like the rouge rack because it has to be bolted to the floor. It's only a bit over 100kg. It's too narrow.

I have a muscle motion rack from gym direct for the last 4-5 years I think. And it's over 200kg. Doesn't need to be bolted down. Will never budge.

Bars. Psi isn't really the main importance. If you want an expensive bar. Work out what you want it for. You get a whippy bar for Olympic lifts. A power bar for the big 3. Power bars will have center knurling which is a must for squats.

If you are getting an expensive bar get a cheap one as well. You don't want to use your expensive bar for rack pulls or anything like that. Like I said, my cheap bars get as much use as my expensive ones.

 

[G]

I don't like the rouge rack because it has to be bolted to the floor. It's only a bit over 100kg. It's too narrow.

I have a muscle motion rack from gym direct for the last 4-5 years I think. And it's over 200kg. Doesn't need to be bolted down. Will never budge.

Bars. Psi isn't really the main importance. If you want an expensive bar. Work out what you want it for. You get a whippy bar for Olympic lifts. A power bar for the big 3. Power bars will have center knurling which is a must for squats.

If you are getting an expensive bar get a cheap one as well. You don't want to use your expensive bar for rack pulls or anything like that. Like I said, my cheap bars get as much use as my expensive ones.

Thanks for the input.

Can you link me up to the GD rack you are using?

Rogue's is 53x53" footprint... That thing to me looked huge inside... 1346mm... ???