Prime Fitness Adjustable Bench
Overall
Summary
The Prime Fitness Adjustable Bench is the best option on the market for most people. It’s pricey but the benches build factor, ease of use, and available attachments make it well worth the purchase.
Pros
- Easily adjustable for incline and decline movements.
- Excellent leg attachment that attaches in seconds.
- Solid build factor with excellent weld points.
- Laser-etched numbering.
- Premium vinyl that will last for the long haul.
- Unique movements with optional elbow pads.
- Lightweight with urethane wheels for easy movements around your gym.
Cons
- Bench and seat may be too soft for some people.
- It’s expensive, especially with optional attachments.
The Prime Fitness Adjustable Bench is the go-to option in my garage gym. The benches ease of use, lightweight portability and surprisingly strong build factor all weighed in on my decision to spend nearly $1000 for the bench and option foot-attachment. Keep reading to learn why I would spend that kind of cash on a weight bench.
An innovated ladder system for easy adjusting of the bench makes a lot of sense to me since I quickly move between different exercises during HiiT and CrossFit training. The ladder system takes a fraction fo the time to adjust compared to traditional pin systems and uses a UHMW plastic protector to ensure the bench doesn’t get scratched up.
What I really love about the Prime Fitness Adjustable Bench though is the ability to move between 10 different back positions and three seat positions. From Arnold presses in a fully upright seated position to 85 degree declined sit-ups, I’m never at a loss for movements. This also means I don’t need a separate piece of equipment for decline situps and other decline movements.
If attention to detail is important to you, as it is to me, you’ll love that the various numbered adjustments are laser etched into the unit. It gives a solid look that you know will last.
The bench weighs just 94-pounds and the leg attachment, which is easily removable, weighs just 14 pounds. I often move my bench in and out of my rack and thanks to a pair of urethane wheels and its lightweight build, it’s not a hassle at all. I move my weight bench all over my gym for all of my strength training needs and the wheels after 9 months of use continue to glide perfectly across my flooring.
One consideration that I love and others will complain about is the padding used for the backrest and seat. Unlike the Rogue AB-3 and similar units, Prime Fitness chose a slightly more soft piece of padding. Don’t get me wrong, the vinyl is premium but you will just ever slightly sink into the pad. I actually prefer a softer pad but other lifters may want something a bit more solid.
Moving on to the benches attachments, I purchased the optional leg attachment and it easily clicks into place with a super simple attachment system. The piece feels solid on my 198 pound frame and at 5′ 10″ I never feel like there isn’t enough room on the bench for any decline movements.
The company also offers a very unique curl attachment that allows you to maintain proper form during seated curls and other movements. I didn’t purchase this option but reviewers have been quick to praise the attachment. The pads are pricey at $250. Considering I paid $150 for my decline attachment, I couldn’t justify the need for something that would take up space and likely be used more seldom than other equipment in my garage gym.
I don’t own a Prime Fitness USA rack, however, there the rack attachment option creates a solid way to center your bench if you own a power rack from the company.
I do have one qualm with the bench, because of the ladder system and weight, sometimes when I’m moving into position for check supported inclined rows with 50+ pound dumbbells, the benches backrest has a tendency to “pick up” a little bit when I’m getting into position. It’s a slight annoyance that I’m getting used to a little more every day.
Finally, the overall build quality is stellar and something you even rarely see in a commercial gym. Every weld is perfect, the legs are wide enough to keep the bench solidly in place, and it’s incredibly obvious that this bench was built to last. The company has definitely created one of the best adjustable weight benches on the market, hands down.
You can check out more about the bench here.
