Body-Solid Best Fitness BFOB10 Adjustable Olympic Folding Weight Bench for Home Gym

" For my son, I bought a Golds Gym bench from the department store, but he never used it. I started using the bench a few months ago when I had one of those "I need to do something" moments. However, I discovered that I couldn't work on my upper body safely because the poles that held the bar were too narrow. Potentially lethal for the hands! br>br>Because there are so many different benches and manufacturers to choose from, many of them have received negative feedback. Looking for an affordable olympic-style item - where the bar holder/poles are wide enough to work on upper body strength, sturdy/solid, and of higher quality The Body- The Best Fitness Olympic Folding Bench looked legit, albeit a little higher than I wanted to go, but personal safety comes first. When you buy things like this online, you're taking a chance. br>br>I took my time building it because I didn't want to rush it. The instructions aren't the most straightforward, but they're not impossible to follow. The illustrations are nice, but there isn't enough text and the part identification is a little confusing. The parts are well-protected in the box; everything is wrapped in plastic, and some parts have plastic covers to avoid scratching. The bolts feel solid and heavy, but some of them came loose during shipping, and there are two "wrenches" or tools included, which are nice but a little difficult to use. To use the tools, you will need both hands. The good news is that at least the tools were provided. br>br>This item is made of heavy gauge steel, which feels solid! The bench is solid and heavy in general. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the product. The bar holder is held in place by pins, which is far safer than the benches found in most department stores. The cushions are well-padded and, once again, sturdy! The leg area has a lot of foam to protect it from abrasion and injury. br>br>Recent changes: br>br> This weight bench continues to appeal to me; the steel finish is attractive, and the space between the bar holders is ideal. The leg curl/leg extension mechanism, on the other hand, is too low to the ground in my opinion. During leg extensions, my feelings become stuck. I have to raise my legs before beginning a leg extension, so I can't do a full leg extension. In addition, the leg extension unit itself carries a significant amount of weight. Only half of the weights are being used. The leg extension mechanism on the old bench was more weighty and higher off the ground. I was able to use a greater number of weights. br>br>Update number two: The customer service is atrocious! I contacted the manufacturer about the leg curl/leg extension issue, but they were unable to help. The star rating has been reduced to three. br>br>Update number three: I ended up returning this bench because the bolt that holds the leg extension bent, tilting the leg curl/leg extension. It did not turn out to be a success in the end.

Trey Atkinson

| Feb 13, 2021

I bought it primarily because it folds up and I don't have much space. I will not use heavy weights at the age of 60 and will only use 1-pound weights. As you read my review, keep this in mind: 2 times per week. Before purchasing, I read the reviews about units arriving with parts missing or broken components, and I assumed it was more junk from China, but I'm used to dealing with that by now, and I hit the "buy" button because of the folding feature and relatively low price. I've purchased and assembled a lot of junk since the 1960's, first junk from Japan, then junk from other countries, and I'm used to dealing with it. Depending on the manufacturer, American-made goods can be good or bad. China was the next to arrive. You have to wonder how they keep a country running with the quality of most of their goods. In this case, I had low expectations. I was blown away by how happy I was. All of the parts were wrapped in plastic within the box and secured with zip ties to prevent them from rubbing against each other and scratching the finish. There were no missing nuts, bolts, or washers because they were shrink wrapped on a piece of cardboard with the sizes noted that corresponded to the sizes indicated in the assembly instructions. All of the parts were flawlessly painted, which is a Chinese rarity. The instructions for putting it together were simple to follow. Everything was in perfect order. I kept expecting to run out of a component or fastener, but it always turned out that something was still in the box or that I had dropped something. The Illinois-based company that designs and imports this product appears to know what the American consumer expects and how to meet those expectations. So, kudos to Best Fitness, as well as whoever is responsible for the manufacturing, painting, and packaging. Again, I'm not a fitness expert, so look to someone else for that information, but I've been pleasantly surprised thus far, and I rarely give five-star ratings.

Stanley Contreras

| Oct 20, 2021

It's well-made and should last a long time with light use. The leg extension is a little too short, causing your feet to drag and pinch. As a result, you can't put more than 45 pounds on it without it becoming too heavy to lift and get your feet underneath it. The distance between the seat and the back of the bench is quite large. It's a little uncomfortable, but it's not a big deal. The incline options are nice, but there are only a few of them. With only three settings (none of which are completely vertical), it can't be used for overhead or military presses, and incline chest work is limited. The bench's material is also a little slick. Wearing basketball shorts or dri fit polyester T's causes you to slide on incline settings, and with no foot support, I find myself constantly adjusting. All in all (minor cons that I can live with), this is a phenomenal value for the price I paid. It is constructed with quality materials that fold up out of the way for easy storage. The unit is light enough to move if necessary, but strong enough to support a significant amount of weight. This bench is ideal for beginner and intermediate home gym setups; add some dumbbells and a pullup bar, and you've got yourself a great, low-cost workout!.

Cassandra Fowler

| Jul 02, 2021