The Darkade's Reviews (46)


(5.00)
3/16/2026
I honestly have nothing bad to say about these kettlebells but, I'm not as well versed in kettlebell movements to give a full opinion. I use these boys for swings, cleans, snatches, and for farmers. The handles are slick but in my gym, there is no such things as too much chalk. The rubber bottoms are great but I have horse stall mats so they're not really needed but I understand the utility with gyms without rubber flooring. These kettlebells simply get the job done. Because they're not the competition variety, the handle thickness will vary based on weight. For example, from my 5 to 40 pound kettlebells, the handle thickness is uniform. From my 50 to 106 pound kettlebell, the handle thickness increases per 10 pound jump. I will say that after 106 pounds, the handle uniformity returns.
Performance
Value
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(2.33)
3/16/2026
These collars look great. They're magnetic so you won't lose them. The knurling on them is just enough that in the hand, they feel great. Also, the twisting motion to get them onto your barbell is very quick and somewhat secure. However, the performance is simply just trash. When you do get them on your barbell and got them twisted far enough, at least with my pair, they will become loose especially if you're doing repetition work on deadlifts. The build quality is great but once the honeymoon phase is over with these collars, which is pretty quick, you'll realize that the only thing that these collars have going for itself are aesthetics. Thinking it was a fluke with my original pair, I bought another pair and had the same experience. But, since they're magnetic, I haven't lost them.
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(4.33)
3/16/2026
This thing is a behemoth. If this is on your wish list and end up buying one of these, bring a buddy or two because though the assembly is pretty straight forward, the sheer weight of each of the shelves warrants physical help. Once it's assembled, it will hold all the weight that you can throw at it. The included casters are purely optional. I tossed them onto mine but in reality, I could've left them off because once I've loaded all my dumbbells on it, it wasn't moving from its spot.
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(4.33)
3/13/2026
You're going to need chalk. A lot of chalk. Before walking this bar out, chalk. After you rack it, chalk. There is no such thing as over chalking this behemoth. Either you use chalk or you're going to have to wrap this bar up with goat tape or use one of those shirts with the non slip fabric. Otherwise, this bar is going to get all loosey goosey on you. If you don't mind having chalk all over the place, then this bar is for you. Honestly, it's a great bar, set a great price point, and the one that I got from Titan came unbranded with a sticker that you could put on to say Titan but honestly, if you're chalking it up, don't even bother tossing that sticker on. I'm almost getting to the point where I can't straight bar squat due to shoulder issues and using a Camber bar like this relieves all that pressure. Plus, with all specialty bars, this will add variety to your weekly lifts. If you're a first time user of this bar, it will swing on you and it will take some time getting used too. Only when you're confident on this bar and start to load this bar up will you begin to find your groove. It is also heavier than your standard Olympic bar. So, exercise caution at first. My only gripe with this bar is purely through an aesthetic lens. As with most things Titan, the welds are gross and the coating isn't consistent. I will say that the packaging was amazing though. Since you're going to chalk this Cadillac up anyway, the aesthetics really don't matter. Get swole, stay jacked, hydrate, shut up and squat.
Performance
Value
Build Quality

(3.67)
3/12/2026
If you already have the slinger and don't mind sitting on the ground or rigging up a bench because the ground sucks, then, yes, I do recommend this. Hooking this up does take a bit of time but what's a couple of minutes to getting that back swole? For my size, five foot seven and four rice sacks from Costco, it does hit all the right areas in the back. The build quality is outstanding. But, if you're expecting a full low row experience in a commercial setting, this might not be the best option for you. However, if you've already got the slinger, are hard pressed for space, and looking to row row row your boat, the low slinger is a great option. It is rather pricey though as it essentially does only one thing.
Performance
Value
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(4.00)
3/12/2026
Ah the slinger. It's a love hate relationship with me. The build quality is outstanding. The assembly is easy. You won't need to take your sweater off during the installation process. For what it does, this piece of equipment is awesome. But, don't expect to have a Free Motion experience with the slinger. Therein lies the limitation to this piece. Sure, you can rig up something to mimic a Free Motion but it does take a bit of tinkering to get that done. I primarily use the slinger for push down work and lat pull downs. It's more expensive than it should be but I doubt you can find something with a better build quality at a cheaper price point. Though I do recommend the slinger to most, I would advise that if you're looking for something that can do what a Free Motion does, this probably won't be the best option for you. If you're looking for a lat pull down movement but don't have the space for a dedicated machine, I would highly recommend the slinger
Performance
Value
Build Quality

(3.33)
3/12/2026
It's CAP. I feel that CAP gets a bad rap since the quality of their products aren't up to par with the more familiar companies like Rogue, Rep, or Titan. The handles are the ergonomic kind which isn't that ergonomic at all. I'd prefer a straight knurled handle but I got these boys pretty cheap. The knurling on these dumbbells are more for decoration than they are purposeful. But again, they are far cheaper than other options from more reputable brands. They get the job done and are very durable, not that I'm dropping them from over head but I do drop them when I'm doing AMRAPs and burn out sets. If you have the coin and prefer this type of dumbbell over the adjustable ones, sure, go with something with a straight handle where the knurling is better. But, if you need dumbbells and aren't into the adjustable variety and aren't looking to spend thousands of dollars on a set, CAP is your man.
Performance
Value
Build Quality

(5.00)
3/12/2026
This bench, in my humble opinion, is the gold standard for home gym benches. Rep turns out banger after banger not only in their rack game but especially in their bench game. This bench is light, stores upright, and the ladder system is nothing short of amazing. Yes, Rep did upgrade this model to accept attachments, but personally, I don't need a bench to do that since I have a rack and rack attachments. The pads have just the right amount of grip and you can upgrade this bench with Rep's 4100 fat pads which I have yet to do. The only thing that this bench lacks is a decline option. Though some might see this a reason to not get this bench, personally, i never did much decline work. The 4100 is an amazing bench but unfortunately, I don't think you get this bench anymore since Rep upgraded this model.
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46 total