I purchased a custom Watson Adjustable Bench as a secondary bench to compliment my Rogue Manta Ray, as I was looking for something more lightweight and nimble. As a bench, it performs exactly as you would expect from a true "commercial grade" piece. It's stable, fairly easy to adjust via the ladder system, and maneuvers well around my space. In addition to its reliable performance, it's (in my opinion) the best looking bench on the market. Watson does an exception job with their materials (steel & leather upholstery), welds, powder coating, and moving components. The standout feature of this bench is definitely the degree of customization offered by Watson. I selected a gold frame, clear coat moving parts, stainless ladder system, black leather with gold "church window" stitching, and my gym's logo in gold stitching. While I wouldn't select this as my first or only bench, it is a true work of art, and a beautiful centerpiece to my gym. It's not versatile compared to FID adjustable benches with attachment ecosystems, and it certainly wouldn't be classified as "affordable" given the very steep price tag of nearly $3,000 CAD before shipping... but it's very nice nonetheless.

The Oak Club Don is a truly innovative rack attachment that offers easy setup during dumbbell press variations. It accepts a wide range of dumbbell types and sizes, while offering a smooth swivel under heavy loads via the oiled bronze bushings. The 1/4” UHMW protects your dumbbells, which is an important consideration when your dumbbell heads are frequently brushing against the concave cradle while racking/unracking. While I don’t use the Don often, it’s a nice option to have, especially for heavy decline presses and standing overhead presses where getting into position for the movement is especially difficult.

If I had to choose one bench (and one bench only) to use for the rest of my life, it would be the Rogue Manta Ray. All FID adjustable benches I’ve tried have produced some degree of wobble under load, especially in incline/decline positions - all with the exception of the Manta Ray. Not only does the bench remain stable while in use, but the wide/grippy vinyl also allows you to lock into position for exceptional control during heavy presses. In terms of movement and adjustments, modifying the degree of incline/decline via the ladder system is incredibly easy. With all of the great qualities of the Manta Ray it isn’t without its minor faults. The first is the weight, which could make maneuverability difficult for some trainees. With that being said, the felt weight is not as significant due to the wheel base taking the bulk of the load. The only other minor issue is the bench’s versatility. While many competitors have invested in a bench attachment ecosystem, the Manta Ray has just one attachment, and that’s the decline foot catch. It would be great to see Rogue expand this bench’s compatible attachments, which would likely be enough to increase my value rating.

I purchased the Oak Club Monroe (with Dual Voltra Mounts & 11" gap foot plates) as a solution for doing belt squats. While heavy and somewhat difficult to maneuver, the Monroe performs exceptionally well as a belt squat platform. The grip tape on the platforms offers a tactile and secure stance, while the adjustable angle feet allow for greater variation, similar to using squat wedges. For Landmine rows it provides the same stability, extends the bottom range of motion, and offers a perch to load and unload the barbell sleeve. A big improvement over rowing from the floor. The only criticisms I have of the Monroe would be the non-existent assembly instructions and level of difficulty when propping the unit up to adjust the feet. Otherwise it's an excellent product.

I've tried and tested a number of different mag pins and these are the ones I keep coming back to when I need a new set. They're low profile, have a strong fit, and are aesthetically pleasing.