I bought 200lbs of these during the pandemic with two dumbbell handles due to their being nothing else available. I knew what I was getting into and they got the job done, but the lack of compatibility with standard olympic barbells was always going to be a breaking point for me. Unless you have no other options, avoid 1 inch weight plates at all costs.

Picked up this 15kg barbell on sale for about 120 bucks as a gift to lure my wife into using the home gym (at regular price, it was a little over 200 dollars before tax and shipping). It has not gotten a lot of use, but I'm pleased with the purchase. This barbell excels as a general purpose bar, not ideal for specialists but great for generalists. The sleeves have enough spin to support dynamic lifts, but not so much that the centrifugal force will disrupt your bench pressing. It also has medium knurling, so it won't chew through your hands while Oly lifting, and it's grippy enough to support deadlifting with moderate weights. The one big trade-off is the lack of center knurling, which is fine for movements in the front rack and high-bar positions, but less than ideal for low-bar squatting. That said, if you are in the market for a solid general use bar with center knurling, you should consider the Rep Delta Bar instead of this one.

Although these can be pricey, the C2 Row Erg is a great low impact conditioning tool. The key selling point for me is its high build-quality, low maintenance cost, and C2's industry-leading customer service and support. Moreover, due in no small part to C2's partnership with CrossFit, the Row Erg (and its older sibling, the Model D Rower with the PM-5) are virtually ubiquitous and have been the de facto rower in gyms for over a decade, so peer-to-peer support and spare parts on secondary markets are plentiful. I also found out recently that the PM-5 monitor connects via Bluetooth to C2's Erg Data mobile app, so you can track workouts seamlessly. Unlike competitors who charge a subscription fee to log training metrics, C2 offers this benefit at no addition cost, which is a great value add. As an hidden bonus, the sled component from the rower completely detaches from its base, which not only makes it easy to stow away, but enables you to use it in unconvential ways. For example, if you have a low-row pulley system, a belt-squat belt, and a squat wedge, you can McGyver a surprisingly good (though imperfect) leg-press station.

Fringe Sport has been on a tear recently with new product releases, and the BOB is no exception. I've had mine for 4 months and have used it across various exercises, and frankly, it has been a great addition to my set up and I'm very pleased with it. I own the PR-5000, so I was initially torn between the Rep Smith attatchment and the BOB. Ultimately, I went with the BOB because of its price point, the ability to bring my own barbell, the additional ROM at the bottom, and smaller footprint. One thing I was pleasantly surprised by is the ease of swapping out barbells--though, in everyday use, I tend to just leave a spare bar installed at all times. Personally, the few concerns I had --the "lateral deflection" and the seams on the rods catching on the trolley--do not impact practical use. Admittedly, in much the same way that adapting to a new movement pattern can be awkward, the deflection does feel a little odd the first time you use it, but that feeling quickly dissipates within a few sessions. Similarly, it's impossible to feel the seams on the guide rods when the bar is loaded and you are trying to achieve a training stimulus (which is the only time it matters). Frankly, unless your job is to review equipment for a living, or your gym is more of a showpiece than a means to getting strong and jacked, these potential "shortcomings" aren't really worth worrying about. That said, if I had a wishlist for the BOB 2.0, one thing I would add are hooks that attach directly to the trolley itself. Though bar-swapping is relatively painless already, this design enhancement would just eliminate the need to store the hooks separately, making it even more convenient.

Although these can be pricey, the C2 Rower is a great low impact conditioning tool. The key selling point for me is its high build-quality, low maintenance cost, and C2's industry-leading customer service and support. Moreover, due in no small part to C2's partnership with CrossFit, the Model D Rower (and it's younger sibling, the Row Erg) are virtually ubiquitous and have been the de facto rower in gyms for over a decade, so peer-to-peer support and spare parts on secondary markets are plentiful. I also found out recently that the PM-5 monitor connects via Bluetooth to C2's Erg Data mobile app, so you can track workouts seamlessly. Unlike competitors who charge a subscription fee to log training metrics, C2 offers this benefit at no addition cost, which is a great value add. As an hidden bonus, the sled component from the rower completely detaches from its base, which not only makes it easy to stow away, but enables you to use it in unconvential ways. For example, if you have a low-row pulley system, a belt-squat belt, and a squat wedge, you can McGyver a surprisingly good (though imperfect) leg-press station.