Love these bands. I bought the Mountain Dog Pack during the pandemic to tide me over while gyms were closed--they were among the first pieces of gym equipment I owned, and they got me through some difficult times (with juicy pumps). I wouldn't recommend any other brand.

This vest functions well for bodybuilding and calesthenics programs, but its build quality could be better, and it's awkward to use with heavier loads. The advantage of this weight vest is that you can use standard weight plates to gradually increase resistance overtime. This allows you to make calesthinics movements more challenging by efficiently scaling intensity and eliminating the need for endless repetitions. That said, in my experience, beyond a certain point, adding weight is easier said than done. This is primarily because putting the vest on becomes increasingly difficult as you approach it's stated weight capacity (in fact, there is video on YouTube of Eric Bugenhagen demonstrating this). The other issue I experiened is with the quality of the materials. Little issues started to pop up only after using the weight vest for a short time, such as the stitching around the velcro straps fraying. Nevertheless, I've gotten a lot of quality work done with this weight vest, and I think the good things it brings to the table outweigh the bad.

The Iron Cowboy is a great barbell. This was one of the few power bars I could buy during the pandemic--I had no prior experience with it, but Elite FTS has a positive reputation in the community, so I rolled the dice and was rewarded for it. The knurling is aggressive, and to me it compares most closely to the Texas Power Bar. It's also held up really nicely despite zero maintenance on my part. Altogether, the Iron Cowboy compares very nicely to other flagship power bars I've used, and I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything at all.

These D-handles have a premium look and feel, and they are marginally cheaper than those sold by other brands, but they have a design flaw that holds them back. I got one of Fringe's D-handles for free with the Mammoth belt squat, and chose to buy a second one to make them a pair. The knurling on the handles is not too aggressive, the metal seems to be rust resistant, and they don't look or feel like they are made from cheap materials. The handles spin, but the rotation could be smoother. That said, my primary complaint is that the handles are held to together by an end cap that screws into place, but they regularly need to be tightened to prevent them from falling off.

I've collected an assortment of standard weight plates over the years, and these are no different than the rest. Generally speaking, if you are in the market for standard iron weight plates, shop around for the best price or purchase them second hand.

You really can't ask for much more in a flat bench. This bench has a single post in the front, so it's easy to place your feet in position without interference. Overall, it's very sturdy and the foam padding is top notch--it's thick and firm, maximizing comfort and performance. Additionally, Rep gives you the option to upgrade to a fat pad, but the standard pad is fine for us mortals. Lastly, the pad's exterior is very grippy even when drenched in sweat, so you can use it in the summer months without it feeling like a slip-and-slide. Overall, this is definitely a bench you can trust with your life.

I got these as a gift over a decade ago, and they are nice--grippy, firm, durable, and a practical way to train your grip. Admittedly, since my goals are primarily oriented towards bodybuilding, I haven't had the opportunity to use them much, because I don't want my grip to fail before target muscle groups reach exhaustion. That said, I recently discovered that you can insert them into the loop of a daisy chain and it creates a makeshift D-handle. The larger surface area makes them really comfortable for tricep pressdowns.

These are the first mag pins I've owned, and only because they were bundled with the BOB Smith, and they are great. These are a luxury and one of those things that you never really think about, but once you have a pair, you will never look at a standard hitchpin the same way again. They have a low profile, knurling for better grip, and come in several colors and lengths. What I like most is that they just snap into place with little or no effort. Now that I have the BOB, I plan on picking up a few spare mag pins that I can keep at the top of my upright for storage purposes.