I'm a big fan of this jack! I've had a double jack in the past but it became too cumbersome for my home gym. The double jack I had weighted about 40 pounds and lived on the platform. Not a big deal if you have a massive space, but in my ~330 sqft gym it became an issue. This little jack is a good alternative and I can get the weight changes done in about the same amount of time. On thing I will note is that with ~800 pounds on the bar the whip will be such that the last plates scrape the ground while sliding onto the sleeve.... While this is obviously a massive issue for me with my 800x10 rep sets every Tuesday, most won't encounter it. ;)

Get quality plates, and they perform perfect for their stated purpose. Now... would I buy them again for my home gym? Probably not. They're just not the most convenient plates for day to day use (take this from someone who uses them every day...). If I had to do it again I'd get the classic deep dish from Rogue or more likely the Strength Co plates. If you're running powerlifting meets then yeah, for sure get these. Or if you're just a monster and need sleeve space! (I do love the look tho!) :)

I owned these side by side with a set of Iron Masters for months before deciding to keep the Pepins and sell the Iron Masters; that should tell you most of what you need to know. The quick-select system is the real game-changer: going from 30 to 80 lbs takes a few seconds vs. a minute-plus of counting and threading plates on traditional adjustables. The grip comes in at 34.6mm with passive but nicely cut knurling; thicker than the Iron Masters and more comfortable for most pressing work. Build quality is legit; this is the most robust fast-adjust mechanism I've come across, and they arrived perfectly packaged. A few honest caveats: the cage adds roughly 2 inches of clearance between the bell and your body, which can get in the way on rows if you're used to traditional dumbbells. Re-racking requires lining up the dovetail into the cradle... there's a learning curve when you're gassed after a heavy set. They're also louder than the Iron Masters during reps. None of that changed my mind. I'd recommend getting the REP stand with them — walk-in design, lockable wheels that actually roll on horse stall mats, and a much more ergonomic rack and unrack than anything else I've used.

I've had this bench for about four months and have put it through its paces with heavy flat bench, incline DB work, and overhead press, so I feel like I've got a solid read on it now. For context this is my fourth bench. Before this I ran an Elite FTX flat bench, an Iron Master adjustable (sold it.... too narrow, felt unstable), and a REP flat bench I used for years and genuinely liked. The Nighthawk replaced all of them as my main piece. Shipping was clean; no damage, and the powder coat looked great right out of the box. Assembly takes an hour or two, nothing complicated, just a fair number of pieces. It's IPF-specd with 12" pad width, 16.5" height. The back bar measures 26" wide compared to the 20" on my flat bench. You feel that difference immediately when you sit on it. Add the wedge front foot and this thing doesn't budge. If you've been burned by commercial gym adjustable benches with huge gaps and elevated hinges, know that it's a non-issue here. The hinge sits low and the gap is small enough that I can't feel it rolling back with dumbbells. Not a factor. It weighs right around 91 lbs, but the perceived lift weight at the handle is closer to 35 lbs. The wheel shrouds are a smart design touch; they effectively lock the bench when it's near vertical so it doesn't roll away on you. Knurled handle makes tipping it up easy to grip. My wife moves it without issues. I store it upright inside my power rack and can still run a full squat session with it standing in there. Real space saver. I live at 30 degrees for incline work inside the rack, 45 for DB incline, and 85 for overhead press. The ladder pins have rubber surrounds to protect the finish over time, and the release handle is knurled. Small details, but they add up. I just got the REP leg developer and it hooks up to that nicely... There's a little play in the ladder mechanism at high angles — most noticeable if you're pressing one dumbbell at a time overhead. For a home gym this hits the right balance!