XMarkAdjustable Decline Abdominal Sit-up Bench, 12 Resistance Levels, Gray or Black

Second review: I have used this adjustable crunch bench for about fifteen to twenty years. Other than replacing a couple of foam rollers and discarding the plastic end caps (not really needed), the bench is as good as when it came out of the box. It is just as sturdy as the ones I have used at gyms, and the grab bar is increasingly useful for exercising as well as dismounting as I age (I am almost 70). The last I looked it was made in America, not you-know-where.I have serious arthritis all over my body and a raging case of fibromyalgia (Everybody with M.E. also has FMS, and I am no exception). The inversion effect I get with the bench in a fully extended position is substantial. For a few years I used a wooden support under the business end to raise the angle of inversion--I get all the benefits of an inversion table with far less strain on my tendons and ligaments. Last year I finally did away with the box--at my age, a more gentle angle of inclination is advisable. I have done a great deal of brutal physical work, as a former Teamster, as well as taking care of my house and an acre of trees. I have lost four inches in height and also fell two stories six years ago. To address this situation, I use this crunch bench along with a 23 pound medicine ball, in combination with a Chi machine and 100 leg lifts per day, and over the past several years I have substantially mitigated my kyphosis. I can carry reasonably heavy objects again, and my vertebrae are not slipping out of line all the time. I wish I was as happy with everything I've purchased--together with the Chi machine, this bench has made a huge difference in my ability to maintain an active lifestyle.Earlier review I posted years ago:This product was not only considerably less expensive than analogous products by other manufacturers, it was shipped to my home in California in five days, arriving on a Saturday. Not too shabby.Overall I am pleased. The height and adjustments and overall size are the same as the heavier enameled model at my gym, but the pad is longer, wider at the shoulders, and mounted a little higher on the frame, so it is far more comfortable, especially considering that my head can't touch the floor (which happens with some other models, tending to be inconvenient and annoying).The frame is a battleship color, but not ugly and plenty sturdy; plastic fittings are heavy-gauge and not likely to split easily. I have done a number of crunches, performed my upside-down routine with a twelve pound medicine ball (part of my physical therapy, the reason I have a crunch bench in my bedroom to begin with), and just enjoyed the passive inversion. So far it is as good or better in every practical way than every other model I have used, quite a few overall. I consider it to have been a good investment.--Perhaps the coolest feature is the vertical grip that allows one to climb on or off with ease. Most crunch benches lack this feature, and, as an older disabled person, I really appreciate it--I am used to having to step up on something else to do my crunches, and this is no longer necessary; nor do I pull my back muscles trying to get off!

Excellent! Heavy and robust! easy assembly in 10 min. 100% gym grade for a fraction of the price!

This situp bench resembles the design I saw a few years ago in my childrens' high school gym. One can adjust it for a very steep difficult situp and it has a handle to help one getting on and off.There are not many steps to assembling it, but I found the two times a rectangular tube needs to fit inside another rectangular tube, some force is needed. It doesn't just smoothly and effortlessly drop in - as one would expect. At one of these tube in a tube assembly there are two plastic inserts in the outer tube, and one of them was lose in the box and not in the tube - so I had to figure it out.If the tube in a tube moved more freely, then it might be possible to regularly take it apart for more compact storage. However, it isn't advertised as a fold-up unit, nor disassemble for easy storage. Thus I won't take a star away for this. There is also a bolt whose only purpose appears to prevent accidentally taking it apart. However, I think the manufacturer should think about making it easier to take the two parts apart for easy storage.In general, it seems sturdy enough, strong enough, and comfortable enough. I keep it at the steepest adjustment for the most difficult situps. It has one purpose - situps, and provides more situp workout than other adjustable benches which can not match its steep angle. The angle is adjustable for those who want a less difficult situp exercise.

Pros:1. Has a steeper setting than most, which is the primary reason I bought this unit.2. Good customer service. I had a shipping issue, which was completely the fault of FedEx, and XMark was very responsive in assisting.3. Very sturdy and well-built, with one exception which I'll explain in the con section.Con:1. This is the reason for the 4 vs 5 star in Overall rating and Value for money ratings. There are two main frame pieces, with the vertical piece sliding through the horizontal (bench) piece. The horizontal piece has (or had, in my case) two plastic pieces on the inside, which are simply attached with double-sided tape of all things, that the vertical piece is supposed to slide through, and the purpose is to make the connection snug so the unit is not shaky when you're using it. However, the vertical piece doesn't fit well into the plastic pieces so I ended up knocking them loose. As I stated, they are attached with double-sided tape, which is an astonishingly poor engineering solution in what is otherwise a very well-engineered piece of equipment. I ended up just removing the plastic pieces and then using rubber shims around the top of the connection to tighten everything up. Some people might not like that solution as it makes it a real hassle to change the steepness setting, but in my case I just use the steepest setting so it works fine for me. I've included two pictures of the shim solution.Overall I'm happy with the unit, as after having used the shim trick it works great.