A weight bench is an important piece of equipment for any home gym. But with so many on the market, finding the right one can be tricky. In this article, we’ll review two fitness gear utility weight bench models and help you decide which is best for you. We’ll cover all the features, pros and cons, and how they compare to other utility benches on the market. By the end of this article, you’ll know everything you need to make an informed decision about whether or not to buy a Fitness Gear utility bench.
A utility bench is a weight bench that can be easily moved and is not attached to a rack. It can be either a flat bench or adjustable, with the latter commonly known as an FID (flat-incline-decline) utility bench. You can slide them into a power rack to perform exercises with a barbell or dumbbells.
Fitness Gear Utility Bench: Quick Compare
Fitness Gear Utility Bench |  Fitness Gear Utility Bench |  Fitness Gear Pro Utility Bench |
| Max User Weight | 250 lbs | 300 lbs |
| Additional Weight Load | 150 lbs | 300 lbs |
| Assembled Dimensions | 54.8” L x 24.6” W x 19.4” H | 54.1” L x 24” W x 18 H |
| Adjustable Levels | 4 | 8 (backrest)3 (seat) |
About Fitness Gear
Fitness Gear produces a large range of fitness gear. These include weight benches, power racks, free weights, and other exercise accessories. All products come at a reasonable price given their quality and no-frills design. Fitness Gear equipment is suitable for those looking for an affordable option that meets all of your basic needs. While there may be a few listings on Amazon, Dick’s Sporting Goods is the primary retailer for Fitness Gear equipment.
Fitness Gear Utility Bench Review
The features of the Fitness Gear Pro Utility Bench are like other low-cost adjustable weight benches. It’s incredibly lightweight at only 45 pounds, making it appropriate for a wide variety of exercises. According to users, assembly of the product is quite easy and takes only a couple of minutes and a few handy tools.
In particular, the Fitness Gear utility bench earns mostly positive reviews due to its easy adjustability, portability and compact design, generous capacity, and of course its affordability.
Easy to Adjust
Adjustable weight benches should be easy to use, but not all are. Fortunately, both the Fitness Gear utility bench models are designed well for ease of use. Valued at the lower end of the price range for utility benches, the standard Fitness Gear utility bench has fours levels of adjustment for the backrest, which should be enough variability for beginners or casual weightlifters.
Meanwhile, the Fitness Gear Pro provides a wider variety of adjustment angles, despite also being a low-priced bench. This bench offers eight different angles for the backrest, plus three options for seat position.
Easy To Move
Portability is a priority for many users looking for the best weight benches. In a small home gym, you’ll often move them for various exercises. Should portability be a priority for you, the Fitness Gear utility bench should meet your needs.
Weighing only 45 pounds, the Fitness Gear bench can be lifted from one end by almost anyone. Transport is made even easier with the built-in handle and wheels on the opposite end from each other. You can easily lift the bench from one end and roll it.
Compact Size
Fitness Gear Pro takes up a minimal amount of floor space compared to more professional lifting models. Both Fitness Gear models are around 54 inches long, 24 inches wide, and 18 inches high. Some other models can be up to two feet longer, so this is pretty compact and a great size for a home gym.
Plenty Of Capacity
The main differences between the standard utility bench and the Pro model pictured above are the weight capacities and number of adjustable levels of incline/decline. The standard has a maximum user weight capacity of 250 pounds, with an additional 150 pounds loaded weight. The Pro has a maximum user weight capacity of 300 pounds, with another 300 pounds additional loaded weight.
However, it’s recommended to stay way below these listed capacities, so for those who weigh below 200 pounds, the standard weight bench may be enough, while for those above 200 to 250 pounds, the Fitness Gear Pro would be more suitable, especially if you’re going to use heavy weights.
The Fitness Gear Pro bench’s weight capacity should suffice for most. Almost any fitness enthusiast would consider this a heavy-duty bench for home use. Of course, it’s also a good weight bench for beginners who can then add more weight as they progress in their training and build more muscles.
This utility bench is suitable for casual weightlifters who need an easily adjustable bench to do exercises with free weights. A barbell and a rack paired with this utility bench to perform bench press is also possible, but not for very heavy lifting.
Economical
As mentioned, Fitness Gear offers some of the cheapest options among low-priced exercise equipment. But you can rest assured it provides great value compared to similar models, considering its cheap price. The Fitness Gear utility bench is, at the time of writing this article, $119 at Dick’s and $199 for the Fitness Gear Pro.
These Fitness Gear benches are very low cost for the quality. Be careful to purchase only from authorized sellers. Fitness Gear products are only currently available at Dick’s Sporting Goods, but you might find some resellers on Amazon. Any adjustable benches under $150 should be avoided, because the quality is generally subpar. For this reason, the Fitness Gear Pro utility bench is the better choice.
Pros and Cons: Fitness Gear Pro Utility Benches
If user ratings are any indication of the quality and performance of the Fitness Gear adjustable bench, it’s safe to say that it’s a great option for most people looking for a cheap but good utility bench for strength training at home. It’s certainly above average in most aspects and has far more advantages than disadvantages. However, after reading through reviews, there are a couple of concerning things that might be deal breakers for you.
For starters, being a very lightweight bench, the Fitness Gear may not be the best choice for heavy lifters or bigger individuals. You might experience wobble or [heaven-forbid] a tipping when leaning to a side.
After reading through reviews, it seems quality control might be an issue. A handful of customers have complaints about component defects, and nobody wants to deal with refunds or exchanges of such a large delivery. Also, the Fitness Gear Pro utility bench can’t fold, a common feature found in other brands.This might be a deal breaker if your home gym space needs to be more flexible.
Those issues aside, the Fitness Gear Pro bench is of better quality than other utility benches in its budget class. It’s incredibly light and comes with built-in wheels and a handle. The adjustment angles work well and it has enough options for many people wanting to set up a home gym.
Overall, this bench is a good option for a lot of people, particularly, beginners, light lifters, and those that weigh less than 250 pounds. And so, a short summary of the Fitness Gear utility bench pros and cons is as follows.
PROS
• Economical
• Easy to move
• Decent adjustment options
CONS
• Small footprint and weight capacity not great for heavy lifters
• Cannot fold
• Quality control issues
Alternative Utility Bench Options
In case you find the Fitness Gear utility bench is not the best fit for you, here are two alternative options for the adjustable utility weight bench category within the same price range. Both models are great for durability and performance considering their cheap price. Also, all are available for under $400 on Amazon at the time of writing this review.
Flybird Fitness Adjustable Bench FB149
One great alternative for a very inexpensive yet functional adjustable bench is the Flybird FB149 model. This is a brand that offers a range of fitness equipment, particularly weights and benches for strength training and bodybuilding. This model lists a whopping 800 pound maximum weight capacity, though the unit’s lightweight build cannot guarantee this. It provides seven easily adjustable backrest angles, three seat positions, and two foothold positions.
How it Compares to the Fitness Gear Pro utility bench:
The Flybird FB149 bench is cheap and lighter, but we can say that it is as durable and as sturdy as the Fitness Gear Pro bench. Both are stable enough on a chest press with light to moderate weights, but any heavier and they might wobble or even tip over.
One thing the Flybird has over the Fitness Gear is that it folds up for storage, while the Fitness Gear does not. This makes the Flybird bench a great addition to home gyms with limited space. It also has more angle adjustment options. So if you’re not a heavy lifter and just want a lightweight bench that folds down quickly to easily stash it somewhere, then this may be a better choice.
This Flybird bench is a bestseller on Amazon and has really good ratings from 21,000 users and counting. The Flybird bench also has the highest ratings among the models within this price range currently being sold on Amazon. Check the latest price on Amazon or the Flybird Fitness for the Flybird FB149 bench.
Marcy Deluxe Utility Bench SB-350
Marcy is another well-known brand of fitness equipment if you’re looking for affordably priced, good quality weight benches. The Marcy SB350 utility bench offers six backrest angle options and includes an impressive decline position as well. The bench seat also adjusts to one of three positions useful for many different weight exercises. It’s rated for a maximum of 600 pounds weight load.
This Marcy weight bench also includes a leg developer where you can perform leg curls and leg extensions and even add weights to also target your lower body. The leg developer has a max weight capacity of 100lbs.
How it Compares to the Fitness Gear Pro utility bench:
The Marcy SB350 weight bench, weighing a little more than the Fitness Gear (52 lbs vs. 45 lbs) is built sturdier and you will feel that stability with more weight/load or side to side movement. The leg developer attachment is a welcome addition, but it might not be for taller people above 6-feet or so.
Marcy also offers more options for backrest and seat angles and provides a much better decline position. It’s a little bit heavier than the Fitness Gear but both model do not fold up. They do have a handle on one end of the frame and wheels on the other to make transport and storage easier. It’s a quality weight bench at a reasonable price.
Check the price on Amazon for the Marcy SB-350 bench.
Summary
Again, the Fitness Gear Pro Utility Bench is a great option for a lot of people, mainly those looking for a budget-friendly yet functional adjustable weight bench for simple bench presses and dumbbell workouts. It provides the basic angle adjustments for the backrest and seat position to maintain proper form during different exercises in building muscles and improving strength. However, this lightweight bench may not be the best choice for heavy lifters. You can find more user reviews for the Fitness Gear utility bench at Dicks Sporting Goods.
