Ok, I'll just jump right in. I have an over the door type pull-up bar I bought at a local sporting goods store. It worked pretty good, but it wasn't very wide, and it was starting to ding up the door frame, but I used it every day after work. So it was time to upgrade.
I didn't do extensive research for an alternative. I started at Sportsauthority.com, and some towers were promising. I looked on Walmart.com too, and there was one that looked good, but I waited too long and it sold out. Then I looked on Amazon. I should have started here. The PT600 had great reviews and the price was perfect with free shipping. So I ordered it. BTW, I'm 6'-2" and 175 lbs, and this thing is fine for me.
Shipping: It arrived very fast, within a few business days. Yes, the box was a bit beat up with some holes the size of golf balls, and a few rips. But once I opened it, all the pieces were in great condition. All the nuts and bolts were in there own packaging, and no scratches on the equipment.
Assembly: The instruction book was adequate. It didn't need to be too detailed, actually. It was mostly straight forward. You will need a basic ratchet and wrench set to put this together. Trust me it helps immensely. I laid everything out and started at the beginning. One thing I would mention, which is covered in the manual....don't tighten the nuts as you go. wait towards the end. When I came across the upper assembly for the pull-up bar, I tightened before I screwed the pull up bar on, and there was no give to put it on, so I had to loosen and re-tighten. Lesson learned indeed. Also, this thing is a bit smelly, the padding, the grips, the metal. So I sprayed it down lightly with water and an antibacterial solution. It stands about 7' tall fully assembled, and there's no clearance issue at all.
Performance: I set this up on carpet, and it's very stable. There is a bit of wobble with the dips, but that's from me not having the strength to do them yet. Yes, definitely get new grips. I was luck my old over-the-door pull up bar had good grips, so I used those, but I will try bicycle tape. I might try gloves, because my hands were pretty sore after the dips. Ah yes the dips, don't be discouraged when I say the top of my head does hit the pull up bar when I do dips, but that's when my arms are fully extended, and it's really no big deal to bend my head a bit. really. I like the foot grips/push-up combo, very nice. I'm new to knee raises, so I can't really say if this is good for those or not, but they're easy enough to do. I use this everyday after work, and I couldn't be more pleased.
| Brand | Body Champ |
|---|---|
| Material | Faux Leather, Alloy Steel |
| Color | White |
| Product Dimensions | 43"L x 42"W x 85.75"H |
| Handle Type | Fixed |
| Maximum Weight Recommendation | 330 Pounds |
| Included Components | Dip Station |
| Item Weight | 70 Pounds |
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 54 x 24.1 x 6.1 inches |
| Package Weight | 71.7 Pounds |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 42 x 43 x 85.75 inches |
| Brand Name | Body Champ |
| Suggested Users | unisex |
| Manufacturer | Hupa International, Inc. |
| Part Number | PT600 |
| Model Year | 2015 |
| Style | Versatile |
| Size | One Size |
| Sport Type | Excercise & Fitness |
