 13 years owner |
| Review Date: March 8, 2010 |
| Reviewer: GODJOEY, |
These are great I have the 95lb set and the big block set puts it to 130lb set. I also replaced the rexan handles with the aluminum pro ones. Call around try to find a floor model they are willing to knock the price down that's what I did.
Great space saver worth every penny. But nothing beats the atmosphere of a gym. |
Built A Lot Better Than The Competition (IMO)
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| Review Date: December 30, 2009 |
| Reviewer: JP, Satsuma, AL |
These were the only weights that I wasn't able to do a hands-on review, but after reading several other reviews on the PB's and their competition, these seemed to be a smart replacement for my dumbell set. I lucked out and found this set in the classified ads of my local paper for $175. Yeah, that's right, $175. The person I bought them from said that they had never been used and she was tired of them setting around. Okay, enough bragging on the deal I got....
The weights are built for simplicity and durability, just like the individual dumbells they are replacing. The only thing that would take longer than the 3 seconds it takes to change the weight would be inserting the 2.5lb adder weight. You'd need to tack on another 7 seconds for that move.
The only thing that is probably preventing more people from buying them is the price plus shipping charges. It takes a lot of $ to ship 200 lbs, but the cost easily outweighs buying individual dumbells of this weight range. Unless you find a sweetheart deal like I did (I had to throw that in there one more time). I would definitely recommend the PowerBlock weights over their competition. |
compact and versatile
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| Review Date: August 11, 2009 |
| Reviewer: David A. Olson, WI, USA |
These are great. At first I thought the strange looking design would hurt my wrists, but there is enough space that that isn't a problem. Going up to 90 pounds is great for a lot of exercises. My upper body really gets a workout with these. The only real problem is that they are dumbbells, so it is hard to get a really good workout for your legs with these. My ability to grip the weight (90 pounds in each hand) is much less than my legs ability to do a squat. For squats you'll probably need a barbell system of some kind so you can pu the weight on your shoulders. Not to mention squating a total of 180 pounds really isn't that much of a challenge for a reasonably well trained man. For a woman, though, this is more than enough weight for a complete body workout for all but the strongest.
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Very happy with these
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| Review Date: May 4, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Chad, Ithaca, NY |
I just purchased these dumbells and love them so far. I was initially considering buying the SelectTech's but after trying them both ended up going with the Power Blocks. Although the Select tech's look great, I found the length awkward. By comparison the select tech's are several inches longer than a standard db and these are about an inch shorter. The other thing I liked is that there are really no moving parts with these. I don't plan on dropping them, but I don't really see how these would break. The only part is the selector pin and even it can be replaced for about $10. My main concern with these was the shape of the db and I was concerned about having to stick my hand into the block to grab the handle. I've tried most of my workout routine and so far haven't noticed any moves for which these DBs won't work. Overhead tricep extensions are the only exception as it is difficult to hold the DB in this fashion. However, I worked around this by lowering the weight and doing one arm overhead extensions.
They certainly don't look as cool as the Select tech's, but I think at the end of the day they are a much more functional and sturdy product at a slightly lower price. |
If I had known sooner....
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| Review Date: March 16, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Truth Teller, Hoboken, New Jersey USA |
Since my local "weight" gym went down I've been nowhere and didn't even know about this option. Just picked these up, the feeling of being back in "the game" is simply awesome. Combined with Ironmaster's Superbench, crunch/decline and dip attachment you are ready to go in a space less than 4' x 6'. (I had tested the pullup attachment rated to 300 pounds and was surprised at the stability: I'm 200.)
For my condo, a small side room with a closet was just begging for this solution. Not cheap, but for any reasonable athlete who mixes weight and cardio training (I'm a swimmer) it doesn't get any better than this. Some people can get the lower priced 45 pound set but most guys are going to want to have more weight to grow into and at 90 pounds this will be the sweet spot for the majority of guys. You can get the expansion kit beyond it and that's the only downside it the upgrade is somewhat pricey but it's still worth it IMHO should that day come.
One point to consider is the comfort of using the product as you can also get rid of your weight gloves with these. They are so comfortable gloves aren't necessary. Was considering the Ironmaster adjustable dumbells too. They are more standard in the geometry but the feel does require gloves or you must have some serious hands. Also the design is so well done around the hand on the Powerblock that the balance is definitely a nice improvement over the standard dumbell.
With these and a great bench, no more waiting to get to weights in the gym, no more trying to squeeze in work while waiting for a place. And no more see sawing on your gains because you can't get to the gym. These are just awesome for space, convenience, effectiveness and there's no beating the speed of changing the weight.
Also, Powerblock is made in the good ole USA. |
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