Home Gym Fitness Equipment Comparison – Soloflex Vs Bowflex
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Bowflex PR1000 Home Gym List Price: Sale Price: $549.00 You save: $250.00 (31%)  Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Average Rating:   |
Description
The Bowflex PR1000 home gym is a great way to strengthen your muscles and add a bit of cardio training to the mix with over 30 strength exercises and a built-in rowing station. With up to 210 pounds of Power Rod resistance, this versatile machine helps work the abs, arms, chest, back, shoulders, and lower body...
Features
- Get a total body strength workout with affordable home gym; includes rowing machine rail
- Provides as little as five or as many as 210 pounds of resistance via Bowflex Power Rods
- Over 30 strength exercises; includes horizontal bench press and lat pull down
- Sliding seat rail adds aerobic rowing training for calorie-burning, cardiovascular warm-up and cool-down
- 300-pound maximum user weight; requires 100 x 78-inch minimum workout area
While the Bowflex and Soloflex have something common, they are both home gym fitness equipment, this is where the similarity ends. If you want to find out who wins in the battle of the soloflex vs bowflex, read on.
Each piece of home gym equipment has its advantages and disadvantages. First, let's start off with the...
Soloflex's Advantages
1. It's easy to assemble. While this point may seem pretty much moot in the long run, you don't want to be banging your head on the wall trying to assemble it when you get it, either. The beauty of the Soloflex is that it has only two basic parts to worry about and it's assembled with only one single bolt.
2. The Soloflex is also easy to use and operate. You won't have to bother with cables or anything like that.
3. This piece of home gym equipment can also easily adapt to use freeweights. This is something you cannot do with the Bowflex - the Soloflex is more like classic weight lifting machines than the Bowflex is. The Soloflex is similar to using freeweights, only you aren't going to need a spotter.
4. Plenty of resistance to play with. The Soloflex comes with 425 pounds of weight straps. You can even add another whopping 500 pounds of weight to bring the total to 900 pounds. With this kind of resistance, serious weight lifters are going to have no qualms with the Soloflex.
5. The Soloflex is a quality home fitness machine made of heavy steel. It's one of the most rugged home gyms I have come across.
Soloflex's Disadvantages
1. With only two models available, the Classic Soloflex ($1,600) and the Soloflex with Attachments ($1,950) you'll have no choice but to spend well over a grand to get this machine.
2. The weightstraps are problematic in the long run. The rubber bands are going to stretch as you use them, and the resistance will lessen. The smaller straps can even break. While they do have a gaurantee to replace broken straps, it's still a pain in the butt. Also, many people complain that they just don't like the rubber band feel of the Soloflex.
3. Limited pull-down weight. It's impossible to put more weight onto pull down exercises for more resistance. This is one of the areas the Bowflex takes the advantage over the Soloflex.
Now that you have seen everything the Soloflex has to offer, it's time to check out what the Bowflex can do.
Bowflex's Advantages
1. Ease of use and operation. Changing exercises and resistance with the Bowflex is very simple and uncomplicated.
2. A wide variety of exercises in one compact machine. With over 60+ exercises to choose from with many Bowflex models, you will have a great time varying up your exercise routine so you can give yourself a highly balanced workout. This has always been important to me, since I don't want to focus on one area of my body too much over another.
3. Different models to suit different tastes. Whether you're a beginner or experienced exercise enthusiast, Bowflex has a model that fits you. Bowflex also has models to fit your budget, and you don't have to break the bank if you don't want to. For example, both the Bowflex Sport and Bowflex Motivator 2 can be had brand new for around $700.
4. Space saving design. Home gym fitness equipment from Bowflex is great for someone who has limited space, like an apartment dweller. It can be folded up and placed right into a closet.
Bowflex's Disadvantages
1. Price. Some Bowflex models like the Bowflex Revolution fetch a high price tag at over $2,000+. While this is a disadvantage if you're looking to buy those models, there are cheaper ones you can go for instead.
2. Not for professional weight lifters. For people who are looking to bench press 500 plus pounds, the Bowflex is probably going to seem like a toy to you. Home gyms like these are mainly oriented towards the average person who just wants to stay fit and in shape.
Bowflex Vs Soloflex - In Conclusion...
As you can see in this detailed comparison, both home gym machines have their advantages and disadvantages over each other. Depending on your specific lifestyle and tastes, you're probably going to want to choose one of the other. Whatever home gym fitness equipment you decide to go with, remember that you can save a significant amount of cash if you opt for used home gym equipment.
Tags: Home Gym Fitness Equipment, Soloflex Vs Bowflex, used home gym fitness equipment
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August 24th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Excellent review; very helpfull in my choosing a machine!
thank you
September 17th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
I bought a used soloflex classic for $150. The system is built so solid, it really cannot wear out. The frame is just very rigid and strong. The bands are in good condition as the previouse owner did not use them much and kept them out of sunlight and elements. Another nice thing about the soloflex, it is very quite. For folks like me who started with free weight which clang and are noisy, the soloflex is a sightlent solution.
December 27th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I purchased my soloflex over twenty years ago and never regretted it. Two additional advantages not mentioned in the above is the fact that you can do chin-ups on the soloflex. Also, the position of the bench can be changed to an incline for abdominal workouts as well. All in all it’s a very well made machine that will last a lifetime!
February 14th, 2009 at 6:34 am
I wanted to second the ruggedness of the soloflex. I have had mine 20 years now and it is still in use and in great shape. Granted I have varied my workout choices through the years as such I am now on the P90X kick but I still use the soloflex for all my pull ups and chin ups and dips while doing P90X and then I use the soloflex itself to do other exercises not part of the P90X that give you great tone and definition and size. It all depends on how you wish to use it. I have tried both the bowflex and a similar unit like the bowflex and they are nice to use but you still have to deal with moving cables and pullies around at times to adjust for different workouts. So that said no workout “MACHINE” will even match free weights and a gym environment for not having to make adjustments throughout your workout. I would go with your budget as a first deciding factor. As mentioned by the other Jeff above he was able to get a used unit way below retail and the fact that the soloflex company still has a presenced today online with products to purchase you can still buy new replacement weight straps if needed.
July 22nd, 2009 at 4:41 am
I have been a Soloflex owner for 22 years. If I had to do it over, I’d still be a Soloflex owner for 22 years. The Soloflex is solid (as mentioned above), affords its owner the ability to do bodyweight exercises, is freeweight adaptable, and gives results. It is an incredible weight machine.
October 3rd, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Had my soloflex for almost 17 years. Greatest piece of home exercise equipment ever made. Current price of refurbished Soloflex is $1200 and the Classic with wood bench $1250. That price gets you the whole thing w/ leg extension and butterfly. BTW, broke my first band about 1 week ago. Replacements are expensive.
The biggest advantage is space. It only takes about 5 x 6 foot area. Even with leg extention attached it is still compact. I powerlifted when younger and there is something about free weights that neither system can touch, but you also don’t need a spotter.
I like the bowflex systems, but just too big for the one I would want/need. I actually use the Bowflex adjustable dumbbells 552 model in concert with the soloflex. Do most heavy stuff on soloflex like squats, deadlifts, bench press, calf raises, donkey press, leg extensions and curls, rowing and leg press. Use the dumbbells for curls, raises and arm extension work. Together it is more than most need, especially if you get the 1090 dumbbells.
Bottom line, buy a uses Soloflex and get in shape. If you think you want more then go for New bowflex. Admit I just picked it back up about 9 months ago. Dropped 50 lbs using it and now am fairly ripped. Looking like the kid in the pictures!
February 24th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
Well you can add up to 500lbs in free weights on the Soloflex. It is made from steel and is made better than most comercial equipment. I am a 250lb bodybuilder and use it in the off season to save my joints. Bench press over 400lbs with the optional weight attachment with a Olympic sleeve.
You simply cannot do that with the Bowflex. The Bowflex is a toy for people who don’t know any better. A joke really in comparison.
No contest, Soloflex.
April 3rd, 2010 at 5:39 pm
I purchased my Soloflex over twenty-two years ago and never regretted it. This machine will last a life time. What I like most about Soloflex is the versatility. You can do chin-ups, pull-up, abdominal crunches, etc. You can also use freeweights if you desire. I like the feel of the rubber bands. They are very easy on the joints and as I get older, I appreciate this feature more and more. The bands last a very long time. A little Armorall a few times a year will help to preserve them. Best of all, the Soloflex uses little room and fit’s nicely in a corner.