I recently got a pair of these. Hands down much better than the spin locks I used to have. I much prefer the cleaner look of the flat end as I usually have my dumbbells sitting in their stand with weight already on them. If you already have some standard plates and want an upgrade, I highly recommend these.
Since they're so cheap a person could make a pair of 25s for side/rear delt work and when you get stronger keep 30 on there then 32.5 or 35 etc. Then get a pair that can hold 100-130 for benching or 150lbs for rows. Why have a set of 20+ dumbells when you might need 2-5 specific weights! I might get a pair and worst case can leave lighter weights on for side/rear delt or a set of 50s for warming up with!
Coop you should take a look at the new Adjustabells MAX model with a metal handle and pegs that support up to 150lbs capacity per handle and can even be dropped on mats!
I've had 2 pairs of these since October last year. They're great. I take 1 pair travelling to places that dont have large dumbbells. I've used 15kg Olympic plates on these. A bit uncomfortable to manoeuvre but doable. My primary dumbbells are good quality spin-locks that I can change faster than Ironmaster. Not having flat ends never bothered me.
I own several pair of spin-lock dumbbells because I don't like to add or subtract weight plates for different exercises. However, having flat ends matter when you do bench presses because it is much easier to place heavy dumbbells on your knees to kick them up into position.
@@shiwakuseven5859 I use to have 6 pairs of spinlock. Now I use 3. Mine spin off/on very quickly. I find no problem with the pokey ends. I rest the part of plate that's next to the thread on my thighs beforeI hoist them into position for presses. I have no problem with 2x 35kg dumbells sitting on my thighs. Maybe it's because I've been doing it for 40 years.
Can’t wait to see your thoughts on the new Pepin Fast Series adjustable dumbbells. It would be great to see the head to head with the snode AD80 and Nuobells
A great no nonsense review. I did a review a couple of weeks ago. Perfect for my home gym setup and I'm not a hard core lifter. Thanks for your take on these.
For spinlocks, to get the spin on collar flush with the bar, just get some 1" washers. They are cheap, sold at every hardware store, and come in various thicknesses. I find that between the washers, and having lots of 5, 2.5, and 1.5 lb. plates, I can get a flat end on any weight that is heavy enough that the flat end makes a difference (largely, doing db bench).
@@juliocesarsalazargarcia6872 Sure. The problem is the threaded rod sticking out past the collar. You need the collar flush. So with the washers, you can pad it out as much as you want. I have a lot of 5s and 2.5s and some 1.5s. Between that and the washers, I can have the collars on the heavier dbs flush.
It’s ggr they have every pair of every Dumbell out there of course he’s going to have fixed dumbbells there the the best but he realizes people don’t have the space and budget for fixed dumbbells. Also that gym he is in is not even his home gym 🙄
@@GarageGymReviews hey do you normally prep companies when you’re going to do a review on their product? I ordered these a couple days after you made this and they are on back order with no outlook on when I’ll get mine. Seems like they weren’t ready for the Coop push lol
I have had the 20" Titan adjustable dumbbells for about a year. They are nice but kind of a pain in the ass due to the length, they get in the way of a lot of movements. My Kensui adjusta-bells showed up today and I experimented with them on my lunch break. They are awesome! So much nicer for my garage gym.
I've been kicking around the idea of getting these because I hate the end of my adjustable dumbbells. I do believe you've just cemented my decision to grab a pair of these!
I've had these Walmart cap adjustable dumbbells since the pandemic and put 6 25's on them often for pressing and nothing bad so far. They're more expensive now but far less than most of these. I think $16 ish per one dumbbell. Just set them on your thigh offset before pressing as to not get the end bruising you.
Longtime viewer, first time commenting! 1. Love all the content- old stuff, new stuff, high end stuff, budget stuff 2. Hilarious how you talk about a Rep Ares or Athena like it's cheap, but on this video reiterate on 4 separate occasions that the aluminum handles are going to cost you extra. My shopping cart is $117.95 for handles and 2 pairs of the extensions. That's a budget most of us can handle without you needing to warn us or apologize for Coop! 3. Thanks for doing this video. I've had these in my shopping cart for a couple of days and didn't pull the trigger until now!
Have been looking for something exactly like this - thanks for reviewing. Can't afford the Pepins, especially with shipping to Australia, so I'll be sourcing this ASAP!
Like: great dumbbell . I’ve had them before but sold when I moved. ru-vid.comUgkx8N-gevHZ6YWNoOYdRjL90vdbNyOKKHxL Replacing now.Dislike: the packaging is awful now. Not wrapped in plastic and tiny styrofoam pieces all over. Had to wash the bases in the sink to clean them off and then clean each set of weights after adjusting just to get all the styrofoam pieces removed. Bowflex, you can do better.I’m still giving an overall 5 because the product is good. Just know you may have to deal with horrid packaging for now, but maybe Bowflex will sort that in the future.
Thanks Coop. I have a ton of standard plates. I even purchased a set of 100# dumbbells that have the spin handles. There are 2 problems with them. First the collars loosen up as you use them. Second the ends of the bar sticks out so they hit the bench or me as I lift them. That also means you can't set them on their end. I could see these handles with the extenders being really nice.
I currently have a LOT of standard plates (over 350 lbs, lol) and use spin lock dumbbells, ez curl bars, 1 inch farmers carry handles, and my lay pull down is also uses standard plates…. Gonna stick to spin locks for heavy rows and other moves that it makes sense on, but I’ve got a pair of these (probably will stick with using them for pressing) along with their ankr product, that foot dumbbell thing…. Keep my Olympic plates on the rack for barbell uses, and keep my large collection of standard plates relevant as it would suck to just have to stick them in the corner as dust collectors…
If you have a lot of 25s and//or 50s, it is worth getting a good quality standard barbell to complement the only set. I have a 6' and a 7', and have had 295 on the 7' bar with no problem (I think it is rated for 250).
I'm wrong alot. I was wrong about coop. Used to not be into his channel. He seems like a really cool dude who has good reviews of home gym stuff. I watch him alot now.
Ordered these about a month ago, just got them in this week. I've been waiting for this review and after using them and watching the video I agree 100% with what coop said.
@dpotter08 I like them quite a bit. I mostly use them for over 50lbs because I have rubber hex dumbbells up to 45lbs. Kensui has come out with a MAX version now. Its an aluminum handle, but I haven't seen it or used it. I have considered buying a second set, regular or max, and selling my rubber dumbbells though. It would take up a lot less room and space is precious.
These are my go to over loadable handles. The flat end and shorter length is a much better experience. I don't mind the effort to change the weight, if you need another weight on the ready they are cheap enough to buy another set.
I was thinking this when he mentioned drop sets. They are cheap enough to buy another set at $40. When/if the time comes for a home gym these will likely be on my list of must haves.
Saw this video and thought "not another freaking dumbbell video" but this looks like an amazing option for heavy dumbbells where it's kinda price prohibitive to buy fixed so now im gonna order 😂 thanks coop
I just got them and used them today! I do like them. The knurling is very passive but the handle feel good. The diameter of the handle is better than my 2 in loadable dumbbells. I might just get some standard plates for it just so I can get more weight on them and have uniformity with my plates.
Thank You for your Review. I am Old School - only have and use 1" standard plates. Over the years have collected up to 2,000 Lb. standard plates, including 4 x 100 lb. standard plates. Yes, used for bench press, squat & deadlift. Never did Olympic Lifting.
I absolutely love my standard pig iron plates and bars, but I also use Olympic weights as well. I'd strongly advise using a few Olympic plates and bars, especially for benching and squats, someone put me on about a decade ago, ive been training for 3 decades , and I immediately added them to my routine. Mostly for balance for major lifts, and to stop bending my standard pig iron bars lol, but the hand position of Olympic lifting will cause new growth for you, believe it or not. I will never stop using my standard equipment, I find it superior for most things , especially strength, but I'll also have to say Olympic bars and plates add something new to lifting me for , and if you want to go super heavy, they are more forgiving , if that makes any sense at all. They have give and play, allowing for heavier lifts and new hand positions. I use standard for two weeks, a week of Olympic, back to standard. Try it, you'll see! Glad to see another standard lover still exists though! I have thousands of pounds , most antiques I've been offered a good deal of money for , I'll never sell them, my sons now train with them too, they will remain with my family forever. I even have a bunch of old school bell style dumbells
So I tried to call Kensui today to learn the status of my order. The call goes to voicemail and the mailbox is full. I can only assume it is full of messages from customers, like me, trying to find out where our products are. I called multiple times. I'm in the 4th week of waiting for my order to ship. I'm still looking forward to receiving the Adjustabells, but I wouldn't recommend ordering anything from Kensui due to a lack of customer service or response to customer inquiries unless you don't mind it taking a month or more to receive.
I use ironmaster’s as my main adjustable dumbbell. However, I picked up a set of these because sometimes my program calls for a drop set. Ironmasters dont adjust quickly enough for an effectice drop set so these do the job nicely. Also, the ironmaster plates fit fine on these handles so that was a bonus.
Coop: Would love to see you review battle ropes. You can call it the battle of the battle ropes! No but seriously, it seems there are quite a lot of options out there and some quality control issues.
Got a set for Christmas and one month in I find myself having to retighten them any time they are rolled on the floor but they are nice to set on your legs between sets.
I really like the idea of these and might invest in a pair or two. On their site the are $39.95 a pair and you can get 3 pair for $100 thats not a bad deal. I currently have 3 spinlocks that I got for $11 a pair and purchases all my 1 inch plates for less than 50c a lb on market place. I have about 300lbs currently.
Coop - Will you please review the Snode adjustable dumbbells? I have seen many comparisons to Nuobells with some saying the Snode's are better. Would love to get your thoughts.
Hmmmm. I may try and recreate something similar with my 3d printer. I can print with carbon fiber nylon as well as multiple different types of nylon. Could be sweet if they hold up.
Don’t forget about people with not a lot of space; my home gym takes up about 0,5m2(6sq’) when not in use and about 2m2 when in use. Spinlock or a variant there of are the only dumbells I have space for. After this review I’m going to try a set of these.
I could see buying a couple of something like these, adding standard plates, keeping them preloaded with weights that exceed 100lbs, make your own pro style dumbbells.
i just bought these three days ago. i have dumbbells up to 45 pounds so i'm hoping these will get me to 70 to 80 pounds. not sure how i'm going to like adjusting all the time but i just can't get a full set of dumbbells or the really nice adjustables yet.
Two sets of these with one of them including the extenders is all you'll ever need. Honestly how many drops do you need for a drop set? And you're only losing a tiny bit of space compared to adjustable dumbbells which can cost up to $2k.
What we need is a good middle ground, I will most likely buy these. I can´t understand how in this this day and age, they can´t mass produce screw-in handles at a 200 - 250 price point for the handles and 2 sets of screws (more than 2x of these, less than half of Pepin) or even cheaper. Then again, why do so if they market is willing to pay.
If I’m being honest, one of the best parts of adjustable dumbells is quick change 5lb increments. For the flow of a workout and quick switching without bogging down your sets and sessions, too many adjustable dumbbells take much longer than necessary to swap. Especially for circuits in a home gym, you want to be able to quick swap and keep moving. I don’t find these, or most actually, to fit the bill. Price is price, but you get what you pay for and functionality is huge.
Are all of your pins that come with them Warped bad? I just received mine and and the base of all 4 pins are warped, poor molding. I'll see if they'll replace or return.... if this is how all of them are, I can't believe most people would keep them even for paying $60 etc..
I use spin lock dumbbells pretty much every day and I can guarantee you this product is way less convenient. Say bench press for instance, warm up with 70lbs(which is this things max weight but lets pretend it isn't) then work up to 110 - 120's in 10 lbs increments. . Disassemble the whole dumbbell to add a plate or spin a nut a few times? lmao The product we need as cheap and strong garage gym owners is a pair robust, metal spinlock dumbbell handles that can use both standard and Olympic weights (without slop) and are certified to hold 200lbs each. Sell them handles for $40 and I might trade in the mismatching pair of handles I currently use for 'em
Could the rods for these be used with the IFast adjustable? I know the 50lb set has the capability to go up to 80lb, but have been curious if I could possibly find longer rods. I'm aways off from that, but thinking ahead.
Just came here to say that Kensui has already added a picture of Coop from this review. Just goes to show how much influence he is having when this video has only been out a day.
I received mine recently with the extensions. The max I have loaded so far is 46kg on each one using 5kg, 2kg and 1kg 28mm plates but I think it could take more as long as you leave enough of the extension thread inside the handles. It’s a lot easier getting the DB into position for DB chest press and not having to worry about slamming a 28mm steel rod into your leg. I haven’t dropped them yet so I can’t say if they can withstand it. The extensions are made from aluminium alloy but the handles are made from hard nylon. I would be a bit more confident dropping them if the handles were made of the same material as the extensions. Also, just wondering, does the extension for the Kensui DB fit into the handle for the Pepin DB?
I wonder if the pegs work on the Pepin handles. Mind trying it for us Coop? Could be a way to get the knurled/metal handle grip while saving on the cost of pegs.
Coop, great, informative review as always. Question… could you use the Kensui olympic spacers on the Pepin handles to allow for the use of olympic plates?
Coop, I do mayhem 30 and we do dumbell snatches and dumbell cleans. We never drop the dumbell but do an aggressive touch and go from the floor. Do you think the locking mechanism would stay.
I'm not even sure I would consider these "adjustable" dumbbells since it takes SO LONG to change weights. I wouldn't want to do a drop set with these. I think I would call them something like "Convertible" dumbbells since you have to physically convert from one size to another.
What would your recommend for a budget way to go over 80 pounds? I have noubells and I love them but occasionally want something that goes heavier for presses, rows, ect… I don’t need that heavy very often so would love something I could get heavy with on a semi budget to pair with my Nuobells
I am guessing over time since they are plastic they will end up cracking and breaking. I will say for someone who moves a lot like a military person they would probably be a good investment. Buy them cheap, use them for 6 months to a year and sell them to someone else. For the long run I would invest in metal parts.
Seems like you can buy the Olympic plate drop ins and use them in other systems like the Peppins because you are dealing with the same diameters across all systems-converting the bar from 1 inch to 2 inch. For $9, it’s worth a shot if you already own one of those other systems or if you want the peppins because they are higher quality but want to use Olympic plates.
I have a pair of db handles that take Olympic plates like the rogue handles form amazon that cost me like 60$ and can prob take whatever weight you can fit on them do the job
