REP Fitness FB-5000 Competition Flat Bench Review 2022: Best Bench for the Money

In this REP Fitness FB-5000 Competition Flat Bench review, I want to talk about what I think is one of the best flat benches on the market (obviously, the REP FB-5000, hence the title). Not only is this a great-performing bench, but it also has a somewhat low entry-level cost of $210—and if that’s not enough for you, it’s comfortable to sit on between sets. Booyah.  

Why You Should Trust Us

I’ve researched more than 100 weight benches and, after extensive testing of more than 50 of them, have compiled a guide to the best weight benches for home gym owners. The REP Fitness FB-5000 is my top pick for the best flat utility bench for a number of reasons, which I’ll cover in this review.

A Quick Look at the REP Fitness FB-5000 Competition Flat Bench

The REP FB-5000 Competition flat weight bench is likely the most popular weight bench among home gym owners today. It’s built well with all of the features people want, but at a price point not often seen for high-quality, durable equipment like this. 

I’ve used the FB-5000 for over three years and am still as positive about it as I was when I first received it. It’s that good.

It’s worth noting that, to me, it seems pretty clear that the REP Fitness FB-5000 was designed as a budget alternative to the Rogue Monster Utility Bench.

Coop’s Tips:

• This bench has a standard 12-inch pad, but you can buy an extra-wide pad of 14 inches that fits right on if you’d like. 
• This is one of the best value benches, although the FB-4000 from REP beats it out in price while sacrificing weight capacity. 
• Vinyl upholstery on the bench pad is quite grippy, but not as much as the Rogue Thompson Fat Pad.

Is the REP Fitness FB-5000 Competition Flat Bench Worth It?

The REP Fitness FB-5000 Competition Flat Bench is one of the best value flat benches currently available to home gym owners. When we initially reviewed the FB-5000, it was significantly cheaper and had much less competition. Today, as with all gym equipment, it’s increased in price and now has many more competitors. 

Still, it features an intelligent design, a thick pad, durable steel frame, grippy vinyl, and other standout features at an overall great price point (especially since they now offer free shipping on it). Whether your max bench press is 135 pounds or 500 pounds, there are few weight benches that I’d say have a better value.

REP Fitness FB-5000 Competition Flat Bench Specs

Top of pad height	17 inches
Pad length	48 inches
Pad width	12 inches
Weight	62 pounds
Weight capacity	1,000 pounds
Total footprint	7.25 feet
Tolerance	3%
Construction	11-gauge steel

Using the REP Fitness FB-5000 Competition Flat Bench

I’m going to talk a little bit about specs, but I don’t want to harp on those, because specs don’t always tell the whole story in terms of performance. I will say that the FB-5000 does meet IPF powerlifting competition standards. What that means for you is the top of the pad itself is 17 inches off the ground.

In addition to the proper height for competition bench press, it’s 12 inches wide and 48 inches long (they also have a wide pad option that can be substituted for the standard pad.) It can handle up to a thousand pounds, which is more than I would ever need. The unit itself weighs over 60 pounds which creates stability during heavy dumbbell rows and bench sets. That said, it is a competition-style bench and you can see elements of that in this bench: If you take a look at the front, you’ll see that it has a single post-design, which is great for foot placement.

With a lot of the competition (from, let’s say Rogue Fitness or Titan Fitness) there was typically a flat-foot design in the front (although they now all have options that mimic what REP has done with this bench.). Feet on the front of the bench help somewhat with stability, but they take away from the ability to place your feet underneath the bench, which is often taught in powerlifting.. It’s annoying when the base of a bench gets in the way of your feet which ultimately affects your leg drive. 

Also, when you go to a competition, all benches will have single-post designs, so that’s another huge win for this REP bench. The fact that you can train on something that’s very similar to what you’ll see in a powerlifting competition makes a big difference. I know many hate when they trained on benches that were higher or lower; thinner or wider; whatever the case may be; and then having to go to compete and the bench was different.

I’m used to training a certain way on a certain style of bench with certain dimensions, and if the dimensions are even slightly different, it can definitely throw you off at max weights. I like to be able to practice how I play, so to say.

Durability, Construction, and Ergonomics

REP really mastered the relationship between durability and ergonomics with this piece of equipment. I mentioned before that this thing weighs over 60 pounds. It’s heavy, for sure, but that doesn’t mean it’s tough to move. There’s a handle in front and two wheels on the back, so you can easily pull it in or pull it out on the best squat racks of your choice. 

The Frame

As for the frame itself, it’s among the most heavy-duty, thanks to its 3-inch-by3-inch, 11-gauge steel tubing. This is actually the same kind of steel on the uprights of my Rogue Monster Lite Rack. Again, that’s really nice to see, as oftentimes you’ll see companies go with lower gauge steel or a 2.5-inch-by-2.5-inch design.

Another thing I love about the FB-5000 is the way that the frame mounts to the pad. There are four mounting points and they’re actually jutted out so you get some really good stability with the pad. 

On the flip side, if you take a look at the Titan Fitness Flat Bench, there are only two mounting points and the bolt holes sit right in the center of the bench. That lends some instability to the pad and the bench itself, and I’m definitely not a fan of that. So, I’m glad to see that’s not the case here with this REP Fitness FB-5000 Bench. 

The Bench Pad

Speaking of the pad, there are a couple of different ways to mount it depending on where you want it. The pad itself is 4 inches thick, so it’s considered a fat pad or a fat bench similar to the Rogue Thompson Fat Pad.

Despite the thicker width, the padding itself is pretty firm—not the same level of firmness as you would get with Rogue, but again, given the price of this bench, which is just over $200, I don’t think you’ll have any complaints about it. 

The Vinyl 

The vinyl on it is also very grippy. That’s nice to see. I believe when REP first released this, they had some complaints that the vinyl wasn’t as grippy as it should be. So they re-released it and improved the quality. I’ve gotta say it’s really nice and allows you to dig your shoulder blades into the pad when pressing.

REP FB-5000 vs. Rogue Monster Utility Bench

Ever since the REP FB-5000 was released, many companies have taken notice of its popularity and have since created their own take on the bench.

Rogue Fitness has updated their Monster Utility Bench by making it shorter for use with the Thompson Fat Pad, added a handle and wheels, and reconstructed it so it can stand up for storage.

Although we like the features of the Monster Utility Bench, we think the FB-5000 is a much better value for the price. If you like knowing your equipment is made in the USA, and prefer a bit of a beefier design with some potential customization options and better welds, then check out the Rogue alternative. Otherwises stick with REP.

For more details, read our full Rogue Monster Utility Bench 2.0 review.

REP FB-5000 vs. Bells of Steel Flat Bench

Another competitor to the FB-5000 weight bench is the Bells of Steel Fat Flat Bench. For all intents and purposes, it’s pretty much the same exact bench. It has a different handle design and wheels, but the pad is grippy and thick, it has a 1,000-pound weight capacity, and a three-post design with a single front-foot post.

The biggest difference is that Bells of Steel is using 12-gauge steel while REP is using 11-gauge. Technically, the REP bench will hold more weight due to its stronger steel frame, but I’d venture to guess most home gym owners aren’t benching enough to come close to the 1,000 weight capacity anyway. 

One very important note: Bells of Steel offers a lifetime warranty on the frame while REP only offers a 10-year warranty. 

REP FB-5000 vs. REP FB-4000 Comp Lite Bench 

The other main competitor to the FB-5000 is actually from the same company. The REP FB-4000 Comp Lite Flat Bench is nearly identical to the FB-5000, but it uses 14-gauge steel and has a thinner bench pad. Due to the thinner steel, it has a lower weight capacity of 700 pounds versus 1,000. The FB-4000 does come at a lower price for those reasons (but with the same color options!). For those trying to build a pretty lean budget home gym, this is a great option, but we’d suggest the FB-5000 above it for most people.

Customer Experience 

In my experience, REP Fitness has pretty good customer service. I haven’t run into any issues with the company: They always respond promptly and professionally to my concerns. If you need to get in touch with REP about anything, including problems with your order, you can contact them through email or phone. You can also track your order and get warranty information about products in your order on the website. 

Customer Reviews

REP Fitness recently redesigned their website, and it looks like it messed up the way customer reviews come in. I know there are plenty of reviews for the FB-5000 out there, but they don’t appear on the website or on Google currently. And the FB-5000 is one of the only REP benches not available on Amazon, so no reviews there, either. 

However, members in our Home Gym Community group on Facebook are loud and proud about how much they like the FB-5000, saying things like they’d buy it for the pad alone. There are some mixed reviews in there, too, as with all products. Some older complaints include issues with the powder coat being too thin or the pad not sitting completely level, but it seems REP has addressed all of these issues in the last couple of years. 

Three-Year Update

I have now had the Rep FB-5000 Flat Bench for over three years. I’ve used it in my garage gym time and time again, and have had probably close to 100 other people use it in my personal training studio. Despite it being used by so many and so often, it still feels and performs as it did on day one. The vinyl continues to grip my back when I dig my shoulder blades in for a max set of bench press; and there’s no indentation from where my knee rests during single-arm rows. 

If I’m being honest, I’m typically not going to buy budget-friendly equipment for myself. That doesn’t mean I don’t recognize its importance—most of what I recommend to others is more budget-friendly than what I prefer to use myself. That said, I don’t see much of a reason to use any other utility bench. The FB-5000 is simply that good and since it’s a simple product, there isn’t a ton of room for improvement.

The 17-inch height seems like a no-brainer today, but when introduced, it was kind of a big deal. The single front post also seems like something that should be on every bench, however, again when it was released, there weren’t a ton of them on the market and even fewer were affordable. 

After three years, do we at Garage Gym Reviews still recommend the FB-5000? Yes, without a doubt. There’s a reason it was chosen as the best weight bench in our most recent weight bench guide.

Final Verdict of Our REP FB-5000 Competition Flat Bench Review

Overall, this bench is phenomenal as-is. For a hair over $200, you get a solid, sturdy bench that will last for years, plus the ability to customize with a wider pad and choose your favorite color. 

• The REP Fitness FB-5000 is one of the best value flat benches out there.
• This is what we recommend for home gym owners who want the best combination of features and price. 
• After three years, we’re still loving the FB-5000 and it still performs as it did on day one of delivery.

Full Rating