I recently had the pleasure of trying out the Bowflex SelectTech dumbbells. Ever since I first seen these, I thought they were the the coolest thing in the history of fitness equipment. So I thought it was time to try them out.
The product is very impressive. You get 15 sets of dumbbells from 5lbs-52.5lbs (2.5 increments until 25 and then 5 lbs until 50) in two pairs of dumbbells. They way they work is you simply turn a dial to the amount of weight you want on all four sides and away you go!
Pros of the Bowflex SelectTech
-This set is the ultimate space saver. With only two pairs of dumbbells you don't have to dedicate a whole room to a weight set. You can even take them with you to the cottage or to a friends place for a workout.
-They look really cool! Especially with the stand, that is sold separately for about 0.
-They are made for Bowflex by Nautilus, which is a reputable fitness equipment supplier.
-A cool feature is that you can have offset weight selection. You can do curls or overhead extensions with one side heavier than the other, for an extra challenge. They advertise this as a unique feature but people have been doing this with weight plates for ages. However, it's still an advantage over fixed free weights and a much easier transition than changing weight plates.
-A lot of people say that they are expensive. They are not really and that's why I have this point as a pro. A set of 15 good quality dumbbells would cost 5. The Bowflex SelectTech are between 0-500. It's actually quite a bit more affordable. Also the weight stand is a lot cheaper than a fixed weight dumbbell stand. It's a good value.
Cons of the Bowflex SelectTech
-A maximum weight of 52.5 pounds can be limiting for some people. You can buy a larger set that goes up to 90lbs. It's more expensive though, at around 0-800.
-A common complaint about this product is that the weight plates that are not being used sometimes stick to the dumbbell. When you pull it out from the base, a weight plate that is not being used, might come flying out. This can really damage floors, or feet! This actually happened the first time I tried them. The best solution to this problem is to give them a little shake before lifting them out. This hasn't happened since my clients (who have the dumbbells) figured out the shaking trick.
-They seem a little fragile. The Bowflex SelectTech even comes with a warning to not drop them. I don't think many people throw weights around in their home anyway (yet at the gym there is this strange weight throwing phenomenon) but it still makes me a little nervous that they can break if they fall off a bench accidentally.
-The most concerning factor about this product is, what if they DO happen to break? Even one. The whole set is ruined. Bowflex offers a 5 year warranty. Personally, I don't think that's long enough! Imagine losing 15 sets of dumbbells all at once. It would be devastating!
Bottom Line
The Bowflex SelectTech is fun to use and it looks really REALLY cool! I think it's a great product to buy. Especially if you are trying to save space. The only thing that would actually stop me from buying these are the risk that they are not durable enough to last years and years. At least with free weights you know they are practically indestructible.
The cons listed have solutions, like buying the heavier set and basically being a little more cautious with them then a normal weight set. These are things that are not a terrible inconvenience. It just takes a little bit more consideration.
If you want to buy a weight set and get it done all at once, try out the Bowflex SelectTech. If you buy from Bowflex directly, they give you a six week trial period to test them out.
