Barbarian Smith Machine Review

Yet another big thanks to Ellis for sending a review of his Barbarian Smith Machine and Weightlifting Bench. Ellis has purchased several Barbarian pieces for his gym and Adelaide, so we are very grateful to have such loyal customers.

Hey Sam just wanted to drop you an email after having the Barbarian Smith Machine and Barbarian adjustable bench for a few weeks and giving it some heavy abuse. Both are awesome.

I will start with the bench. It went together very simply and once it was set up it was solid and performed well. There is a big range of adjustments to suit all users with the moveable back rest and seat. Even on a decline, it works very well and I haven`t slid off the bench once. Its simple to move around and has a nice and small footprint. I really like the fact that there is very little gap between the seat and the back rest. Overall very solid and easily as good as some of the top level super expensive benches available.

The Barbarian Smith machine is a joy to use. It was simple to build and follow the included instructions. The machine itself is ultra smooth and glides up and down very nicely on the linear bearings. Plenty of storage room as well for weights with the 6 loading pins it comes with. I`ve been using it for practically every body part and have loved being able to train to failure without worry of getting pinned under the bar.

The chin up bar is a great extra, as is the gun rack for doing some regular free bar work. Overall we are really pleased with it and are looking into getting the lat pulldown option next.

Once again Barbarian have come up with the goods, making machines that are easily as solid as the well known brands, but at half the cost. They are great for both home use and regular studio use (as in our case). Thanks for stocking a great range of equipment at a great price and having the best customer service going.

Cheers mate, Ellis

Ellis has summed up the Barbarian gear perfectly. It feels and functions like high end brands, but at a fraction of the cost. This is achieved by making the machines flat packed – dramatically reducing transport and storage costs. Normally this would come at the expense of durability, but the Germans have several tricks up their sleeves to make these bolt together machines just as strong as their welded brethren.

Secondly, the Barbarian Line is never going to win any beauty contests. In true German fashion, when aesthetics are not important, they can be very bland. The paintwork is very basic, if you are looking for a flawless mirror finish then you will have to pay double. The machines are painted in anticipation of a solid beating, so it just purely functional. But you can see from Ellis’ gym, it has a real hardcore look.

So thanks again Ellis, and have fun with your new toys!