Rep Fitness Nighthawk Bench Review: The Evolution of the AB4100
Over the past few years, Rep Fitness has become known for delivering fantastic adjustable benches for home gym enthusiasts. Their latest offering, the Nighthawk bench, represents a significant upgrade to their popular AB4100 model. After several weeks of intensive testing, here's a detailed look at what makes this bench stand out in a crowded market.
The Key Upgrades
The Nighthawk bench builds upon everything that made the AB4100 great while addressing user feedback and adding premium features. Here's what's new:
- Wider base with molded liner for enhanced stability
- Chamfered metal edges replacing plastic end caps for a more premium look
- Protective wheel covers for better aesthetics and durability
- Beautiful volcano knurling with black nickel finish on adjustment points
- Six color options with dual-tone black guard rail
- Thicker metal on the guard rails
- Closed ladder system to prevent instability during vertical storage
- Streamlined design with the adjustable headrest positioned on the back of the pad
- Winged approach to the front section with molded liner for increased stability
- Clean grip material covering for superior grip during workouts
- Upgraded molded foam insert pad for better comfort and support
- Compatibility with leg roller attachments (and future leg extension/curl attachments)
Specifications That Matter
The Nighthawk comes in with impressive specs that make it ideal for home gym setups:
- Pad width: 11.8 inches (IPF compliant)
- Bench height: 16.7 inches (IPF compliant)
- Weight: 88 pounds
- Price point: Only $50 more than the previous AB4100 model
Performance Review
At 88 pounds, the Nighthawk hits the perfect balance between stability and maneuverability. It's heavy enough to remain solid during intense workouts but light enough to move around your home gym with one hand. This makes it particularly suitable for spaces where equipment needs to be repositioned frequently.
The clean grip material truly shines during use, providing that locked-in feeling that's essential for stability during pressing movements. Unlike many competitor benches, there's no need to constantly realign your body – you simply position yourself and get to work.
The molded foam pad deserves special mention, as it offers an excellent balance between comfort and support. It's slightly softer than Rep's AB5200, making it more comfortable for extended sessions, but still firm enough to provide the necessary support for heavy lifts without collapsing at the edges.
Where It Could Improve
Despite its impressive features, there are two areas where the Nighthawk could be better:
- Customization options: While the bench comes in six attractive colors, it lacks the dual-tone customization options of the AB5200 2.0, which offers 36 different color combinations between the bench and ladder system.
- Leg roller attachment pricing: The leg roller attachment is sold separately at around $110, with no discount offered when purchasing it together with the bench. Even a small bundle discount would make this additional expense more palatable.
Final Verdict
The Rep Fitness Nighthawk is a significant upgrade over the already excellent AB4100. It successfully threads the needle between functionality, aesthetics, and price point. For $450, you get a premium adjustable bench that outperforms many competitors costing significantly more.
The bench perfectly balances weight and stability, offers excellent grip and comfort, provides vertical storage capability, and includes compatibility with current and future attachments. Its thoughtful design elements set it apart from the countless copycat adjustable benches flooding the market.
If you're in the market for a new adjustable bench that won't overwhelm your space while still delivering professional-grade performance, the Nighthawk deserves your serious consideration. It's not just a minor tweak to an existing product – it's a comprehensive reimagining that elevates the home gym experience.
