Valor Athletics Inc. Reviews

Jim, thank you for the videos, I went ahead and purchased it that night, received the part, put it together and am more than satisfied.

It is a lot sturdier than I originally thought. I am very happy with the purchase, can't wait to use it.

- The product is as good or better than I expected. (Note - I have very high expectations)

- The packaging was perfectly appropriate and my product got to me without any damage.

- The small bottle of touch-up paint was the icing on the cake. (Unfortunately, I could not figure out what it was until I opened it and spilled some of it)

- Your "Thank you" email below over and above the automatic email order confirmation was a nice, personal touch.

I own my own business and appreciate the type of product quality and customer service I got from your company; and we run our company the same way. You get two (2) thumbs up from me and I look forward to future business opportunities.

Review from: Dan Rinke on 4/25/10 via email:

First, I found customer service to be top-notch. Jim at Valor always responded to my questions very quickly and even sent a note when the DA-6 shipped (I had been waiting for a long time as they were waiting for a shipment of their own).

Shipping and Ordering:  I ordered over the web, no hiccups there. It's the standard format you'd find on any web-based storefront. Shipping was fast. I ordered Monday and received the unit Thursday and was able to track it on Fed Ex.

Packaging: It came shipped in a very heavy box, solidly and well packed. There was no damage to the external box. Frankly, though, it'd be hard to imagine that this bench could could hurt during the shipping process.

Contents: I ordered the DA-6 bench. No missing parts - everything was there and secure. There are really only 3 parts though, plus some bolts (assembly was a snap).

Quality: This bench is a beast. Heavy duty and VERY solid. I was surprised in fact when I opened the box. The frame is extremely heavy - the steel is very wide and thick. The feet are a thick rubber matt material that fits snugly around the base. Welds seemed average to me, nothing outstanding there, but there's no question they will hold well. The foam used is dense - I mean its so hard that when you lay on it it feels like the floor, your body barely leaves an impression. The covering is average - nothing outstanding, seems like regular vinyl to me, but is of good quality as well and should last.  The one thing I'd like to have seen is perhaps a heavier duty baseboard (on which the foam sits and to which the frame connects). It seems like regular plywood. Again, I'm sure it will hold and last, but to fit the rest of the bench perhaps a heavier wood.

Assembly: A snapp. There are three parts and 6 bolts. It should take about 10 minutes to put together. One of the bolts I received was dinged up on the end, which slowed the process down a little. But overall, it was the easiest piece of equipment I've ever put together.

Use: I've used it for 5 days now, and I am happy to say I have no regrets. Its a great piece to add to any gym. I love the low profile (16 inches high).  The tri-pod base is very stable, especially given its height and the thickness of the frame materials. Its heavy - but not so heavy you can't move it around.   I would guess the weight capacity of the frame alone is 1000 lbs - its that heavy. But, given my comment about the wood (which still solid and well supported by the wide frame and bolts) I would say 6-700lbs is not out of the question - which is more than I would ever lift anyway.

Cost: Some may have noticed that the DA-6 went from $180 to $225. I was a bit surprised by this as well, which prompted me to revisit my search for a bench on the web.  There are a number of similar quality benches to be found, but they still run in the $250 range without shipping. At $225, this bench is still a good deal, and if you can find it cheaper, all the better. If you don't care about low profile and don't need the capacity, I am sure any of the step down benches from Valor will work great too.

Overall:  To me, the solid build and low profile design justify the price. The quality of the bench leads me to believe I may not have to buy another for a long time and I know this bench will handle whatever I can throw at it. And when I do need to replace, I will definitely look to Valor first.