Just hit 500 pounds on a steel bench setup and it surprised me

I've been using a basic aluminum rack for years but swapped to a 7-gauge steel one last month. On Wednesday I loaded it with 500 pounds for a test and the thing didn't even creak, while my old aluminum setup would have wobbled at 400. Which frame material do you think handles real weight better for home gyms?

2 comments

2 Comments

grace_perry448d ago

Steel all the way for heavy loads... aluminum just flexes too much once you push past 300.

angelafisher8d ago

You mentioned aluminum flexes too much past 300, and I have to wonder when exactly that becomes a real problem for most people. I guess if you're loading up a truck bed with structural steel every day, sure, go with steel. But for the average person hauling firewood or bags of mulch on the weekend, I don't see aluminum being that big of a deal. @grace_perry44, do you actually see a lot of bent tailgates from aluminum, or is this more of a theoretical worry? I feel like manufacturers wouldn't keep using it if it was truly failing left and right.