FlyBird Adjustable Weight Bench Review: is it still the best foldable weight bench?

For over a decade, I’ve been reviewing gym gear from Flybird. It’s not the best gear on the market, but the quality is there with these guys.

They’re one of the few companies I’ve come across that can deliver quality while keeping prices down.

And that’s why Flybird sells so much gear, you get a well-made, sturdy bench, like their flagship bench, the Flybird Adjustable Weight Bench, for under $150, and it’s a full FID bench (flat, incline, and decline)

It’s rare to find a well-made FID bench for under $150. I’ve reviewed over 50 or so low-cost benches over the years and found only a handful of decent FID benches, and two of those benches were made by Flybird.

So yeah, Flybird is certainly the go-to company for a low-cost, high-quality, adjustable-weight bench. And has been for years.

It’s certainly a bench, I feel, that deserves a much closer look. And in today’s Flybird Adjustable Weight Bench Review, we’ll take a close look at everything this bench has to offer, including any drawbacks.

Also, don’t miss the comparisons with other favs of ours in the under $150 price bracket at the end of the review.

First, a quick look at the Flybird Weight Bench specs, pros, and cons!

Specs

Read More: 7 Best Weight Benches For Home Gyms

Why Do We Like The Flybird Adjustable Weight Bench?

As I already mentioned in the intro, it’s the sturdy design I like most about this bench. So many lightweight benches, especially the foldable ones, are plagued by stability issues, but with the Flybird bench, they thought about the design, they’ve made the front and rear stabilizing feet much wider, which really helps with stability.

Adjustable Levelers – Stable on Uneven Surfaces

Also, they thought to include a couple of adjustable levelers built into the rear stabilizer, a very useful feature, as they can be adjusted to keep the bench stable on uneven floors.

These two simple features, the wide stabilizing feet and the adjustable levelers, are key in preventing wobbles. Lightweight benches like the Flybird don’t have the extra weight to aid stability and rely heavily on the design for their stability.

So a big thumbs up to Flybird for designing a stable, low-cost weight bench.

Easy To Use Folding System`

Another feature I was impressed with on the Flybird Bench was its folding system. It’s so easy to use. So many of the folding benches I’ve reviewed are awkward to fold, with overcomplicated folding systems, but the Flyfird bench’s system is so simple.

All you need to do is remove a couple of pins, and the bench folds with ease. Takes just a few seconds.

And once folded, the bench’s overall footprint is more than halved. You can store it against a wall or even under a bed. Great for those of you who are tight on space and need to store the bench after each workout.

Click here to check price of the Flybird Weight Bench on Amazon

Full FID Bench (8 backpad positions)

There’s a ton of back pad positions with the Flybird Weight Bench, ranging from 90 degrees to -30, which is exactly what you want, it’s more than enough for all your bench pressing needs.

It’s a full FID bench (flat, incline, and decline), which means you can work all areas of the chest, lower, middle, and upper.

Getting hold of a well-made full FID bench for $150 is rare, as I already mentioned, most budget adjustable benches are poorly made, have stability problems, etc.

So yeah, I love that this bench offers all the versatility you need from a weight bench. Still, the Flybird Bench only has the full 90 degrees for seated shoulder presses, I would have liked to have seen an 85 or even 80 degrees as well.

The reason I like an 80-degree angle for seated shoulder presses is that it allows you to arch your back slightly, creating a more stable base to press from.

With the 90-degree angle, you almost feel like you’re falling forward. For me, it affects how much power you can put into the press. But of course, we are all different. I know many lifters who actually prefer the full 90 degrees. It depends on what suits you best.

But I prefer to have a choice. Flybird should have included a couple of backpad angles for seated shoulder presses. It’s not a deal killer, but something maybe they could think to include when they next update the bench.

3-way Adjustable Seat (incline support)

An adjustable seat is a must-have feature when choosing an adjustable bench. It’s a feature even beginners will need, and the reason why it’s so important is that it stops your butt from slipping down the seat when you’re incline bench pressing. An adjustable seat provides you with that all-important stable base to press from.

Without an adjustable seat, your form and your power will be affected. And it’s even more important if you plan on lifting heavy.

The Flybird bench has a 3-way adjustable seat, flat, 12°, 23°. This is perfect for your incline workouts.

Pop Pin Adjustment Systems – Pro or Con?

I’ve never been a huge fan of the pull-pin or pop-pin adjustment systems. I find them slower to adjust than the ladder adjustment systems you usually find on more heavy-duty benches.

Also, with the pull pin adjustment system, there is always the worry that the pin might snap, which does happen with the budget benches.

It shouldn’t snap, with the Flybird Bench, as it’s surprisingly high-quality for a budget bench, still it’s something that stays in the back of your mind when lifting heavy with the pull pin system.

Also, I find pull pin systems dont feel as sturdy as the ladder adjustment system, so for me and many others, a pop pin adjustment system is more of a negative than a positive, again, not a deal stopper, just would have liked to have seen a ladder adjustment system for the backpad at least.

Can The Flybird Weight Bench Handle It’s 800lb Capacity?

Most companies that produce budget benches love to boast huge weight capacities to sell their benches, but in reality, there’s no way a low-cost, lightweight bench could handle the huge weights they advertise every day.

They just dont have the heavy-duty frame or commercial-grade welds to cope with that much weight regularly.

And yes, it’s the same thing with the Flybird Bench. It’s a $150 bench that weighs just 28lb. It’s a lightweight, foldable bench. It hasn’t been designed for serious lifters lifting heavy inside a power rack.

And yeah, it’s one of the better ones out there, but still, it’s a mile away from being a heavy-duty weight bench.

So 800lb? Yes, probably it could handle this a few times, but every day for years? no! And it would be unsafe to even think so. For a well-made lightweight bench like the Flybird, I’d keep the max weight to under a more realistic 600lb, which is still impressive for a bench in this price range.

Seat and Backpad Padding – Just Right

I do like the padding on this bench. Flybird uses high-density foam for the seat and backpad padding. High-density foam is the gold standard for weight benches. It’s not too soft to cause stability problems or too hard to be off-putting and uncomfortable, it’s just right. And always a surprise to find it being used on a low-cost weight bench.

18.5″ Height in Flat

The height of a weight bench in its flat position is more important than many people think. The reason it’s so important is that you want to keep your feet flat on the ground while bench pressing.

If the bench is too high, shorter users will have trouble. If you can’t get your feet flat on the ground, it’s going to affect the amount of power you can put into your lifts.

Benches being too high in flat is one of the major issues with cheap weight benches. I’ve reviewed many with heights of 22.5″ in flat, which is just too high.

What we want is for our adjustable weight bench to be just as impressive in flat as it is in incline. To achieve that, we need to get as close as possible to the height of a commercial/competition flat bench, which is around 17.5.”

So while Flybird didn’t quite reach the desirable 17.5″, they got pretty close. 18.5″ is decent for an adjustable-weight bench, and you shouldn’t have any issues with it.

Drawbacks of the Flybird Adjustable Weight Bench

There’s not too much I could fault about the Flybird Adjustable Weight Bench. Overall, it’s a well-made, sturdy bench worth its price,it’s better than most in this price range.

Still, if I had to be picky:

1. It’s not suitable for heavy lifters, it’s not a heavy-duty bench, it’s best suited to dumbbell workouts for beginners and intermediates. It’s not a bench that’s designed for all lifters.
2. The pull pin adjustment system is slower/less sturdy than a ladder adjustment system
3. Would have liked to have seen another adjustment angle for seated shoulder presses
4. The frame warranty is just one year, which is really short

So nothing major, just a few minor drawbacks, for an otherwise impressive weight bench for the price point.

Easy Assembly – 10 Minutes

Assembly is easy with the Flybird bench as most of it comes pre-assembled, just a couple of things to do, like push in the folding pins, etc. Most users unboxed and assembled the bench in 10 minutes. Here’s a quick assembly video in case you need it.

Final Verdict

Flybird has been around for 20 years, and they’ve always done well in the low-cost gym gear market. I reviewed most of their equipment over the years, and they never disappoint.

There’s always that premium sort of feel to their gear, even though most of it is low-cost. They are a company that delivers on what they say, you can trust them, and if there are any issues, I know they sort them quickly without any hassle, and that’s always good to know.

Their Flagship adjustable bench, which we reviewed today, is their No. 1 best seller. I think they’ve sold over 100k units since its release. It’s one of the best-selling adjustable benches ever released, and it’s sold so many for a good reason. It’s an impressive foldable weight bench that’s both sturdy and versatile and built by a company people trust.

How It Compares

Barwing Adjustable Weight Bench

Barwing has only been around a couple of years, but these guys make some great budget gym gear. Their budget bench really impresses because just like the Flybird Bench, it’s sturdy, there’s no wobbles, it has those wide stabilizing feet front and rear, and the built-in levelers to keep it stable on uneven floors.

The essentials are all there with the Barwing Bench, they haven’t cut on quality. Many users have praised the premium feel of this bench, even though it’s a weight bench costing under $150.

Also, it’s a highly versatile bench with 11 backpad positions, including decline, so this is another full FID bench. Plus, you have the all-important adjustable seat for support when incline pressing.

And what’s even more impressive is that Barwing also uses high-density foam for the padding, which is always a nice surprise at this price point. It really is an impressive bench for the price point.

Still, I did find a few drawbacks. The folding system isn’t quite as smooth as the Flybird Bench. Also, the backpad isn’t as long; it’s an inch less than the Flybird, so the Baring Bench isn’t a great fit for taller users. (over 6’2″)

Still, it’s a cracking bench for the money, as I mentioned earlier, it’s rare to find a well-made full FID bench in this price range, there’s only a handful of them out there, and the Barwing Weight Bench is one of them.

Yoleo Adjustable Weight Bench

For a few years now, the Yoleo Adjustable Weight Bench has been my No.1 choice for beginners on a budget, and let me tell you why. It’s sturdy, with no wobbles. The seat is adjustable. There are 7 backpad positions, it folds easily for storage, boasts high-density foam for the seat and backpad, and it uses the more desirable ladder adjustment system for the backpad.

All of this for under $100, it is by a long way the most impressive adjustable bench for beginners under $100, no other weight bench comes near.

But, and there always is a but, it’s not a bench suited even to intermediate lifters. The Yoleo Bench weighs just 23lb. It’s a very light bench, designed for dumbbell workouts and specifically for beginners.

It’s a bench that’s going to last you a few years, and when you reach the point where you’re starting to lift heavier and want to take your training to the next level with a barbell and perhaps a power rack, then you can upgrade to a more heavy-duty bench.

If you’re a beginner and you want a decent adjustable bench for under $100, I urge you to check this one out first. The 8k+ positive reviews speak for themselves.

Flybird Adjustable Weight Bench FAQs