Shorty Adjustable Bench

Name: Shorty Adjustable Bench
Brand: Prime Fitness
Rating: 4.25 (4 reviews)

Prime Fitness’s Shorty is a commercial-grade adjustable bench built around a shortened frame with a removable headrest extension, letting it work as a compact utility bench or expand to standard bench length. The back pad adjusts through a laser-cut, numbered ladder across 10 positions from flat to 85°, and the seat pad adjusts across 5 positions, so it covers flat, incline, decline, and seated accessory work in one frame. A pop-pin attachment system lets it take Prime’s ecosystem of add-ons – preacher curl pad, dumbbell/barbell cradle, adjustable elbow pads, and a removable decline/ankle pad – turning it into a multi-station rig for bodybuilding-style accessory training.

It’s rated for 1,000 lbs in the flat position and 600 lbs on an incline, weighs about 94 lbs, and is made in the USA with premium powder-coated steel and vinyl upholstery. It ships in the standard Charcoal colorway or in custom colors (White, Black, Green, Silver, Blue, Red, Yellow) at a premium. Reviewers consistently praise its build quality and attachment versatility, but the vinyl seating surface is narrower (about 10”) and slicker than many rivals, which several sources flag as a real drawback for heavy flat barbell pressing that relies on leg drive – and it has no vertical storage option.

Buying guide

Best Adjustable Bench for Tall Lifters — July 2026 Best Adjustable Bench for Your Home Gym — July 2026

Colors	Standard Charcoal (included); White, Black, Green, Silver, Blue, Red, Yellow (custom, upcharge)
Weight	94 lbs (includes removable head rest extension)
Made in	USA
Pad width	~10 in
Dimensions	51" L x 27" W x 18" H
Upholstery	vinyl
Frame material	powder-coated steel
Weight capacity	1,000 lbs (flat position); 600 lbs (incline position)
Attachment system	pop-pin, compatible with Prime's preacher curl pad, dumbbell/barbell cradle, elbow pads, decline/ankle pad
Back pad positions	10 positions, 0-85 degrees
Seat pad positions	5 positions

What is a Adjustable Bench?

What an adjustable bench is

An adjustable bench tilts from flat to incline (and often decline) so one bench covers flat press, incline press, shoulder work, and rows. It’s usually the second thing people buy after a rack and bar — and the piece you press heavy over, so build quality matters.

What actually matters

Pad gap. The gap between the seat and back pad at incline. A big gap lets you slide down under heavy incline pressing; the best benches minimize or close it (“zero-gap”). It’s the single most-cited bench complaint.
Weight capacity. Compare the rated capacity to your bodyweight plus the heaviest load you’ll press. 1,000 lb-class benches are common and leave margin.
Adjustment ladder & seat angles. More back-pad angles (often 6-7) plus multiple seat angles mean better positioning; a ladder-style adjustment is fast and rock-solid.
FID vs. flat-to-incline. FID (flat-incline-decline) adds decline; many home lifters never use it, so a flat-to-incline bench is fine and often cheaper.
Wobble, pad width & footprint. A wide, firm pad and a stable frame with minimal rock make heavy pressing safer; check the standing/folded footprint if space is tight.

Who it’s for

Anyone doing barbell or dumbbell pressing at home. A flat bench is enough if you only bench flat; otherwise an adjustable bench is the more versatile buy. Most home lifters are well served in the $400-$600 range.

How it compares

	Shorty Adjustable Bench	TITAN Series Adjustable Bench	Ethos Apex Utility Bench	Adjustable Bench 3.0
GymRadar rating	4.25/5	4.28/5	4.22/5	4.2/5
Price	$725.00	$524.97	$299.99	$595.00
Colors	Standard Charcoal (included); White, Black, Green, Silver, Blue, Red, Yellow (custom, upcharge)
Weight	94 lbs (includes removable head rest extension)
Made in	USA
Pad width	~10 in
Dimensions	51" L x 27" W x 18" H		53.5" L x 26.5" W x 17.9" H
Upholstery	vinyl	HeftyGrip vinyl
Frame material	powder-coated steel
Weight capacity	1,000 lbs (flat position); 600 lbs (incline position)		1,000 lbs
Attachment system	pop-pin, compatible with Prime's preacher curl pad, dumbbell/barbell cradle, elbow pads, decline/ankle pad
Back pad positions	10 positions, 0-85 degrees	9 positions, 0-85 degrees
Seat pad positions	5 positions	3 positions, 0-30 degrees

4.3/5 · 4 GymRadar reviews

Reviews by source

Expert	4.25/5	4 reviews
Youtube	4.5/5	2 reviews	2 videos considered, both Shorty-specific with usable transcripts, both positive. 'Most Versatile Bench? - Prime Fitness Shorty Bench Review' (NoWayJose's Home Gym, U5_ZNvr0ync) is an unboxing/ownership review that compares it favorably to a standard (non-Shorty) Prime adjustable bench and highlights the removable headrest and attachment ecosystem. 'The Ultimate Adjustable Bench! Prime Shorty Bench Review' (Gluck's Gym, 5VIRdwfMCa0) calls it an 'outstanding bench' and says he loves it 'for literally anything outside of heavy flat pressing,' with the thin/narrow/slick vinyl pad as the one real caveat for heavy leg-drive pressing.
Reddit	4.3/5	6 reviews	6 threads with product-specific sentiment (via pullpush.io archive: submission + comment search on r/homegym). Two dedicated threads ('Prime Fitness Shorty Bench', 'Prime Shorty Bench finally arrived'), an AMA teaser thread, and repeated positive mentions in comparison threads (REP Nighthawk, Ironmaster Super Bench Pro V2, American Barbell utility bench) calling it 'among the best adjustable benches' and 'commercial quality for home use.' Recurring caveats mirror the editorial reviews: thin/narrow padding and premium price relative to Ironmaster and REP Nighthawk.

Prime Fitness’s Shorty is a commercial-grade adjustable bench built around a shortened frame and a removable headrest, and it draws consistently strong praise across independent coverage — Garage Gym Lab scores it 9.2/10 and calls it “one of the most versatile benches you can buy,” while Glucks Gym and Gray Matter Lifting both give it their top recommendation for accessory and hypertrophy work, echoed by GymRadar’s 4.25/5 (4 reviews) and two independently-verified YouTube reviews. Versatility is the standout dimension — a laser-cut 10-position ladder (0-85°), 5 seat angles, and a pop-pin attachment ecosystem (preacher curl, dumbbell cradle, elbow pads, decline pad) turn it into a multi-station rig. Functionality for heavy flat pressing is the weakest spot: reviewers and r/homegym owners agree the 10” vinyl pad is thin, narrow, and slick enough to hurt leg drive, making it a stronger fit for bodybuilding/accessory work than as a standalone powerlifting bench.

+Versatility: pop-pin attachment ecosystem (preacher curl pad, dumbbell cradle, elbow pads, decline pad) turns it into a multi-station rig (Garage Gym Lab, Glucks Gym)
+Build quality: commercial-grade powder-coated steel frame with a U-shaped hinge that eliminates pad gaps (Glucks Gym, Gray Matter Lifting)
+Functionality: laser-cut ladder with 10 back-pad angles (0-85°) and 5 seat angles for precise, tool-free adjustment (Garage Gym Lab, YouTube: NoWayJose's Home Gym)
+Durability: owners report minimal wear after 2+ years of regular use (Gray Matter Lifting)
+Value: r/homegym owners repeatedly cite it as commercial-quality construction they'd buy again over cheaper alternatives (r/homegym)

−Value: premium pricing — $725 base, and a full attachment ecosystem can run $3,000+ (Garage Gym Lab, Gray Matter Lifting)
−Functionality: the 10" vinyl pad is thin, narrow, and slick, making it a weak choice for heavy flat pressing that needs leg drive (Glucks Gym, r/homegym)
−Versatility: no vertical storage option despite one having been promised, costing floor space in smaller gyms (Gray Matter Lifting)
−Build quality: no cage or guard around the exposed adjustment posts (Glucks Gym)

$725.00

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