I shopped around and I have many years of fitness experience and so I didn't make this choice lightly. Yes, it smells of chemicals but it's probably because it was packed before the paint fully cured. The smell goes away by the time you get it together and use it a couple of times. The grips are good but they're a bit soft and made of foam so I don't expect they'll last a long time. The area of the bar that comes into contact with the doorframe is a hard plastic with a textured surface that will leave an impression in the wood plus the natural up-down flex will rub a bit. The flat area on the back is fine and I don't see any noticeable marks on the wall. Yes, some of the more gimmicky exercises rank right up there with using it as a grill for a compact pickup. Still, there's no simpler way to have pull-up capability at home. Portable? Yes. Does it come apart easily for compact transport? Don't even think about it. The beauty is it goes on quick, you work out, then put it away. Truly easy, effective and versatile since there are more grip locations than the single bar type. I even use the bends where there is no foam and it's no problem. I bought some fitness bands to keep my reps high and I just leave them on it and use them as I desire. Can't test the weight limit though, I'm less than a buck 50. The top 20 guide is a leaflet and my "kit" came with no tools. Didn't use the included brackets. The stupidest thing they did with this kit is provide you a "printed on both sides" piece of paper of 20 exercise pictures but NONE of them use the bar. The only exercise pictures using the bar are on the box which I am sure most people will throw away/recycle. Come on guys, sheesh. Still a great product. Maximum Fitness Gear All-In-One Doorway Chin-Up Bar with Ab Exercise Guide
UPDATE 5/24/2010:
I promised that I would update this review and someone asked recently about measurements. So, with that in mind I measured the pull up bar. It would work in a doorway that is between 36 inches and 42 inches. If your doorway is smaller then 36 inches or wider then 42 inches, do not bother. My doorway is smaller then 36 inches and even though I was able to put spacer blocks on each end of the bar that goes against the wall, I would not recommend doing this. Just be aware of the opening if it is not within the measurements given, then, do not bother with this or any other doorway pull up bar.
REASON FOR SPACER BLOCKS:
I installed the spacer blocks because there is a small piece of tubing that sticks out the back side of the bar. This tubing was damaging the molding around the doorway, by adding the spacer blocks I was able to keep the tubing from damaging the molding.
Look at the picture of the pull up or chin up bar. You will see a flat horizontal bar that goes on the back side of the doorway and rests on the molding above the door (this is the highest bar in the picture). Below that you will see the longer horizontal tube (or bar) which goes on the outside of the doorway and comes in contact with the molding on either side of the doorway.
ONE OTHER NOTE: If you are living in a new home, manufactured home, trailer, or some modular homes there is a chance the interior walls may have been built with 2 X 3 studs. If this is the case the walls are thinner then if they were built using 2 X 4 studs, this too can cause issues with the bar not fitting properly and possibly damaging the molding on the side of the door which the flat horizontal bar rests on. I cannot say for certain if using the optional mounting brackets would solve this problem. But my best guess is that it very well would allow you to use the bar on a wall built with 2 X 3 studs.
ORIGINAL REVIEW FOLLOWS:
First let me say my rating of two starts is meant for the lack of information and the picture instructions. I am a technical writer, so calling an exploded view picture with a bunch of letters an instruction is offensive to me.
But let me clear up what I mean of lack of information first. All vendors market this bar as it will fit MOST doorways. That maybe so, but how hard is it to measure the bar and flatly give the maximum and minimum doorway widths in which this bar can be used. I have a friend who lives in an old farm house with huge doorway openings the bar simply can not grab onto the casing it passes through the opening. In my case, the opening is too narrow and the bar will damage my walls. I will go back and measure the bar, and if I am able I will update this review to include dimensions so no one else has to go through this.
Instructions or lack there of. OK, I assemble things, and write about how to put them together. I have never taken a picture or provided an exploded view of a product that included the hardware in the picture then expected any one to know how to assemble the product. But this is what they do with this product. It is not extremely difficult to figure out, just a little annoying and a couple of assembly hints would be nice.
Assembly hints:
You will need a large screw driver with either a Phillips head or a flat tip. A small tipped screw driver will only be a cause for frustration. You will also need a small 10 mm socket. No, a box end, open end, adjustable wrench. These will get you started but in at least three locations once the nut gets close enough to the tubing, these wrenches will not be able to hold onto the nut and you will not be able to fully tighten them.
It comes with an optional set of mounting brackets. Which I will be installing, but there is no explanation as to why you may want to choose to install them. I am going to install them, because if I don't the bar will be so low, that my knees will hit the floor. I am not a fan of the fact that this bar seems to rely on the flat horizontal bar on the back to grab a hold of the molding on the top of the door way. Mainly because molding is not meant to support weight. Which is my reasoning for installing the brackets. I am no little guy, being 6 foot tall and 284 lbs, makes me a little skidish about relying on a piece of molding to help support me.
Beyond all of that....If I were to rate this bar purely on its function. Then, it would score a perfect 5 stars. I took it to a friends house, who has what would probably be considered a more standard door way opening. The height is better, it fits to the door way better, and it is a great way to do pull ups in your home. Over time, it may cause some minor damage, but new molding would probably be the only repair or some paint on the back side of the door way where the horizontal bar rests.
Bottom line, if you walls are constructed with 2 X 4's and you have a more standard door way opening you will not have any troubles other then maybe some assembly issues. But if your walls were constructed using 2 X 3's and the opening is what may be considered smaller then the standard, you will either not want to buy this or you will modify it to work. I will post my modification if I am able. If you live in an old farm house, with very large door ways. Pass on this and either construct a pull up bar outside, or find some way to mount a more permanent bar in the opening. - P90x - Pull Up Bar - Pull Up - Pull Ups'
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