Need Help Deciding On Chest Machine!!!

[GarageGymBro]

Hello, first time posting here. Currently building out a garage gym and have several Hammer Strength machines incoming to compliment my Prime Fitness HLP power rack and free weights. The only chest piece I have coming is the HS incline press and I cannot decide on a flat/overall chest piece to go with it. I remember really liking the HS decline press but I see the wide chest looks similar and converges more. I also hear the contraction on the HS horizontal bench press is second to none. Any opinions on the above HS chest pieces to choose from!!!???

[Afo3]

I think most folks would rate the Hammer Wide as the best of their PL pieces and many would say decline next. I haven't used the Hammer Horizontal bench but I know a lot of folks like it.

The thing about all of those pieces is they are quite large for a garage gym. If this is going to be your only other large piece, ok, whatever, but I would consider a more compact unit potentially. The Strive Hybrid chest pieces are fairly compact and nice.

Other stuff you might like: Panatta plate loaded chest pieces are all quite fantastic. If you are ok with really splurging you can get a new or used MedX chest piece, either the Avenger plate loaded (which has awesome convergence) or the MedX selectorized one which is also quite nice.

But Hammer has the advantage of being plentiful available on the used market.

[air2fakie]

I would've gone with the HS seated converging chest press over the incline. That being said, I don't suggest you drop $ on any machine you haven't tried & liked.

[gym62richard]

I think most folks would rate the Hammer Wide as the best of their PL pieces and many would say decline next. I haven't used the Hammer Horizontal bench but I know a lot of folks like it.

The thing about all of those pieces is they are quite large for a garage gym. If this is going to be your only other large piece, ok, whatever, but I would consider a more compact unit potentially. The Strive Hybrid chest pieces are fairly compact and nice.

Other stuff you might like: Panatta plate loaded chest pieces are all quite fantastic. If you are ok with really splurging you can get a new or used MedX chest piece, either the Avenger plate loaded (which has awesome convergence) or the MedX selectorized one which is also quite nice.

But Hammer has the advantage of being plentiful available on the used market.

Agree the HS Wide Chest Press is the best of their chest units.

OP if you get the chance try any of the Panatta plate load chest presses, they're in a different league to the Hammer pieces, I have the Vertical and Incline Panatta chest presses, superb build quality and bio-mechanically they're amazing.

[Camarija]

You're going to have to try the different pieces out yourself.

Check out convergence, hand angles, pre-stretch, adjustability.

A lot of machines lack adjustability or pre-stretch.

Some don't have nearly enough convergence, but others don't like much convergence.

Gymleco hasn't been mentioned, they have some pieces that have extreme convergence, and some have pre-stretch levers.

M Torture line by Newtech has machines with good adjustability.

Other lines to check out, Panatta, Prime, Atlantis, Arsenal Strength, Rogers Athletics, MedX, and the holy grail of used Flex Fitness machines.

Good luck bro!