Home Gym Reviews

Home Gyms From $1001 to $2000

Body Craft Strata II Home Gym

Click here for the without legpress version or
Click here for the with legpress version if you don't have time to read the review

Our home gym reviews are always mostly praising for the Body Craft gyms but this time its a little different. This is our least favorite of the Body Craft line up. Not because it has problems but because it doesn't excite us. The single station Strata II has all the traditional features that homegyms have had for years so there is nothing particularly special or interesting about this gym. Body Craft intentionally offer the Strata as a basic no bells or whistles model. And of course, it goes without saying that the Strata II is a top quality product made from some of the finest materials.

If there is something that does set it apart from the others it is the flat bench (once standard on all home gyms). If you like to do your bench press exercises in the traditional flat on your back position then you will enjoy the Strata II. Other bonuses of this type of design are you can do lying hamstring curls instead of one legged standing hamstring curls, which are time consuming. And if you have your own dumbbell set you can do all of your dumbbell exercises on the flat bench.

Equipment

• chip and scratch proof, powder coated, heavy steel frame
   
• industrial grade pulleys, bushes and bearings
   
• 2000lb tested, nylon coated cables
   
• 200lb weight stack
   
• heavy duty vinyl covered, ergonomic, adjustable, high density foam bench and pads
   
• lat pulldown bar, short bar, D handle, ab crunch/double row strap and ankle strap
   
• lat pulldown for back or triceps (back of arms)
   
• bench press with adjustable press arms for chest or shoulders
   
• pec dec for chest
   
• low row for back or shoulders or arms or inner/outer thigh or butt
   
• leg extension for quadriceps (front of thigh)
   
• lying leg curl for hamstrings (back of thigh)
   
• optional leg press

Size

Without optional leg press - 104"(length) x 44"(width) x 82"(height) and weighing 525lbs

With optional leg press - 104"(length) x 78"(width) x 82"(height) and weighing 560lbs

Warranty

Just as we have come to expect from Body Craft. A lifetime warranty.

Pros

• flat bench for those who like flat press, lying hamstring curls or have their own dumbbell set
   
• pec dec with dumbbell handles
   
• space efficient design, can fit into the corner
   
• excellent quality materials and craftsmanship
   
• lots of accessories
   
• lifetime warranty

Cons

• I prefer the cable arms that are found on the Body Craft Xpress and Body Craft Family Xpress HomeGyms to the pec dec
   
• the leg press attachment is less space efficient than the Xpress model and has a smaller max. load

Overall

We had a look at the Body Craft Strata after reviewing the Body Craft Family Xpress. That's a tough act to follow. The Body Craft Strata is really for those people who like things the way they used to be. That is when every homegym had an un-adjustable flat bench

Unless you really want a flat bench style machine we say keep looking. I would suggest you look at the Body Craft Xpress. It is about the same price but smaller, the max. load on the leg press is heavier and it has cable arms (instead of a pec dec) which allow for heaps of extra exercises.

Click here to see the best deal we found for the Body Craft Strata II HomeGym without leg press

• $1299 ($300 below retail)

Click here to see the best deal we found for the Body Craft Strata II HomeGym with leg press

• $1599 ($300 below retail)
   

• if, up to 60 days after you buy anything from Megafitness, you find it cheaper somewhere else, they will refund the difference

• free shipping

• bonus weight training guide for purchases over $100