Gym Equipment Regrets : The Gear I Wish I Never Bought! (and what to buy instead)

If you’ve built a home gym, chances are you’ve made a few mistakes along the way. I definitely have. Over the past few years, I’ve bought plenty of gear that looked great online but didn’t hold up in real training. So today, I’m saving you some time, space, and money by walking through the worst gym equipment purchases I’ve ever made and what you should buy instead.
Let’s dive in.

1. The Abmat Barbell Bomb

Let’s start with this one from the dusty corner of my gym. The Abmat Barbell Bomb is basically a portable landmine attachment. You stick a barbell into one end, and in theory, it lets you perform landmine movements anywhere in your gym.
In practice? Not so much.

On my rubber floors, it slides way too easily once you load up the bar. To make it usable, you have to lean it up against a wall, which defeats the whole purpose of being portable.
A better solution: grab a tennis ball. Cut a small slit in it with a razor blade, insert your barbell, and you’ve got the same functionality for two dollars instead of thirty. It won’t slide, it won’t scratch your floor, and it works exactly the same.
If you really love landmine work, a rack-mounted landmine attachment is a better long-term buy.

2. Battle Ropes

Next up: my battle ropes. They’ve been hiding in the storage closet for a reason.
I think I’ve used them twice, maybe three times total. The idea of battle ropes is fun, but they’re a hassle. They take up a ton of space, they’re loud, and after each session you have to roll them back up like a giant garden hose.

Unless you have a big open training space and plan to leave them set up permanently, battle ropes just aren’t practical for most home gyms.

A better alternative: something like a Concept2 SkiErg. It gives you the same upper-body conditioning benefit in a much more efficient, controlled way. Sure, it’s pricier, but you’ll actually use it.
And if you’re buying ropes for fat loss, skip them. Go for a walk, lift heavier, or dial in your nutrition.

3. Landmine Handles and Attachments

Now, let’s talk about another mistake from my landmine phase, the Ben Bruno-style landmine handle.
It’s a neat idea: a knurled grip you can clamp onto the end of your barbell to do presses, rows, and rotations. But in reality, it leaves deep marks on your barbell sleeve because the screw inside digs right into the metal.

Functionally, it doesn’t add much. You can get nearly the same grip by holding the barbell sleeve directly, or even slipping a tennis ball on the end if you want a rounder feel.

Honestly, I’ve realized I just don’t love landmine movements in general. The resistance curve is awkward. As the bar moves up, the weight transfers to the floor instead of staying in your working muscles. You’re better off sticking with barbells or dumbbells for those same exercises.

4. Safety Strap System

Finally, we’ve got my rack-mounted safety straps.
When I first bought my rack, I thought straps would be a huge upgrade over flip-down safeties. The idea of having micro-adjustability sounded great because you can set each side to the perfect height. But in practice, they’re a pain.

They take forever to adjust, especially when you’re training multiple clients. The straps twist, sag, and never seem to line up evenly.

Flip-down safeties, on the other hand, are faster, sturdier, and way more versatile. You can mount attachments to them, adjust them quickly, and they feel more secure overall.
If you train alone, the safety straps will work fine. But if you’re constantly changing setups for clients or multiple exercises, go with flip-down safeties instead.

Final Thoughts

Every gym owner makes a few bad purchases, it’s part of the process. But hopefully, this list helps you avoid a few of mine.
Here’s a quick recap:

• Skip the Abmat Barbell Bomb and grab a tennis ball instead.

• Battle ropes sound cool but collect dust fast.

• Landmine attachments look fun but aren’t worth the barbell damage.

• Safety straps are more hassle than they’re worth.
  Focus on the gear you’ll actually use every week. Buy once, buy smart, and your gym will serve you for years to come.

  
  If you found this helpful, check out my YouTube channel for more honest gear reviews and free dumbbell-based training programs.