Arete™ 3-In-1 Leg Press Hack Squat Machine With Calf Block

It arrived with the best packaging I’ve ever seen.
Labeled every single part, every bolt and nut. Best instructions I’ve ever seen. Each page was simple to understand it told the exact bolt and the box number it was in. It came in 4 boxes it works flawlessly and the build was very simple by myself. The foot plate would have been easier with two people. I decided not to wait for help. Amazing every bolt hole lined up without any frustrations while building it. AWESOME

First things first; holy packaging! This thing came in 4 boxes that were the best packed for shipping item I think I’ve ever gotten. When I received it there was some damage to the box during shipping (natural and not to much of a worry) so I took photos and was prepped and ready to input a warranty claim already (just in case). But as I pulled all the boxes inside and began unboxing I was thoroughly impressed. Everything in here was wrapped multiple times with different packing material and then finished off with nylon banding on the exterior. That banding was then layered with a run of tape to keep them from being damaged and moving during shipping. I could rave on but bottom line, you are getting this product undamaged and IF it does get damaged it was an act of God.

Function: This thing is amazing. I have a home gym with some top of the line equipment from Rogue and Nordic Track, to name a few, and I’ll rate this item right up there in quality. The steel is HD and then paired with the correct size bolts to handle the weight of the item itself, to include the weight added for exercising. I love the ability to switch between Hack Squat, Leg Press, and Calf Raises. This allows me to use this machine for multiple workout days to include being able to truly get a good leg day on those specific days. The action of the sled moving up and down is super smooth. Some people complain about the noise but who honestly cares. TURN UP THE TUNES! That said though the noise is not even a factor. Can you hear it? Yes, but what are your expectations? It’s a great piece of equipment.

Weights: I loaded it up heavy and it performed very very well. There are multiple adjustment points on the deck which really allow you to tune in which muscle groups you are going for and your size. I didn’t put the weight pegs on because my weights are stored elsewhere which made this item fit even better in my home gym.

Building It: I’m very inclined with tools and have a nice little garage full of tools. That said you really only need a socket set/socket wrench’s, some pliers, and one hex head to put this together. The entire build took about 75-90 min and the only time I needed assistance was putting on the sled. This 100% needs two people for safety. The sled is about 80ish lbs and then you have to be holding the guide/slide bars at the same time to make it all fit without bending or hurting someone. Pro Tip: when building these things never fully tighten a section until all bolts/washers/nuts are in place. Finger tighten to hold the thing together and when you get done with that section cinch it all down tight, move on.

Bottom line: This piece of equipment is very well made, handles the weights well, is smooth in movement, and allows for you to dynamically add to your workout. I would rate this as a top of the line item for its class and purpose. The only thing that really makes this different from more expensive presses is its weight class. If you are looking for loading up over 1000 on the press then this obviously isn’t your piece of equipment. For the majority of people that 500lbs or less (adding in resistance bands for extra) is your threshold for a great workout then i can 1000% recommend this product. This review is not paid for and other than the 5% off my next purchase (if I even use it) I’m getting no kick backs. I generally just like to leave detailed reviews for those of us that actually read these things. I bought this with a discount code and on sale for about $850 and would buy it again today. Completely worth it. Even if you get it for a smidge higher price i still think that if you are looking for this type of item to add to your home gym you can’t go wrong with this or any of the other GMWD products (pending they are made in the same quality which i can only assume to be true).

Great machine. Well built and smooth operation. I'm 6' 245 pounds. The range of motion if perfect.

I built this by myself. Wasn't very difficult. You'll be able to change from the hack squat to leg press with 3 very simple steps. I'm using it every other day and has really helped with my leg works outs. I feel no difference than the ones at the public gyms. I really like it and would suggest it to anyone that has a home gym and is very dedicated to working out.