The Gravity Fitness Dip Bars (Gravity Fitness XL Parallettes in their terminology), were redesigned in 2023 with wider feet, height adjustable bars and are easier to assemble out of the box. All reasons to do a review of the new and improved Gravity Fitness Dip Bars and see if they are worth your hard-earned cash and whether we would recommend them. I’ve bought the Gravity Fitness Dip Bars for this review myself and my review starts at the very beginning, with unboxing the package. Let’s find out what Gravity Fitness has in store for us with this surprisingly budget-friendly set of Dip Bars.
You can also watch my YouTube review of the Gravity Fitness Dip Bars here:
Unboxing the Gravity Fitness Dip Bars
The box came in good order and intact. It felt sturdy and was secured by strapping bands. Inside, each part of the Gravity Fitness Dip Bars is in turn wrapped in plastic and kept securely in place with cardboard spacers to keep the contents from rattling. The complete contents of the package:
- 2x Adjustable Dip Bars
- 4x Adjustable Dip Bar Feet
- 4x Screw Knobs
- 4x Retention Pins
This is the exact product, the Gravity Fitness XL Parallettes, I bought for this review:
Assembling Your Gravity Fitness Dip Bars
Assembling the Gravity Fitness Dip Bars or Gravity Fitness XL Parallettes is quite straightforward, and I didn’t need a guide. However, here is a step-by-step guide either way:
- Slide an Adjustable Dip Bar Foot (1x) over an Adjustable Dip Bar (1x) to the desired height, making sure the large opening for the Screw Knob faces outward.
- Put in the Retention Pin (1x) through the hole through both the Dip Bar Foot and the Dip Bar.
- Put the Screw Knob in its place and tighten to hand firm.
Repeat for the other Dip Bar Foot, making certain that the longer legs of the Dip Bar Feet face the same way. Repeat this all for the other Dip Bar.
First Look at the Gravity Fitness Dip Bars
I like the minimalist look for my equipment and the Gravity Fitness Dip Bars really hit that spot. They are sleek with an industrial look but a very smooth finish. The powder coating looks intact all around and one of the feet has a quality Gravity Fitness logo plaque on it.
I like these small details, like the logo plaques that tell you something about the quality of the product. Too often I see products with cheap stickers that easily peel off.
Basic Specifications & Changes
Here are the basic specifications:
- Heights: 75, 80, 85, 90, 95 cm (29½, 31½, 33½, 35½, 37.4 in.)
- Diameter: 38 mm (1½”)
- Width (feet): 45.5 cm (17.9”)
- Weight: 9 kg per bar (19.8 lb)
- Maximum Capacity: 200 kg (440 lb)
- Material: Powder-Coated Brushed Steel
The brushed steel has a satin finish and is very nice to the touch. It gives good traction by itself, which can be optimized using Liquid Chalk should you need it. The thickness of the feet has gone up from 5 cm to 6 cm (2” to 2 1/3”) in the 2023 update. This doesn’t noticeably influence stability but will have a positive impact on the build quality.
The bottoms of the feet are now welded in place, as opposed to needing assembly in the pre-2023 versions. This also adds to a more stable and robust product. The rubber end caps are also improved, with better anti-slip texturing on the bottom.
I feel that the Gravity Fitness Dip Bars are very stable already and I felt no undue wobble doing any of my Calisthenics exercises (see below). One side of the feet is wider than the other. You use them with the longer ends pointing outward and this results in less obtrusion in the area between the Dip Bars.
Height Settings
The new 2023 update increased the maximum height to 95 cm (37.4”), with a minimum height of 75 cm (29½”) and 5 cm (2”) increments between the minimum and maximum height. Changing the height of your bars is easy. First, take out the retention pin and loosen the screw knob, slide the bar up or down as preferred and redo the screw knob and retention pin.
This adjustability pays dividends when it comes to versatility in exercise but also to who can use them effectively. At the highest setting, most tall people will find they can use these Dip Bars which might not be the case with lower bars.
Individual exercises can also be increased or decreased in difficulty by adjusting the height of the bars. Incline Push-Ups and Rows come to mind when using these Dip Bars’ adjustability like this.
Stability can be another factor with the height settings. The lower the center of mass, the more stable the Gravity Fitness Dip Bars become. This is not a factor with most exercises, however for some techniques like Handstands and Handstand Push-Ups this might be a good feature.
Exercising On the Gravity Fitness Dip Bars
You can do all your Dip Bar exercises in complete confidence with the Gravity Fitness Dip Bars. Your Dips, of course, but also your Knee Raises, Leg Raises, L-Sits, V-Sits and other Core exercises. Other basic exercises like neutral grip Rows (for which I prefer and recommend the neutral grip) and Incline Push-Ups are also very conveniently done using the Gravity Fitness Dip Bars.
For Row and Incline Push-Ups the height adjustability comes in very handy to adjust the difficulty of these exercises overtime. You can also place one bar flat to get a little less of an incline, comparable to a high Parallettes set.
The Gravity Fitness Dip Bars are stable enough for more advanced exercises as well. I had no problem practicing my Straight Bar Dip and even the full Muscle-Up (keeping my legs in an L-Sit). Handstands and Planche are also well within the realm of possibility without the bars showing any sign of instability or movement.
The maximum height of 95 cm, or just shy of 37½”, also makes lever exercises very convenient like the Front Lever and Back Lever. There is plenty of ground clearance to work with, so you can even do your German Hang (skin-the-cat) to transition between Front- and Back Levers.
All in all, the stability and wide height setting range give these Gravity Fitness XL Parallettes, or Dip Bars(because that’s what they are), a lot of exercise variety.
The Gravity Fitness App
You get a Parallettes E-Book full of useful tips and exercises to make full use of your Gravity Fitness XL Parallettes and a 30-day free trial for the premium Gravity Fitness App. This Calisthenics App was made with UK professional athletes and coaches, so do try it out when you get these Dip Bars.
About Gravity Fitness
Gravity Fitness is a United Kingdom based company founded in 2013 by Rich Hawkins (@rich_hawkins) in Warwickshire. With over 10 years of experience creating and manufacturing Calisthenics equipment, they’ve worked up quite the reputation for themselves. Their TrustPilot reviews number over 3000 with an average score of only just under a perfect 5 out of 5 (4.8)! Their products are manufactured in and shipped from the UK.
Conclusions
Would I recommend the Gravity Fitness Dip Bars? Certainly, if you’re looking for a quality set of Dip Bars you can’t go wrong with this product. The Gravity Fitness Dip Bars are easy to use and even easier to assemble. You get the height adjustment which adds a lot of versatility out of the Dip Bars, which can truly also be used as high Parallettes. They are also very stable, even at the highest setting and their recent improvements have only made the Gravity Fitness Dip Bars better.
Gravity Fitness managed to wrap these advantages into a very reasonably priced package. The Gravity Fitness XL Parallettes, as these Dip Bars are called, cost £79.95 ($84.95 or €84.95). You’ll be hard pressed to find more affordable Parallettes of similar quality at this price point, if those exist.
When you want your own Gravity Fitness XL Parallettes, go to the Gravity Fitness website or get them from Amazon now.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gravity Fitness Dip Bars
A few more questions about Gravity Fitness and their XL Parallettes answered.
Are Gravity Fitness XL Parallettes dip bars?
Yes, for all intents and purposes the Gravity Fitness XL Parallettes are Dip Bars. The dimensions match those that we would typically call Dip Bars instead of Parallettes. Parallettes have a similar shape to Dip Bars but are lower and have a lower center of gravity. There are also high Parallettes, and XL Parallettes are synonymous to Dip Bars.
Is there a Gravity Fitness discount code?
There is no universal discount code. However, United Kingdom Police, Fire Department, NHS and Military personnel can apply for a 10% discount code at Gravity Fitness. Students can also benefit from this 10% discount.
Does Gravity Fitness offer a lifetime warranty?
Gravity Fitness offers a limited lifetime warranty on all welds and metal frames. Moving metal parts like pulleys, bearings and cables typically get a 3-year warranty and all non-metal parts like grips and upholstery have a 90-day warranty.
