Dumbbell sets that are good to go
GEAR
Keep your weights in one place with these handy briefcases that help you organize and safely store them -- and take your workout on the road.
You're feeling good. You just did a great dumbbell workout of biceps curls, overhead presses, bent-over rows, pec flies and triceps extensions to a rousing medley of Village People hits. Then you crunch your big toe on a 10-pound iron weight plate lying in the middle of the floor. Dumbbells do a body good, but since you need different weights for different exercises, you often end up with plates, collars and random bells scattered about. Solution? The dumbbell briefcase, a form-fitted, plastic box with a built-in handle that houses all the component parts. Convenient and inexpensive, these products provide a good variety of weights for the average person and make organizing, storing and traveling with your cumbersome weights a snap. And they keep your toes pretty happy too.
-- Roy M. Wallack
A quiet touch
Body Champ 32-pound adjustable rubber-coated dumbbell set: Two 3.5-pound rubber-grip handles with eight 2.5-pound weights and four 1.25-pound weights that fit in a 13-by-19-inch case.
Likes: The rubber coating on the plates feels good to the touch (not too cold), won't scratch a wood floor and stays quiet and clang-free as you rack the plates and work out. The easy-grasp, three-hole design makes the weights feel safe and easy to use for bar-free exercises.
Dislikes: None
Price: $69.99. Available only at Big 5 Sporting Goods stores, www.big5sportinggoods.com.
Packs an all-over workout
HeavyHands 1- to 5-pound MegaPac in an aluminum case: High-end model of a dumbbell system specifically designed for an "all-body" walking-running workout. Features four pairs of 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-pound screw-on weights and a strap to secure the weight to your hand.
Likes: Improves your aerobic workout by raising your heart rate and calories burned without interrupting your stride. Much easier to use during walking and running than any of the regular dumbbells reviewed here. Also, fine for regular strengthening work. Sturdy, classy-looking aluminum case. Optional add-on weights go as high as 10 pounds.
Dislikes: None
Price: $129.99 (on sale now for $99.99). (877) 244-5466; www.heavyhandsfitness.com.
Wallack is a health and fitness freelance writer and the coauthor of "Bike for Life: How to Ride to 100."
roywallack@aol.com
Easy on, easy off
