When looking for strength training exercise equipment, the options are plenty. However, if you are looking for portable strength training exercise equipment, the Gorilla Bow is one of the best home gym equipment to be found.
This Portable Home Gym by Gorilla Bow is a piece of fantastic exercise equipment that lets you perform multiple exercises without the bulkiness of most exercise machines. It is an actual bow (like a bow for an arrow), and it can be strapped with resistance bands. The Gorilla Bow is portable, so the next time you go somewhere for the weekend, you could still carry something along with you so that you don’t miss your exercises!
In this Gorilla Bow review, I’ll go through everything you need to know about this portable home gym. I will also tell you why it’s one of my top-rated fitness equipment and identify all the pros and cons.
Gorilla Bow Review – Portable Home Gym
Unlike other home gyms, the Gorilla Bow is far less sophisticated, less expensive, and just as effective. However, when most persons see how it looks, they can’t believe it is a home gym that can give you a total body workout.
The Gorilla Bow has two distinct features:
1. The Bow
The bow of the Gorilla Bow Portable Home Gym is made up of aircraft quality aluminum. This material is one of the superior grades of aluminum, which has high tensile strength but remains lightweight all the same.
And as the name suggests, it is a type of aluminum that is used in the construction of aircraft. So when it comes to guessing the strength of the Gorilla Bow, it is incredibly sturdy. Therefore, one need not worry about snapping it during your exercise sessions.
The Gorilla Bow is designed to handle over 300 lbs of resistance without actually being bent or broken. And it can withstand almost any type of strength training that you are planning to perform with it.
2. The Resistance Bands
The gorilla bow comes with four latex resistance bands. Moreover, each of the resistance bands is designed to have different resistance levels. And depending on which option you select, you will get a minimum of 4 resistance cables. The model we tested comes with eight resistance cables for a total resistance rating of 327 lbs.
The resistance cables we got are:
10 lbs-1
20 lbs-1
32 lbs-1
45 lbs-1
50 lbs-2
60 lbs-2
At the end of the bow, you will find what Gorilla Fitness calls “flex claws,” which are fancy names for hooks to help you fix the resistance bands. These “flex claws” make switching and attaching the resistance bands easy.
Moreover, you can attach all of the resistance bands to increase the resistance to the maximum 327 lbs or adjust the number of cables attached to the bow for the required resistance rating you can handle. Having this option and versatility is also one of the main reasons the Gorilla Bow became so popular over the years.
Each resistance band also has its own color and resistance level, and strength. You can benefit more from your Gorilla Bow workout when you vary your resistance level. Here are the bands you will receive with your Gorilla Bow.
- Yellow Band: Can handle up to 10 pounds of tension
- Red Band: Can manage a strength of 20 pounds
- Blue Bland: Apply tension of up to 60 pounds
- Black Band: 50-pound tension. The highest tension band available
Since the original launch of the Gorilla Bow, they have included more bands that can be used with the bow. These different resistance bands include:
- Royal Blue Band: Supports up to 32 pounds
- Orange Band: 80-pounds of resistance
- Gray Band: Can handle up to 90 pounds
Now that we’ve covered the two main components of this portable home gym, let’s jump into the features.
What Are the Main Features of the Gorilla Bow Home Gym?
Dimensions
The Gorilla Bow has a dimension of 56 x 9.5 x 1.75 inches. And the bar itself weighs about 9 pounds and has a total length of 58 inches. So overall, it isn’t too large or heavy to handle for most users.
Construction
The Gorilla bow features one of the most superior quality aluminum available, which is called aircraft quality aluminum. The original version offers four resistance bands made from 100% latex. Each resistance band on the basic Gorilla Bow model is designed to handle 45 pounds, 32 pounds, 20 pounds, and 10 pounds of resistance.
Design
One of the most outstanding features of the Gorilla Bow is the “flex claw” design, which is very useful to attach and detach the resistance bands with ease. The “flex claws” work as a harness to connect the resistance bands firmly where one can stretch them out without needing to worry that it might snap.
What Are the Pros and Cons of the Gorilla Bow Portable Home Gym?
The last thing to note is the benefits you’ll gain by having a Gorilla Bow. One of the main things is that it truly offers you the ability to target every muscle group in your body. This is a big deal for most, but that’s not all you’ll get. So let’s look at the pros and cons.
What We Liked?
1. Affordability
Good quality exercise equipment is hardly inexpensive. But having said that, the Gorilla Bow might look like a bow with resistance cables; however, it is made from one of the most excellent materials you’ll find. Moreover, the overall design and quality are not compromised despite its low price.
So, it doesn’t matter if you are on a budget; you’ll still be able to buy this portable home gym without blowing a hole in your pockets. With a few bucks, one can have the body they dream of without investing in a whole room of gym equipment.
2. Portability
A portable home gym allows you to quickly pack it up and take it wherever you want. And this is what is offered by the Gorilla Bow home gym. This home gym only weighs about 12 lbs, thanks to the lightweight aircraft aluminum and the latex resistance bands.
They also give you a travel bag for the resistance bands. So, thanks to the lightweight design, length of the bow, and the travel bag, you’ll be able to take the gorilla bow along easily.
3. Versatility
Most people who have never used a bow and arrow will not know that stretching a bow requires strength and engagement of different muscles. As such, using this home gym will help strengthens the core, the upper body, and of course, the arms.
The Gorilla Bow can be used for various exercises such as crunches, obliques, front and back squats, calf raises, and more. Plus, it only takes a little bit of imagination for you to craft your workout routines and attain the fitness level you want with this product. Its simplicity and ease of use are why Gorilla Bow is very suitable for persons with both beginner and intermediate fitness levels.
However, do note that you won’t be able to use it as you would a typical bow and arrow.
4. Quality
Superior quality is what the Gorilla bow offers its users. All the materials used in constructing the Gorilla Bow are heavy-duty.
5. Warranty
The Gorilla bow home gym includes a 2-year warranty and a 90-day money-back guarantee. Moreover, the warranty is valid for both the bow and the resistance bands.
What We Didn’t Like?
1. Large Unfoldable Size
It seems like a silly reason to put a blot on the mighty Gorilla Bow, but it is a huge deal-breaker for some people. This exercise bow might be easy to toss in the back of the car, but it gets a little tricky if space is tight. And since a Gorilla Bow does not exactly have a standard shape, it might end up not being able to fit in the trunk of your car.
2. Latex Resistance Bands
If you are allergic to latex, you should probably abstain from buying the bow.
With your purchase of the Original Gorilla Bow Portable Home Gym, you will receive the resistance bands and bar system for travel. It is a full body workout, weightlifting, and exercise kit.
Can You Purchase Additional Accessories for the Gorilla Bow?
In addition to the bow and the resistance bands, you will also receive a carrying pouch, as briefly mentioned earlier. This makes it easier for users to take the bow with them and store the bands. Even the bow itself is long; it is still lightweight and also easy to transport.
In addition to what you receive with your bundle, you can purchase additional accessories separately, depending on your needs.
Protection Sleeve
You can purchase the Gorilla brand Protection Sleeve directly from their site or find a more affordable and similar protection sleeve option on Amazon. The Black Mountain Resistance Band Protective Sleeve helps to increase the life of your resistance bands by protecting them from friction.
Gorilla Bow Band Rack
The Gorilla Bow brand band rack can be found on their site at a higher price point than other suitable options you can find elsewhere. For example, you can find a more affordable multi-purpose storage rack for your resistance bands on Amazon.
Travel Gorilla Bow Portable Home Gym Bundles
Gorilla Bow offers several bundle options to choose from so you can find what would work best for your home gym.
| Travel Base Bundle | Original Base Bundle | Original Heavy Bundle | Lite Base Bundle | Travel Lite Base Bundle | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bow Weight | 6 lbs | 6 lbs | 6 lbs | 3 lbs | 3 lbs |
| Dimensions | 56″ Length and 1.5″ bar diameter | 56″ Length and 1.5″ bar diameter | 56″ Length and 1.5″ bar diameter | 41.4″ length and 1″ bar diameter | 41.4″ length and 1″ bar diameter |
| Weight Capacity | 350 lbs | 300 lbs | 300 lbs | 150 lbs | 150 lbs |
| Included Band Weight | 110 lbs | 110 lbs | 330 lbs | 60 lbs | 60 lbs |
| Included Band Count | 4 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 3 |
| Who Is it Best for? | On the Go User | Consistent User | Heavy Lifter | High Rep and HIIT User | On the Go User |
What Different Exercises Can You Do with a Gorilla Bow?
There is a wide variety of exercises you can engage in with your Gorilla Bow to tone your entire body and include in your core workouts. Here are just a few to keep in mind when coming up with your new workout routine:
- Squats
- Chest Press
- Overhead Press
- Crunches
- Lunges
- Obliques
- Tricep Extensions
- Calf Raises
You can also participate in HIIT workouts with the Gorilla Bow total gym solution. You can engage in a high-intensity interval workout routine whenever you want to. You can work your calf muscles and glutes, arm muscles, calves, and chest, grow muscle mass, train your shoulders, increase body strength, tone chest muscles, and boost your overall flexibility and strength.
What Is the Gorilla Bow Lite?
Like the Original Gorilla Bow, the Gorilla Bow Lite was also designed to tone, tighten, and help you burn fat with high-rep and high-intensity total body workouts and resistance training. The Gorilla Bow Lite is more of a travel Gorilla Bow option as it isn’t full size, and the weight is lower than the Original.
The Gorilla Bow Lite weighs just three pounds and is 41.5 inches in length, with a capacity of 150 pounds.
Conclusion
The Gorilla Bow Travel or Original delivers what it says it will provide – a full body workout with resistance training. It does all this while being at a price that is a fraction of what most other home gyms will cost you. It is also lightweight and portable, making for a fantastic home gym option for persons who want to exercise anytime without a schedule and who want to avoid paying for a costly gym membership.
Moreover, it also offers a money-back guarantee and a lengthy warranty period, so it’s the perfect home gym to use to test the waters. Overall, I’m very satisfied with the Gorilla Bow, and I’m sure you will be happy to own one too.