I've been a serious weightlifter for 43 years at this point and can't write a review that would give this "preacher bench" adequate justice - it's that good. I've traditionally been a loyal customer of a more expensive brand of home gym equipment and this one purchase has convinced me I'll be buying Valor products from this point based upon the value, quality and attention to detail reflected in this bench.With respect to particulars, this preacher bench excels in every category. I've purchased 2 other preacher benches in the past, and they both had a bar rest that consisted of a single upright bar that was totally inadequate for the job...Valor wisely chose to incorporate the "field goal post" design used in all quality gym grade preacher benches. This is particularly important because you should be extremely fatigued after you've completed your set of curls, and accidents happen when you have to summon up the energy to stand up, lean over and carefully balance your curling bar on a single upright pole even if it fans out on either side for several inches. Valor has noted previous purchaser's comments about the rubber pads and the current model I received came a heavy duty rubber (rather than cheap foam) coating that covers each of the bar rests...they'll last a lifetime, even if you're dropping a bar with lots of weight on them at the end of a set. All serious weight lifters will be using a curved curling bar with this bench, which makes the "goal post" bar rest a necessity rather than an attractive feature...if you have a preacher bench with a single upright bar rest, a curling bar will balance precariously at best when not in use or between sets, requiring you to take the bar off the machine simply to add quarter pound plates...if you attempt to do so, the opposite end of the bar will flip up, likely hit you and dump all of the plates on the opposite end of the bar before bouncing back up and dumping the plates on the opposite end. However, the "field goal" bar rests allow you to add or remove even heavier plates safely, even if children are in the area.In addition, the armrest is amply and solidly padded, covered in a material that will last for the life of the bench and, perhaps most importantly, welded to the frame at the precise angle needed for curling effectively.I noticed that quite a few other reviews faulted this preacher bench being "wobbly" in one way or another. With all due respect, those comments are incorrect - so long as you adhere to the following instructions whenever you make any height adjustments to any of the components:1) With the adjusting screw out far enough to allow the bars with the holes in it to move smoothly up and down (be careful not to unscrew the knob too far), line the securing end of the adjusting screw up with the hole on the inner bar closest to the hight you've selected. You'll be able to confirm you've done so if you begin tightening the knob and don't feel resistance too soon...if you've lined up the components correctly, you'll be screwing the knob clockwise for some time, verifying that the other end of the bolt is entering the hole in the other bar.2) Provided you're twisting the bolt all the way into the hole, you'll begin to feel it gradually tighten as the end of the bolt enters the hole on the opposite side of the bar you're securing in place. If you've made a mistake and aren't inserting the bolt into the corresponding hole, you'll feel much more resistance earlier on and will only be able to turn the knob about one additional turn before it's too tight to turn any further. Provided you're doing things correctly, however, the knob will gradually tighten as the opposite end of the bolt enters the second hole on the bar you're adjusting. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN THE BOLT OR YOU'LL STRIP THE THREADS...when you meet firm resistance, stop turning - you're done.If you take the time to make your adjustments correctly, this preacher bench is solid as a rock and you can safety use enough plates for even the most strenuous lifting without feeling ANY wobbling of any kind in any of the components. I've never seen a preacher bench in this class that's more solid and sturdy than this Valor model.Note that it will take an inordinate amount of time to make repeated adjustments to any of the components without exposing your preacher bench to undue wear and tear. While this is a remarkable piece of home gym equipment, it is not designed to be repeatedly adjusted on a daily basis, so find your ideal settings for your particular needs and leave them be. While this is a fantastically rugged and durable piece of equipment, it is not a piece of equipment you'd find in a gym used by hundreds of people day in and day out costing upwards of $5,000 to $10,000. It will allow you to do everything a premium preacher bench you'd find in a good gym (and more, because none of them allow you to adjust as many variables as this Valor product, but professional gym equipment is designed specifically to be abused. For instance, no gym-quality preacher bench would have a plastic gasket, or even a gasket in the first place. Instead, it would have steel notches you'd use to make height adjustments. That doesn't mean a far more expensive piece of gym equipment is superior...because it's not meant to be readjusted several hundred times a week, this Valor preacher bench allows you to make much more precise adjustments than one you'd find in a gym and therefore produce desired results much more quickly.With that caveat, I'd strongly recommend you purchase this Valor preacher bench for a lifetime of heavy lifting...and then pass it on to your child or grandchild, as it's that rugged. If you do have to make constant adjustments (perhaps you plan on working out with a friend), just be careful to take the time to make any adjustments correctly. Even if you weren't careful, you're not going to do irreparable harm to this preacher bench...I'd imagine any of the components subject to wear and tear can be easily replaced by contacting Valor and ordering replacements, and the components in question would be nominally priced compared to your initial investment - you'd probably wind up paying more for shipping than you will for the components in question.I apologize for such a lengthy review, but I wanted to take the time to clear up what I believe to be some of the confusion arising from other comments...you learn quite a bit about gym equipment with nearly half a century worth of weightlifting experience.You simply won't find a better preacher bench in this price range, even if you decide to spend twice as much on a different one. Apparently the engineers and designers are serious weightlifters themselves, as it would have been impossible for them to make this piece of equipment unless they use it themselves after years of trial and error using other preacher benches they weren't completely satisfied with.