DF805 Seated Calf Machine – 500 LBS Capacity – Seated Calf Raise Leg Exercise Machine - Uses Standard and Olympic Plates

This machine is very good for the price. It is not top gym quality but for $200 you can’t beat it. I was looking to add a calf raise machine to home gym and other machines were $400+. I saw this one and was a little skeptical on how the quality would be for the price but it didnt disappoint. It seems to be well constructed. I’m 5’6 and it works perfect for me and don’t see any reason why it would work well for everyone regardless of size. Very easy to put together, only issue as one other review stated you need to switch the I and J bolts during assembly.

So I’m rating this against its peers which are the five hundred or fewer dollar seared calf raise machines available here on Amazon. Machines at twice that price (or more) are going to be better made and have more bells and whistles. They’re likely going to last years in a commercial gym which is more than this is meant to do.In comparison to the cheaper machines, this offers a few creature comforts. The angle of the foot pedestal allows you to achieve the proper range of motion for the exercise like commercial equipment. Some of the options on Amazon have flat pedestal. If you’re able to swing it you should opt for this over those options. The vinyl and padding on this machine is nice and I expect it to last for many years.A couple cheap improvements would increase the machine’s value.1. Increase the length of the weight plate pin adapter. If you’re using bumper plates you’re going to run out of room on the included adapter. If you’re using cast iron plates, cheers to you if you run out of room using 45s.2. Use a better adhesive on the rubber strip on the pedestal. Mine was lifting from the moment it came out of the box. I haven’t had an issue after a few months of use but I know it will eventually need to be fixed3. Add a rubber bump stop where the arm could impact the base. I’ve hesitated on maxing out my lift because I don’t want to scuff the paint or bend anything if I have to bail on the movement. A simple rubber bump stop should solve the problem at a minimal increase in cost.

The media could not be loaded. This is an easy to assemble calf raise machine. It's well built, sturdy, and feels great. The padding is comfortable and the lifts feel solid. I gave it a 4 star rating because if you look at my video they should have taken the extra step to include an end cap on the adjustment tube. There's way too much play and it feels sloppy. See the picture from another piece of equipment I have that came with it. Much tighter feel. For a few cents more these guys would have knocked it out of the park. I still recommend it and will get my own end cap.

Just as good as the ones at all the gyms. Good investment.

I like how easy it was to put together and use,doesn't take up alot of room and it giving me the seated version of the calf raises I've been missing!

For the money this thing is super nice !

I received my calf machine and assembled it today.Some other reviewers had said it was not a good quality machine. I found that the quality is very good. It was packed well, and had two very high quality wrenches included for assembly. It is very strong & stable, and the welds looked good. It is a shiny white and looks good with my white squat rack and bench. It has an adjuster for the knee pads but not the seat. The knee pads like the handle brace move freely so you can adjust easily for different leg length. The seat is long enough that you can sit forward or back further if needed. It fits me good; I am 5 ft 11 inches with a 31 inch inseam. I can tell I wont need to put much weight on it. I had been using a bar with 125 lbs for 65 reps. I put 25 lbs on it and could tell I would not be able to do 65 reps with it.So, yes I definitely like it very much. I am looking forward to using it to augment my calves development. I highly recommend this machine.

Nicer than anything at the gym. Easy to assemble. Very sturdy.Great value!!