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If you’re a garage gym owner who loves using power rack attachments to upgrade your setup, you’ve probably seen jammer arms, also known as lever arms.
These versatile attachments are designed to work with most squat racks. They allow users to perform plate-loaded exercises that are a bit more stable than free weights, simulating the traditional machines found in many commercial gyms.
The manufacturer, Griffin Fitness, is known for home gym equipment that won’t break the bank, and the new lever arms are certainly priced competitively compared to other options on the market. However, price isn’t everything, which is why we conducted thorough testing on these arms to find out how they felt.
In this Griffin Adjustable Jammer Arms review, I’ll share our honest thoughts from hands-on testing. You’ll learn the good and the bad, and we’ll help you decide if these are a worthy investment for your home gym or if you’re better off saving your money.
Trusted Reviews From Equipment Experts
The Garage Gym Reviews testers have plenty of experience using the best home gym equipment, including squat racks, barbells, bumper plates, jammer arms, and everything in between. Our testers include certified personal trainers, gym owners, weightlifting coaches, and even an Olympian.
For this review, GGR founder Cooper “Coop” Mitchell tested the Griffin Adjustable Jammer Arms, testing nearly every feature and using them for a variety of workouts, sharing his thoughts in a full video review. After testing, he rated the jammer arms using our testing methodology, which assigns a score from 1 to 5 on a variety of categories, including:
- Durability and construction
- Adjustability and versatility
- Ergonomics
Griffin Adjustable Lever Arms
Product Highlights
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Durable material
- Multi-grip handles
- Both vertical and horizontal movement
- Laser-cut numbers
Cons
- Feels a little wobbly
- Arms are heavy and feel challenging to move
- Only 5 positions for vertical movement settings
- No way to lock in horizontal movements
Bottom Line
The Griffin Adjustable Lever Arms allow users to perform a variety of plate-loaded exercises with varying angles and hand positions.
A Quick Look at the Griffin Adjustable Jammer Arms
The Griffin Adjustable Lever Arms (or jammer arms, as we like to call them) are a new offering from a company that specializes in home gym equipment.
Griffin isn’t the first company to introduce jammer arms, as other manufacturers like Rogue, REP Fitness, Titan, and Bells of Steel offer similar lever arms. However, the Griffin arms are significantly cheaper than many competitors, so we had to give them a try.
The Griffin Adjustable Jammer Arms attach to any squat rack with 3-inch-by-3-inch uprights and offer a way to enjoy plate-loaded training at home. Machine training has been shown1 to be as effective as training with free weights. For bodybuilders who train at home and prefer machines, this is a good way to upgrade your squat rack.
The height and angle of the arm on the rack can both be adjusted. This is truly an all-in-one accessory that unlocks a wide variety of movements, such as chest presses, incline presses, overhead presses, pull-ups, and more. Each arm features multi-grip handles and is very adjustable, allowing you to get the exact setup you need.
Griffin clearly paid attention to the details. The handles and adjustment pins have nice knurling, and the adjustment settings and company logo are laser-cut, which we love to see.
However, while the details are fantastic, a few of the main functions didn’t work quite as well as we’d want to see. This is certainly an affordable piece of equipment compared to competitors, but there’s a noticeable drop-off in quality in exchange for the low price.
Before You Buy
- Each arm can move both vertically and horizontally, though you can also lock the vertical arm in a fixed position.
- The arms feel wobbly because they don’t fit snugly in the squat rack, which is annoying when performing fast, explosive movements.
- Each arm weighs 54 pounds, so while you can certainly adjust the height, they’re noticeably heavy.
Griffin Adjustable Jammer ArmsVideo Review
Are the Griffin Adjustable Jammer Arms Worth It?
At $899, these are affordable compared to other lever arms we’ve tested, but certainly not cheap. Before you pick up a pair, here’s who we think they are best suited for.
Great for:
- Home gym owners who prefer a slower style of training
- Those shopping on a budget
- Anyone who wants to replicate a plate-loaded machine at home
Not recommended for:
- Those who perform dynamic workouts and require stability
- Anyone looking for maximum adjustability
- People who don’t have a 3-inch-by-3-inch squat rack
Griffin Adjustable Jammer Arms Specs
| Price | $899 |
| Weight | 54 lbs per arm |
| Handles | Multi-grip |
| Arm length | 45” |
| Compatibility | 3” x 3” uprights with 5/8″ or 1” holes |
Using the Griffin Adjustable Jammer Arms
The arms seemed packed with features, but using them in a workout is a different story. While the arms can be set to any height on your squat rack, they feel a little wobbly while in use. Coop noted that it isn’t a huge deal during slow movements like a bench press, but it feels very annoying during dynamic movements.
At 54 pounds each, the arms are very heavy, and Coop pointed out that it’s a hassle to adjust them. It’s not a huge deal, as they’ll be locked in place before you load up the arm to start your exercise, but as Coop said, “You don’t want to do a lift before your lift.”
One annoying feature was that one of our handles was welded upside down, leaving the knurling in the wrong place. We imagine Griffin would replace this for most orders, but we did have an issue with quality control on the arms Griffin sent us to review, which was surprising.
The arms can be used while standing on your feet or lying on an adjustable bench, or you can lock them into the highest position and use the handles like an adjustable pull-up bar.
Construction and Durability
The Griffin Jammer Arms’ construction is clearly a strength, as the arms are very durable, but we still have to give them a 3 out of 5 for this category.
Griffin also chose to use magnetic, knurled pins, which have a sturdy, durable feel, to lock in the various position settings. Those settings are clearly marked with laser-cut numbers, which we love to see in a more affordable product.
However, even though the pins feel very nice to use, the magnet itself sometimes falls out, and Coop found that, on occasion, the magnet remained stuck to the equipment after removing the pin. This is an example of a feature that had good intentions but poor execution. This is easy enough to fix with glue, but having loose magnets around isn’t ideal for those with children or pets.
The trolley that adjusts the height of the arms on your rack also has flaws. The design itself is nice to use, with both a turn-to-release pin and a magnetic pin, but it’s not very secure. Even when locked in, the arm wobbles against the upright and doesn’t fit tightly.
As Coop said, “Some of the details are really well done, but some of the functionality of those details just leaves a little bit to be desired.”
Adjustability and Versatility
Griffin Jammer Arms can move both vertically and horizontally, allowing users to set the arms to the exact specifications they need. They earn a 4 out of 5 for adjustability and versatility.
The vertical movement is controlled by changing a pin, and there are five different holes to lock in five different settings. While this is useful, it’s simply not as adjustable as many other jammer arms on the market, which can feature up to 17 holes. We’d love to see more on the Griffin Jammer Arms.
Coop did say that the locations of the pin settings are pretty good for most exercises, but he’d love to see a lot more settings.
One good feature is the ability to lock the arm in a vertical position, turning it into an extension of your squat rack. This makes it easy to attach J-cups and spotter arms. You can also try various lever arm attachments, like the Vendetta Lever Arm Adapter or GymPin x Kaizen Jammer Arm Adapter.
RELATED: Jammer Arms Attachment Reviews
It’s worth noting that while the arms can sway from side to side, they can’t be locked into those positions. You can move the arms horizontally to a comfortable position, but they won’t stay there once you let go. That said, Coop has a pair of jammer arms that do offer the locking swivel and said he rarely uses the locked setting, so this didn’t bother him with the Griffin Jammer arms.
While these arms aren’t quite as versatile as something like a cable machine or functional trainer, they’re still a great option, especially for those with limited space.
Ergonomics
For ergonomics, the Griffin Jammer Arms earn a 3-out-of-5-star rating.
While the handles feel very durable and have a knurled finish, the arms are simply too wobbly during explosive movements. They don’t have a snug fit with the squat rack, so if you’re doing explosive movements, they’ll feel shaky.
RELATED: What is Knurling?
They’re adjustable, move both horizontally and vertically, and the handles feel great, but we simply can’t award a score higher than 3 out of 5 due to the wobbly, unsteady feeling.
Griffin Adjustable Jammer Arms vs PRx Halo Arms
PRx Halo Arms
Product Highlights
- Jammer arms rack attachment
- Locks into place for vertical or horizontal movement
- Unlocks for multi-directional movement
- Option between multi-grip or straight handles
- Compatible with 5/8″ or 1” holes on 3×3″ uprights
- 17 vertical locking positions
- 9 horizontal locking positions
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Very versatile
- Vertical and horizontal locking positions
- Compatible for 5/8" or 1” holes
- Choice of multi-grip or straight handles
Cons
- Expensive
- Not compatible with Profile Folding Racks
- Horizontal positions are a bit too wide
Bottom Line
The PRx Halo Arms are a unique pair of jammer arms compatible with 3-inch-by-3-inch uprights with 5/8-inch or 1-inch holes. With 17 vertical and 9 horizontal locking positions, the Halo Arms are extremely versatile; plus, the arms can be unlocked to provide multi-directional movement—although the movement will still stem from the fixed point on the power rack uprights.
Let’s compare this to one of the most popular jammer arms on the market, the PRx Halo Arms.
While both have similar functions and can work with most squat racks, the PRx arms cost nearly twice as much as the Griffin arms—but it may be worth it.
Adjustability is the first main difference. The Griffin Jammer Arms have five holes to lock in the vertical position, while PRx Halo Arms have 17 holes, allowing for significantly more customization and optionality. PRx also allows you to lock in your horizontal, side-to-side setting, while Griffin does not.
We also didn’t have issues with the PRx arms feeling wobbly, which is a major positive, but again, the cost is significantly higher.
Overall, the PRx Halo Arms are better for those who aren’t working on a strict budget and want the best jammer arms we’ve tested (so far). The Griffin Jammer Arms are best for those who want most of the functionality at a much lower cost and don’t mind the wobbly feeling.
Read our full PRx Halo Arms review to learn more.
| Griffin Adjustable Jammer Arms | PRx Halo Arms | |
| Price | $899 | $1,499 |
| Weight | 54 lbs per arm | 60 lbs per arm |
| Handles | Multi-grip | Multi-grip or straight handles |
| Arm length | 45” | 45” |
| Compatibility | 3” x 3” uprights with 5/8″ or 1” holes | 3” x 3” uprights with 5/8″ or 1” holes |
Customer Experience
Griffin earns a 3 out of 5 for customer experience. It’s fine, but nothing to write home about.
If you have issues with your order, you can reach Griffin’s support team via phone, email, or contact form. Returns are accepted within 30 days, though products must be unopened. The jammer arms include a limited lifetime warranty.
Ordering the Griffin Adjustable Jammer Arms
When you order from Griffin, you can finance your order with Affirm, check out with PayPal, or pay with a credit card.
Orders ship free to the contiguous USA. If you live anywhere else in the world, Griffin suggests arranging your own freight forwarding.
Customer Reviews
These arms are relatively new and don’t have many reviews yet, and they aren’t sold on Amazon. That said, there are three customer reviews on the Griffin website at the time of writing, and they think more highly of these arms than Coop did, with all three reviews awarding a 5-out-of-5 rating.
Final Verdict of Our Griffin Adjustable Jammer Arms Review
Overall, while Griffin gets most things right with the jammer arms, and we’d love to recommend them to everyone, they have a few flaws that many users won’t enjoy.
We love the details, including the knurled pin and knurled multi-grip handle. The laser-cut numbers are a nice detail, and overall, the arms feel very durable, if not a bit too heavy.
However, our biggest issue was that they simply didn’t fit snugly with a squat rack. They’re wobbly, and it’s very noticeable when performing dynamic, explosive movements. Other reviewers on the Griffin site gave these arms a 5 out of 5, so your experience may vary, but the arms we tested didn’t feel very secure.
These lever arms are affordable, and if you don’t mind a little movement and shakiness while training, they’ll get the job done just fine. However, until the wobbling is fixed, we think most people will be a little annoyed with these arms.
- The price is very competitive and should fit many different budgets for home gym owners.
- Nearly everything about the arms feels very nice. However, they feel unstable and shaky when in use.
- They’ll get the job done, but if a wobbly arm is going to bother you, it’s best to save up for a nicer pair of jammer arms.
Full Rating
Griffin Adjustable Jammer Arms
The Griffin Adjustable Lever Arms allow users to perform a variety of plate-loaded exercises with varying angles and hand positions.
Product Currency: $
Product Price: 899.99
Product In-Stock: InStock
3.57
Griffin Adjustable Jammer Arms: FAQs
Are jammer arms worth it?
Depending on your fitness goals, jammer arms may be a great investment. It depends on your budget and current equipment, but if you have a compatible squat rack, we think jammer arms are a great accessory for nearly any strength goal.
What are jammer arms for?
Jammer arms allow users to perform a variety of exercises using weight plates on a fixed path rather than relying on barbells and dumbbells. They typically move in several directions and angles, replacing the kind of plate-loaded machines you’d find at many commercial gyms.
What muscle do jammers work?
Jammer arms can be used to train nearly any muscle group. You can do bench presses for the chest, rows for the back, lunges for the legs, and more. They’re designed to work with a variety of movement patterns and muscle groups.
Can you make DIY jammer arms?
While many pieces of equipment can be rigged up at home, like belt squats, deadlift platforms, pulley systems, and more, jammer arms would be very challenging to build. They need to be durable enough to support heavy loads, and constructing them may be difficult.
References
- Haugen, M. E., Vårvik, F. T., Larsen, S., Haugen, A. S., van den Tillaar, R., & Bjørnsen, T. (2023). Effect of free-weight vs. machine-based strength training on maximal strength, hypertrophy and jump performance – a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation, 15(1), 103. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-023-00713-4
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