OutdoorGearLab

Hate the uneven feeling of working out with giant rubber bands, aka resistance bands? If so, then the OYO Personal Gym may be what you're looking for. Made using the same technology popularized by Bowflex, the OYO is smooth and consistent due to a crisscrossing cable and pulley systems. These cables are also more durable than any latex band, and because they are never under massive tension, they can be counted on not to snap back at your face during a workout. This futuristic-looking unit is also impressively compact and portable, requiring far less setup and component changing during use than just about any other model we tested. The icing on the &#40;low carb&#41; cake? We found OYO's website filled with tons of extra information, exercise videos, and multi-week plans available for free.
After the learning curve of figuring out how to use this unique piece of gear, we found it relatively straightforward to use. The only complaint we have about this unusual portable gym is that the cables are rather short, limiting its range of motion even among our smaller testers. Compact resistance packs snap on and off for quick changing between motions yet offer very little range and no way to extend it. In fact, the unit tops out at just 25 pounds of resistance, making this model better for users who prefer more reps at a lower weight. One tester mused that her senior citizen-aged relatives would love the OYO, while another suggested it as a great option to take to the office and do small workouts during short breaks. 

amazon.com

walmart

expert-review

This $140 exercise device mimics what NASA sends into space with astronauts — I thought it was gimmicky at first, but I'm still using it 2 months later

yotpo

Wirecutter

The Multi-Gym Pro has three grip locations, fits a wide variety of doorways, and is unlikely to damage the woodwork thanks to its uniquely rectangular doorframe pads.

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target

bazaarvoice

Perfect Fitness Multi Gym Pro - Active Gear Review

If your heart is set on having a baseboard to anchor straps and push-up handles, but you don't want to spend so much of your hard-earned money, the Fusion Motion Portable Gym is a pretty good compromise. Though it doesn't have quite as many components as the super-versatile Gonex, it still has a lot to offer in a lighter, slightly more compact package. A detailed instruction booklet helps inspire new ideas and offers pointers on form. By winding the resistance bands in different configurations through the maze underneath, you can achieve a broader range of lengths and resistance levels than many other models with singular anchor points. The bands are covered with a protective fabric exterior, and this gym kit comes with some of the best quality carabiners of any set we tested.
However, the Fusion Motion includes just three carabiners, making switching between components all the more time-consuming as you have to move the carabiners around. Additionally, while we like the added versatility of winding resistance bands to achieve the perfect length and strength, it takes significant time to get it right and requires you to flip the board over repeatedly to perform this tedious task in the middle of your sweat session. When it comes to bar exercises, this is one of the shortest we tested, which we found to be rather restrictive both for wide-set motions &#40;i.e., squats&#41; and regular motions by broad-shouldered individuals. There is also no indication of how much resistance the bands have to offer, and no additional components are available to add on later. All in all, though it's a bit more time-consuming to adjust, and on the narrow side, the Fusion Motion is still a pretty solid deal for what you get. 

If your heart is set on having a baseboard to anchor straps and push-up handles, but you don't want to spend so much of your hard-earned money, the Fusion Motion Portable Gym is a pretty good compromise. Though it doesn't have quite as many components as the super-versatile Gonex, it still has a lot to offer in a lighter, slightly more compact package. A detailed instruction booklet helps inspire new ideas and offers pointers on form. By winding the resistance bands in different configurations through the maze underneath, you can achieve a broader range of lengths and resistance levels than many other models with singular anchor points. The bands are covered with a protective fabric exterior, and this gym kit comes with some of the best quality carabiners of any set we tested.
However, the Fusion Motion includes just three carabiners, making switching between components more time-consuming as you have to move the carabiners around. Additionally, while we like the added versatility of winding resistance bands to achieve the perfect length and strength, it takes significant time to get it right and requires you to flip the board over repeatedly to perform this tedious task in the middle of your sweat session. When it comes to bar exercises, this is one of the shortest we tested, which we found to be rather restrictive both for wide-set motions &#40;i.e., squats&#41; and regular motions by broad-shouldered individuals. There is also no indication of how much resistance the bands have to offer, and no additional components are available to add on later. All in all, though it's a bit more time-consuming to adjust, and on the narrow side, the Fusion Motion is still a pretty solid deal for what you get. 

Portable Gym Comparison