Century Bob XL (With 8173 Base)

Six foot, 250lb, Ten years taekwondo, six years bouncing, and eight years as a police officer. This is just to put into perspective the person reviewing this product. No. 1, it's expensive, once you get that out of the way it's nothing but positive. I purchased the Bob xl about a month ago and held off from reviewing right away. I've used Bob extensively now and am still impressed. Arrived in two boxes and set very easily. Hardest part is getting 75lbs of sand in a three inch hole in the base. Several hours later you get to play with bob. The bob xl has more coverage than the regular bob (around the back and spine) so you can circle and work from different angles. LIttle hard punching the kidneys, (less material) but still able to work full force. I put all I had into Bob, he never toppled or ripped. On thing to remember if using gloves you could get some transfer on bob, had to scrub for a bit but it comes off. The extra padding allows for some groundfighting opptions if you chose to take bob off the base. Bob and his base are loud if you don't put him on some type of pad or carpet. Bob's nose is really hard. Non-gloved punches to the face are unforgiving on the knuckles. Bob is way more flexible than a hanging bag, so you don't get the satisfying thud of punching the heavy bag, but he is awesome for accuracy training and those that can't hang a bag in their home. Lastly, bob feels and acts like hitting a real person. His head moves when struck and his "skin" gives a little. I have really enjoyed having Bob and Highly recommend this product. I've even added arms to mine for more training options using a tight sweatshirt and a large pool noodle.

when i looked i was under the impression that a funnel was included, sadly there was no funnel in mine. the product is perfect but should include a screw on funnel

I Love my BOB XL I would recommend this purchase to anyone who dabbles in the Martial Arts or who just wants to let off a little steam and get a good workout in I used water to fill his tank, cause I was impatient and didnt feel like taking the time to pour in the sand (I heard it was a pretty tedious task) but the water works great. It's heavy enough to keep in place and stabilize him but as I have him in my living room I am able to push and pull him around where I see fit without too much trouble @ all :)

Title says it all really, very fun to punch and kick on and for accuracy training nothing can top it, but needs tons of sand to withstand hits without falling over, if you have decent punching power like myself. I've had to put about 75 lbs more sand then manufacturer says to, I'm lucky all of that sand fit in the base, but like some others have said you can also use small rocks, pebbles along with sand to weigh it down. Do not use water, won't be heavy enough unless your a total wuss. Would have given it 5 stars if base was weighted to begin with, in other words some sort of metal instead of plastic but that would drive up costs, so I understand but also they should have made the head and face a little less soft, a bit harder and it would be perfect. Also, if your interested in buying one don't listen to the people that say BOB cannot replace a heavy bag, it most certainly can coming from someone who has used 100+ pound heavy bags for several years, I prefer the BOB hands down and haven't bothered with my heavy bags since, although part of that is due to limited space, which is another win for BOB. Its obviously realistic & helps improve accuracy compared to a heavy bag. If you got the money, and you like to punch and kick things and/or people, BUY IT. Had it for 6 months now and it is holding up perfectly so far.

Have had Bob now for over a year and has been a durable practice opponent.Halloween he sits on the front porch dressed up as a pirate.Has been used on a regular basis 3-4 times a week and shows no sign of wear. Does tend to slide or rock, filled with water, on carpet and marmoleum.Have placed in corner with pads behind the base to stand BOB off the wall further.Recommend for anyone looking for a thigh up practice opponent.

I have trained with the older / smaller version of BOB for years and found it to be a great training tool for martial arts. I recently purchased this XL unit for my home and I love it.First and foremost, bob is tough. While I use mine mostly empty handed, I know others who keep him outdoors and whack him with sticks and training knives. I don't think that's recommended, and he may get marked up - but he stands up to abuse.Having a realistically shaped opponent is a great tool as well. Hitting a heavy bag is fine, but with a BOB - you can practice anatomically sound striking. bob is also good for practicing full-force chokes, which would be dangerous with a live opponent. You can also practice techniques (such as chops to the neck) which are impractical for a heavy bag and unsafe on a real person.A side benefit for me, as someone who practices a self-defense oriented art, is hitting and grappling with something that looks so human (and menacing) can help with psychological conditioning as well.