If you could only pick one piece of gym equipment, adjustable dumbbells would be hard to beat. Today we’re comparing two heavy hitters:
Reppins (Rep x Pepin Fast Series) — arguably the most popular set right now.
Pepin HDs — their lesser-known predecessors with some unique advantages.
Both are high-quality, Canadian-made adjustable dumbbells, but they serve different priorities.
Reppins (Rep x Pepin Fast Series) Overview
Weight range: 10 to 125 lbs. The rails go up to 120, and with 2.5 lb adder plates you can hit 125.
Adjustment increments: 5 lbs at a time, fast and easy.
Speed: Takes about 10 seconds to change both dumbbells.
Feel: Solid, well-balanced, as close as adjustable dumbbells can get to fixed commercial dumbbells.
I’ve already done a deep dive on these, but the short version is simple: they’re incredibly convenient, fast to use, and high-quality.
Pepin HD Overview
Weight range: Up to 170 lbs with the long screws (8 × 10 lb plates per side).
Why I bought them: I wanted the ability to go extremely heavy—heavier than most commercial gyms even offer. My set tops at 155 each, but with extra plates you can go all the way to 170.
Feel: When locked in, they feel as good as dumbbells get—98–100% of the experience of a fixed dumbbell.
That’s a rare compliment for an adjustable system. The Pepin HDs feel amazing in hand.
Where the Pepin HDs Fall Short
The problem? Speed.
Adjusting them is painfully slow compared to the Reppins.
The rail system, while functional, makes weight changes clunky and frustrating.
They end up sitting unused unless I specifically need more than 125 lbs.
For me, that’s usually just dumbbell RDLs (where the handle position works better with HDs) or if I want to do heavy farmer’s carries or croc rows beyond the Reppins’ limit. Otherwise, they gather dust.
Price and Value
There’s a noticeable price difference depending on whether you’re just buying handles or full sets, but the real deciding factor is this:
If adjustment speed matters to you (supersets, drop sets, efficient training), the Reppins crush the Pepin HDs.
If you absolutely need dumbbells heavier than 125 lbs, the Pepin HDs are one of the only viable options.
Final Verdict
The Pepin HDs are almost perfect once locked in—they feel incredible. But I’d almost never recommend them because the Reppins exist.
The Reppins are faster, more convenient, and plenty heavy for 99% of lifters. They’re not flawless, but they’re as good as you can realistically ask for in an adjustable dumbbell. For the best experience, I highly recommend pairing them with the Rep Adjustable Dumbbell Stand designed specifically for them.
Bottom line: For most people, the Reppins are the smarter buy. The Pepin HDs are only worth it if you specifically need dumbbells up to 170 lbs and don’t mind painfully slow adjustments.