FAQS + CONTACT

the HAVAK brand released its very first designs in 2012 while our chief designer began working in the fitness equipment industry back in the early 1990s. so while HAVAK may not be a 'house hold name', we have been around for a while

we do not offer “sales” or "qualified discounts" for special groups . . . but we do however offer ‘demo units’

be sure to read our answer to the "how often does HAVAK have sales?" questions below for more information

HAVAK’s approach to the equipment business is different than some others

we design and manufacture everything in small quantities in california which allows us greater flexibility in creating and evolving each design. however this approach is also far less cost effective than importing mass quantities from outside the country

putting aside quality, imported exercise equipment typically offers far greater profit margins which allows those brands to offer affiliate programs, discounts, “big sales" and or different sponsorships. combined with ever increasing raw material costs, this difference in location widens the gap between small domestic brands and those others

as a result, we do not offer “sales” or "qualified discounts" for special groups . . . but we do however offer ‘demo units’ which are units that may be blemished, discontinued, imperfect, irregular, loaners, mismatched, over-runs, pre production, prototypes, returns, ‘scratch + dent’, and or otherwise used for photoshoots, trade-shows and or for testing purposes

demos become available irregularly and are typically announced via our social media account(s). they are in very limited quantities, sold "first come first served" and in “AS IS” condition. please note that demo units may not be exactly as shown, are non-refundable, non-returnable and only available for shipment within the US48. be sure contact us with any questions prior to purchase

we always share the above industry insight with those who inquire about why we do not have sales. it is also why we do not offer any affiliate programs, coupons, influencer codes and or sponsorships to individuals and or groups. these simply do not fit within our current business model

while we try to have stock (of all of our designs) on hand and ready for immediate shipment, that idea is easier said than done

balancing supply and demand is never easy. and when coupled with supply-chain challenges and other unexpected delays (such as machinery failure, staffing issues, etc), as well as the occasional unforeseen spike in sales, always having stock on hand and ready for immediate shipment can be a struggle

with that every flowing situation in mind, “pre-orders” allow customers to purchase their desired item(s) in advance and await their shipment. much like an appointment or reservation, this insures their place in line for inventory the moment it becomes available. and while we understand that some many not wish to pay for something that they will not immediately receive, this method has proven to be the best way of managing inventory / production

pre-orders are always quoted with a 6~9 week fulfillment timeframe. and while there are instances where pre-orders have been shipped within a few days of ordering, we cannot foresee the future, and therefore never want to 'over promise then under deliver’

please read the answer to the "how often does HAVAK have sales?" question above as it contains a detailed explanation as to why we do not offer any affiliate and or discount code programs

as alluded to in our answer to “how often does havak have sales?”, our method of small-batch design is not necessarily the most cost effective approach to manufacturing. nor is producing in california versus other countries such as china, india or taiwan

but there is something else to consider. consider our TRIAD design. while other brands only have to buy, cut, weld and finish one piece of material for their single grip handweight, the TRIAD has three. that means three times the material. three times the cutting. three times the welding. three times the painting. and when it comes to manufacturing, every cut, hole, piece and process adds to the cost of an item

beyond that, "expensive" should be viewed as the sum of any particular product’s capabilities rather than just the dollar amount. for example; if a “cheaper” handweight only has one handle, only one way of holding it, and it cannot function as both a dumbbell, a kettlebell, and a weight plate, how much ‘savings’ is remaining after buying all of the other items needed to check those boxes?

shipping costs are a matter of dimension, weight and of course distance. sending a box that weight over 50 lbs anywhere is far from economical, especially with high fuel surcharges

and while we continually look into better shipping rates, and maximizing shipment friendly packaging, we also take into account the carrier’s approach to service if / when ‘ace ventura’ gets his hand on a box (as that is typically when you find out why the ‘cheaper guys’ are cheaper)

over the years most consumers have told us that they are typically not home when carriers deliver their packages, and that requiring a signature causes a delay in the delivery and or they are required to take the time to visit a local shipping office to collect their order

that said, we always advise customers that do not have a secure location for carriers to delivery their package (and or have been subject to ‘porch piracy’ to request a signature during check out

note: any products ‘powered by PEPIN’ such as our STEALTH TRIADs are shipped with ‘signatures required’. if that is not desired, please advise us in the notes section found during check out

if there is a quote that exemplifies the starting point of every HAVAK design, it would be that "the world does not need another dumbbell, flat bench or weight rack . . . unless it brings something special to the table"

for us, we are not focused on producing any product that is essentially the same as everything else on the market other than larger bolts or pretty paint. we have zero interest on how big something might be. we leave being 'everything to everyone' to everyone else

that said, it is also important for people who have not experienced the challenge of conceptualizing, designs, failing, redesigning, failing again, redesigning again (etc), how brutally taxing (both financially and mentally) prototyping even the ‘simplest of new ideas’ can be

this is one of the biggest reasons why the vast majority of brands do not truly innovate. they simply ‘follow the recipe someone else created and add their own pinch of spice’

the LINK, HOOK and HOOK XL are all offset weight plates that allow for a certain level of undulation (or swinging movement) when used 

the amount of undulation depends on the design’s static weight (5 lbs, 10 lbs and 25 lbs respectively), the hole chosen to connect it to the barbell (1, 2 or 3 respectively) as well as the speed in which the exercise is performed 

in addition, both the HOOK and HOOK XL designs also offer centered ‘platforms’ for easy adding / removal of resistance bands  

while they may be one of our favorite all-time designs, HOOKs are not for everyone

and while regular weight plates will always have their place in the ‘equipment toolbox’, whether in competition or in the real world, we can be subjected to unstable loads. objects can unexpected shift. and for those who are unprepared or untrained for this may find their ‘strength’ overwhelmed even by a deceiving light load

the HOOKs offer multiple level of controlled chaos, via its three oscillation settings and or by adding accommodating resistance, all of which can be calculated and duplicated allowing for consistent training and progression

the SCEPTER is the evolution of our original BATT

its removable collar allows the SCEPTER to be used as a small diameter stick for targeting specific areas / tissues. in addition, its tubular structure lowers its starting weight making it much more accepting by new tempering clients and much more travel friendly

developed by world renown strength expert ‘Super D’ Donnie Thompson, Body Tempering® is a technique used to accelerate sport activity performance and recovery by combating soft tissue restrictions

through the application of compression and traction via resistance / weighted loads, Body Tempering® assists in joint and soft tissue mobilization that can lead to improved range of motion, increase flexibility, reduce soreness, mobilize the myofascial layers, address trigger points (or tender points), strengthen tendons, and alter sympathetic nervous system excitation

without hesitation, the HAVAK design team believes that Body Tempering® is the most effective and most underutilized method for helping every body move better

for more information on all things body tempering, visit bodytempering.com
for more information on becoming body tempering certified, visit bodytemperingeducation.com
and for more information on the man behind this powerful (and life-changing) technique, visit ‘Super D’ Donnie Thompson product page or his instagram account here

unlike the more common fixed / heavy-weight tempering tools, the SCEPTER is designed to utilize standard olympic plates to adjust + customize the amount of load being applied. this allows for easily calculable, gradual and replicable loads when body tempering 

in addition, it was designed with a flat surface on one end, a rounded end on the other plus a knurled center for greater versatility when tempering different areas / tissues (that may not otherwise be easily or safely targeted)

these distinct features make the SCEPTER a hyper versatile tool for any body tempering professional 

while incredible challenging, the original ab wheel is somewhat limited in its ability to scale to the user. in addition, most only travel in a straight forward and back direction with both hands connected / operating dependently

the SLIDERs go far beyond that. its omnidirectional casters allow for forward, backward, side to side and rotational movement simultaneously. this freedom of movement allows the user to dictate the SLIDER’s path and better mimics the multi-planar movements we encounter in the real world

in addition, the ability to work one arm or leg individually. whether done to lighten the overall workout for rehabilitation purposes or to maximally task the stabilization and strength of the whole body, making the SLIDERs far more versatile

one of the largest differences is that no matter the amount of pressure applied, the SLIDERs do not loose they omnidirectional movement. in comparison, many of the inexpensive ‘gliding products’ only move freely with little to no pressure as too much will create excessive friction between them and the floor surface resulting in their restricted movement (or not move all) completely negating their intended purpose

and as with most exercise equipment, quality is everything. unlike other ‘similar products’ the SLIDERs are manufactured in america using laser cut aluminum tubing, industrial grade casters and designed to function on almost any surface

unlike more common dumbbells and kettlebells, the TRIAD design offer three key differences;

i) there are three different grip sizes; traditional, ‘fat grip' and strongman. these allow for the ability to increase or decrease the level difficultly of any exercise without having to change the weight itself. plus the multiple grips allow for safer two handed movements and even safer spotting

ii) there are three main ways to hold or load the TRIAD; distal (close), proximal (far) and racked (resting). these different positions allows for the weight to be positioned differently in relation to the body which can dramatically affect the amount of effort required to holding and or moving the weight

iii) the TRIAD’s proprietary shape and center hole allows for use as landmine handle, unstable parallettes, pushup handles, weight plate and more
simply put, the TRIADs offer unparalleled versatility

the kabuki strength KYUbell is based on the TRIAD design (under license) and only slightly modified to better align with their existing manufacturing and marketing processes. so beyond the obvious cosmetics, and slight difference in handle diameters, the only significant difference is that the kyubells are a fixed design while the TRIADs are not

and since their release, whenever we have been asked which one to buy, we have always offered the same answer; nearly all lifters would love to have a complete rack of fixed weights if their resources allowed. however, whether it by financial or spacial, an adjustable handweight may be a better fit. in other-words, if you have the money and the space, go invest in a full set of KYUbells. if not, the TRIADs are for you

either way you will have the most versatile handweight ever designed at your fingertips

to answer this properly, it is important to appreciate the the TRIADs are a “different creature”. that is, depending on which grip is used, and how it is loaded (held) even the 10 lbs TRIAD handle can feel substantially more challenging than a basic 10 lbs dumbbell or kettlebell. as a result a lifter does not necessarily need as heavy of a TRIAD in order to achieve the same amount of load that a regular handweight provides. real-world proof of this; two of the strongest guys we know who own TRIADs, chris duffin and donnie thompson, do not have any over 55 lbs

that said, the base TRIAD handle offers a starting weight of 10 lbs without the knobs + pins inserted, 15 lbs with them installed, and allows for up to five (5) plates per side. if all of those plates are the large 10 lbs size, the fully loaded weight of the TRIAD would be 115 lbs

however, for those who are considering purchasing a pair of TRIADs but have never trained with them, we highly recommend they start with the base unit. we repeat; do not buy add-on plates right away. while a horrible approach to sales, we hate the idea of people investing money in extra add-on plates that they may not need . . . especially when they could invest that money in a other HAVAK designs ;)

the short answer; adjusting the weight on the TRIADs is rather simple. pull the pins, remove the knobs, change the plates, and reinsert the knobs and pins

the longer (and more accurate answer); using a stable and level surface (that is projected to insure that neither it nor the TRIAD are damaged in any way), carefully place the TRIAD on one end. remove the safety pin that secures the adjustment knob(s). depending on the model of TRIAD, it may be easiest to guide the pins out from the center of the TRIAD’s ‘change plate’ hole (from either above or below). to avoid pins ‘disappearing’, always place the pins together off to the side

next, remove the adjustment knob(s) which depending on the model of TRIAD may be one single ‘claw’ or three individual knobs. earlier models are threaded and will required to be ‘screwed out’ while newer versions simply pull out. once removed, place them on the level surface next to that handle. from there, add or subtract the required number and size of plates desired. once loaded, re-insert the adjustment knob(s), followed by the insertion of the three safety pins. to make the re-insertion of the knobs and pins as smooth as possible, be sure to align the holes of each plate (when viewed from above). for us, this took some practice to become proficient at it, and realizing that a softer touch or a little wiggle allows the process to go much smoother

once loaded and properly secured, carefully flip the TRIAD over and repeat the above steps for the opposite side in the same manner

beyond maintaining manufacturing quality, one of the most challenging aspects of improving the TRIAD design over the years has been trying to insure that the older plates would work on newer handles. this was important to us as we wanted to allow early-on supporters the option to upgrade without having to ‘rebuy' an entire new set

unfortunately that goal has not always been achievable. that said, below is quick compatible breakdown of what plates will fit on what handles:

ADJUSTABLE (slotted) plates produced before 09/2020

= work w/ ADJUSTABLE handles (threaded) produced before 09/2020

≠ may not work w/ ADJUSTABLE handles (threaded) produced after 09/2020

≠ do not work w/ QUICK handles (holes)

≠ do not work w/ STEALTH handles (holes)

ADJUSTABLE (slotted) plates produced after 09/2020

= work w/ ADJUSTABLE handles (threaded)

= work w/ QUICK handles (holes)

≠ do not work w/ STEALTH handles (holes)

QUICK (holes) plates

≠ do not work w/ ADJUSTABLE handles (threaded)

= work w/ QUICK handles (holes)

≠ do not work w/ STEALTH handles (holes)

STEALTH (holes) plates

≠ do not work w/ ADJUSTABLE handles (threaded)

≠ do not work w/ QUICK handles (holes)

= work w/ STEALTH handles (holes)

if you are unsure as to how best to upgrade your existing TRIAD items, feel free to contact us (preferably with images) to help guide you

for those who have never trained with the TRIAD design, we suggest you read our answer to the “how heavy can the TRIAD go?” question above

beyond its variable and grip and loading options, the ANGLED XL is an accessory barbell and not intended to replace ‘power’ or super heavy duty barbells designed specifically for max effort deadlifts, pressing, squatting, etc

first and foremost, HAVAK is a designer of equipment

and in order for us to focus on expanding and refining our product portfolio, we look to partner with other quality driven manufacturers to handle the production of our designs. the first significant example of this is our partnership with kabuki strength and the KYUbells

although not widely known (for now) PEPIN is one of the world’s premier manufacturer of adjustable + selectable dumbbells and kettlebells. their manufacturing prowess and impeccable character in and out of the industry made them a perfect partner for the STEALTH TRIADs

for more information on PEPIN and their made in canada hand weights visit dumbbellpepin.com