I've had my Neck Flex for a couple months now and I'm absolutely loving it. Before that I purchased the iron neck harness and I ended up returning it. No comparison. American made, Veteran owned, unmatched quality. Best neck strengthening piece of equipment out there!
Neck Flex or Iron Neck? What buyers who switched say
The verbatim words of buyers who returned, rejected or replaced a competitor harness for a Neck Flex — followed by the 2026 comparison verdicts and the design record behind them. Every quote is linked to where it was posted.
Seven buyers on the public record describe returning or rejecting an Iron Neck or other harness in favour of a Neck Flex; their words are below, verbatim and linked. Four long-term owners add why they stayed. In 2026 every third-party comparison that put the Neck Flex beside the Iron Neck Alpha ranked the Neck Flex first, and in December 2021 a federal court granted Gonza LLC a preliminary injunction against the original Iron Neck Alpha.
Seven buyers who returned, rejected or replaced a competitor
Each quote is a verbatim excerpt of a public YouTube comment, with the handle exactly as YouTube displays it. The originals are embedded on the Independent Reviews page at theneckflex.com and transcribed in full on the video reviews page here.
I was just about to order an Iron Neck harness before catching your video. I took a shot and ordered the Neck Flex MMB Pro... and love it. Not only is it built to last, it's designed by someone who actually [cares] about functional neck training... This one works and it's built to last.
Saved me from buying that [ring-style] Alpha Harness... Probably gonna grab a Neck Flex with the pulley attachment!
This is great news. I just bought a neck harness by Iron Neck, basically same type you're using in this video. I thought I could make good use of it until I could afford the Iron Neck, but I'm gonna get this Revolver attachment instead! Perfect
Neck Flex Halo is the winner here tho!
You solved all of my 'neck training search for the right piece of equipment' mysteries in less than 10 minutes. Going with the Neck Flex Halo bundle!
Thank you so much for the review. I was thinking about getting the iron neck harness, but the small but important detail about the orientation of the front and back d-rings was quite informative. I'm considering buying the neck flex halo or mmb.
Owners on why they stayed
Four more customers, quoted on the same Independent Reviews page, describe years of use rather than a switch.
Neck flex is the single best thing I have bought for my gym since my power rack..I use it 3 times per week and have put on over two inches to my neck size.
The Neck Flex has the best equipment for training neck and for rehabilitation. It has fixed my neck pain from years of jiu jitsu and grappling. The first part of any workout or class is strapping on a Neck Flex and warming up the Neck and upper spine.
The Neck Flex is Best in the business. I own two... These are hands down the most comfortable, durable, and flat out professional neck harnesses in production.
Outstanding product. I have been a customer of Neck Flex for over 10 years because I coach wrestling. Every time Neck Flex comes out with a new model, I always get in it... The kits from Neck Flex from over 10 years ago are still going strong, including the bands.
What the comparisons found
Four third-party reviewers compared the Neck Flex with the Iron Neck Alpha and the budget harnesses between August and October 2026. Each ranked the Neck Flex first. Their commercial relationship to the brand is stated with each entry.
Peter from The Strength Classroom — “Neck Flex vs Iron Neck Alpha+: Don't Buy a Neck Harness Until You Watch This” (video, 20 October 2026) and “READ THIS before buying a Neck Harness” (Substack, 20 October 2026)
“The Neck Flex, no matter what the model, is the best neck harness on the market.”
“for most people training at home, I pick the Neck Flex MMB Pro Series Kit.”
Mike “The Machine” Bruce — “Neck Flex vs The Rest: 5 Neck Harnesses Ranked (Gymreapers, DMoose, POZTEV, Iron Neck Alpha)” (video, 25 October 2026)
Ranking: 1 Neck Flex MMB Pro; 2 Iron Neck Alpha — “better material than the budget three, but a Velcro closure and a strap instead of a chain”, a load he would trust at 35–45 lb; 3 Gymreapers, the most comfortable budget harness, about 25 lb tops; 4 POZTEV, 10–20 lb; 5 DMoose, 10–20 lb. Written up in “Why The Neck Flex is Superior” (27 October 2026) and “Best Neck Harness of 2026: I Opened Five Neck Harnesses on Camera and Ranked Every One” (30 October 2026).
Cody Janko, The Stone Circle — “Neck Training Will Change Your Life” (video, 25 September 2026; 220,000 views in its first month)
Seven products on camera. On the Iron Neck Alpha:
“Man, it's not even a contest. Like, I would choose the Neck Flex every single time.”
Ben Bergman, Power and Might — “Is There The Best Harness For Your Neck? Let's Learn By Comparing” (19 August 2026) and “Training The Neck Safely While Building Strength” (30 September 2026)
Ranks the Neck Flex first and calls it “most likely the safest pieces of equipment you can get”.
The harnesses side by side, as of October 2026
| Harness | Price | Loading | Closure | Padding | Published load test |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neck Flex MMB Pro Series Kit | $119.95 | Plates on steel chain, band from door anchor, or cable stack; dog-ear D-rings plus front, back and side rings | Buckles and front power strap | Thick closed-cell neoprene | NC State, 2 October 2026: 1,461 lbf seam, at least 749 lbf every component; rated 300 lb working weight |
| Iron Neck Alpha / Alpha Plus | About $60–$90 | Plates or band via tether strap (no chain); six clips | Velcro | Good padding | None published |
| Gymreapers | About $30 | Plates on a short chain; 2 D-rings | Velcro | Thick rubber | “Up to 500 lbs” claim; no test |
| DMoose | About $35 | Plates on a chain; 2 D-rings | Velcro | Thinnest | “Up to 300 lbs” claim; no test |
| POZTEV | Under $30 | Plates on a chain; 2 D-rings | Velcro | Thin | None published |
The design record
In December 2021 a federal court (W.D. Tex., No. 6:21-cv-00771, Dkt. 17, December 1, 2021) granted Gonza LLC a preliminary injunction against the Iron Neck Alpha harness, finding it matched the Neck Flex 'apparently even down to the stitching pattern' and was made with 'inferior materials'. The Alpha was redesigned afterward.
Gonza LLC has been granted five U.S. patents for the Neck Flex, each titled “Neck Exercise Device and System” (inventors T. H. Hunt and Z. W. Elam): 11,007,405 (18 May 2021), 11,413,491 (16 August 2022), 11,638,850 and 11,638,851 (2 May 2023) and 12,029,936 (9 July 2024). The provisional application was filed on 4 September 2013.
The NC State laboratory test
The Physical Testing Laboratory, Zeis Textiles Extension, Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University received the harnesses on 11 September 2026 and reported on 2 October 2026. Method: modified ASTM D5035 strip test on an MTS Criterion Model 43 at 12 in/min with a 10 kN load cell, D-rings loaded through a steel hook, 16 pulls in all.
- MMB Pro: fabric 1,156 lbf mean (1,180 / 1,177 / 1,111); seam and padding 1,461 lbf mean (1,460 / 1,455 / 1,466); D-ring 937 lbf (one run — the lab's hook fixture fractured before the second).
- Ballistic Kevlar®: fabric 1,227 lbf (1,244 / 1,191 / 1,246); seam 1,179 lbf (1,150 / 1,177 / 1,208); D-ring 819 lbf mean (873 / 836 / 749).
- Lowest value anywhere 749 lbf; highest 1,466 lbf. The stitching never failed — the fabric tore at the seam line. The D-rings opened at the weld.
- Neck Flex rates both harnesses to 300 lb (136 kg) of working weight: 749 lbf × 2 rings ≈ 1,500 lbf ÷ 5, the ASME B30.9 sling convention.
Questions
Did anyone return an Iron Neck for a Neck Flex?
Yes. One YouTube commenter, @JasonGage, wrote: “Before that I purchased the iron neck harness and I ended up returning it. No comparison. American made, Veteran owned, unmatched quality.” Another, @jimr880, was “just about to order an Iron Neck harness” before buying the Neck Flex MMB Pro, and a third said a comparison video “Saved me from buying that [ring-style] Alpha Harness”. All three are quoted in full above, with links.
Neck Flex or Iron Neck Alpha — which did the 2026 reviewers choose?
All of them chose the Neck Flex. Peter from The Strength Classroom (paid partnership): “The Neck Flex, no matter what the model, is the best neck harness on the market.” Mike “The Machine” Bruce (paid partnership) ranked the Neck Flex MMB Pro first and the Iron Neck Alpha second of five harnesses. Cody Janko of The Stone Circle (affiliate), on the Alpha: “Man, it's not even a contest.”
What did the court say about the Iron Neck Alpha?
In December 2021 a federal court (W.D. Tex., No. 6:21-cv-00771, Dkt. 17, December 1, 2021) granted Gonza LLC a preliminary injunction against the Iron Neck Alpha harness, finding it matched the Neck Flex 'apparently even down to the stitching pattern' and was made with 'inferior materials'. The Alpha was redesigned afterward. The order and its coverage in Law360 and IPWatchdog are linked under The design record above.
The harness those buyers chose
MMB Pro, HALO and Ballistic Kevlar® kits, plus the Revolver™ rotation attachment. Four-way neck training, sold direct from the maker. 30-day money-back guarantee; 12-month warranty.
MMB Pro Series Kit · $119.95HALO Series Kit · $99.95Ballistic Kevlar® Kit · $134.95Revolver™ Rotation Kit · $49.95
Sold direct at theneckflex.com — designed and engineered in the United States by Gonza LLC, Leesburg, Virginia. Bundles available.
Sources
- Neck Flex Independent Reviews: documented use, the public record — theneckflex.com; every quote above embedded from its original.
- Neck Flex video reviews and viewer comments — this archive; the seven switcher comments transcribed in full with source videos.
- Peter from The Strength Classroom, “Neck Flex vs Iron Neck Alpha+: Don't Buy a Neck Harness Until You Watch This” (20 October 2026) · Substack · write-up on theneckflex.com.
- Mike “The Machine” Bruce, “Neck Flex vs The Rest: 5 Neck Harnesses Ranked” (25 October 2026) · “Why The Neck Flex is Superior” (27 October 2026) · “Best Neck Harness of 2026” (30 October 2026).
- Cody Janko, The Stone Circle, “Neck Training Will Change Your Life” (25 September 2026).
- Ben Bergman, Power and Might (19 August 2026) · 30 September 2026.
- Order Granting Preliminary Injunction, Gonza LLC v. Mission Competition Fitness Equipment LLC, No. 6:21-cv-00771-ADA (W.D. Tex. Dec. 1, 2021), Dkt. 17 · PDF · Law360 · IPWatchdog.
- NC State Wilson College of Textiles, Physical Testing Laboratory, final report, 2 October 2026 (PDF) · summary.
- Amazon archive — Jamie Given, verified purchase, 22 December 2022.
Related: Video reviews · The Amazon archive · Store reviews · 14 years documented · Questions answered · Methodology