MX Select MX70K EVO Pair review

MX70K EVO is the knurled-handle branch of MX Select’s adjustable pair that is listed from 10 to 70 lb per dumbbell. Its U.S. option is labeled “MX70K Evo Knurled Grip with Metal Dials” (retailer SKU EVO70K). The MX70R shares the seven standard load settings and the same 70 lb ceiling, but uses a thicker contoured-rubber handle and yellow polymer dials. On the K, the handle and selectors are knurled metal, so the key distinction is the feel and material at the hand—not extra weight capacity.

A narrow metal handle is a specific preference

The current U.S. listing puts the MX70K grip at about 29 mm in diameter; the MX70R is about 36 mm. MX Select’s product description calls the K handle machined knurled steel and pairs it with matching metal selector dials. That may suit a lifter who deliberately wants a narrower metal grip and visible cross-hatch texture. It is not automatically better for a small hand or a high-rep session: the published diameter does not describe a person's preferred texture, hand pressure or tolerance for knurling. If a softer, broader grip is the priority, the R is the direct comparison.

MX Select lists a steel body and powder-coated steel plates, but the selector mechanism also includes ABS and the cradle is polyamide nylon. The product’s “100% metal” marketing language refers to the weight-selection system, not every part of the pair. Do not assume that a metal selector dial makes this a maintenance-free or drop-proof dumbbell; the operating guide gives clear limits for use.

Plan around the base load ladder, not the maximum headline

MX Select gives this base pair seven standard settings per dumbbell: nominally 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 lb. Each end has its own dial. If both ends are set alike, the product page’s normal sequence advances in 10 lb steps. For someone who needs symmetrical end loading, that is a clear rule and a clear compromise: there is no documented balanced 65 lb setting, for example, even though the overall pair can be set to that total with an offset.

MX Select describes a one-end offset as a way to add a 5 lb total increment. That fills in the intermediate nominal totals—such as 65 lb—but deliberately leaves the two ends at different settings. It is a genuine second way to operate the product, not an equal-end five-pound ladder. When selecting a questionnaire result, ask whether you care about the stated total weight or the distribution across the two ends. A requirement for 5 lb steps and equal end loads cannot be satisfied by the same documented MX70K plan.

The official manufacturer page lists the 10 lb starting point and 70 lb maximum per handset. It also publishes 10.58 in length at minimum setting, 14.66 in at maximum, and a 18.70 × 16.34 × 8.27 in footprint for the pair. Those measurements are more useful for clearance planning than the word “compact,” but leave room for the cradle and for placing the handle back into it. Exact MX70 per-selection measured weights are not given in the sources reviewed, so the nominal selector label should not be mistaken for a laboratory measurement.

Changing plates and changing weight are different jobs

The seller says the MX dumbbells are sold as a pair, with one cradle and setup parts for each handset. In normal use, the official EVO guide says to leave the dumbbell in its cradle while adjusting: release the selector, turn it to the desired load, then push the dial back home to lock the choice before lifting. The two ends are controlled separately, so a careful check of both selectors is part of every change. The guide cautions that moving the dial or release button outside the cradle can let plates release. It also says the system is for home use and should not be dropped, thrown or struck; that rules it out for a lifter whose ordinary use includes hard-floor drops or commercial turnover.

Optional magnetic increment plates are sold separately. The manufacturer also lists the MXP12-60 conversion kit: twelve 5 lb plates, with three added at each end after removing the cradle spacers, take an MX70 configuration toward 100 lb. Neither route belongs to the included 10–70 lb base capacity. The U.S. MX70 page and the conversion-kit page displayed sold out when checked, so future capacity is a feature of the platform, not an availability guarantee. A lifter who needs more than 70 lb now should look at MX100 rather than count an accessory that is not in the box.

Who should keep it on the shortlist?

MX70K makes sense when a 10–70 lb-per-hand range covers the programmed work, a roughly 29 mm metal knurled handle is the preferred contact, and you can live with the ordinary 10 lb symmetric jumps or the offset method’s unequal ends. If you specifically need a contoured rubber grip, the MX70R is the matching alternative without a capacity change. If 5 lb balanced steps matter more than the MX Select mechanism, compare products that document that ladder explicitly; if a 100 lb supplied setting is essential, compare the MX100 base pair. The exact model search link is not a stock claim, and accessories do not turn a sold-out or unexpanded base pair into a 100 lb set.