Rogue R3 30" Bolt Together Initial Review
As promised, here is my Rogue 30” Bolt Together Review.
It’s really difficult to find a quality rack in Canada and not get hosed on price or shipping. I spent a good couple of months (and being a pen-pal with Accutron) trying to figure out how to get some of the Legend or Elite product into Ontario without getting raped at the border. We also looked at custom racks from companies like Edge Fitness in Ohio.
In the end it was just too much of a pain in the ass and so I settled on Rogue. Now, while I say I settled, the R3 or R4 was ALWAYS in the running for me – I just wanted to see what I could get for my $1000-$1500. I’ve purchased a number of things from Rogue (including a barbell) and I have always been impressed with their service. Once again, I was impressed as the rack made it from Columbus to Waterloo, Ontario (and my Front door) in two days.
Part of the reason I went for the R3 is the knowledge that Rogue is always going to be offering accessories, additions, and improvements for the line and the ability to upgrade and add will always be there. This is also part of the reason I went for the BT option as I will be able to add a dedicated weight storage component to it later or easily turn it into the R4 or R6.
The real reason I opted for the BT is because of the 30” working space. I know what you’re thinking: 24” is more than enough space dude, and if it’s good enough for the Westside boys who do you think you are?
It’s just nice having the extra space, it makes the rack more flexible, and I have the gym space to spare. In fact, for personal home use I’d venture to say that the 3o“ R3BT renders the R4 somewhat redundant as IMO the 30” is a perfect amount of space for any rack-based exercise.
Probably my main concern about the R3 was the fact that it has to be bolted down. Once I convinced myself that it’s not that big on an issue bolting it to my basement floor I pulled the trigger. Indeed, bolting it down is not as big as issue as I had thought. Now, while it’s certainly not as simple as bolting a rack together in 20 minutes, the added stability makes it so worthwhile because it transforms this thing into an absolute tank.
What would I improve? Color options would be nice but is certainly not a necessity. I’d also like to see “beefy spotters” like the ones Legend offer as an option. I’ve been told, however, that these will be offered soon. The pin and pipe safeties are fine, but beefy spotters with the plastic coating would be a nice touch. An option for numbered holes would also be nice (it’s tough with the “Westside” hole spacing), but it’s nothing some stickers can’t take care of….and I find I use stickers to help my memory even with numbered holes.
In conclusion there’s not much I don’t like about this rack. Are there more desirable racks out there? Of course. However, for the home gym enthusiast looking to upgrade to a “big boy rack” the R3 offers one of the best values for a quality rack out there. Plus, there’s almost always something new being created at Rogue to add to their rack series…for Christmas I’m going to add the Matador and Landmine attachments
Any questions or something I missed let me know.
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