Powertec Power Rack (83.5") with 7'(84") ceiling? Or other recommendations.

[KCGuy01012011]

I'm looking to purchase a power rack for my home gym. I've been reading threads on here for the past few days and it seems like the Powertec is very well received. It has awesome specs at a very reasonable price. There is one issue though. My basement is only 7' (84") the Powertec Power Rack is 83.5" tall according to Powertec's website. Anyone have any experience setting up a Powertec with 7' ceilings? I'm just wondering if it can be assembled at that height and if the crossbar at the top goes over that 83.5" mark? I've seen other racks that claim to be a height, but they don't account for the height increase of some of their crossbars for pullchips/chinups that bend up higher than the frame.

Any advice or experience with this would be helpful. Also, if you have any other power rack recommendations for something that will clear 7' clearance I'd be interested to hear. I was looking at the Yukon as well. I'm 5'11" and 150lbs hoping to start packing on some muscle. I don't need a lat pull down or low pulley attachment as I have a home gym with all of that. My budget is around $550. I am looking at Craigslist too, but nothing recently worth buying.

Thanks.

[Detrus]

Rogue can customize height for their R series

[GarageIron]

I'm looking to purchase a power rack for my home gym. I've been reading threads on here for the past few days and it seems like the Powertec is very well received. It has awesome specs at a very reasonable price. There is one issue though. My basement is only 7' (84") the Powertec Power Rack is 83.5" tall according to Powertec's website. Anyone have any experience setting up a Powertec with 7' ceilings? I'm just wondering if it can be assembled at that height and if the crossbar at the top goes over that 83.5" mark? I've seen other racks that claim to be a height, but they don't account for the height increase of some of their crossbars for pullchips/chinups that bend up higher than the frame.

Any advice or experience with this would be helpful. Also, if you have any other power rack recommendations for something that will clear 7' clearance I'd be interested to hear. I was looking at the Yukon as well. I'm 5'11" and 150lbs hoping to start packing on some muscle. I don't need a lat pull down or low pulley attachment as I have a home gym with all of that. My budget is around $550. I am looking at Craigslist too, but nothing recently worth buying.

Thanks.

I had a Powertec for a few weeks. It was pretty good. I didn't measure the height but a guy on this site (Accutron) took the top front crossbar and put it at the bottom rear to open up some foot space. You'll lose the pull up attachment but you don't have room to use it anyway.

Mine was an older version and I hated the J-hooks. I think they have changed them and the safety spotters.

I have a Rogue R3 now. It's pretty good but has its pros and cons also. You can get it in a bolted shorty at 7' or 7.5'. The welded is only available at 7.5'. Im sure there are lots options out there. Don't drink the Rogue Kool aid until you've exhausted your options. They are a great value and ship fast, but there is other stuff out there.

[AttyGuy]

Body-Solid GPR378?

[GarageIron]

Body-Solid GPR378?

My only grievance with this rack is the position of rear lower stabilizer. It's under your feet when squatting on the rear uprights. You could use the fronts for everything I guess. But I'd just buy squat stands with safeties, which may be a smarter option for your budget.

[donforeman]

Some non-owners seem to have a problem with the gpr378 rear crossmember supposedly interfering with squats, but there have been NO complaints about that from any actual owners, including myself that I'm aware of? $400 shipped to your door for a 3x3 rack with a warranty is a smart choice and one I don't regret. Its 79" tall.

[GarageIron]

Some non-owners seem to have a problem with the gpr378 rear crossmember supposedly interfering with squats, but there have been NO complaints about that from any actual owners, including myself that I'm aware of? $400 shipped to your door for a 3x3 rack with a warranty is a smart choice and one I don't regret. Its 79" tall.

I'm not an actual owner of the rack. Standing on a crossbar looks like annoying but that's based on a picture, maybe I'm wrong? Is a 3x3 bar easier to stand on? I'd like to understand how you use the rear upright to squat. I can't see any advantage over squat stands, but again, I'm looking at a picture. I don't have that rack.

[donforeman]

I knew you were not an owner that's why I mentioned it. Its been explained a few times in the last few weeks, by both myself and others.
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...8992113&page=1

[GarageIron]

I knew you were not an owner that's why I mentioned it. Its been explained a few times in the last few weeks, by both myself and others.
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...8992113&page=1

Yeah, I still don't get it. Offsetting the hooks doesn't make it any more useful than a set of squat stands with safeties to me. I did kinda blast through that thread though, so if I'm missing something, glad to hear it.

I'm hoping the selling point of this rack (which sounds like a good deal)is not limited to long j-hooks.

[donforeman]

Yeah, I still don't get it. Offsetting the hooks doesn't make it any more useful than a set of squat stands with safeties to me. I did kinda blast through that thread though, so if I'm missing something, glad to hear it.

I'm hoping the selling point of this rack (which sounds like a good deal)is not limited to long j-hooks.

The selling point of the rack is that it’s a very sturdy and deep 34” 3x3 11 gauge rack for $400
The j-hooks are well built and long. I am actually building some shorter ones and there will be no problems.

As for your not seeing the rack as having any more value than a set of squat stands …it’s a good thing you didn’t own one then. I didn't half way just scan though one review, I read all of them I could find before purchase!

My review was pretty much spot on with other owners thoughts. The rack is not perfect, it does have some faults, but for the price it’s a decent value. With all the faults, the rear cross member interfering with squats is not one of them. There are many happy reviews on the rack here and other places from actual owners. There was a few BS posts I did find from non-owners armchair quarterbacking from pictures, but seriously how reliable is a person’s view that’s never even set foot in the rack in question? There are also several different versions of the same rack as they have updated it over the years. The first version is nothing like whats offered today.

[KCGuy01012011]

Body-Solid GPR378?

I've considered it based on what I've read here, but I just feel the Powertec offers a little more. Not as narrow, dip bars included, lower price, etc. The back base bar not being offset seems to be an issue for some I've read and a problem with some benches. I don't have a bench yet so probably not a huge issue if I were to buy the rack first.

[KCGuy01012011]

I knew you were not an owner that's why I mentioned it. Its been explained a few times in the last few weeks, by both myself and others.

Interesting. Where are people buying it for $400? Was that just a recent sale? Fitness Factory was mentioned many times so I assumed that's where they purchased it, but I only found it new there for $595 (new) or $459 (refurbished) with shipping. I was surprised to hear about the height discrepancy (79" instead of 82"), makes me wonder if the Powertec is a different height than stated on Powertec's website. I've seen it listed as 82" on a few online stores, but assumed those are most likely typos.

[donforeman]

You call matt @ fitnness factory he will make you a deal. They don't have the outside j hooks of the latest model, but its a good deal.
Here are a few more reviews from actual owners. I linked to my version of the review a few posts up.
http://www.home-gym-bodybuilding.com...78-review.html
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...0904681&page=1
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...1812461&page=1
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=131615563

[daniel327]

if you have any other power rack recommendations for something that will clear 7' clearance I'd be interested to hear.

currently on Amazon for $329.

[ProtienandIron]

The selling point of the rack is that it’s a very sturdy and deep 34” 3x3 11 gauge rack for $400
The j-hooks are well built and long. I am actually building some shorter ones and there will be no problems.

As for your not seeing the rack as having any more value than a set of squat stands …it’s a good thing you didn’t own one then. I didn't half way just scan though one review, I read all of them I could find before purchase!

My review was pretty much spot on with other owners thoughts. The rack is not perfect, it does have some faults, but for the price it’s a decent value. With all the faults, the rear cross member interfering with squats is not one of them. There are many happy reviews on the rack here and other places from actual owners. There was a few BS posts I did find from non-owners armchair quarterbacking from pictures, but seriously how reliable is a person’s view that’s never even set foot in the rack in question? There are also several different versions of the same rack as they have updated it over the years. The first version is nothing like whats offered today.

I may have read this post wrong, but I'm getting the impression you have taken the critisism of this rack personally?

My review was pretty much spot on with other owners thoughts. The rack is not perfect, it does have some faults, but for the price it’s a decent value.

I never said anything different. I must have recommended this rack in 100 different threads, because I like it. I even came very close to pulling the trigger on one myself at about twice the price you paid. Its solid, compact enough to fit in most small garages/bedrooms etc., and well built (excluding a few mistakes/dodgy welds that spring up from every manufacturer from time to time...probably the ones built on a friday afternoon).

With all the faults, the rear cross member interfering with squats is not one of them.

Really? Theres a reason just about every commercial (and even home use) rack you can buy has the cross member set back, or missing entirely. I hear what you are saying about the hooks, and thats great. But that to me poses another problem. When I rack the bar, I want to walk it into the rack, make contact with the vertical part of the j hooks, and then set it down on the hooks. I just find that safe practice. It seems to me like I would not be able to do this with that set up without putting myself in a compromising or at best non optimal position when I am working my maxes. So the only safe option would be to rest the bar down on the ends where I picked it up from meaning I could in theory miss the hooks without the back to guide me down.

There was a few BS posts I did find from non-owners armchair quarterbacking from pictures, but seriously how reliable is a person’s view that’s never even set foot in the rack in question?

Pretty much 90% of what we do in this section is theorising, thats what we do. We can't physically try out every single piece of equipment in person. You can tell a lot from a picture, design, weld points and quality, the rough thickness of the steel used etc. and you can also compare to features that you like or don't like from other similar pieces you have used previously. In the case of this rack, I theorised that the cross member would get in the way while squatting, because on other racks I have found the set back variety to be beneficial. As a regular here that has bought this rack I obviously welcome your opinion/review of the rack, but to call another members opinion BS just because it differs from yours, no matter how well informed (as an owner), is not a good direction for this section to go IMO.

There are also several different versions of the same rack as they have updated it over the years. The first version is nothing like whats offered today.

FWIW I did set foot in the older version of this rack, and I liked it, which is why I have recommended this rack to a lot of people both in the open forum, and in PM (I get a lot of UK based newbs pming me questions).


I hope this post is appropriate as I don't mean it to sound argumental, I'm just trying to get my point across as you have mentioned this a few times now. I'm here to discuss $**t, not get into stupid arguments. The use of 'BS' with something that relates to my post may have caught a nerve but I understand you may not have meant it to come out like that.

[AttyGuy]

I've considered it based on what I've read here, but I just feel the Powertec offers a little more. Not as narrow, dip bars included, lower price, etc. The back base bar not being offset seems to be an issue for some I've read and a problem with some benches. I don't have a bench yet so probably not a huge issue if I were to buy the rack first.

I don't know what it "offers" that is "more". Lower price isn't one. The internal width difference isn't that great. The pullup bar sucks. And very importantly, as nice as the guys are at P-tec, customer service is horrendous. Nowhere near B-S's.

The placement of the base bar is an issue for all low and medium-end racks, including the GPR378 and WB-PR11 (the off-set for P-tec is minimal). Squat off of the front bars and you won't have issues with the base bar.

Yes, I have a GPR378.

[donforeman]

I may have read this post wrong, but I'm getting the impression you have taken the critisism of this rack personally?
I hope this post is appropriate as I don't mean it to sound argumental, I'm just trying to get my point across as you have mentioned this a few times now. I'm here to discuss $**t, not get into stupid arguments. The use of 'BS' with something that relates to my post may have caught a nerve but I understand you may not have meant it to come out like that.

You may want to edit your post because you were wrong on both accounts... who was the one to take a post personally??

[weisgarb]

My rack is better than your rack . . .

Regarding the GPR378, I think it's a good fit for the OP for two reasons: he has ceiling height issues (like me) and a budget. I saw the Rogue mentioned once or twice, and while it looks like a great rack for certain applications, I don't like that it has to be bolted down, and for the purposes of this thread, it's way outside of his budget. If he was looking to spend more money, I'd probably consider a York FTS cage before a Rogue.

I agree that the positioning of the rear cross member wasn't an intelligent design, but in practice isn't not a big deal unless you have very large feet. Some people may have problems with their benches--I know Don has an issue with is, but my IronMaster (which is one of the most compact benches you can buy) fits just fine.

There have been a lot of nice things said about PowerTec, but I'd be reluctant to have only 1/2" of clearance. The OP could consider the Deltech DF4500 as well. It doesn't seem to be a popular choice--there aren't many members who own one--and they're out of stock until December. But they're currently around $425 shipped (if they were in stock) are are similar in construction and height to the GPR378. They use push-pins instead of removable rods or safety blocks (which I feel is a plus), and come with two sets of J-hooks. Also, I believe you could purchase the lat attachments at a later date for both the GPR378 and DF4500 and still have the contraption fit within the OP's height constraints.

[twodog]

My rack is better than your rack . . . .

Can't we all just get along, lol ? The OP just WANTS opinions.

Regarding the GPR378, I think it's a good fit for the OP for two reasons: he has ceiling height issues (like me) and a budget. .

I think that you are absolutely right, as long as these are his main requirements.

[sherman]

There was a few BS posts I did find from non-owners armchair quarterbacking from pictures, but seriously how reliable is a person’s view that’s never even set foot in the rack in question?

Very good point Don.

[Stasher1]

There was a few BS posts I did find from non-owners armchair quarterbacking from pictures, but seriously how reliable is a person’s view that’s never even set foot in the rack in question?

I don't have a dog in this fight, but to be fair, the majority of us have a good idea of what works for us and what doesn't based on our past experiences. Those experiences don't always have to include the exact item being discussed in order to be relevant.

For me, the lower rear crossbar on the GPR378 would be an issue, but that has absolutely nothing to do with squatting. As others have already mentioned, the j-hooks can be moved to the inside of the front uprights and the squatting "problem" is solved. My issue involves incline bench work, and the inability to properly position many of the more popular benches due to the crossbar. I don't have to use a GPR378 to know that this would be an issue for me, since I've already had this issue with other rack and bench combinations.

I've owned a few pieces of Body Solid equipment, and have had no problems at all with their construction and build quality, but I feel they could have done a much better job designing this rack. IMO, it can be an excellent choice for folks on a budget, but it does have a couple areas that could pose a problem for some users.

[Keetman]

I don't get what the dilemma is on the bottom crossmember all of a sudden. I've been here almost 5 years and I've never heard so many people complain about it at once. It is better if its offset, but if it isn't, just take the damn jhooks off the back uprights and put them on the front. You'll now be facing out of the rack as you squat, so you can still walk the bar back to do the squat and to the rack to "rack" it...just like you're supposed to (its not safe to try to walk the squat back to the rack once you're tired). The only issue is if you like to squat facing the wall so you can look in a mirror. I don't have an answer for you if that's the case, but otherwise...if you don't want to bother moving the jhooks or squatting on the other side of the rack....you're just being obstinate.

Benching shouldn't be an issue, just bench with the jhooks on the rear of the rack, the crossmember shouldn't come into play for the bench.

The only time I've heard of the crossmember not being able to be overcome is when you're trying to do inclines. Then the bench "stretches" out too far as you raise the seat upright. This can also be helped (with most benches) by turning the bench around, or specifically getting a bench that compensates for this through size or design (Bodycraft F320).

I'm just not getting this argument and squatting off the front hardly makes the cage function like squat stands. The whole point of having removable stuff and multiple holes is to be adaptable....take advantage of it.


Don.... you did seem a little edgy and often do. I understand your points, but I think Protein was just pointing that out. I also agree with him that people have to theorize here about a lot of stuff because they can't look at everything (well...I've seen just about all the main player racks out there, but my area has been freakish ). Most people have to look at the pictures, and use their knowledge of other equipment coupled with their experiences to make informed "guesses". That's what we are doing here....just trying to discuss the equipment.

[daniel327]

The only issue is if you like to squat facing the wall so you can look in a mirror. I don't have an answer for you if that's the case, ............

Repostioning the mirror to the opposite wall so you are facing it in the outward looking squat stance might work.

Alternatively, procuring a second mirror and positioning it on the opposite wall could also prove viable.

[daniel327]

Very good point Don.

Sherm, I'm sure you have been here long enough to know that it is illegal for yourself and donforeman to agree on any topic.

This rule applies irrespective of any obvious irony or blatant contradication that you are attempting to highlight.

[twodog]

Sherm, I'm sure you have been here long enough to know that it is illegal for yourself and donforeman to agree on any topic.

This rule applies irrespective of any obvious irony or blatant contradication that you are attempting to highlight.

Sherm's not really agree with Don, instead he's agreeing with this statement:

but seriously how reliable is a person’s view that’s never even set foot in the rack in question?

In refence to Don bashing his free spotter without having ever actually used it, lol.

[sherman]

Sherm's not really agree with Don, instead he's agreeing with this statement:

In refence to Don bashing his free spotter without having ever actually used it, lol.

Oh well, time to change my soap again.

[twodog]

Oh well, time to change my soap again.

Actually, I thought it was pretty funny to point out the obvious.

[daniel327]

Sherm's not really agree with Don, instead he's agreeing with this statement:

In refence to Don bashing his free spotter without having ever actually used it, lol.

We are all eternally indebted to you for taking the time to point that out for us. Thank-you.

[KCGuy01012011]

So does Matt at Fitness Factory just give out deals on that cage or things in general?

I found a Body Solid bench on Craigslist (ht tp://imgur.com/JTt0N). Is it a decent one? He's asking $120 for it.

[GarageIron]

You guys are pretty damn passionate about this rack.

My comparison to squat stands earlier was simply that 1) Yes, you can put the j-hooks on the front and squat... and 2) you could turn the bench around to face the rear for bench work. In both cases the rear uprights are not used. If only the front uprights are used, the OP may be better off getting some squat stands.

Im not saying this is necessarily the case but, If the crossbar prevents you from squatting on the rear uprights and the crossbar prevents you from benching on the rear uprights, what the are they there for? This could limit you to only having 2 usable uprights and some safeties... I didn't realize this was such a sensitive topic.

I also like to rack the bar into the uprights before I put it down because I know where the bar is. I don't think this style of j hook would be for me.