Should I go with an entry level rack or a higher quality rack

[johnparker323]

I have been lifting for a number of years and I have decided to build out a home gym. The main reason for leaving the commercial gym and going with a home gym is that commuting to my local gym consumes at least an hour out of my day and it is costing my wife and I over $2K a year just in gas that I rather spend on gym equipment (we go to the gym at different times so gas costs are doubled).

My first purchase is going to be a power rack. I currently bench in the 275 range and squat in the 400 range. I am not sure if I should just go with a cheaper rack like the Powertec or if I should invest in a higher quality rack like the Legend 3133/Elite/Sorinex Dark Horse. I plan on using this rack for a long time which makes me believe that the Legend/Elite/Sorinex would be the better purchase but I am not sure if it is overkill for my needs.

I will also be purchasing a lat pulldown with a low row. The Powertec has the lat add-on which takes up less space but also blocks the back of the rack. If I went with the Legend/Elite/Sorinex rack, I would probably go with one of the following from Legend:

w w w.legendfitness.com/products/plate-loaded_stations/upper_body/latlow_row_3136.aspx
w w w.legendfitness.com/products/pin_select_stations/combo_stations/seated_latlow_row_combo_945.aspx
w w w.legendfitness.com/products/pin_select_stations/combo_stations/pro_series_seated_latfloor_row_3228.aspx

So obviously there is a large price difference between the two options. The Powertec with lat would come in around $1K w/shipping while the Legend/Elite/Sorinex option would be closer to $3500-4000K w/freight. I am fine with spending the money as the gas savings alone will allow me to break even in less than two years but I want to make sure that I am not wasting money by buying something that is way over my needs. I have been considering this for the past 3-4 months and have been checking CL daily without success. So it appears my only real option is going new.

Any thoughts?

[TomMutaffis]

I have had a Bodysolid/Powerline rack for my home gym for 5+ years and it has worked great. You do not get some of the fancy features like band pegs but you could always elevate the rack and bolt it to your platform or simply use heavy dumbbells to anchor the bands.

This rack is under $400 shipped and would allow you to devote your budget toward a quality bar or adjustable bench which would make a bigger difference in terms of overall training.

[iportal]

Evening,

What a great starting post and you have done very well, congratulations.

I have a powertec rack, I'm very happy with it. If you want even better stability you could buy some metal from a metal supplier to manufacture brackets to bolt the rack down, it would be very very stable then, it's pretty good on its own as long as it's on a stable surface, e.g. flat concrete, MDF.

If I had the extra cash, (I didn't at the time and your above most expensive options aren't commonly available in the UK), I'm not sure I would pay the extra for the rack, I would of put the extra cash towards dumbells, lat pull down machine (for tricep pull downs and low rows) etc.

Hope that helps.

[thom2355]

What is your timeline?

I was just about at the verge of buying new and found a very nice used rack for $700 with a platform. It was around $2k new....so I am happy. If you do not have time to wait, I would buy something like Tom mentioned and keep an eye out for something used with more options. You can save for a nicer rack and get exactly what you want later while getting other things (weights, benches, DBs, lat tower, etc).

Personally, I would steer clear of lat attachments if you have the space. Allows for multiple people to use the same space and doesn't crowd all of your working into one area.

[Vmango]

Dude, treat yourself to a nicer rack. Christ, the Sorinex DH isn't that much money and you'll never have the regret of "fack, I should have just gotten a better rack."

Get a nice rack and a nice Olympic barbell. You will be SO much happier. Trust me.

[deadwoodgregg]

Get the used Commercial PowerLift off of Govdeals for $1500. Arguably the finest rack made. I believe there is a lifting platform that comes with it. Located in Pittsburgh.

[ProtienandIron]

You've come in to the equipment section asking whether you should go for a cheap or an expensive rack?? ...I pity your future bank balance.

With the numbers you're lifting you're obviously not a noob, so just buy the rack you wan't now, and you'll never regret it. You don't need a beastly rack, but it sure is nice to have one.

Welcome to the forum.

[Aussieguy101]

With workout equipment, i always say get the best you can afford

Good equipment looked after lasts a lifetime, long after you have forgotten how many dollars it cost

[Detrus]

Shouldn't go with the Powertec. Rogue or Sorinex are cheap enough and features won't disappoint. The fancy lat row idea is probably overkill. Is it that important in your workouts? There are cheaper gimmicks that could keep you entertained and meet fancy goals.

[johnparker323]

Shouldn't go with the Powertec. Rogue or Sorinex are cheap enough and features won't disappoint. The fancy lat row idea is probably overkill. Is it that important in your workouts? There are cheaper gimmicks that could keep you entertained and meet fancy goals.

A high/low cable machine is one of my wife's requirements and I am sure that I would use it as well. I have used home and light commercial models in the past and I have just never liked the way they felt. So if I am going to invest any money in one, it is going to be commercial grade.

[Jetigen]

I will also be purchasing a lat pulldown with a low row. The Powertec has the lat add-on which takes up less space but also blocks the back of the rack. If I went with the Legend/Elite/Sorinex rack, I would probably go with one of the following from Legend:

w w w.legendfitness.com/products/plate-loaded_stations/upper_body/latlow_row_3136.aspx
w w w.legendfitness.com/products/pin_select_stations/combo_stations/seated_latlow_row_combo_945.aspx
w w w.legendfitness.com/products/pin_select_stations/combo_stations/pro_series_seated_latfloor_row_3228.aspx
?

I just received Powertec Lat pulldown for my rack. It's still in a box. Will be doing a full review on it soon. But from what I've heard it doesn't come with foot support for doing low-rows.

Depending on your budget and available space I'd consider Legend Half Cage #3268 with a Lat option. Here are a couple of pictures of it from their site:

[817boy]

Buy nice or buy twice.... i was saving my money for a nicer rack then on craigslist i got a body solid power rack and a lot of accessories for $100, after a day of cleaning everything i bought then re saling half of it (i didnt have need for it) i ended up w/ $50 in pocket and a free squat rack.

The squat rack isnt nice by any means but it will last me another year or two until i get a nicer rack.

Its something like this but not as many holes. http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Body-Sol...item2574675824

[Detrus]

A high/low cable machine is one of my wife's requirements and I am sure that I would use it as well. I have used home and light commercial models in the past and I have just never liked the way they felt. So if I am going to invest any money in one, it is going to be commercial grade.

Well, that will be separate from the rack then, a separate purchase you can think about later. But you don't have to drop $2K on the rack itself to get quality these days, thanks to Rogue and Sorinex it's more like $1K.

I was thinking maybe bands instead of lat. Can deload pullups to simulate low lat pulldown resistance. Can do lat row ab exercises too. Definitely not as convenient but still entertaining. And you can deload dips!

[ninjaneer]

yeah, your options are all going to be "overkill" in that you'll likely never take them to their fullest potential in terms of how much weight they can support. i currently have a nebula phase rack which is beefy and will outlast me, but i plan to upgrade to a brand that gives me more affordable upgrade options. vendors like sorinex and elite are always coming up with new stuff you can attach to their existing product lines, which is why i'd choose them. not sure if legend comes out with a bunch of new accessories, but i'm sure they do. rogue does, but i think they basically just copy sorinex.

i think you'll find that once you start a home gym, it's never really finished. there's always some new toy that'll catch your eye.

[Accutron]

Since you are already squatting 400lbs and benching 300lbs just get a higher quality rack and be dont with it. But dont spend 3-4k or anything, the Rogue racks are only around 700USD shipped. The Sorinex one is around $1000 shipped.

[BAVE]

I just received Powertec Lat pulldown for my rack. It's still in a box. Will be doing a full review on it soon. But from what I've heard it doesn't come with foot support for doing low-rows.

Depending on your budget and available space I'd consider Legend Half Cage #3268 with a Lat option. Here are a couple of pictures of it from their site:

I was initially ordering this incredibly sexy setup from Legend but in the end I realized $6k was getting me more of a squat rack than full cage. Also consider that Legend has an approximately 2-3 month build time. FWIW, I would have not looked elsewhere if it was a full cage. With my luck a full cage version will be introduced soon.

[johnparker323]

Since you are already squatting 400lbs and benching 300lbs just get a higher quality rack and be dont with it. But dont spend 3-4k or anything, the Rogue racks are only around 700USD shipped. The Sorinex one is around $1000 shipped.

The Sorinex Dark Horse and the Legend 3133 are roughly the same price but the Sorinex includes shipping where as the Legend would be an extra $400 for shipping. I have no interest in the Rogue racks as I want integrated plate storage and the Rogue is extremely overpriced once you start adding the storage pins. I am leaning towards the Sorinex Dark Horse at this point not just because it is has a lower price but I will not have to wait 8-12 weeks for it.

Regarding the high/low pulley, the cheapest one that I would consider commercial quality is the Legend 3136 which is plate loaded and would be around $1400 delivered. My concern with it being plate loaded is that I think the weight carriage alone is going to be too heavy for some movements my wife wants to use it for. So I might have to pay a little more for one with a stack.

I have a good bar, bumpers, and set of DBs. So the rack, adjustable bench, and high/low pulley is what I need to purchase. I am currently looking at the four way adjustable bench from Legend but I am open to suggestions.

[817boy]

The sorinex dark horse is the best bang for you buck.

Not sure how close you are to Texas but this is a good company to consider

http://www.texasstrengthsystems.com/...equipment.html

[BAVE]

For an all in one commercial cage you should take a look at Strength Inc. (http://www.strengthequipment.net/). I received a quote (Stephen Dewitt: strengthinc@ltlink.com ) and all of the detailed numbers on their full cage and lat/ low row. They have endless options even up to 4x4 7 guage steel!

For approx $2200 you can get:
3x3 11 gauge
extra J hooks
monkey bar
plate loaded lat low row
top and bottom band holes and pegs
spacers for 1in safety bar spacing


There's also optional 250lb and 300lb stacks, belt squat attachment, power arms, etc.

A fully loaded 3x3 overkill 7 gauge rack with all options and a 300lb stack is approx $3200-3500 including extra safely pins, etc.






I ended up going with an EliteFTS BYO 3x3 and a Legend 971 Lat Low Row with 300lb stack but I was unaware of the Strength Inc setup.

[hulked]

Really nice to see that you have already done your ground work and know what you want. My 2 cents: Since u r not a beginner and have been lifting consistently, buy urself a good commercial rack. But may be not new since they are expensive as already discussed in the above posts. If CL is not working then u can buy one of the racks that u r discussing above - Sorinex, legend etc. If space is not a constraint, buying a separate lat pull would be better. There is a power lift bench in PA rt now on ebay. You might also consider increasing ur search radius on CL. Where are u located? One of us may know of something that may work for u.

Some more options to add to ur confusion: Edge fitness systems, Samson, Strength and power, Promaxima, Pro-Elite, TSS.. With the exception of Samson, all the others are probably in the same range as the Legend and/or Sorinex

[Accutron]

Really nice to see that you have already done your ground work and know what you want. My 2 cents: Since u r not a beginner and have been lifting consistently, buy urself a good commercial rack. But may be not new since they are expensive as already discussed in the above posts. If CL is not working then u can buy one of the racks that u r discussing above - Sorinex, legend etc. If space is not a constraint, buying a separate lat pull would be better. There is a power lift bench in PA rt now on ebay. You might also consider increasing ur search radius on CL. Where are u located? One of us may know of something that may work for u.

Some more options to add to ur confusion: Edge fitness systems, Samson, Strength and power, Promaxima, Pro-Elite, TSS.. With the exception of Samson, all the others are probably in the same range as the Legend and/or Sorinex

I was going to say this...where are you located?

It would be much better if you could buy used. Its not for everyone (I couldnt do it) but if you expand your radius, maybe rent a truck and drive 4-5hrs each way you could find some deals on something used at a fraction of the price?

There are classified sites which let you look at things within a set distance of your zip code:
http://www.searchtempest.com/

It depends on your personal situation and how much time/legwork you can do but it would be a shame to spend 4,000USD cash without really looking around used.

ie, maybe you live close to this, its priced at $1,000 buy now.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI...ectorid=229466

[Pelipe]

A high/low cable machine is one of my wife's requirements and I am sure that I would use it as well. I have used home and light commercial models in the past and I have just never liked the way they felt. So if I am going to invest any money in one, it is going to be commercial grade.

I just bought a dark horse. Has not arrived so I can not comment. I did pick up a very nice lat machine / low row off CL for 100.00. Lat machines are easy to come by in CL in Atlanta anyway

[Stasher1]

I just bought a dark horse. Has not arrived so I can not comment. I did pick up a very nice lat machine / low row off CL for 100.00. Lat machines are easy to come by in CL in Atlanta anyway

Very true. I paid $100 for a spotless Body Solid GLM83 last spring, and have seen numerous comparable units for $100 or less since then, along with a bunch of nice commercial units for pretty cheap.

[johnparker323]

Very true. I paid $100 for a spotless Body Solid GLM83 last spring, and have seen numerous comparable units for $100 or less since then, along with a bunch of nice commercial units for pretty cheap.

I see lat machines with the square tube get posted to CL almost every day. I just do not care for that type of rail system. The high/low pulley that I end up buying is going to get considerable use so I want to make sure it is something that is smooth and will not need to be replaced in a few years.

Regarding the rack, I have decided to go with the Sorinex Dark Horse. It is just a great deal considering it includes shipping. I am still interested in the Legend four way bench but at around $500 plus freight it is pretty expensive for a bench.

[ugmoe2000]

Just saw this guy show up on my local CL a few days ago... 9 Gauge steel-- seems pretty well built at $600 but I'm not sure where you're located.

h ttp://raleigh.craigslist.org/spo/3523561876.html

Used is definitely the way to go for the big stuff-- it doesn't degrade and can be found at a huge price-cut if you're willing to look for a while. I picked-up that Hammer Strength OHDPR8 Rack pictured earlier in this thread for $650 from a local gym that was liquidating equipment... that thing is AWESOME, 7 gauge steel 4x4 with plate storage and all the goodies. Just my 2 cents!

[Pelipe]

I see lat machines with the square tube get posted to CL almost every day. I just do not care for that type of rail system. The high/low pulley that I end up buying is going to get considerable use so I want to make sure it is something that is smooth and will not need to be replaced in a few years.

Regarding the rack, I have decided to go with the Sorinex Dark Horse. It is just a great deal considering it includes shipping. I am still interested in the Legend four way bench but at around $500 plus freight it is pretty expensive for a bench.

The lat machine I got is a light commercial it does not have the square tube. It has two steel guide rods. It is very smooth with very little friction.

[MEDPILOT]

Just curious why no one has mentiond ordering a rack from Rae Crowther?

I just ordered one of their half racks with almost every option. Their build time is only 4 weeks which is nice.

http ://raecrowther.com/racksnew.shtml

Do a YouTube search on Rae Crowther power rack for more info

[deadwoodgregg]

Just curious why no one has mentiond ordering a rack from Rae Crowther?

I just ordered one of their half racks with almost every option. Their build time is only 4 weeks which is nice.

http ://raecrowther.com/racksnew.shtml

Do a YouTube search on Rae Crowther power rack for more info

You aren't going to believe just how well built this rack will be. The Pro Racks are 7 gauge and the pictures don't do it proper justice. Excellent choice.

[Jetigen]

You aren't going to believe just how well built this rack will be. The Pro Racks are 7 gauge and the pictures don't do it proper justice. Excellent choice.

Raecrowther Sport Training Half Rack looks more appealing to me because of the way the monkey bar was installed; and it protrudes quite a bit. Also weight storage on it is ample. Not being caged and yet to have all the benefits of a power rack is pretty awesome. Sherman's Free Spotter can be hanged outside as there are multiple holes on the monkey bar bracing.

http://raecrowther.com/racksnew.shtml

[MEDPILOT]

You aren't going to believe just how well built this rack will be. The Pro Racks are 7 gauge and the pictures don't do it proper justice. Excellent choice.

Thanks for the reply. I've never seen in person, but they seem to have a good reputation and offer the most options of any rack on the market.

I'll post pictures in the rack thread when it arrives.