Legend 3142 Half-rack and 3100 Flat Bench Review

[Texasred2k]

Hi all. Long time lurker, but first post. Having decided to buy a new rack, reading both the old and new power rack threads multiple times, and searching the rest of the internet, I decided on this rack. Waited 8 months to save my nickels, did all the research again, and still came to the same conclusion. Due to many factors, my workout area is only about six feet deep. I wanted a rack with weight storage that was tall enough to do standing presses in, but that would fit under my 8 foot celings. Having drooled many times over Kodokan's rack, I knew it had to be a Legend.

Started shopping prices. With shipping, the best price I found was through The Garage Gym Store. They were almost $200 cheaper than going through Legend Fitness directly. I e-mailed Kelly Smith to see if this was a mistake, but he suggested I order through GGS instead of them. Placed the order. Had to pay in full. Lead time was to be 10-11 weeks. 13 1/2 weeks later, it arrived. It was bolted to a pallet all wrapped in foam, bubble wrap, and plastic. Took it apart, moved it inside, and assembled it. The individual side frames were light enough to move by myself. My 11 yr old daughter helped with the assembly. Took about 30 minutes.

This thing is BEAUTIFUL!!!!

Most websites list it as being 44 inches deep, but it is 54. The spotter arms are listed as 28 inches, but that is total length. They actually extend from the front of the cage 24 inches. The 2 inch hole spacing works for me with changes in both spotter arms and j-hooks being fast and easy. They have changed the style slightly. Instead of stabilizer legs sticking out the sides in back, there are now a large slotted tab at each corner of the base. This both stabilizes the rack and gives the option of bolting it down. It is light enough to move by myself (maybe 300 pounds), but I can hop up and down on either of the spotter arms ( I weigh 210) with no problem.

I went with the flat bench as I had owned an FID for years and never inclined or declined it. The bench is 19 inches high with a 10 inch wide pad. The foam is thicker, yet denser than my previous bench (hoist 4165). It is SOLID! It doesnt wobble the least bit getting on or off or while in use. I spent the extra $50 for the mobility package which adds wheels and a handle. The wheels are located so that if you roll it all the way against the back, rubber meets the metal instead of steel.

The waiting was the hardest part, but now it is here. I will post pictures as soon as I figure out how. Thanks to everyone in this community as it has been a great resource.

[keyboardworkout]

I will post pictures as soon as I figure out how.

Make this your number one priority.

[KBKB]

Yeah, I want to see photos too.

I think you'll be able to attach them (to one of your posts), but you won't be able to put them inline. If you can just get them attached to one of your posts, one of us will follow up with a post showing them inline.

Here's a thumbnail sketch of how to do it:
- Reply to your own post.
- Click on the "Go Advanced" button.
- Look for the "Attachments" section under "Additonal Options". This will be below the text area for entering your reply.
- Click on the "Manage Attachments" button.
- That'll bring up a "Manage Attachments" dialog window.
- Click on "Add Files" in the upper right hand corner. Another dialog will pop up.
- Click on "Basic Uploader" at the bottom right of that dialog.
- The dialog will be reduced to a smaller box which will allow you to enter filenames. Click on the "Browse..." button.
- That'll pop up a "File Upload" dialog which will actually allow you to select a file from your computer.
- Navigate your computer's folder structure and select a file to open. Once you do this the "File Upload" dialog will disappear.
- This will cause a pathname to appear in that smaller "Upload Files from your Computer" box. Click the "Upload" button.
- Repeat the steps from "Add Files" (above) until you've added all the photos that you want to upload.
- Click on Done at the bottom of the "Manage Attachments" dialog.

- Make sure that you've provided a non-empty reply, something like "Attached are photos of my bench and rack..."
- Click on "Submit Reply".

This is way more complicated that it should be, but that's how it is.

[Skidmarx]

Can noobs post pics? Apparently they aren't allowed to post links.

[Northernmoris]

Give a member here links to the pics and we can post them for you.

[KBKB]

Can noobs post pics? Apparently they aren't allowed to post links.

I think you now need 50 posts to post links or photos inline. But I've seen posts from folks with very few posts who have managed to attach one or more photos to their post.

Here's an example:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...#post804445611

The poster in question has only six posts total, and I think she only had two when she made that post where she attached six photos of stuff that she was trying to sell.

[Texasred2k]

Here is another try at photos. I am going through the steps, but keep getting an upload fail message. Any suggestions?

[KBKB]

Here is another try at photos. I am going through the steps, but keep getting an upload fail message. Any suggestions?

What's the message?

Also, what's the size and resolution on the images? When I upload mine, I scale them so that they're no more than 1000 pixels wide.

(I remember someone else mentioning this problem a week or so ago. He eventually got his pictures up, but did not say how he managed to do it.)

[cm45]

I think you could post a direct link to the image if you just remove the www. in front of the url.

[Texasred2k]

Try this. skydrive.live.com/?cid=609059feeeee0e14&id=609059FEEEEE0E14%21268 for pics. If someone with more posts and computer savvy can get this to work, I would appreciate it.

[Northernmoris]

Here you go..

[cm45]

Here you go Texasred2k

[Texasred2k]

That's it! Thank you cm45. The first two show how it was dropped off in my driveway. The side frames were bolted together top and bottom with short pieces of steel. Not only were the base tabs used to fasten it to the pallet, U-shaped brackets padded with foam went over the base in 4 places and were bolted down. The bench was wrapped in bubble wrap and the two cross pieces were wrapped in foam.

The next two are assembled in my garage. Unwrapping, moving, and assembly took about 30 minutes with the help of an eleven year old. For scale, it is standing atop two 4X6 foot stall mats. Also visible are the new mounting tabs in case it should become necassary to bolt it down.

The chinning bar is high enough to kip on, but low enough to easily reach without jumping. I am 5' 10".

There are rubber pieces on each weight horn to keep weights from banging the frames.

The safety spotters extend 24 inches and seem to be of a heavier steel than the rest of the rack.

The bench is 19" tall and 10" wide. It is EXTREMELY stable.

The laser cut numbers are a very nice addition.

Thanks again to all who have contributed to the various rack threads and to this board in general as it has been an invaluable resource. Now I need to get some more plates and see if I can wear this thing out.

[Kodokan]

looks great dude. enjoy!

[keyboardworkout]

Very nice.

I'll pretend you didn't say "kip" and rep you.

[krosalclist]

if you dont mind sharing, how much did it cost you?

[matrix563]

are there any benefits to a half over a full rack? vice versa?

[Kodokan]

are there any benefits to a half over a full rack? vice versa?

The half rack has a smaller overall profile, and might be more convenient for moving in and out special bars which could be a PITA to weave in and out of a full rack. The half rack is going to have an open top for overhead lifts if height is a concern.

The full rack will offer more protection in that with a descent to the ground...you can't miss the spotter bars going forwards or backwards assuming they are set correctly. If you tripped or had to dump backwards in a half rack it could miss the spotters depending on where you were standing.

[PassinThrough]

Very nice looking

[keyboardworkout]

are there any benefits to a half over a full rack? vice versa?

Tall guys can use the half rack for overhead press work.

[Texasred2k]

Total cost was $1300.99

Rack was $750
Bench was $200
Mobility package (wheels and handle) was $50.99
Delivery to my driveway was $300

Space and available oprions were the the deciding factors for me. I only have about 6 feet of depth to play with, like to do standing overhead work, and wanted built in weight storage. I would have loved to have the Legend 3133 or its open top cousins, but at 5 feet or more in depth plus a 3+foot long skewer, I would have to pull my wife's car out of the garage for every workout. The idea was to make working out simpler as opposed to more complicated. Besides, I couldn't work out when it rains.... I know that there are optional safeties that would make it work in my footprint, but they are an extra cost, plus the extra cost of the rack, plus extra shipping would have put me way over budget.

Outside of the space savings, a full rack offers more benefits IMO. It is safer in that the weights are fully contained by 4 uprights. In my case I feel fairly safe using the safety spotters. They are 24 inches long which offer as much depth as a lot of power racks. I almost went with the Rogue R-3, but I didn't want to have to bolt it down and for $55 more, I got plate storage. I can also remove the spotter arms completely which gives me as much space as I might need for my attempts at the O-lifts. One of my favorite warmups is a power snatch combined with an overhead squat. I also considered the Rogue R-4 for the extra space, but didn't like the chain or strap safeties. It also cost more than the Legend.

[Kodokan]

It sounds like you made a really good choice for you're situation. Kicking the wife out of the garage is serious business...it took some doing for me.

[clockwork247]

are there any benefits to a half over a full rack? vice versa?

he's got a good 1/2 rack where the safety extend really far out, most of the cheaper 1/2 rack have really short safties...

other than that they're pretty similar, I can definitely see different ways to do things to your own rack to compensate for w/e it's missing, so it's no big deal. full rack are generally safer because you can't really side the weight out, and it'll probably take more load since the load is put on evenly, with the 1/2 rack the load is going straight to that 1 side that's attach to the cage.

[grumpytude]

very nice stuff you got there- congrats. The red color is sharp. Enjoy!

[Zoomit]

Space and available oprions were the the deciding factors for me. I only have about 6 feet of depth to play with, like to do standing overhead work, and wanted built in weight storage. I would have loved to have the Legend 3133 or its open top cousins, but at 5 feet or more in depth plus a 3+foot long skewer, I would have to pull my wife's car out of the garage for every workout. The idea was to make working out simpler as opposed to more complicated. Besides, I couldn't work out when it rains.... I know that there are optional safeties that would make it work in my footprint, but they are an extra cost, plus the extra cost of the rack, plus extra shipping would have put me way over budget.

Outside of the space savings, a full rack offers more benefits IMO. It is safer in that the weights are fully contained by 4 uprights. In my case I feel fairly safe using the safety spotters. They are 24 inches long which offer as much depth as a lot of power racks. I almost went with the Rogue R-3, but I didn't want to have to bolt it down and for $55 more, I got plate storage. I can also remove the spotter arms completely which gives me as much space as I might need for my attempts at the O-lifts. One of my favorite warmups is a power snatch combined with an overhead squat. I also considered the Rogue R-4 for the extra space, but didn't like the chain or strap safeties. It also cost more than the Legend.

Gotta bump this thread to hear what Texasred2k thinks of the half rack after a year. How are the 24" safeties working with your squats? Are you doing O-lifts without the safeties in place? I'm considering a similar solution for my home gym.

Texasred2k--you still around? Anyone else with a similar setup want to comment?

[817boy]

Gotta bump this thread to hear what Texasred2k thinks of the half rack after a year. How are the 24" safeties working with your squats? Are you doing O-lifts without the safeties in place? I'm considering a similar solution for my home gym.

Texasred2k--you still around? Anyone else with a similar setup want to comment?

these are his 6 post that he posted: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/search...chid=261093263

[Zoomit]

Yeah--saw that. Don't have hope that he'll show up. Maybe someone else though...

[Texasred2k]

Hi, Zoomit. Sorry for the delay as I am not on as much as I once was. After a year, yes, I still love it. The only thing I would change would be to add a monkey bar chinning rig. The 24 inch safeties have been doing their job. I regularly fail squats and benches with no ill effects, other than to my ego. Nothing has come even close to missing the safeties. I take them off and lean them against the wall to practice cleans and snatches. I put them back on for the slow lifts. I have the option to bolt the whole thing to the slab, but it is steady enough that I haven't felt the need. I recommend the mobility package on the bench. There are days in the middle of a Texas Summer that moving it in the middle of a workout without wheels would be just to much! If you are thinking of getting one, I would second the choice. For MY individual needs it fits the bill better than a traditional full rack.

[keyboardworkout]

Bumping an old thread.

I just got a quote for a 3142 from Legend yesterday.

Garage Gym that the OP bought his from closed up. Luckily, OP didn't have a problem with them but there are tons of horror stories.

Direct from Legend:

3142 Half Rack $1,000
3256 Pro Style Crossmember $250
Custom Height $50
Shipping to AZ $475

[Cleveland33]

Bumping an old thread.

I just got a quote for a 3142 from Legend yesterday.

Garage Gym that the OP bought his from closed up. Luckily, OP didn't have a problem with them but there are tons of horror stories.

Direct from Legend:

3142 Half Rack $1,000
3256 Pro Style Crossmember $250
Custom Height $50
Shipping to AZ $475

I would give Christian's Fitness Factory a call too, mention you post on here it might help. If you are current or former military/police/fire you'll get a discount too - at least they used to.