lat tower

[tmonkey]

I have a body solid that i hate - it is to short not smooth and pretty much just trash


looking at the titan but open to anything - what do you recommend?

like it to have row/low option as well



yes i searched, no craigslist please, open to other new pieces of equipment but don't want to spend a ridiculous amount either.
i do have a titan rack now that i like just fine as well.

[Deep-Voiced-One]

I have a body solid that i hate - it is to short not smooth and pretty much just trash


looking at the titan but open to anything - what do you recommend?

like it to have row/low option as well



yes i searched, no craigslist please, open to other new pieces of equipment but don't want to spend a ridiculous amount either.
i do have a titan rack now that i like just fine as well.

As far as residential quality at a lower price point, probably your best bet would be the Powertec lat machine since it has both a high and low pulley and you got the separate option of a selectorized weight stack along with the plate loaded pegs that come standard.

It has the round guide rods as opposed to the lesser quality square ones.

[Duplicitous]

+1 on the Powertec. I haven't used it, but it's by far the most highly regarded residential model.

[yohahn]

A few hundred less than the powertec would be XMark I have never used but have read good things about it. Titan plate loaded pulldown I have not seen any reviews on but its currently on sale 350. York Barbell plate loaded their equipment is decent and built solid I would never pay full price but you can have it for around $390 plus shipping going thru Allison. It tips the scales at 190 lbs same as powertec which is 70 more than xmark or titan if that is important to you.

edit: The titan plate loaded is a reasonable price considering it has the chrome round guide rods I believe everything else in that price range is going to have the square weight carriage which is what you have now and want to stay away from.

[yohahn]

Not sure what your budget is but if you are going to drop $500+ on a lat tower you might be interested in the Valor Fitness BD-61 Cable Crossover Station delivered for $570 just a thought.

I have a body solid that i hate - it is to short not smooth and pretty much just trash


looking at the titan but open to anything - what do you recommend?

like it to have row/low option as well



yes i searched, no craigslist please, open to other new pieces of equipment but don't want to spend a ridiculous amount either.
i do have a titan rack now that i like just fine as well.

[grubman]

Bodysolid makes a lot of great equipment...but their (plate loaded) lat tower sucks. Not sure why the went cheap on production with that price. The Titan looks better (because of the way the weight slides), but I’ve not used one.

In any case, what I came to say...if your primary reason is lat pulldowns and seated rows, by all means get a tower. But consider for a moment a functional trainer. You can do all the accessory moves you can with a lat tower, but oh so much more.

I have no problem with weighted pull-ups, and do a variety of bar, dumbbell, and landmine rows, so the choice was easy for me. A decision I’ll never regret...so many exercises, so little time.

I have, since, got a Bodysolid leverage lat pulldown used for $150. It takes a lot of space for 1 exercise, but is the best lat pulldown I’ve ever used.

[Deep-Voiced-One]

I've always liked the looks and light commercial quality of the Body-Solid Pro Club Line version of their lat machine, but it's considerably more expensive than the Powertec and unlike the Powertec, it only has a selectorized stack (which might, or might not be more convenient depending on ones home gym situation).

The other thing is that it has a seated mid-row portion and no low row portion which kinda takes away from its versatility depending on what you wanna use it for (having the option of low rows despite having to do them on the floor will open up the option for many different angles and varieties of cable curls, plus kneeling triceps overhead extensions with a rope attachment and much more).

[RestoringTally]

I've always liked the looks and light commercial quality of the Body-Solid Pro Club Line version of their lat machine, but it's considerably more expensive than the Powertec and unlike the Powertec, it only has a selectorized stack (which might, or might not be more convenient depending on ones home gym situation).

The other thing is that it has a seated mid-row portion and no low row portion which kinda takes away from its versatility depending on what you wanna use it for (having the option of low rows despite having to do them on the floor will open up the option for many different angles and varieties of cable curls, plus kneeling triceps overhead extensions with a rope attachment and much more).

I moved up the line with my lat machines. At one point I had the BS one with the square vertical piece that guided the weights. That style sucs. I ended up with the BS Club lat machine with the two round guide bars and a 21 lb weight stack. Very smooth. And I can add DBs to increase the weight.

If you want a lat machine, get one with a pair of round guide bars, even if it is plate loaded.

[ncsuLuke]

Love my Powertec, would rather have a commercial piece but didn't have the space. Having the weight stack makes all the difference, I wouldn't buy one that is plate loaded only.

[blue9steel]

Love my Powertec, would rather have a commercial piece but didn't have the space. Having the weight stack makes all the difference, I wouldn't buy one that is plate loaded only.

I have a Powertec as well. If you get one, definitely get the weight stack. If you have room for a better unit, then it's not likely the best choice. The one feature I really like is having both a stack and plate load option at the same time.

[urbanlifter]

Titan w/300lb stack, hands down winner for a weight stack pulldown these days @ $869 shipped. Only issue is that it's perpetually out of stock because of its popularity. Outside of Craigslist or FB, which there is a nice looking Nebula in Columbus, I would hold out for the Titan. Past that point the Powertec looks good, and I actually liked the BS Pro (plate loaded). Owned a few of those over the years, @ $100-$150 they get the job done and are easy to move around if you can find used.

[Steelfan7]

Titan w/300lb stack, hands down winner for a weight stack pulldown these days @ $869 shipped. Only issue is that it's perpetually out of stock because of its popularity. Outside of Craigslist or FB, which there is a nice looking Nebula in Columbus, I would hold out for the Titan. Past that point the Powertec looks good, and I actually liked the BS Pro (plate loaded). Owned a few of those over the years, @ $100-$150 they get the job done and are easy to move around if you can find used.

I've been waiting for the stack lat tower from Titan to come back into stock as well.

[Rakshar]

I've been waiting for the stack lat tower from Titan to come back into stock as well.

How often does the lat tower come back in stock? I have been checking the website (and signed up for alerts) for the past two months with no success.

[urbanlifter]

How often does the lat tower come back in stock? I have been checking the website (and signed up for alerts) for the past two months with no success.

It was back in stock a couple weeks ago, but quickly sold out. You might try asking Titan...

[martyanderson]

I'd recommend used commercial. The home gym lat pulldown s are just a waste of money...

[Duplicitous]

I'd recommend used commercial. The home gym lat pulldown s are just a waste of money...

I agree, but the OP seems opposed to used.

[Steelfan7]

I'd recommend used commercial. The home gym lat pulldown s are just a waste of money...

Well the availability of used commercial is relative to your area. I don't see many used in my area and they are still almost double the costs of Titan's lat tower with stack.

[vristang]

I moved up the line with my lat machines. At one point I had the BS one with the square vertical piece that guided the weights. That style sucs.

I have an older BodySolid lat pull/seated row machine, as described above... I don't have any issues with it. Pulleys run smooth at the weights I use. I like that it is NOT a weight stack, and is plate loaded. Has been a good investment for me, at least for what I paid for it on CL...
No doubt, it isn't the best option out there, and a little more budget could get me something better, but I've been happy with it over the last year or so...

[urbanlifter]

I like that it is NOT a weight stack, and is plate loaded.

For sure, there are some serious advantages to plate loaded machines. Think I've had two or three of the old Body Solid Pro pulldowns, really nice if you can find them used. Mine were all smooth and being average height I didn't have ROM issues like some others. The nicest plate loaded pulldown I have owned was the discontinued Parabody, if I could wish machines back into my gym that one would be HIGH on the list.

[blue9steel]

Well the availability of used commercial is relative to your area. I don't see many used in my area and they are still almost double the costs of Titan's lat tower with stack.

That was the problem for me, very little used commercial equipment for sale.

[piratelifebad]

LOL, turns out the Titan Lat Tower sucks.....

[Deep-Voiced-One]

I have had both the Powertec and the Titan with 300lb stack. It's not close, the Titan is a beast that most companies would sell for $1800+. The only real competition for the Titan is the $2.5k Rogue and the $2k Body Solid SLM-300G/3.

Here's my comparison.

Design: The Powertec design is a compromise with the top arm only being supported on the end opposite the pulley. There's multiple reviews complaining about it flexing with heavy weight because it's not adequately supported. The Titan is built like a tank and has upright support well past the middle of the arm(or whatever it's called). The Titan also weighs 230lbs without the stack. The Powertec is only 158lbs. If you're the Hulk and you need more than 300lbs of weight, I still would not recommend the Powertec, it's just too flimsy.

The Powertec is definitely only for home use, the Titan could probably do just fine with light-moderate gym use.

Quality: The Titan wins with aluminum pulleys and replaceable bearings that are retained with snap rings. I've yet to find anything under $2.5k that uses metal pulleys. The weight stack is much better on the Titan as well. The nylon insert for each Titan plate is "star" shaped, so there's much less contact and friction when it slides up and down the rod. A very nice feature I haven't even seen on $2k units. Welds are about equal for both units.

Finish: Surprisingly, the Titan wins again. Powertec doesn't use enough packaging materials and every piece I've gotten from them has lots of metal on metal contact in the package with only a thin plastic bag between them. Not nearly enough styrofoam. The fit and finish of the Titan weight stack is equal or better than the very nice(and expensive) Inspire FT1 stack.

Usability: If you have the cover installed (and you need this for rigidity), it can be hard to see and insert the pin on the Powertec weight stack. The Titan stack is completely unobstructed and much easier to see and use.

Pads: Powertec by a landslide. The Titan pads are absolute garbage. I'm probably going to have some replacement pads custom made.

Price: You can get the Titan on sale with coupons for $760-$880. The Powertec starts at $800 without the 190lb stack and $1100 with it.

Just wait for it to get back in stock, it's that good of a deal.

Thanks for the info on the Titan lat machine, actually one feature that I think gives it an advantage when compared to the SLM300G, is the low pulley for low rows with the diamond foot plate and the capabilities to use it for cable curls and other various low pulley movements.

I think if Body-Solid gave that option as a choice, or instead just the mid-row, they would rule the light commercial market on the piece below the high end commercial market.

It's good to hear a direct comparison between the Titan and the Powertec (owning the Powertec myself), it's a great piece for the space I have available and for it's dual purposes, but it does leave quite a bit to be desired too.

I'm kinda tempted to get the Titan when it's back in stock to replace the Powertec and put it in the main attic part (due to higher ceiling height between the rafters), if my attic can take its weight up there.

How is the leg hold on the Titan? Does it hold them down good? That's another particular part of the Powertec that's kinda lacking.

[GamecockLifter]

I’ll be snagging the Titan the moment it comes back in stock. Early October.

[yohahn]

Everyone has chimed in except opie. Hopefully that means he got what he needed and will post pics soon of those newly developed batwings.

[piratelifebad]

Another option for $2k: https://www.repfitness.com/rep-lat-pull-down-low-row

No reviews or photos of it in the wild.

[bensar]

How often does the lat tower come back in stock? I have been checking the website (and signed up for alerts) for the past two months with no success.

Same question for me