Are there any shorty racks worth upgrading to?

[buddy0329]

I have owned a Parabody 843 rack with its matching bench and plate loaded lat pull down for more than 20 years now. It's a 2"x3" pop-pin rack with 1/2" hardware. It has 27.5" depth between the uprights which is enough for me to squat in, and there is enough additional depth beyond the rear upright to get into a good bench position under the bar. A couple of 35's on the lat pull down keeps it from moving.

Main complaints: 1) Lack of plate storage, and 2) the front bar supports outside of the rack cant be raised much above waist-level height because they are integrated into the safeties and the safeties are limited in how high they can be raised by the fixed bar supports inside of the front uprights. This height limit is a PITA when I want to do overheard press and have to unrack the barbell from this waist- high position; it is not friendly to the elbows. I know the alternative is to clean the bar from the floor.

Reference picture of the 843:



Issue: I only have 94" of ceiling height in the basement and an RM6 from Rogue is 90". Add 2.25" platform height and you can see the dilemma. My Parabody rack tops out at 84" at the top of the lat attachment.

Rogue isnt offering to custom cut rack uprights. I could DIY it but not sure how consistent and nice of a finished product this would be across 6 uprights. Even so, spending $2K-$2.5K on a 6-post RML-690 or RM6 feels wasteful if i can avoid it given that I've been lifting out of a second-hand rack and bench for 20 years that only cost me a couple of hundred dollars. The only stock shorty rack sold by Rogue is the R3 with only 24" depth which is less than my current rack and no storage. Even their half racks are 90".

Other alternatives: SM1 Monster squat stands (73" tall) as a dedicated pressing station. Could add monster spotter arms to squat and press out of it. Still no storage though.

Y1 Yoke? Same idea as the SM1. It has built in "storage" so to speak, but not really.

Other brands with ~84" racks that are worth the upgrade?

Or stand pat?

[Duplicitous]

You have 94" of ceiling height in the basement or 84"?

[buddy0329]

You have 94" of ceiling height in the basement or 84"?

I have 94" of total height before accounting for full platform, or 91.75" with the platform. My old rack is 84" in height.

[radrd]

Rogue ML is 90.375" so you should be OK with a standard height rack. Just double-check the specs.

https://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-r...rack-color-3-0

[Duplicitous]

I have 94" of total height before accounting for full platform, or 91.75" with the platform. My old rack is 84" in height.

It sounds like you're good to go with a standard height rack in that case. The pullup bar and crossbars on Rogue racks (or any similar rack) can be mounted at any height you please. You can also gain those couple inches back (if you need them) by cutting a platform insert for the rack instead of putting the entire platform under the rack.

[cwcmac]

Legend will custom cut and you can mount the pull up bars upside down for more clearance. Of course they're fully welded sides so may be rough getting downstairs.