Portable power rack

It depends on what you want to use the rack for. If it should be portable options that need to be bolted to the ground, are humongous and are not modular fall to the wayside. The same goes for fold racks as they don’t stand by themselves. This leaves you with the following options:

The Rogue combo rack is the most professional version of this. It is modular and can be taken apart relative easy while being up to standard for powerlifting competitions. This is a good addition for the local gym or powerlifting enthusiast who is promoting the sport in different locations without a base.

Rogue flat foot racks can be easily taken apart by two people with wrenches and do not need to be bolted down. This is a solid all-purpose solution to be on the move.

Squat stands are the lightest and smallest option of the three. While great for squats, the setup can be awkward bench pressing. For very heavy squats you also better know what you are doing when you work on a squat stand. The rest of the article will go into more detail on several options.

Overview and review of the Rogue combo rack

The rogue combo rack comes in at a price of $2500 and is the ultimate rack for your powerlifting meet. This overview was first published in "which rack to buy from Rogue". See for yourself whether this rack is the right choice for you or you might want to steer to other options from Rogue.

Overview of the combo rack

The Rogue combo rack is the gold standard from Rogue for powerlifting meets. It has been designed for the environment of a powerlifting meet where you have professional athletes of different sizes stepping up to the platform. The Rogue Combo rack is IPF certified and manufactured in Columbus Ohio. Special features are the lever arm jack, telescoping uprights which can be angled and the removable bench.

The rogue combo rack comes in black and weighs 505lb. It is 77.25'' long when the bench is attached. The total width is 80.25'' and the inside width comes to 43.5''. When it is fully extended the maximum height is 78'' for the squat and 17.5'' for the bench press. The Notes are cut from 3x3 Gauge steel as with all products from the Rogue Monster series. The overall footprint of the combo rack is 77.25'' x 80.25''.

This is the flagship rack of Rogue that has been built for showing off the best national and international athletes. That the IPF put its stamp of approval on it shows that Rogue means business. If you want to organize one big meet or multiple meets throughout a year this rack is for you. If you are serious about competing on an international level you might want to get this for your home or local gym, so that you can simulate competition as close as possible.

Pros of the combo rack

This rack is sturdy and can be easily adjusted. It also does not need to be bolted down to the ground as Rogue is making use of their flat foot design. This is handy if you are putting up a competition in a local hotel or on any stage where you are not allowed to bolt a rack into the ground. Another advantage is that the uprights can be angled. This is great when you have very big athletes competing who want to grip the bar outside of the J Cups as they are so massive. The removable bench will safe time for your meet is you do not have to haul off one piece of equipment of the stage and replace it with another. You will also get a westside Monster bench and squat stand in one purchase. This saves money if you are serious about power and strength and know what you are doing.

Cons of the combo rack

The first con is the price. For 2.500$ you can also get an RM6 from Rogue or two midrange RM4 or R4 racks. This rack is also not user-friendly. It has been designed with a powerlifting meet in mind. To operate it most effectively you need 2 - 4 spotters who get everything ready for the athlete. Great in a powerlifting meet. Suboptimal when you are training by yourself or have a gym where beginners will just wreck themselves with the setup. There are also no safeties for the squat as a spotter crew is assumed. This is the right piece of equipment for someone who wants to get a powerlifting meet organized and done with as little waiting time for the crowd and athletes between lifts as possible. The home gym or commercial gym owner will make their lives unnecessarily hard.

Alternatives to the combo rack

For 2.500$ you can get the following other options from Rogue

If you are looking at the Combo rack I am quite sure that you are serious about lifting and probably already own a gym or seriously consider to build a massive home gym. If you are not planning to become the local powerlifting meet go to point or you do not have a serious team of powerlifters around to work the combo rack while someone lifts, consider getting something else.

The Rogue RM6 rack is a great option for anyone starting a home gym who wants storage and rack space combined in one rack. You can also upgrade this rack with the Monster Lat pull down and Rhino belt Squat Drop in. Innovation at Rogue also always comes first for the Monster line and trickles down from there. If you have the budget and want the best for your home gym, this can be an excellent choice instead of the combo rack.

The Rogue Rhino monster Belt Squat saves you money compared to the combo rack and is a great option for someone who has space and already owns a rack to squat and bench press in. If you own a gym think about what your clients need. If your clients are mainly powerlifters who compete often, you might want to get the combo rack. If your gym has a more mixed clientele and many older powerlifters with lower back problems, you definitely want to get the belt squat.

If you are opening your first gym or a new gym you will probably be better of investing the money in a Monster or Monster lite rig. For 2.500$ you will get one of the shorter ones. This will give you more options to create revenue streams, as the rig can be used for more different styles of training. A rig sets you up for powerlifting, CrossFit, Weightlifting and Tabata classes. The combo rack is for powerlifters only.

The Prone leg curl can be an option for a commercial gym or home gym owners who want to present more options for leg development. If you have a lot of bodybuilders or footballers in your gym this might be the better option than the combo rack.

Overview and review of the Rogue RM 390F Flat Foot Monster Rack

Price: 1.211

This review was originally posted in the longer article "Which strength equipment to buy from rogue" in which you can read about 25 products of Rogue which cost more than 1.000$. The Rogue Monster Flat Foot will save you bolting down the rack. You will have no holes in the floor with this one. See the details in this article.

Overview of the RM 390F Flat foot

The RM390F rack is a special rack in the Rogue Line up. IT is one of two racks with the flat foot design. The flat foot design makes it possible that you do not have to drill the rack into the ground to anchor it. This makes the flat foot a very popular option in scenarios where a wood, carpet or rubber floor have already been installed and should not be damaged.

The Flat Foot weighs 335LB and comes in with a width of 24''. It is 93'' high and therefore has a footprint of 54''x'50''. The flat foot is compatible with the accessories of the Monster series. The only thing to consider is that Band pegs and safety spotter arms should not be used with the Flat Foot Monster rack. Get safety pins instead.

How many clients should the Rogue RM390F bring you?

If you think that the Rogue RM390F will bring you 4 new clients who pay you 50$ on a 1-year retainer it is worth the investment. This will yield 2.400$ net new revenue against an investment of 1.211$. Adjust the numbers for your own gym accordingly.

Pros of the 390F Flat foot

The biggest pro of this rack is the flat foot design. This means you can install this rack anywhere where there is space. No nasty holes in the floor which need to be refilled once you want to move the rack somewhere else.

Cons of the 390F Flat foot

If you get a half rack you have to think about where to store your plates. In addition, not everyone likes to train in a half rack. IT can be a bit tight for a three-step walk out.

Alternatives to the 390F Flat foot

For the same budget of 1.211$ you have the following alternatives with Rogue:

1x RML 390F Monster Lite @795$

The Rogue RML 390F is the Monster Lite version of the flat foot design. This is a very viable option to save about 500$. You are already in the market for a solution with a small footprint for home use and small athletes. You might as well save a bit more money by going for the slightly less sturdy construction of the same product.

1x Rogue Froning RML 4100C Power rack @1.150$

If you want a full rack that gets you close to the champions this is the rack to go for. Think of the fittest man on earth while training to set new PRs in a full rack dedicated to the greatest CrossFitter of all time.

Conclusion

The 390F Flat foot is a great half rack to use at home which does not need to be bolted down. With this you can train and move whenever it is convenient.

Rogue SM1 Squat Stand

The Rogue SM1 squat stand comes in at $595 and is one of the low-range options for under $1000 from Rogue. Learn more in this review which was originally published in the Article "Which Rack to buy from Rogue for under $1000".

Overview of the SM1

The SM1 is the smallest of the Monster series Squat stands and does not include a pull-up bar. It comes in black and is manufactured in Columbus, Ohio. This stand bridges the gap between power racks and squat stands and can be built into a full rack over time if you have the funds available. It has the flat foot design, which enables you to use it without bolting it to the floor.

The SM1 is 73'' high and has a footprint of 50''x54''. The steel notes are 3x3'' 11 gauge steel. Based on this the SM1 is fully compatible with Rogues' Monster series and accessories. The delivery includes J Cups and has a weight capacity up to 1000LB.

If you want a simple squat stand which is built like a tank, this is the option for you.

Pros of the SM1

The SM1 is made from the most sturdy design you can get in the market. This stand won't break on you and is built like a rack. If you want the best from the lowest price range of Rogue, this is the one to go for.

Cons of the SM1

Squat stands are great for weightlifting. When it comes to powerlifting buying one might be false economy thinking. For the bench press, you will need spotter arms to train by yourself. Adding these to the price tag brings the squat stand price including the arms in the range of a rack. Then you might as well get a rack and save yourself the hassle.

Alternatives to the SM1

Alternatives to the SM1 are:

The SM2 and SM3 are variations of the Monster squat stand which come with a pull-up bar. The SM2 has a height of 103'' while the SM3 is around 108''. Depending on your needs these might be a better option to cover all the exercises you want to do.

The RML3WC is a foldable rack at roughly the same price as the SM1 which can be bolted to the wall. As a nice extra, it also can be folded in. This way you have more options to transform small spaces based on your needs.