Rogue Monster Lat pull down stand alone vs TITAN power tower bench

This is a comparison of the Rogue Monster Lat pull and the TITAN power tower bench including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the TITAN power tower bench 188.99

This is an overview of the TITAN power tower bench including pros, cons and alternatives. This article was originally posted in Which gym machine to get from TITAN. Follow the links for additional information.

Overview of the TITAN power tower bench

The power tower bench is a variation of the multiple power towers that TITAN has in their line up. This version will also make it possible to do bench press motions and flyes while lying down. Combined with a pair of dumbbells it takes care of many of the shortfalls of a regular power tower as the bench gives you access to a wider arrange of exercises to get to your goals. The downside is that this power tower will eat up more space because of its T shape than a regular power tower. The full specifications of the TITAN power tower bench are:

- Full size bench

- Adjustable j-cups

- Dip station

- Multi-grip pull up bar

- Push-up handles

- Length: 79 1/2"

- Width: 34"

- Height: 86 1/2"

- Bench Length: 43 1/2"

- Weight: 99 lbs

- Capacity: 350 lbs

This is a good training station if you do not go crazy with it. I would not recommend using at for barbell bench presses, especially not if you go very heavy, as the hole thing might tip over or you might get your fingers caught on the awkward hooks to rack the weight.

Pros of the TITAN power tower bench

The pros of the TITAN power tower bench are:

You get a bench
Price
Great for bodyweight exercises

The biggest advantage of this product is that you get a bench including a power tower. With many vendors in the market you would be ard pressed to even get a bench for this prize. Never mind an entire exercise station that can function as a gym in your home. For what it does the TITAN power tower bench is great value for money.

Cons of the TITAN power tower bench

The cons of the TITAN power tower bench are:

Racking hooks
Low weight
Space requirements
TITAN finish

The hooks for racking can be become a real health hazard. They are not optimized for racking a heavy barbell including weights. The cups have a small metal disc in front to keep the barbell in place. This can easily turn into a finger cutter if you have the pressure of a heavy barbell and a metal disc with some fingers sandwiched between them.

The whole station also has a pretty low weight for hanging yourself from it. If you do not attach it to the ground or to the wall it is likely that you will topple it. Especially if you like to go apeshit when you are training. It is not a good idea to get the cheapest possible equipment and than put the maximum amount of stress on it except you want to break things and humans.

This TITAN power tower bench will roughly take up the same amount of space as a small power rack. As you can not put this outside in the rain based on the bench pad you might want to reconsider and save up a little longer to fill your home gym space with something proper.

In addition to all of this you always have to take the TITAN finish into account. TITAN is know for parts that won't fit or completely missing parts. If the bones of the product are already flimsy and you combine this with lax quality controls you get recipe that won't necessarily make you happy. It does not mean that you can not train with TITAN equipment, it just will not more caution and DIY to make it work compared to other vendors like Rogue and Eleiko.

Alternatives to the TITAN power tower bench

Alternatives to the TITAN power tower bench are:

TITAN outdoor power tower
TITAN rack combo
Rogue jammer bar

The TITAN outdoor power tower is built a little sturdier than the TITAN power tower bench. It has also has been stripped off any parts that do not do well in the rain. In addition the tubing is a bit thicker as with the power tower bench and an extra coating has been apllied. If you want to invest a little more and train outdoors this is the safer and better choice than the power tower bench. The only downside is that you will not get a bench with your purchase.

The TITAN rack combo plays in a different league than the power tower, but you still get a bench and other options to train. Rack combos are aimed at powerlifting meets and are easy to assemble and transport. With the TITAN rack combo you save some money compared to the competition and do not take your fingers off when you are bench pressing. In return it can not be used for pull ups or dips.

The Rogue jammer bar is a great indoor pull up bar to put above your kitchen door. Whenever you walk through, you do as many pull ups as you can muster. Keeps the entire family fit, is safe and does not take up a lot of space. Nothing to not like about this product. Except the price as it costs the same as the TITAN power tower bench.

Conclusion for the TITAN power tower bench

If you use the TITAN power tower bench together with some light dumbbells and do not play tarzan while hangin from it it is a good budget option to keep generally fit. Still, I am not a huge fan as the production is cheap, it takes up quite a bit of space and does none of the things it claims really well.

Overview and review of the Rogue Monster Lat pull down stand alone

Price: 2.950

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 lat pull down will create more bats in your gym. See the details in this article.

Overview of the Rogue Monster Lat pull down

The Monster Lat pulldown Standalone is a lat pulldown machine for the expert athlete. As with all Rogue equipment this machine is built like a tank. The lat pulldown machine is a great example of how Rogue takes pride in what they do and takes their customer feedback series.

If you read between the lines you can see that the pulley, the bar, cable, and Steel eye were not up to Rogue's standards in the V1 of this machine. All of these parts have been consequently brought in-house and are not bought from 3rd parties anymore. These things are normal when new production lines are being built, a new market is tested and new processes build around them.

At least Rogue took the right learnings from this and perfected their Rhino launch. The prone leg curl and the ISO leg press have not gotten a V2 overhaul yet whereas the Lat pull down has. Be aware of this when you buy from Rogue. I am positive they will accommodate valid feedback, especially on big orders. If you buy for your home gym, maybe wait on the leg press and curl until there is more feedback available or find a gym nearby to test them.

The Rogue Lat pulldown weighs 605lb and offers up to 300lb resistance in plates in 10lb increments. It has a footprint of 40'' by 60''. It is 60'' long, 40'' wide and 96'' high. The steel notes are 3x3 11-gauge steel just like the rest of the Rogue Monster series.

Pros of the Rogue Monster lat pull down

This lat pulldown is also a rowing machine so you get two for the price of one. The difference to many other rowing machines is that Rogue came up with an idea that does not make the bench longer. By positioning a footrest under the seat this lat pulldown machine turns into a rowing machine without adding extra length.

Another big pro is that this machine allows the use of bands with the lat pull. This is very unique and I have not seen many machines like this. Especially when you have experienced athletes you will appreciate that you can work with bands.

Cons of the Rogue Monster Lat pull down

A lat pulldown is a big machine. It will take up quite a bit of space where a pull-up bar might create a similar effect. Especially in a home gym scenario, you might be better off getting dumbbells and a pull-up bar which takes up less floor space. As with other machines, the pulley system takes maintenance. Oiling this system and keeping it in check might not be for everyone.

How many clients do you need for the lat pull down?

If you think that the Lat pulldown will bring you 10 new clients who pay you 50$ on a 1-year retainer it is worth the investment. This will yield 6.000$ net new revenue against an investment of 2.950$. Adjust the numbers for your own gym accordingly.

Alternatives to the Lat pull down from Rogue

Here are some alternatives to the Rogue lat pull down

1x Rhino belt Squat Rack @ 2750$

The Rhino belt including the half rack will give you a better pulley system and the necessary rack to play around with it. It will not exactly be the same and the workarounds might be not ideal, however, it is possible. I would also be very surprised if Rogue did not capitalize on the opportunity to deliver a system that combines the RM6 and Rhino to a fully built all-purpose gym station. Stay tuned for that one.

1x Monster Lite Rig @ 2.495$

A monster lite rig will provide you with

4 Squat/ Bench Stations
8 Pull up Stations

For less than the price for one lat pulldown machine. If you are aiming to open a small CrossFit gym this is the way to go. This also shows you that Rogue still has to work on optimizing their costs on building machines. The upshot is that you will get a machine that is fully made in the US. If you work for the government this might even be a requirement for purchase.

Conclusion

The Rogue Monster lat pull down is a very solid machine for your gym. If you do not want to compromise and attract the biggest and best athletes to your gym, this is the one to go for.