The video above summarises my personal opinion for purchasing a Rogue combo rack for a home gym. If you want to just lean back and get information, watch it and then dig into the details below. In the following paragraphs you will find details on dimensions and alternative choices. I invite you to leave a comment on Youtube if you have direct questions.
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.
What else to consider from Rogue
- Which belt to buy from Rogue
- Which barbell to buy from rogue
- Which rack to buy from Rogue over $1000
- Which rack to buy from Rogue for under $1000
- Which plates to buy from Rogue
- Which strength equipment to buy from Rogue
- Which conditioning equipment to buy from Rogue
- Which Equipment package to buy from Rogue
- Which accessory to get from Rogue
- Which jump rope to get from Rogue
- Which bench to get from Rogue
- Which dumbbell to get from Rogue
- Which knee sleeve to get from Rogue
Most popular Rogue racks in 2020
Attached you find which Rogue racks have been most popular on Marathon-Crossfit.com in terms of views of their reviews and click through rates to Rogue Fitness for purchases. If you want to learn more about the details of the composition of the data you can read the full analyses under what were the most popular Rogue products in 2020.
The most popular rogue racks based on views of their reviews on Marathon-CrossFit in 2020 are:
The Rogue HR2 rack is part of the Rogue Monster lite series. What it has going for itself is its moderate place and lower space requirements compared to other racks of Rogue. I can also see how this rack can be a best seller as it is practical, not pricey and ticks most boxes. You can learn more about the details and alternatives in the review of the HR2 rack.
The Rogue RM8 is one of the most expensive items you can get from Rogue. The RM8 incorporates all of the major developments from Rogue like cerakote coating, a Rhino drop-in unit, and the LT1 50 cal lever arms. Its high price helps with popularity but I do not think that it is a high volume sales product based on its sheer size and high price tag. You can read a full review of the RM8 on this blog.
The RML 390 F is a half-rack from Rogue that does not need to be bolted to the ground. This makes it a very likely candidate from Rogue to have a very high sales volume. The small footprint and reasonable price further underpin this. Compared to the RM8 it is affordable so popularity is more likely to directly transfer to sales. You can read the full review of the RML 390F on my blog here.
The RM4 Fortis is a cheaper version of the RM4 Monster rack from Rogue. You will have fewer color options and get fewer pins and extras with your order. This is a good option if you want more space in the rack than with a half rack without shelling out thousands of dollars. You can ted the fu review of the RM4 fortis rack here.
The RML 390c is a half-rack from Rogue with a color option. Compared to the 390F it needs to be bolted to the ground to avoid sliding while it comes in at a similar price. You can read the full review of the 390c on my blog by following this link.
Rogue Monster vs Monster lite series
If you are torn between the Rogue Monster and Rogue Monster Lite Series then this video is for you. Commercial buyers should lean more towards the Monster Series as it gets more attention from the Rogue Product development team and will also take a bigger beating due to the sturdier nuts and bolts. Home gym buyers ought to have a good look at the upgrade paths and accessories for the Monster and Monster lite line.
Personally, I am a huge fan of the RM3 as it puts you at the entry-level of budget to get into the Monster line. However, with the 3.0 upgrade of the Monster lite series, there is not a lot to compromise anymore between the two lines. So, if you are not into the big upgrades and just want to upgrade a Monster lite rack to the max with your available budget, then that is also a great road to travel.
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
- Rogue RM6 Rack
- Rhino Monster Belt Squat Stand Alone
- Low-End Monster or Monster Lite rig
- Prone Leg curl
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.
