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REP fitness FB-5000 bench vs Rogue combo rack

Written by Pascal Landshoeft | May 30, 2021 4:00:00 PM

REP fitness FB-5000 bench vs Rogue combo rack

This is a comparison between the Rep Fitness FB-5000 bench and the Rogue combo rack. Follow the links for more details.

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

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.

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 REP fitness FB-5000 bench with wide pad 

This is an overview of the REP fitness FB-5000 with wide pad including pros, cons, and alternatives. The original was published under which rep fitness bench to buy. Follow the links for more details.

 

Related articles

 

REP FB-5000 with Wide pad $189

 
The REP FB 5000 is a great value-for-money flat bench and comes highly recommended by multiple reknown Youtubers as a good alternative to the Rogue Utility bench. The full specifications of this bench are:
 
  • Total Height: 16.75"
  • Total Pad Length: 48"
  • Back Pad Width: 13.75"
  • Weight: 62lbs
  • Total Footprint: 7.25 SQFT
  • Designed with Competition Standards
  • 3% Tolerance
 
  • Heavy-duty 3x3" 11 gauge steel frame with even thicker connecting plates.
  • Durable vinyl upholstery with 3" thick pad with plywood base. Connects with four (4) bolts. Two (2) extra bolt holes on frame for future pad compatibility.
  • 16.75" height from floor to top of pad. 
  • 3-foot design for ease of leveling. 
  • Welded metal endcaps.
  • Handle and wheels for easy transport.
  • Available in 4 colors: Matte Black, Hammertone Red, Hammertone Blue, Metallic Black. Please see the image above for the difference between the Matte and Metallic Black finish. 
 
Great beginner bench when you do not want to invest in an adjustable bench when you don’t mind that your bench is imported.
 

Pros of the REP FB-5000 with Wide pad

 
The pros of the REP FB-5000 are:
 
  • Meets competition specifications
  • Handles 1000 pounds
  • Single post
  • Price
  • Easy to move
  • Grippy cushion
  • 4 post attachment of the pad
  • Value for money
 
The list of pros for this one is long and best summarized as a competition standard bench for a very low price. The single post design helps you to simulate the bench press setup in a powerlifting competition at home. Compared to the Rogue competition the pad is better attached to the gram with 4 instead of four frames.
 

Cons of the REP FB-5000 with Wide pad

 
The cons of the FB-5000 are
 
  • Relatively light
  • Not adjustable
  • No decline
  • Instability when you sit on it
 
This is a great bench for bench pressing. If you are looking for a multi-purpose bench for your home gym for hip thrusts, step-ups, resting between sets, and other things you might to do with a regular bench, then the FB-5000 is not great. While the single post design is great for setting up for the bench press it takes away stability for all other exercises you might want to do with a bench.
 

Alternatives to the REP FB-5000 with Wide pad

 
 
The Rogue Utility bench is the better option if you are looking for a general-purpose bench that can be used to do all kinds of exercises.
 
The TITAN hefty bench is TITAN’s approach to a thick pad low-price bench. If you want a thick pad for cheap then this is the road to travel.
 

Conclusion for the REP FB-5000 with Wide pad

 
The REP FB-5000 is hailed as one of the best benches for the money in the market. I personally would say that if I am already looking at the REP fitness way I would upgrade to an adjustable bench on my budget. One of the greatest weaknesses of the Rogue fitness bench portfolio is the jump from the flat bench to the adjustable bench setups which you do not have with REP.
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