REP fitness OMNI rack vs Rogue SM3 squat stand
This is a comparison between the Rep Fitness Omni rack and the Rogue SM3 squat stand. Follow the links for more details.
Rogue SM 3 Monster squat stand
The Rogue SM3 squat stand comes in at $759 and is one of the mid-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 $1000".
Overview of the SM3
The
SM3 Monster Stand is the flagship of the
Rogue Squat stands and comes in at a height of 2.82m. It is available in black and manufactured in Columbus Ohio. This is the squat stand for the big players who mean business.
The
SM3 it comes in at a height of 111''. The steel notes are 3x3 Gauge steel. The total footprint of the squat stand os 50''x54''. This unit does not need
to be bolted
to the floor as it comes with the flat foot design of
Rogue. It will be shipped
to you including J Cups,. You can choose from either a Single Skinny Pull up bar or a Fat/Skinny pull up bar.
This is probably one of the biggest squat stands that you can get in the market. If you like it big and your customers too, go for this beast. If you have a lot of basketball players to train, this might be the squat stand for you.
Pros of the SM3
If money is not an issue with you and needs a squat stand, you can not go wrong with this one. It is completely overbuilt, in a good way. Why do you like a Mercedes. Probably not because it is the cheapest way to get you from A to B. This purchase will make you happy if you have high ceilings and tall athletes.
Cons of the SM3
If you want
to use this for
powerlifting it might be the wrong choice.
To bench press safely you will also have
to get spotter arms on top of the squat stand. The
Spotter
arms tailor at 270$ and all of a sudden you reached the $1.000 dollar mark and might as well look into a full
rack.
Alternatives to the SM3
IThe
Rogue RM4 fortis rack is a viable full
rack option that comes in at roughly the same prize as the
SM3 when you count in the
spotter
arms. If you want
to powerlift and have no special reason for getting a 2.82m high squat stand I would recommend the fortis instead. You will have more options
to upgrade and a safer environment
to train in.
If you are not a basketball player an on a budget the SML2 might be an alternative. The SML2 saves you about 300$ compared
to the
SM3 for accessories or a
barbell. You still will get a squat stand
which is 92'' high. The SML 2 is compatible with the MOnster lite series of
Rogue.
If you are as tall as a basketball player and still want
to save money, the SML3 might be an option. Again you are saving roughly 300$ compared
to the
SM3 while you keep the height at 108''.
Overview and review of the REP fitness OMNI rack
This is an overview of the REP fitness OMNI rack including the pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally posted in which rack to buy from REP Fitness. Follow the links for more information.
Related articles
Overview of the REP OMNI Rack $934
The
Rep OMNI rack is a flat foot version of the
REP PR-5000 series which has gained quite some popularity recently. It is a solid rack from a vendor who imports their parts rather than making them in the US as Sorinex and Rogue Fitness would. The main difference to the
PR-5000 is the flat foot base and the numbering on the uprights. The full specifications of this rack are:
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3x3 11-Gauge Steel with 1” diameter holes on upright.
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Compatible with most 5000 Series attachments including the Lat/Low Row.
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Up to 15 potential configurations when paired with the Omni Plus.
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J-cup, color options, and attachments are fully customizable.
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A long, flat-footed base helps promote stability, no need to bolt the rack down.
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Large stainless steel logo plate for additional rigidity and lateral stability.
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Includes: Multi-grip pull-up bar, six-band pegs, and hardware to connect up to six uprights to the base.
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Enough hardware will be provided for all possible configurations, which means that extra hardware may be left over after the build.
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Lat attachment adds 23" depth to the 4-post half-rack or adds 5" depth to the 6-post power rack is mounted to the interior uprights.
This is a good option when you do not want to bolt down your rack and start with a half rack that you will later upgrade. If you are looking for the most space-efficient option in the market it is probably not the best rack you can get.
Pros of the REP OMNI Rack
The main point about this rack is the flat foot design which means that you do not need to bolt it to the ground to make it stable. The bottom has quite some weight to it and a bigger footprint than a regular 4 post-half-rack would have. This is great to keep it from tipping over when you only have four posts and want to work with banded resistance on the deadlift, bench press, and squat.
As REP imports their material they can get away with lower costs for racks that compare in quality to the market leader Rogue Fitness. This means you get a similar quality rack for a lower price. This is one of the most appealing aspects of the REP fitness as they generally seem to do a better job on quality control than TITAN fitness but use overseas to keep costs down.
This is probably the best rack from REP fitness you can get, if you do not want to bolt down your rack but have big plans for it in the future. You will basically get a
PR-5000 with a flat foot design and can add to the base to your heart's contempt with further uprights.
Cons of the REP OMNI Rack
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Space requirements
-
Numbering on uprights
-
Website ordering system
The flat foot base of the
OMNI rack is laid out to accommodate a six-post design. While this makes it one of the few flat foot designs in the market for a six-post rack, it eats up too much space in a home gym with limited space. If you want to optimize for space a folding rack or a regular half-rack are the better options.
The numbering on the uprights does not go through every hole. While this saves cost in production it is a little inconsequential for ease of use. Either have no numbers to maximize my savings or number all holes to maximize the ease of use. This is especially true if you are buying in a commercial setting rather than a home gym.
Ordering an
OMNI rack is a little tricky and I wouldn't recommend it for first-time rack buyers. With these modular systems, it is better to really have an idea of the dimensions and accessories you are buying before configuring it. Compared to their main competitor rogue the configuration system on the website is also not as easy to use. But that is just my personal taste.
Alternatives to the REP OMNI Rack
This selection of racks is based in 3x3 11 Gauge steel uprights to avoid presenting too many options to you. If you want to save more money you can also look into 2x3 Gauge uprights. The smaller you are and the lighter the weights you move, the more likely it is that you should try to save some money for your home gym by going with a smaller frame. Commercial buyers should go as big as they possibly can on their budget based on insurance questions and that you can not predict as well who will use your equipment.
If you stick with the idea of "I want a Rogue quality rack at the lowest possible price" then the
REP-PR 5000 and the
REP PR-4100 are two other options to consider. The
REP PR-5000 has been hailed as one of the best, if not the best, rack for home gym users based on its good value for money. You can configure it as a 4 post or 6 post rack. The main difference to the
OMNI rack is that it does not come with a flat foot design. The
REP PR-4100 would be the folding rack option from REP Fitness. This is a good way to go if you still want to park your car in your garage when you are not training.
If you are toying with the idea of a flat foot 6 post rack the
OMNI rack is one of the few, if not the only option out there. Another option would be the
RM6 rack from Rogue which needs to be bolted to the ground. Go with the
RM6 if you are planning to get a belt squat, as currently, the Rhino Drop-in is the superior option to the belt squats from REP Fitness. The
Rogue RM3 is the half rack option from Rogue with 3x3 Gauge steel. If you have the budget for an
Omni rack you can probably also afford the
RM3. With the
RM3 you are saving footprint compared to the
OMNI rack, as it comes with four uprights without a flat foot design. The uprights will also have all the holes numbered instead of just a few on the
OMNI rack. With this rack, you will be buying from the current market leader in home gym equipment in terms of quality and units sold. Rogue also goes to lengths to make sure that their product is as American as possible by sourcing metal and staff locally and keeping production lines in Ohio. This comes at a higher price than their competitors to the consumer. The
Rogue RM3W is the folding variation of the
RM3. If you want the best and can afford it and you are not that much into the flat foot idea, this can be a good route to explore.
The
TITAN series rack is the flagship of the TITAN rack lineup. This is TITAN's go at being like Rogue Fitness. You will also get a 3x3 11 Gauge steel uprights setting, but this is a full rack, rather than a half rack. If you were toying with the idea of a full rack that does not need to be bolted to the ground, then this might be the right option for you. If you want a 3x3 folding rack then the X-3 from TITAN would be the right choice. TITAN is known to undercut most of the other vendors on the market considerably when you compare like for like. This is why I am presenting you with their top-line rack as an alternative to the
OMNI rack. The downside of TITAN is that the same to have the most incidents with quality issues between Rogue, REP Fitness, and TITAN fitness. This makes sense as you need to cut some corners to undercut everyone else in the market. If you don't mind a potential risk of minor blemishes, some inconsistency in paint, or on the drilling of the holes, then TITAN is right for you. A good option for the DIY enthusiast who wants to save money for a new drill to fix their rack setup and then have it for other home projects.
Conclusion for the REP OMNI Rack
The
REP OMNI rack is in my opinion the REP fitness approach to tailoring their portfolio to universities. This is the right rack for the strength coach that does not want to explain to the dean why he has to drill holes into the resurfaced gym floor that was paid out of taxpayer's money. The same goes for someone who is renting a mansion and wants to put a six-post rack into it without damaging the 100-year-old original floor. For anyone who can drill into the floor or just uses a rack without bolting it to the ground, I think it is not the ideal option. Why create an unnecessary unused footprint in your limited home gym space for a half-rack?