REP fitness OMNI rack vs TITAN T3 tough gym

This is a comparison between the Rep Fitness OMNI rack and the TITAN T3 tough gym. Follow the links for more details.

T3 Titan Tough Home gym $557 - $3200

The T3 Titan Tough Gym will put you back about $500 - $3000. TITAN is well known for their very good prices compared to their competition and will get you started on your home gym. This review was originally posted in “which Titan rack to buy for over $500”

Overview of the T3 Tough home gym

The T3 Tough Home gym has the T3 Titan rack at its heart. The main distinguishing point of the T3 is that it has 2x3 beams instead of 2x2 or 3x3. This places it right in the middle of the portfolio in terms of stability and price. Another advantage of the T3 is that it offers many variations on height and depth to better fit into your specific environment. There is currently definitely more to play around with for the T3 than for the flagship TITAN power rack, which is bigger and better, but also newer and therefore less mature in terms of options. Here are the different versions of the T3 which are available:

Short 24" Deep Power Rack

Weight: 230 LB
Height: 82 1/4"
Height of pull up bar: 77"
Outside width: 53 1/4"
Inside width: 42 1/8"
Outside depth: 32 3/4
Inside depth: 24"
Floor space: 12.11 square feet
Rackable Capacity: 1,100 LB
Whole Rack Capacity: 4,400 LB

Tall 24" Deep Power Rack

Weight: 281 LB
Height: 91 1/8"
Height of Pull Up Bar: 89"
Inside Width: 42 1/8"
Outside Width: 53 1/4"
Inside Depth: 24"
Outside Depth: 32 3/4"
Floor Space: 12.11 square feet
Rackable Capacity: 1,100 LB
Whole Rack Capacity: 4,400 LB
Material: Steel

Short 36" Deep Power Rack

Weight: 254 LB
Height: 82 1/4"
Height of pull up bar: 77"
Outside width: 53 1/4"
Inside width: 42 1/8"
Outside depth: 44 3/4
Inside depth: 36"
Floor space: 12.11 square feet
Rackable Capacity: 1,100 LB
Whole Rack Capacity: 4,400 LB

Tall 36" Deep Power Rack

Weight: 281 LB
Height: 91 1/8"
Height of Pull Up Bar: 89"
Inside Width: 42 1/8"
Outside Width: 53 1/4"
Inside Depth: 36"
Outside Depth: 44 3/4"
Floor Space: 16.7 square feet
Rackable Capacity: 1,100 LB
Whole Rack Capacity: 4,400 LB
Material: Steel

To build your home gym, here are some option on barbells to add

Pros of the T3 home gym

A definitive pro for all TITAN products is their price compared to comparable alternatives in the market. You usually pay about half of what you might pay with others. To sweeten the deal shipping is also free with TITAN in the US. THis makes the T3 a very good option if you are on a tight budget or need to buy anything in bulk. You can also choose from multiple colors.

Cons of the T3 home gym

With low prices there come some downsides. TITAN has been repeatedly reported to have inconsistencies in their products in terms of finish or damage on transport. These are usually minor defects which will still make the rack work, but if you pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for products from a company you might expect them to be delivered in top condition. Still, it is gym equipment, so it will get damaged over time anyway.

Alternatives to the T3 home gym

The TITAN rack is the top of the crop rack from TITAN. It has 3x3 uprights and 1” bolts. This is the heaviest and sturdiest rack you can get from TITAN. Compared to market prices it is also very affordable.

The X3 is basically the same model as the Titan rack with two differences. It doesn’t have numbered holes on the uprights and the keyhole design. This means that you can use fewer attachments with it which you have not necessarily bought from Rogue.

The T2 model comes in various shapes and heights and can be configured differently for your home gym to make it fit your space. The main difference to the other Titan racks is that the uprights are 2x2 instead of 2x3 or 3x3.

The T3 rack model is also very similar to the Titan rack but comes at a lower cost. It is the same as the X3 except that it has 2x3 Gauge uprights instead of 3x3. In this version, you get it without any extras.

Summary for the T3 home gym

The middle of the road approach with TITAN to save money compared to other vendors in the market for more extras. Good for anyone who keeps generally fit or is small in size. Elite athletes might want to opt for a bigger cage to throw more weight at.

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.

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:

3x3 11-Gauge Steel with 1” diameter holes on upright.
Compatible with most 5000 Series attachments including the Lat/Low Row.
Up to 15 potential configurations when paired with the Omni Plus.
J-cup, color options, and attachments are fully customizable.
A long, flat-footed base helps promote stability, no need to bolt the rack down.
Large stainless steel logo plate for additional rigidity and lateral stability.
Includes: Multi-grip pull-up bar, six-band pegs, and hardware to connect up to six uprights to the base.
Enough hardware will be provided for all possible configurations, which means that extra hardware may be left over after the build.
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 Pros of the OMNI rack are:

Flat foot design
Slightly lower price than their main competitors
Upgrade options

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

The cons of the OMNI rack are:

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

Alternatives to the REP Omni rack are:

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?