REP fitness PR-1050 rack vs Rogue RM8

This is a comparison between the Rep Fitness PR-1050 rack and the Rogue RM8. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the Rogue RM8 Power rack

The Rogue RM8 power rack is the new flagship of the rogue rack portfolio for $7.350. It combines the new LT1, Rhino Belt and RM6 into the Rolls Royce of racks.Here are the pros and cons and alternatives to this beast.

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Overview of the RM8

The RM8 is the newest edition to the Rogue Monster line up. After publishing the 50cal, Rhino belt squat and a multitude of new bar designs using the Cerakote finish Rogue out it all together and went even bigger. This is the ultimate station to get stronger, especially for anyone who wants to squat heavy up until older age.

As part of the Rogue monster series, you will get the 3x3 Gauge steel with the big bolts. The finish is currently only Cerakote black also I am quite positive that this will change in the foreseeable future. The RM8 has the following dimensions:

Length 10’6”
Width 6’4”
Width Rack inside 43”
Height 100.375”
Footprint 10’6” x 53”

You will basically get an RM6 on steroids with all the plate storage you need and extra functionality to attack your muscles from every angle. Here is the list of items:

Rhino Belt squat
Loadable weight trolley
Knurled Socket pull up bar
Custom Rogue Nameplate
6 long plate storage pins
4 short plate storage pins
Monster Sandwich J Cups
4 Monster band pegs

The Rhino belt squat is one of the most interesting new developments in the Rogue portfolio. It is especially good to train heavy for squats without putting too much strain on your lower back. An older lifter will appreciate it, you get lifters will be able to get more volume in. The stand-alone version of the Rhino comes in at roughly $2000 and I have already written about the Rhino belt squat it on my blog.

The loadable weight trolleys are two lever arms with the 50cal mechanism. Again Rogue has shown innovation on these. They revised that the original lever arms were cumbersome to adjust and can up with these. Footballers and Rugby players will appreciate the tackling training which can be done with them. Strongman athletes will have a good piece of equipment to simulate car deadlifts or uneven loads. Bodybuilders will have options to simulate all kinds of rowing and pressing machines when combined with an adjustable bench. Finally, powerlifters can use the setup to create a mini monolift.

The pull-up bar with knurling gives you extra grip. It is one of the newer additions to the rack options of Rogue. Still, it is a bar, not a lot to be said about it.

The custom rogue nameplates look cool, but that is about it. It’s a pity that Rogue does not allow the configuration to be changed to a simple cross member. The nameplate renders the beam almost unusable for any attachments. Still, it looks dang cool.

That plate pins are great as they safe you the extra hassle and cost to provide for plate storage. If you have children in your home I recommend getting spring collars to make the plates safe. Some like to put the plate pins as high as possible. I would not do that as the plates will drop from a height into anything below if they come off the rack. Most children won’t be able to move the spring collars, so at least you have some safety.

The band legs can be used to train with the west side method. You attach bands to the pegs and barbell for added resistance. You can see an example of how that works in the two videos below.

Pros of the RM8

The RM8 is the one-stop-shop for the latest and greatest that Rogue has to offer. The Rhino belt squat will give you many variations to train while keeping your lower back safe. You can switch from resisted jumps to band assisted squats. The potential is limitless. It is really great to see that products can still be made better in a market which you thought was saturated. If you have the money the Banshee won’t disappoint.

Cons of the RM8

$7000 is a big price tag for a rack. You can get 7 Fortis racks for this price if you were to equip a commercial gym. Another option would be a monkey rig which gives many more options to run classes of them. This beast is aimed at in e or two people. Of course, you can have more people train at it, but this is definitely the ultimate celebrity or athlete home gym, not the commercial option. Unless you are an NFL team and do not care about multiplying out the 7000 over half the numbers of players you have.

Another con is that for the biggest price tag you get no color option. That is a shame and hopefully changes soon. They probably assemble it by hand and coat it as they don’t have a production line for the RM8 yet. Stay tuned in this space.

Alternatives to the RM8

There are no alternatives if you want all the best toys of Rogue in one rack. But not everyone has 7000 to spend on a rack. Here are some alternatives to spend your hard-earned money on excellent Rogue equipment:

If you have the same amount of money to spend but also think about how to make that money back in a professional gym setup the monkey Rig or a monster rig might be a better choice. A Rig leaves you with more options for circuit training and positing people up. You can read more about rigs in my monkey and monster rig articles.

If you want to spend money on a very good rack for your home gym you can go for the RM6 instead. The RM6 comes with different height and color options and leaves you with more choice rather than the take it or leave it approach of the banshee. If you were to come to money at after stage you can still upgrade with the Rhino Drop in and the 50cal trolley arms separately. You can learn about the RM6 in my review.

The RM4 fortis is the best rack option from Rogue under 1.000. If you wanted to equip a commercial gym with seven racks rather than one rolls Royce that is the option to go for. The RM4 is still a great rack and your customers will be happy.

3WC is a rack option which can fold in and be snug against the wall. This way it is an ideal setup for a garage gym when you still want to park your car. It also comes in at around $500.

Summary of the RM8

The RM8 is the best to be had from Rogue. You can use the Rhino when your lower back is at you or do resisted pull-ups while the rest of the rack offers everything for plate storage to a pull-up station. Of course, it is over the top, but that’s the whole point.

Overview and review of the REP fitness PR-1050 rack

This is an overview of the REP fitness PR-1050 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 PR-1050 Rack $269

The REP PR-1050 is a short version of the REP PR-1000. I am a big fan of the design of the REP PR-1000 for a small budget as it takes care of a pull up bar, plate storage, and safeties including a rack for under $300. The same goes for the PR-1050. Some of the specifications of the PR-1050 are:

72"(height) x 48"(width) x 48"(depth) - 58" wide at rear bottom brace
26" depth inside to inside, 44" wide inside to inside
2x2" steel
Plastic lined j-cups to protect bar knurl
2" hole spacing throughout working area
1.25" and 2" Pull up bars
Numbered uprights every 5th hole
Extra bar holders on the front of safeties, great for pressing outside the rack
2 Weight horns on rear base for storage and added stability
700lb weight capacity
400lb pull up bar capacity
400lb dip attachment capacity (dip attachment available as an optional upgrade)

This is a good beginner rack or something for the occasional lifter which is compact, easy to purchase, and easy on the budget. If you are serious about your home gym you might feel that this is a little flimsy and cheap in the long run.

Pros of the REP PR-1050 Rack

The pros of the REP PR-1050 are:

All in one design
Price
Short design

If you are looking for something simple and somewhat solid look no further. The PR-1050 gives you everything you need in a good package for a reasonable price. If you are a beginner or low-weight lifter this rack might as well be everything you need.

Cons of the REP PR-1050 Rack

The cons of the REP PR-1050 are:

700lbs capacity limit
Limited upgrade options
Not ideal for the west side method
Imported

This rack is not for powerlifting pros and anyone who works with bands and chains in the range of 400lbs or more. You cannot bolt it to the ground and it does not weigh a lot. So if you are a seasoned strength athlete that weighs more than 100kg, this becomes a toy even if it can take 700lbs. For this scenario go for the Omni rack or PR-5000.

Alternatives to the REP PR-1050 Rack

The alternatives to the REP PR-1050 rack are:

The REP PR 1000 is a taller version of the PR-1050 which allows you to have more freedom for overhead presses and pull-ups of the height of your ceiling lats along. The PR-1100 give you choice of color and a multi-grip pull-up bar but strips the plate storage at the back for the same price.

The Rogue HR2 is a solid half-rack from Rogue Fitness that is based on the Monster Lite series and very popular on Marathon-Crossfit.com . One of the biggest advantages of this rack is that it provides a lot of plate storage. It also makes you part of the Rogue Monster lite ecosystem which might be a better investment long term than the low level REP fitness ranges.

The TITAN T2 rack is the low price range of a low price competitor. If maximum savings is what you are after than this the right rack at the cost of the risk of minor quality issues.

Conclusion for the REP PR-1050 Rack

If you think that the PR-1000 is a great idea but you are worried about it fitting into your basement or attic, than this is a great option. If you have the space, go for the PR-1000 instead.