REP fitness PR-1100 rack vs TITAN T3 with bench

This is a comparison between the Rep Fitness PR-1100 rack and the TITAN T3 with bench. Follow the links for more details.

T3 Tall power rack and incline 36'

The TITAN T3 with incline bench will put you back about $600. 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 under $500”.

Overview of the T3 tall power rack and incline combo

The T3 Tall power rack with incline combo gives you a 2x3 steel tube rack and an adjustable be ch for the price of an adjustable bench at the competition. Other rack options from TITAN can be purchased with 2x2 and 3x3 tubing. 2x2 costs slightly less while 3x3 costs considerably more. The T3 is probably one of the vest value for money racks from TITAN. Here is what you get with your purchase:

Rack

2 uprights featuring 6" side hole spacing.
2"x 3" steel tubes.
1,100 LB rackable capacity
4,400 LB total rack capacity
1.25" and 2" diameter pull up bars
Includes J-Hooks and weight holders.
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
Material: Steel

Bench

Adjustable Back and Seat
Rigid Steel Base
Comfortable Padding
Sleek Leather Finish
Bolt Holes for Permanent Mounting
Overall Width: 27"
Overall Height: 48"
Bench Width: 12"
Bench Length: 51 1/4"
Capacity: 650 LB

Pros of the TITAN T3 with incline bench

Two for the price of one. You will be hard-pressed to find the same quality at the same price for a rack and a bench. So if you are on a tight budget for your home gym or need to buy multiple racks this might be the one for you. You get a great rack which covers all the bases.

Cons of the TITAN T3 with bench

If you are in a competitive market and want to be the price leader like TITAN you have to take shortcuts somewhere. As shipping is free and the steel and structures are sound there are only two options, staff, and finish. There have been repeated reports that the finish of the welding and colors of the TITAN line are a bit of a lottery. This is usually a result of staff or material inconsistencies which come with a low price strategy which makes it hard to keep supplier and staff quality consistent. Still, you are buying a rack. It’s not like you can not throw weight at it just because the welds look a bit ugly and the paint has not been applied perfectly even. If you have time to look at the welds while squatting, you are probably doing something wrong.

Alternatives to the TITAN T3 with incline

These are other options for the T3 Incline:

If you already have a bench or just don’t need one you can invest just a little extra and get a colored rack.

Another way to go is to save on the color to have more budget for different size options on the T3 and maybe even adding some plate holders. The T3 is available in a short and tall version to adjust the height. For depth, you can choose between 24” and 36”.

If you want to stay within budget but start your gym with 3x3 tubing you can go for the X3 squat stand. This is a good option for big and/or experienced lifters who prefer the freedom and flexibility of a squat stand, yet still, move big weights. I recommend that you have enough space and experience on how to drop weights from a squat position if you opt for a squat stand. Spotter arms are nice with a stand but usually useless. You either miss them on a hardcore drop or the entire unit comes down because you didn’t bolt it to the ground.

The T3 folding rack saves you about $200 on the T3 and can be installed in your garage. If you only train on the weekends or two days a week, this is a good option so that you can still use the garage or basement for your car/ miscellaneous rubbish you think is important ( I have that stuff in my attic). The savings can be put towards a barbell like the blues city or Atlas bar.

Summary for the T3 with incline bench

This is a great starter set, especially when you have a promising teenager who wants to make it big in high school or college sports. You are getting a tough enough rack, that your teenager won’t outgrow in two years without breaking the bank. Stay away from these multifunction home gym stations you seen on Amazon for roughly the same price. Those things are usually crap and you won’t use 90 percent of the settings anyway. Good old barbell and rack from TITAN will do the trick.

Overview and review of the REP fitness PR-1100 rack

This is an overview of the REP fitness PR-1100 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 1100 Rack $269

The REP PR-1100 gives you a choice of color for your low budget rack and a multi grip pull up bar. Unfortunately it strips the 1000er series of the plate storage at the back which makes it my least favorite rack out of the 1000er line. Some of the specifications are:

Height Adjustable Multi-Grip Pullup Arch
Laser Engraved Numbered Uprights
Plastic-Lined J-cups
Extended Safeties

A solid rack if you want a multi-grip bar and a rack for $300. Otherwise I personally would go for the PR-1000.

Pros of the REP PR 1100 Rack

The pros of the REP PR-1100 are:

Choice of color
Multi Grip bar

The main distinguishing parts to the other 1000er racks are the choice of color and the multi grip bar. If that is what you want, go for the 1100. Otherwise i think that the PR-1000 is the better package because of the plate storage at the back.

Cons of the REP PR 1100 Rack

Cons of the REP PR-1100 are:

No included plate storage
700lbs capacity
Imported

The PR-1100 has no included plate storage in the base configuration, which in my opinion makes it inferior to the 1000 and 1050 for the low budget market it is addressing.

With 700 lbs capacity this is not a rack for big guys who move a lot of weight regularly on awkward bar paths. If you are a seasoned strength athlete this rack is too small and flimsy and you are better off with the PR-4000 or PR-5000.

The last con is that this rack is imported from China. If you don’t care, you don’t, but if local production is important to you then REP fitness needs to be ruled out and you need to go with Rogue Fitness or Sorinex.

Alternatives to the REP PR 1100 Rack

I personally think that the PR-1000 is the better option for the same price as you will need plate storage more than a multi-grip pull up bar. That is just based on my personal experiences where flooring and storage is usually being underrated when building a home gym.

The Rogue HR2 is a solid option for a half rack from Rogue under $1000. If you want a locally produced US alternative to the REP 1000er series which is beefier than the HR2 is a great choice.

The TITAN T2 Series is one of the lowest cost racks Form the lowest cost vendor in the market. If you want to go as cheap as possible for your rack TITAN is a good address. TITAN comes with a higher risk of quality issues than the other vendors mentioned in this article.

Conclusion for the REP PR 1100 Rack

The REP 1100 rack is great if you are looking for a rack with a multi-grip bar out of the box. Otherwise, I think the other 1000 racks are a better choice for your hard-earned cash.