REP fitness PR-4000 rack vs Rogue RML490
This is a comparison between the Rep Fitness PR-4000 and the Rogue RML490. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the Rogue RML 490
What else to consider from Rogue
Overview of the RML490
The
RML 490 rack is the no-nonsense full
rack version from
Rogue for the smaller pocket. with $983 you don't break the $1000 ceiling and still get a great piece of equipment. The
RML 490 is available in black and made in Columbus Ohio. It weighs in 336LB.
The dimension of the
RML 490 as 49'' in width and length for a footprint of 53'' by 53''. The height is standardized
to 90.375''. The
RML 490 ships with J-Cups, Band Pegs, and safeties
to get going once you receive it. A fat skinny and a skinny bar are also included for pull-ups. The stell notes are made from 3x3'' Gauge Steel with Westside hole spacing.
This rack is a good option if you do not want to get fancy and stay within budget. With the Monster lite series, you also get one of Rogue's long-standing lines with great customer support.
The
Rogue RML-490 is a great option when you want
to train Westside at home or if you want
to upgrade your gym
to attract more powerlifters. IT is compact and does the job for the big three lifts and beyond.
Pros of the RML 490
One big pro as the price tag and what you get for it from Rogue. Being just slightly below $1000 it does not go over the psychological barrier that many buyers set for themselves when going out to buy a rack. With the two bars and westside spacing, it also leaves you with a lot of flexibility for different setups to push your total to the max.
Cons of the RML 490
The
RML 490 has no numbering of the holes, no color option and is also fixed in height. This puts it at a disadvantage compared
to other
Rogue racks. In addition, you also enter the monster Lite series of
Rogue which usually has fewer updates with new upgrades then the Monster series.
Alternatives to the RML490
The
RM4 fortis would be roughly the same budget but in the Monster series of
Rogue. If you don't care about the westside spacing but think that having numbered holes would be better for you, go for the
RM4 Fortis instead.
The RML 490C is the same rack but adds a splash of color. If you always wanted your rack in blue or orange to match the rest of your gym, furniture or interior design, this is the option to go for instead. The only con is that it comes in with a price which is slightly above $1000.
The RML 690C is an option when you need more storage space and want to have a full and a half rack in one. This is the option which will help you to get more utensils and strength equipment on the rack, rather than the walls of your gym.
Overview and review of the REP fitness PR-4000 rack
This is an overview of the REP fitness PR-4000 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 PR-4000 Rack $623
The
PR-4000 line of REP fitness is their answer to the Rogue Monster lite series. While it uses the same 3x3 uprights as the
PR-5000 the holes are smaller and therefore the nuts and bolts are also smaller. This makes the rack slightly cheaper but leaves you with fewer options for attachments. Some of the specs are:
3x3” 11 gauge steel
1” hole spacing through the bench zone
5/8” pinholes
This is a good rack if you want to stretch your budget as far as possible without compromising on quality too much. Especially if you are not planning on upgrading your initial purchase.
Pros of the REP PR-4000 Rack
If you are already on the “slight compromises for savings” train you might as well ride it all the way and get the
PR-4000 instead of the
PR-5000. With this, you are optimizing for brand and within the brand for a product for savings.
Westside bench spacing is relevant if you train with the west side method. With this, you can work better with partial ranges of motions for the bench press or with bands on the squat and bench press. Don’t make it a reason to buy this rack if you are not regularly training westside already. Chances are high you will regret that decision.
I personally think the strongest reason you swing it for this rack is that this is the smallest depth REP fitness provides for a 3x3 gauge steel rack. If you have to optimize for space and budget, but don’t want to go into the low-quality range where you might as well go to a random Amazon seller instead then this is a great option.
Cons of the REP PR-4000 Rack
Quite a few people like to save on the price for a rack compared to the Rogue Monster series and then get some of the Rogue accessories like the Rhino or lever arms from rogue fitted with the
PR-5000. With the
PR-4000 this little trick is not possible as it runs with the Monster lite series from Rogue. There are also fewer attachment options out of the REP fitness line up for this rack than for the
PR-5000.
The uprights for this rack are only partly numbered. If you are not OCD that is probably not a big issue for a home gym. For a commercial gym, it might better to opt for the slightly more expensive since
PR-5000 has full numbering for the convenience of your clients.
This is a rack that has to cut some corners on production quality compared to Rogue to be a high-quality competitor at a lower price. One way of doing that is to have the logo on the nameplate just on the front. You will not have a logo at the back. If you are planning to place the rack against a wall that might not be an issue. But in a middle of a busy commercial gym, it will come across a little cheap. Of course, that depends on whether or not you think that your clients will care. I would.
Colors are another great way to save some cost while still keeping a good quality rack. REP fitness uses colors with a slightly lower pigmentation than Rogue fitness which makes the color cheaper by the liter. Anyone who paints Warhammer miniatures knows exactly what I am talking about when I mention pinkish reds ( that means the color manufacturer is cutting cost). Nothing to be hugely worried about, but still worth mentioning.
Probably the biggest con for REP fitness is that their racks are imported for China to keep the lower price. If you care about that, chances are high that it is VERY important to you that everything comes from the US. If that is the case rep fitness is not an option for you and you are better of with Rogue Fitness who made it an integral part of their brand to keep as much of their production in the US as possible. If you are not that patriotic REP fitness is a great choice. Kind of a similar decision as to the one between Volkswagen and Skoda or Honda and Acura.
Alternatives to the REP PR-4000 Rack
The
REP PR-5000 is the big brother of the
PR-4000 and comes with bigger holes, nuts, and bolts. The
PR-5000 is the bread and butter rack from REP fitness to rival Rogue’s monster series. It is fair to assume that this rack will get a lot of love from product development at REP Fitness in the future and as you are already deciding to save money by going through REP Fitness, rather than Rogue you might as well upgrade as long as you have the space to do so.
The
REP PR-4100 is the foldable version of the
PR-4000. This is a great budget option to get a 3x3 foldable rack for your garage gym to still be able to park your car after you are done training. The same would go for a playroom for the kids or basement that also is used as a hobby room.
The Rogue RML series is the most comparable to the
PR-4000 out of the Rogue portfolio. Within the Rogue Monster lite series. The main options are the 690c,
490c,
390c, and the 390WC. All of these racks come with a choice of color, Westside spacing, and numbering on the uprights. The 690c is a six post rack,
490c a full rack,
390c a half rack, and the 390WC is a foldable rack. The main differences to Rep Fitness are the higher quality colors used and that they are made in the USA, not China. So if you want the best in the industry while feeling good about yourself keeping production local, then Rogue is the right choice.
The
TITAN T3 series is the TITAN fitness 3x3 steel version with smaller holes running along the lines of the Monster lite and the
PR-4000 series. This comes also as a finding rack of that is your preferred choice to save money and space. TITAN fitness usually bears the highest risk of minor quality flaws compared to REP Fitness and Rogue. In return, they are the cheapest. Decking out your Homegym / garage gym with TITAN gear is an especially good choice when you are a handyman and know how to fix minor issues and want to build a big gym that combines machines and free-weight sections. TITAN has a vastly wider range of gym machines available than the other two vendors.
Conclusion for the REP PR-4000 Rack
The
REP PR-4000 is a great choice to maximize your budget if you do not intend to do many changes once you are up and running. It is also the right choice for anyone who wants a good rack with a minimum depth. Personally, I would use the choice to go for REP to upgrade to bigger and better things for the same budget rather than fitting more things into the same budget. But that is the question you have to ask yourself between the
PR-4000 and
5000 when you depart from Rogue.