REP fitness PR-4000 rack vs Rogue SM1 squat stand

This is a comparison between the Rep Fitness PR-4000 and the Rogue SM1 squat stand. Follow the links for more details.

Rogue SM1 Squat Stand

The Rogue SM1 squat stand comes in at $595 and is one of the low-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 SM1

The SM1 is the smallest of the Monster series Squat stands and does not include a pull-up bar. It comes in black and is manufactured in Columbus, Ohio. This stand bridges the gap between power racks and squat stands and can be built into a full rack over time if you have the funds available. It has the flat foot design, which enables you to use it without bolting it to the floor.

The SM1 is 73'' high and has a footprint of 50''x54''. The steel notes are 3x3'' 11 gauge steel. Based on this the SM1 is fully compatible with Rogues' Monster series and accessories. The delivery includes J Cups and has a weight capacity up to 1000LB.

If you want a simple squat stand which is built like a tank, this is the option for you.

Pros of the SM1

The SM1 is made from the most sturdy design you can get in the market. This stand won't break on you and is built like a rack. If you want the best from the lowest price range of Rogue, this is the one to go for.

Cons of the SM1

Squat stands are great for weightlifting. When it comes to powerlifting buying one might be false economy thinking. For the bench press, you will need spotter arms to train by yourself. Adding these to the price tag brings the squat stand price including the arms in the range of a rack. Then you might as well get a rack and save yourself the hassle.

Alternatives to the SM1

Alternatives to the SM1 are:

The SM2 and SM3 are variations of the Monster squat stand which come with a pull-up bar. The SM2 has a height of 103'' while the SM3 is around 108''. Depending on your needs these might be a better option to cover all the exercises you want to do.

The RML3WC is a foldable rack at roughly the same price as the SM1 which can be bolted to the wall. As a nice extra, it also can be folded in. This way you have more options to transform small spaces based on your needs.

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.

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

Pros of the REP PR 4000 are:

Excellent value for money
Westside bench spacing
Smallest depth option from REP

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

The cons of the REP PR-4000 rack are:

Smaller holes
Numbering
The backplate of nameplate
Colors
Imported

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

Rogue RML 490C
Rogue RML390C
Rogue RML 390WC

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.