Rogue combo rack vs Monster west side bench

This is a comparison between the Rogue combo rack and the west side bench including pros, cons and alternatives. Follow the links for more details

Overview and review of the Rogue Monster West Side Bench

Price: 1.195

This review was originally posted in the longer article "Which strength equipment to buy from rogue" in which you can read about 25 products of Rogue which cost more than 1.000$. The Rogue Monster West Side bench will make every bencher happy, even the biggest ones. See the details in this article.

Overview of the Rogue West side bench

The Rogue Monster Westside bench has been built with the ideas of Louie Simmons in mind. It took the first Westside bench design to the Monster series. This is the ultimate bench press machine. If you have a bunch of football players running around who break normal benches and equipment, because they are so savage, this is the piece of equipment to go for.

The Rogue West Side Monster bench comes in black. It weighs 342LB with a footprint of 53''x34''. It is 54.75'' high and provides everything you need to train heavy bench pressing including extra large band holders at the bottom. The plate at the back also enables a spotter to get into the right position to spot a very heavy bench press. If you want to break world records or do a 300 pound with bands for reps competition, this is the bench you need.

How many clients should the Monster West side Bench bring you?

If you think that the Rogue Monster West side will bring you 4 new clients who pay you 50$ on a 1-year retainer it is worth the investment. This will yield 2.400$ net new revenue against an investment of 1.195$. Adjust the numbers for your own gym accordingly.

Pros of the Rogue west side bench

This will never break and provide support to even the biggest athletes you can dream up. Never have your Rhinos complaining or injured again because their equipment does not support their massive bodies.

Cons of the Rogue west side bench

This is overbuilt. I mean seriously overbuilt. Don't get this for your wife or kids, They will get frightened.

Alternatives to the Rogue west side bench

These are the Alternatives to the Rogue Monster West Side bench you can get on the same budget:

1x Rogue west side bench 2.0 @725$

This is the little sister of the Monster version of the bench. It still has the spotter platform so that someone can help on a 300 pound and more bench press which has been missed. This is still massive and will cover the needs of most people unless you are Thor who is being spotted by Brian Shaw.

Conclusion

The rogue west side bench is a tool fir the serious bench presser who moves a lot of weight. If you intend to have several people bench pressing more than 600 pounds in your gym, this is the one to get. For all others it is still a hell of a setup.

Overview and review of the Rogue combo rack

The video above summarises my personal opinion for purchasing a Rogue combo rack for a home gym. If you want to just lean back and get information, watch it and then dig into the details below. In the following paragraphs you will find details on dimensions and alternative choices. I invite you to leave a comment on Youtube if you have direct questions.

The rogue combo rack comes in at a price of $2500 and is the ultimate rack for your powerlifting meet. This overview was first published in "which rack to buy from Rogue". See for yourself whether this rack is the right choice for you or you might want to steer to other options from Rogue.

Overview of the combo rack

The Rogue combo rack is the gold standard from Rogue for powerlifting meets. It has been designed for the environment of a powerlifting meet where you have professional athletes of different sizes stepping up to the platform. The Rogue Combo rack is IPF certified and manufactured in Columbus Ohio. Special features are the lever arm jack, telescoping uprights which can be angled and the removable bench.

The rogue combo rack comes in black and weighs 505lb. It is 77.25'' long when the bench is attached. The total width is 80.25'' and the inside width comes to 43.5''. When it is fully extended the maximum height is 78'' for the squat and 17.5'' for the bench press. The Notes are cut from 3x3 Gauge steel as with all products from the Rogue Monster series. The overall footprint of the combo rack is 77.25'' x 80.25''.

This is the flagship rack of Rogue that has been built for showing off the best national and international athletes. That the IPF put its stamp of approval on it shows that Rogue means business. If you want to organize one big meet or multiple meets throughout a year this rack is for you. If you are serious about competing on an international level you might want to get this for your home or local gym, so that you can simulate competition as close as possible.

Pros of the combo rack

This rack is sturdy and can be easily adjusted. It also does not need to be bolted down to the ground as Rogue is making use of their flat foot design. This is handy if you are putting up a competition in a local hotel or on any stage where you are not allowed to bolt a rack into the ground. Another advantage is that the uprights can be angled. This is great when you have very big athletes competing who want to grip the bar outside of the J Cups as they are so massive. The removable bench will safe time for your meet is you do not have to haul off one piece of equipment of the stage and replace it with another. You will also get a westside Monster bench and squat stand in one purchase. This saves money if you are serious about power and strength and know what you are doing.

Cons of the combo rack

The first con is the price. For 2.500$ you can also get an RM6 from Rogue or two midrange RM4 or R4 racks. This rack is also not user-friendly. It has been designed with a powerlifting meet in mind. To operate it most effectively you need 2 - 4 spotters who get everything ready for the athlete. Great in a powerlifting meet. Suboptimal when you are training by yourself or have a gym where beginners will just wreck themselves with the setup. There are also no safeties for the squat as a spotter crew is assumed. This is the right piece of equipment for someone who wants to get a powerlifting meet organized and done with as little waiting time for the crowd and athletes between lifts as possible. The home gym or commercial gym owner will make their lives unnecessarily hard.

Alternatives to the combo rack

For 2.500$ you can get the following other options from Rogue

If you are looking at the Combo rack I am quite sure that you are serious about lifting and probably already own a gym or seriously consider to build a massive home gym. If you are not planning to become the local powerlifting meet go to point or you do not have a serious team of powerlifters around to work the combo rack while someone lifts, consider getting something else.

The Rogue RM6 rack is a great option for anyone starting a home gym who wants storage and rack space combined in one rack. You can also upgrade this rack with the Monster Lat pull down and Rhino belt Squat Drop in. Innovation at Rogue also always comes first for the Monster line and trickles down from there. If you have the budget and want the best for your home gym, this can be an excellent choice instead of the combo rack.

The Rogue Rhino monster Belt Squat saves you money compared to the combo rack and is a great option for someone who has space and already owns a rack to squat and bench press in. If you own a gym think about what your clients need. If your clients are mainly powerlifters who compete often, you might want to get the combo rack. If your gym has a more mixed clientele and many older powerlifters with lower back problems, you definitely want to get the belt squat.

If you are opening your first gym or a new gym you will probably be better of investing the money in a Monster or Monster lite rig. For 2.500$ you will get one of the shorter ones. This will give you more options to create revenue streams, as the rig can be used for more different styles of training. A rig sets you up for powerlifting, CrossFit, Weightlifting and Tabata classes. The combo rack is for powerlifters only.

The Prone leg curl can be an option for a commercial gym or home gym owners who want to present more options for leg development. If you have a lot of bodybuilders or footballers in your gym this might be the better option than the combo rack.