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Rogue Donkey vs TITAN lat tower

Written by Pascal Landshoeft | Dec 14, 2020 5:00:00 PM

Rogue Donkey vs TITAN lat tower

This is a comparison between the Rogue Donkey and the TITAN lat tower including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

 
 

Overview and review of the TITAN Lat tower $1299

Overview of the TITAN lat tower

 
The TITAN lat tower is a low budget clone of the Rogue lat pull. You can increase the weight from 10lbs to 300lbs in increments. With this machine you can train vertical and horizontal pulls to build a bigger back. It includes a seat which is great if you want to go very heavy. If you just get a pulley tower without an attached seat you need an extra bench. This makes the setup awkward, especially when you go heavy. This is a good machine for dedicated powerlifters and bodybuilders who really want to blow up your back. Any commercial gym worth their salt should have at least one of these. A home gym might consider more versatile pulleys to make better use of space. The full specifications of the TITAN lat tower are:
 
- Selector style weights from 10 - 300 LB.
- 6 Thigh pad and 8 footplate positions. 
- Band pegs for adding resistance bands. 
- High quality steel construction and powder coated for a smooth durable finish. 
- Lat bar and low pull handle included.  
 
- Floor Dimensions: 41" Wide x 57" Deep
- Overall Height: 87" 
- Footplate Dimensions: 17" x 9" 
- Lat Bar Width: 42"
- Lat Bar Diameter: 1" 
- Low Pull Handle Width: 14"
- Low Pull Handle Diameter: 1"
- Weight: 530 LB
 
This is a great lat pull machine for this price. Compared to anything you will get on Amazon this thing is sturdy and can take a beast hanging from it going nuts. Compared to direct competitors for a similar machine you save $800. If you are in the market for one of these there is very little not to like about the TITAN lat tower.
 

Pros of the TITAN Lat tower

 
Pros of the TITAN lat tower are:
 
  • Price
  • Design
  • Lat bar included
 
As with anything from TITAN you save considerable money compared to similar products from the competition. The Rogue Lat pull down retails for $2000 and is basically the same machine with some minor differences. If you want to build a great home gym on a budget $800 can go a long way and should not be sneered at.
 
Even though the design is more or less copied it doesn't make it bad. With this lat tower you get a rowing machine and a lat pull machine in one. Especially for people who already own a rack and want to go heavy on developing their back, this is a great machine which covers all of these needs in a compact way.
 
On top of this the lat bar is included which can cost up to $200 if you source it separately and get a high quality bar.
 

Cons of the TITAN Lat tower

 
The cons of the TITAN lat tower:
 
  • Finish
  • Space requirements
  • Price
 
As with many TITAN fitness products, TITAN cuts some corners to offer these at half the price of the competition. This is usually reflected in the quality of their staff, manuals and consistency of the finish of their products. As most fitness equipment is not high precision formula 1 gear this is not the end of the world but can get annoying if you are not good at DIY. Compared to Rogue the weights often do not work as smooth, some of the seating positions do not click as well. Its like the difference between an Audi RS4 and a Subaru Impreza. You will get both cars to go fast around corners. The Audi will just be more comfortable and easier to handle for the non professional.
 
Compared to a functional trainer or rack, the TITAN lat tower takes up approximately the same amount of floor space, while giving you less versatility. If you are mainly concerned with space constraints, a lat tower is not a great choice. It is a better choice then many other machines but is inferior to a functional trainer or rack depending on your preferences in training style.
 
At a price point of $1299 the TITAN lat tower is still a considerable investment for a machine that is mainly geared toward accessory exercises. For less money you can get a concept 2 rower or Spin bike and make your gym more functional overall.
 

Alternatives to the TITAN lat tower

 
The plate loadable lat tower is another option from TITAN which saves you $800 if you already own plates compared to the Lat tower. If you have a home gym and already own a rack with weights and do not mind some DIY and a little more setup, the plate loadable lat tower is a great alternative to the TITAN lat tower. It will be more prone to break and have a more makeshift feel about it overall, but it keeps another $800 in your pocket to take your partner out or invest in more equipment.
 
The TITAN plate loadable crossover machine costs less and leaves you with more options to use two pulleys with plates. If you have the space in your gym and you do not want to go heavy on vertical pulls this is an option. I am personally not a fan of cable crossovers unless for chops for your core, but if you are not a free weight fanatic like me, this might be for you.
 
The wall mounted pulley tower is the ultimate budget option for vertical pulls from TITAN this comes in at under $200 to train your back and lats. It will need more DIY skills as it needs to be drilled into a sturdy wall. Avoid plaster walls with this one. It will do the job, but the cables are very exposed and easily tangled. Good for beginners, but if you already are 300lbs of fine muscle, do not get a machine that barely weighs more than your daughter and maybe even less than your partner (75lb).
 
The TITAN functional trainer is probably the better option if you are worried about space and do not want to go super heavy on your pulls. This machine is a fully functioning gym itself, even though some of the setups, especially for squats, can be awkward. It takes up the same amount of space as the Lat tower. If you go for the plate loadable version it even costs less than the lat tower, assuming you already have plates. Otherwise you would have to factor their purchase into the overall costs.
 

Conclusion for the TITAN Lat tower

 
The TITAN lat tower is a great option for the home gym of the dedicated Arnold or Ed Coan in wait. It is also a great option for commercial gyms that are looking for good,sturdy equipment that will take beating at a reasonable price.  Anyone who needs to optimize for space should stay away from this as a functional trainer or rack would be a better option. If budget is not of concern, the Rogue lat pull will be more refined option but only if your of the mindset to only get the best in class or $800 is only spare change to you. This is a great buy for anyone who means business, has space, and still wants to protect their wallet.
 
 
 

Overview and review of the Rogue Donkey

 
The Rogue Donkey is the ultimate machine from Rogue to address your lower back and core for $1945. You have everything in one place and with 500 pounds of weight, this thing is not going anywhere, just like any good old donkey. 
 

Overview of the Rogue donkey

 
The Rogue Donkey brings the reverse hyper and GHD space to a new level. Rogue thought about their designs again and combined the Z hyper and the Abram GHD into an all-purpose lower back machine.
 
The benefit of this is that you only need to buy one piece of equipment which fits both purposes. This means money and floor space saved. The dimensions of the Rogue Donkey aa followed:
 
  • Made in the USA
  • Color: Black 
  • Weight: 500LB 
  • Length: 73”
  • Width: 44”
  • Height:54.5”
  • 3x3 Gauge Steel
  • 73” x 44”
 
This is a great machine to have in a serious home gym or powerlifting establishment. Some CrossFit boxes might also want to consider getting one of these. 
 

Pros of the Rogue Donkey 

 
The Rogue Donkey has a lot going for itself, of you are interested in a machine for back extensions, reverse hypers and glute ham raises. I have yet to find a machine that is better thought through for these purposes and therefore saves space in your gym. 
 

Cons of the Rogue Donkey 

 
The price and weight might be off-putting for some. Not everyone wants to have a 500-pound piece of equipment in their home gym or get on one in a commercial gym. Reverse hypers and back extensions are also not the most popular movements, so watch out whether you are getting your money’s worth. 
 

Alternatives to the Rogue Donkey 

 
I think there are no better options than the donkey from Rogue for what it does. However, $2000 can be a hefty price tag, especially for first-time buyers. Here are some other options from Rogue for $2000:
 
 
The fortis rack is the best rack from rogue under $1000. Combined with an adjustable bench and with a little stretch of the budget an Ohio bar you have a fully functioning gym for the price of a donkey. The only downsides would be no color option and that you somehow have to take care of plate storage. 
 
If you prefer plate storage and a color option because you already have a bench you can go for the RML 690C and Ohio bar. The budget would even allow getting one of the fancy Cerakote bars. My favorite is the Fraser bar. 
 
If you want to build a garage gym with all of the things needed to do CrossFit you can also go for the 3WC and Alpha CrossFit package. This way you will have a foldable rack and everything including plates to get started with CrossFit. 
 

Summary 

 
If you already have the bases covered and you are looking into expanding your gym the donkey is a great option to be considered. It is not necessarily your first big purchase from Rogue. 
 
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