Rogue Monster Lat pull down stand alone vs TITAN vertical leg press

This is a comparison of the Rogue Monster Lat pull and the TITAN vertical leg press including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the TITAN Vertical leg press $349

This is an overview of the TITAN vertical leg press including pros, cons and alternatives. This article was originally posted in Which gym machine to get from TITAN. Follow the links for additional information.

Overview of the TITAN vertical leg press

The vertical leg press is a low budget approach on a barbell squat or leg press machine. IT uses two uprights to and three plate pins to deliver something similar to the classic leg press machine you see in every gym. It also has a smaller footprint than most other machines which train the legs. The full specifications of the TITAN vertical leg press are:

- Takes the stress off of your back and isolates your lower body.

- Three weight posts for plenty of room to add weight.

- Adjustable footplate starting height to suite different size athletes.

- High quality steel construction and pads for a solid, comfortable design.

- Dual post design lets you feel the weight on either leg.

- Footprint: 48" x 38"

- Footplate Starting Height(s): 26.5", 32", 35", 38".

- Full Extension Height: 52.5"

- Footplate Dimensions: 21.5" x 5"

- Back Pad Dimensions: 32" x 15"

- Head Rest Dimensions: 10" x 6"

- Weight Post Length: 8.75"

- Weight Post Diameter: 1.95"

- Weight Capacity: 400 LB

- Weight: 94 LB

This is a great machine if you want to save some space and money. It has its little flaws and I would not recommend it if you are massive yourself.

Pros of the TITAN vertical leg press

The pros of the TITAN vertical leg press are:

Small foot print
Small price
Easy to transport

This leg press does not cost much and also saves space in your gym. For any home gym that is pressed for space this can be a good solution to still get a leg press into a crammed space. If you take it apart there is also not a lot to transport. This makes it a good option for someone who moves around a lot and wants to take their gym with them.

Cons of the TITAN vertical leg press

The cons of the TITAN vertical leg press are:

Small footplate
Small area to lie on
No security pin

This machine has all kinds of issues of you are the type of person that leg presses several hundred kilos of plates. Even though the position is less advantageous than in other leg presses, the small design without any security stops can be scary. I would not recommend this machine to anyone who already barbell back squats north of 150kg for repetitions as this machine has too many options to harm yourself in a serious way if the weight is too heavy.

Alternatives to the TITAN vertical leg press

The TITAN smith machine is another option in the TITAN portfolio to do squats and other exercises. While this machine comes in at a much higher price than the vertical leg press, you can also store plates on it and do more than just squats. I am personally not a huge fan of smith machines as I think that a rack with a barbell does the job better and safer once you learned how to use it properly.

The titan hack leg press is a good option for a home gym with a bit of space as it doubles up as two machines. The design is also closer to the common leg press machines which you see all over the world. While it is still a bit flimsy compared to other leg presses in the market, i would recommend it over the vertical leg press, if you have the space for it.

If you are considering a leg press machine mainly to get more squat volume in, than a TITAN belt squat machine might be the better option for you. This machine also puts less pressure on your spine than a regular barbell squat, but you are still standing on your won feet rather than laying on the ground. This is a great option for anyone who want s to blow their quads.

The Rogue Rhino is the current gold standard in the fitness industry for belt squat machines. This is the best you can get in terms of build and functionality if you want to get a leg machine. That also comes with a bigger price tag as the Rogue Rhino is very close to the $2000 mark which plays in a completely different league than the TITAN vertical leg press.

The Rogue leg press is a $4000 dollar monster of a leg press machine that even Ronnie Coleman could not break. In addition to the large weight capacity and the amount of metal you would need to build a car it also offers the option to train each leg separately. The footplate can be unlocked in the middle and each platform runs on its own lever system.

Conclusion for the TITAN Vertical leg press

The TITAN vertical leg press is a good machine for a crammed space at home to get a leg press. Be careful when you use and do not load it up too much. It only weighs 94lbs so you might not want to put 1000lbs on top of it when all that separates you and the floor is your legs.

Overview and review of the Rogue Monster Lat pull down stand alone

Price: 2.950

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 lat pull down will create more bats in your gym. See the details in this article.

Overview of the Rogue Monster Lat pull down

The Monster Lat pulldown Standalone is a lat pulldown machine for the expert athlete. As with all Rogue equipment this machine is built like a tank. The lat pulldown machine is a great example of how Rogue takes pride in what they do and takes their customer feedback series.

If you read between the lines you can see that the pulley, the bar, cable, and Steel eye were not up to Rogue's standards in the V1 of this machine. All of these parts have been consequently brought in-house and are not bought from 3rd parties anymore. These things are normal when new production lines are being built, a new market is tested and new processes build around them.

At least Rogue took the right learnings from this and perfected their Rhino launch. The prone leg curl and the ISO leg press have not gotten a V2 overhaul yet whereas the Lat pull down has. Be aware of this when you buy from Rogue. I am positive they will accommodate valid feedback, especially on big orders. If you buy for your home gym, maybe wait on the leg press and curl until there is more feedback available or find a gym nearby to test them.

The Rogue Lat pulldown weighs 605lb and offers up to 300lb resistance in plates in 10lb increments. It has a footprint of 40'' by 60''. It is 60'' long, 40'' wide and 96'' high. The steel notes are 3x3 11-gauge steel just like the rest of the Rogue Monster series.

Pros of the Rogue Monster lat pull down

This lat pulldown is also a rowing machine so you get two for the price of one. The difference to many other rowing machines is that Rogue came up with an idea that does not make the bench longer. By positioning a footrest under the seat this lat pulldown machine turns into a rowing machine without adding extra length.

Another big pro is that this machine allows the use of bands with the lat pull. This is very unique and I have not seen many machines like this. Especially when you have experienced athletes you will appreciate that you can work with bands.

Cons of the Rogue Monster Lat pull down

A lat pulldown is a big machine. It will take up quite a bit of space where a pull-up bar might create a similar effect. Especially in a home gym scenario, you might be better off getting dumbbells and a pull-up bar which takes up less floor space. As with other machines, the pulley system takes maintenance. Oiling this system and keeping it in check might not be for everyone.

How many clients do you need for the lat pull down?

If you think that the Lat pulldown will bring you 10 new clients who pay you 50$ on a 1-year retainer it is worth the investment. This will yield 6.000$ net new revenue against an investment of 2.950$. Adjust the numbers for your own gym accordingly.

Alternatives to the Lat pull down from Rogue

Here are some alternatives to the Rogue lat pull down

1x Rhino belt Squat Rack @ 2750$

The Rhino belt including the half rack will give you a better pulley system and the necessary rack to play around with it. It will not exactly be the same and the workarounds might be not ideal, however, it is possible. I would also be very surprised if Rogue did not capitalize on the opportunity to deliver a system that combines the RM6 and Rhino to a fully built all-purpose gym station. Stay tuned for that one.

1x Monster Lite Rig @ 2.495$

A monster lite rig will provide you with

4 Squat/ Bench Stations
8 Pull up Stations

For less than the price for one lat pulldown machine. If you are aiming to open a small CrossFit gym this is the way to go. This also shows you that Rogue still has to work on optimizing their costs on building machines. The upshot is that you will get a machine that is fully made in the US. If you work for the government this might even be a requirement for purchase.

Conclusion

The Rogue Monster lat pull down is a very solid machine for your gym. If you do not want to compromise and attract the biggest and best athletes to your gym, this is the one to go for.