Rogue Rhino Belt Squat vs Monster Slinger

This is a comparison between the Rogue Rhino belt squat and Rogue Monster Slinger including pros, cons, and alternatives. The Original was published in which accessory equipment to get for your rogue rack. Follow the links for details

Overview and review Monster Slinger

The Rogue Monster Slinger is a compromise between a full lat pull or a makeshift solution for your Rogue rack.

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The Rogue slinger is an attachment to turn your existing rogue into a lat pulldown and ranges from $225 to $290 depending on which version you are getting. The slinger can be used with a resistance band or plate loaded option. This is an item where you have to pay special attention to the details to get the right fit. The specifications are:

(2) Slinger Mounting Plates
(2) 6" Cable Pulleys
(1) 1/4" MIL Spec Cable with Rogue made hardware
(1) Slinger Extension Strap - for 100” and 108” units
(1) Slinger Band Sheath - 1000D Cordura
(2) Carabiners
(2) Black Zinc 1" Monster Bolt Assemblies
(2) Rubber Grommets for protecting the cable

This is a cost-efficient solution for a lat pulldown which is not completely makeshift. Rogue was smart by marketing its pulley system as a separate product while they are working on a bigger range of machines with a reflex for commercial gyms. Keep in mind that this is not as tidy a solution as a proper lat pull and will have some downsides when you use it.

Pros of the Rogue Slinger

The pros of the Rogue slinger are

The price
Space
The value for money

The Rogue slingers price and space requirements are superior to a full lat pull machine which is ten times the cost. If you already have a rogue rack, the slinger is an easy addition to add pulley work to your exercise regimen without breaking the bank or a wall in your home gym.

Cons of the Rogue Slinger

Cons of the Rogue slinger are:

Limited weight options
Storage when not used
Exposed mechanics

The Rogue slinger is better than bands for resistance, but will not beat a traditional weight stack in terms of ease of use and amount of resistance provided.

The slinger can be annoying when you are not using it. Rogue did not think about where the cables while going when you are not using the slinger. A cheaper pulley system will be easier to remove and get out of the way fast, but also be less stable when used. Rogue has the Spud Inc. pulley system in its shop which would fit that bill.

Alternatives to the slinger

The Rogue lat pull-down will put you back around $2000. With this, you get a full stand-alone lat pull and rowing machine including the weights. The Rogue lat pull is available as an attachment to Rogue Monster racks or stand-alone. The weight stacks and mechanics are quite exposed, but storing nothing will get in the way. Compared to the slinger it is a lot more space and money to be invested for faster and more convenient training at higher resistance.

The Rogue LP2 is the next generation of Rogue lat pull machines which combines the pulley from the slinger with the components from the lat pull down from Rogue. This machine will put you back around $3000 and will be the right choice for a commercial setting as it exposes the weight stacks and mechanics less compared to the lat pull. For any home gym, you would be overshooting the target in my opinion with this machine.

The spud inc pulley system is a little cheaper than the slinger. It is easier to install and remove from the rack than the slinger but therefore also less stable. The spud inc is the right choice of you want o transport your lat pull often or get it out if the way faster. In return, you will not go crazy on weights with this one.

Summary of the slinger

The Rogue slinger is a good solution if you already own a rogue rack. If you do not have space or money for a lat pull go for the slinger. Otherwise, invest in a proper lat pull to be proud and train without annoying cables in your way.

Overview and review of the Rogue Monster Rhino Belt Squat

Price: 2.750

his 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 Rhino Squat belt will create big quads in your gym and keep older athletes healthier. See the details in this article.

What else to consider from Rogue

Overview of the Rhino belt Squat

The Rhino Belt squat machine is one of the latest additions to the big machine line up of Rogue. The version including a rack delivers a half rack including the Rhino setup to your home. It comes in Rogue black with a length of 51.5'', width of 49'' and height of 100.375''. The unloaded trolley weight is 27.5lb.

Squat belt machines are popular to get more leg work in while putting less stress on the lower back. Especially older athletes tend to get upper body injuries or ailments in the lower back. To take away a bit of the strain created by the barbell back squat or front squat you can supplement with Belt squats.

The Rhino includes the newest pulley system designed by Rogue, which seem to be living up to the hype. You will get a very versatile machine for this price. This configuration also includes J cups to be ready to go for squatting inside or outside this half rack.

Pros of the Rhino belt Squat

This is a well-built machine which will give you the best pulley system of Rogue to date. If you want to build a home gym that does not take up a lot of space and also allows to train without a barbell, the Rhino Belt Squat hits the spot. You get 2 weight posts with 15.75'' loading capacity on each side. The belt can also be used for dips and other exercises.

Cons of the Rhino Belt Squat

This is a machine that is mainly targeted at clients and athletes who want to lift heavy and can not use a barbell to do this. Especially powerlifters will like this machine. If your clients are not powerlifters, injured often or just simply do not move heavy weights you might be better off investing your money in equipment that covers their needs better.

How many clients should the Rhino belt squat bring you?

If you think that the Rhino Belt with Rack 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 2.750$. Adjust the numbers for your own gym accordingly.

Alternatives to the Rhino belt Squat

There are a couple of alternatives to the Rhino Belt squat from the Rogue Portfolio. These are:

1x Rogue Monster Rhino Belt Drop-in @ 1595USD

This version saves you a bit of money and even more important than that, floor space. If you already own one or multiple RM6 racks you should seriously consider this upgrade for your gym. Especially when almost no one is using the half racks at the back. This is also a great option for home gym owners who are a bit older or get injured often who want to have a backup plan to barbell squats, without losing too much footprint.

1x Rhino Belt squat Stand alone @ 1.750$

The squat Standalone version is the right option if you already own one or more racks and have plenty of floor space to fill. This saves you about 1.000$ which you can invest in other equipment like barbells and plates.

1x Rogue wood Jerk Block 48 Set @ 1045.10$
1x Rogue Multi belt @90 USD

This would be the most cost-efficient and versatile option. The jerk blocks can be set up for a belt squat so that the athlete stands on the blocks. You can use the dip belt to attach the weight. This setup usually requires a second person to help out. Otherwise, you have to climb the boxes with the weight attached or do some other wild acrobatics. The pros of this package are that the blocks can also be used for deadlift block pulls, jerk training and even as storage.

Conclusion

The Rhino Belt squat is especially a good investment if your gym is very powerlifting or rehabilitation focused. With this machine you can still train heavy while giving big athlete's lower backs a rest. In case of injuries the belt squat machine can be used to securely progress back to barbell work while not compromising intensity of the workouts.