Rogue RM6 rack vs TITAN lat tower

This is a comparison between the Rogue RM6 rack and the TITAN lat tower including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

Rogue fitness vs TITAN fitness

Rogue Fitness is the current market leader when it comes to a functional home gym and commercial gym equipment. They have one of the widest portfolios including racks, barbells, benches, dumbbells, and apparel for the weekend warrior and dedicated athlete. The biggest downside of Rogue Fitness is their comparatively high prices to the competition.

TITAN Fitness is the clear cost leader when you want to build a home gym on a budget that is still similar to what Rogue offers in function, look, and feel. While you will save about half on the sticker price you will run a higher risk of inconsistencies in quality compared to a purchase from Rogue. The equipment will be safe but is more likely to have blemishes, quality issues with welds or that pieces will not easily fit into place. That makes TITAN a good option for a DIY enthusiast who does not mind tinkering with their equipment, but not the first choice to get the best equipment and treat yourself.

Overview and review of the TITAN Lat tower $1299

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

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 RM6 rack

Price: 2.000 - 2.640

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 RM6 rack will either be the pride and joy of your home gym or the impressive addition to your gym for the most ambitious lifters. See the details in this article.

What else to consider from Rogue

Overview of the Rogue RM6

The RM6 is the flagship rack of Rogue. If you buy a 24' Monster Rig in the racked configuration you basically buy multiple RM6 with pull up bars in between them. This is the rack for serious home warriors or small gyms who do not want to compromise.

The RM6 has a length of 76'' and width of 49''. You can get the rack in three different heights ranging from 90'' through 100'' to 108''. The Footprint comes in at 80'' x 53''. The new keyhole design also makes it easier for you to fit smaller attachments into the Monster series. You can choose from the following colors for the RM6:

Bright blue
Bright Green
Burnt Orange
Dark Blue
Dark Red
Gun Metal
Light Gray
Rogue Red
White
Satin Clear
Satin Black (Standard)

All of these options come in a medium gloss powder coat. Above this, you have many options to customize the top crossmembers, safeties and J Cups. The better the options you pick the higher the price. If you go for all the finest it drives the price to 2.640$. Then you have the fanciest pull-up bars, flip down safeties and J cups that money can buy from Rogue.

How many clients should the RM6 bring you?

If you think that the RM6 will bring you 7 -9 new clients who pay you 50$ on a 1-year retainer it is worth the investment. This will yield 4.000$ - 5.400$ net new revenue against an investment of 2.000$ - 2.600$. Adjust the numbers for your own gym accordingly.

Pros of the Rogue RM6

This rack gives you a full and a half rack in one go. With this, you can train more athletes at the same time. If you do not want to train multiple athletes on the same rack, you can use the half rack for storage. Another option is to install a Rhino belt squat Drop in at the back of this rack. This can be a very powerful configuration to attract powerlifters to your gym.

Cons of the Rogue RM6

A lot of people will argue that this rack is completely overbuilt. The little sisters of the Rogue line, Echo, Infinity and Monster lite bear this reputation. You can definitely save a lot of money by going with other options. It depends on your needs. For myself, I only want the best to be the best. No one in the market argues that Rogue products are built to last, only price is a concern.

Alternatives to the Rogue RM6

Based on this budget here are some alternatives you might want to consider to the RM6:

1x RM4 1.300$ to 2.000$

If you do not know exactly how you are going to use the half rack at the back of the RM6 you are better of going with an RM4. Ask yourself whether your gym already has enough storage options for plates and whether your clients will use a half rack. Often the answer is that you already have enough storage and clients do not like to use half racks. Same goes for basement and garage gyms. You can use the saved space for something else. The only disadvantage of this option is that you can not install a Rhino belt squat in the back of the rack. You can remedy this by buying a racked Rhino version at a later stage.

1. RML-690C 1.750$ - 2.350$

The RML is the Monster Lite version of the RM6. It gives you the same space and storage options with less sturdy beams. This is more than enough for most applications. If you want to save money and still have a very sturdy rack, this is the option with extra storage and a half rack at the back.

Conclusion

The RM6 is one of the most overbuilt and yet impressive racks you can get in the market. When you get this you know that you did yourself and your clients proud. Even the biggest athletes will not be able to make this rack rattle.