Rogue Y2 Yoke vs Rogue S25 sled

This is a comparison of the Rogue Y2 Yoke and the Rogue S25 sled including pros, cons, and alternatives. This was originally posted in Which sled to get from Rogue.

Overview and review of the Rogue S25 fatboy sled

This is an overview of the S25 Fatboy sled including pros, cons, and alternatives. This was originally posted in Which sled to get from Rogue.

Overview of the S25 Fat boy sled

Price $120

The Rogue S25 fat boy sled was one of the first Sleds out of the Rogue portfolio. Inspired by military designs for entrenching it was upgraded from the S35 to provide more surface for your plates. Overall it is basically a metal plate that you can stack plates on with folded metal to each side to get mud and other debris away from the main body. The full specifications of this sled are:

Made in the USA
Footprint: 21.5" x 16"
0.25" Bent Steel Plate Rails to protect your plates
16.625" Fold-Flat Weight Post can stack steel plates or bumpers
Black Powdercoat Finish
Laser-Cut Rogue branding
Includes 16' Rogue Sled Strap
16' Spud Inc. 3" Strap available to add to order (extra cost)

This is the small version to take anywhere.

Pros of the S25 Fat boy sled

The pros of the S25 Fatboy sled are:

Compact design
Low price
Easy setup

This is a simple tool that does not make you think too much. In strength training, that is a good thing. You can take it anywhere without too much hassle and all do not break the bank for buying one.

Cons of the S 25 Fat boy sled

The cons of the S25 fatboy sled are:

No uprights for pushing
Only one end with a carabiner hole
Can flip over when loaded light

The fat boy comes with no uprights to push the sled itself. This means it can only be used for pulling motions together with a strap. Sometimes it can be good just to ram yourself into the uprights and get going, rather than having to get into the harness first.

For turning the Fatboy S25 also only has one hole for the carabiner to go in. With lightweight this means a high likelihood of tipping when you turn at speed. With heavyweights you will have to struggle to turn around, rather than just clipping the carabiner on the other side.

Alternatives to the Fat boy S25

Alternatives to the Fatboy S25 are:

Fatboy S35
SPud inc Magic carpet

The S35 sled is smaller version of the S25 and is otherwise the same. If you want a really small sled to be taken anywhere,this can be it.

The spud inc magic carpet is an alternative to the S35 which will not damage your floor as much. Instead of metal, this sled is made of the same material most straps are made of. This way it avoids the scratching that metal can cause on some grounds. The downside is that it is way easier to move the weight. There is a reason why good movers always bring old carpets with them to move heavy objects.

Conclusion for the S25 fat boy sled

The S25 is a good option if you see yourself regularly going on a small car to train with a sled somewhere nearby. If that is not the case, I personally think that the Rogue slice sled is a better investment. For a minimum amount of more money you get a sled that is still compact, but also can be pushed rather than just pulled.

Overview and review of the Rogue Y2 Yoke

This is an overview of the Rogue Y2 Yoke including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details

Overview of the Rogue Y2

Price $535

The Rogue Y2 is the next step up from a squat stand from Rogue. The additional plate storage and the adjustable cross-member on the stand make it a great all in one gym option. You can use it as a sled, rack, and yoke at the same time. For $535 you will find yourself a good deal, as long as you have the footprint to fit it into your commercial gym or home space. The full specifications are:

Made in the USA
Height: 92" with base
Total Weight Capacity: 750+LB (two side storage and four corner-post weight storage options)
Applications: Strongman Yoke Training, Pushing, Pulling, Carrying, Zercher, Squat, Press, etc.
(2) Uprights: 2 x 3" 11-Gauge Steel
(2) Bases and (4) Skid/Storage Feet
Adjustable Crossbar: 3" OD
(2) J-Cups

If you are looking into a budget rack option from Rogue this is probably one of the best you can get, as long as you do not want to work with a lot of attachments in the future.

Pros of the Rogue Y2

The pros of the Rogue Y2 Yoke are:

Great value for money
Multiple-use cases
Adjustable height

You will be hard-pressed to find more options in one rack for this price from Rogue. If you want to be space and budget efficient, this is the way to go. You will get the use cases of equipment that can cost up to $5000 in this one rack. Especially if you are a single user and do not have to worry about waiting times, this is great.

The cons of the Rogue Y2

The cons of the Rogue Y2 Yoke are:

Limited safety
Clunky for sled work
Big footprint

While the Y2 saves a lot of space as it combines a lot of functionality, it still has a larger footprint than a half rack, squat stand, RM3 rack. Compared to the purpose-built sleds it is also clunkier to move. While bench pressing and squatting are possible, you will need spotter arms to be safe. Spotter arms just have the habit of being missed or making the whole structure fall over when you drop the weight. Safety üins and straps in a power rack are easier to handle and more secure.

Alternatives to the Rogue Y2

Alternatives to the Rogue Y2 are:

The Rogue Y1 is a smaller version of the Rogue Y2. If you do not have very tall athletes or do not need to practice any sandbag throwing, the smaller version will do and save you a little bit of money.

The SM2 squat stand is an alternative that saves some space compared to the Yoke and only focuses on functioning as a squat stand rather than a yoke and sled. With the SM2 you also get the bigger steel tubes from the Monster series and can upgrade at a later stage to the big racks that Rogue is currently focusing on.

The volcano costs about 4 times what the yoke costs but has its applications especially for very mature strongman. If you want to flip or carry very big weights the Volcano is probably the better option than the Rogue Y2.

Conclusion for the Rogue Y2

The Rogue Y2 is an often overlooked option for home gym owners that does it all. It is relatively low priced and you can get a lot of mileage out of it. If you are not considering a folding rack for your home gym, definitely look at this instead of bolted down power racks. Professional gyms with space can cover a lot of needs with just one or two yokes. Think of what you can get out of these two yokes for your clients instead of being one more treadmill.