TITAN bench press rack vs Rogue AB2

This is a comparison between the TITAN bench press rack and Rogue AB2 including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally posted in Which TITAN bench to get? Follow the links for details.

Overview and review of the Ab2 Adjustable bench

The AB-2 bench comes in at $815 and is a great addition to your existing gym to widen the possible exercises you can do. This article was originally published in "Which bench to get to from Rogue".

Overview of the AB2 Adjustable bench

The Rogue AB2 bench comes from the designers of the Nebula 1080 bench which has been on an established reference in the fitness industry. The Ab2 includes 6 different seat settings and nine back positions. This makes it a strong piece of equipment for any home gym which needs versatility and space-efficient setup. The specifications of the Rogue AB2 bench are:

Adapted from the Nebula 1080 "Awesome" Utility Bench
Weight: 94LB
Length: 52"
Pad Width: 12"
Height: 18"
Footprint: 51 1/4" x 22 1/2"
Steel: 2 x 2" and 3 x 3" 11-Gauge Steel
6 Adjustable Seat Settings
9 Adjustable Back Pad Settings (from flat bench to 78 degrees upright)

This is the upmarket version from Rogue if you do not want to do decline bench presses.

Pros of the AB2 Adjustable bench

The AB2 has a pin design which keeps the bench firmly in place. It is heavy duty and well made and gives you more options than the cheaper versions from Rogue.

Cons of the AB2 Adjustable bench

$815 can still be a hefty price tag for a bench. As you are not buying any kind of structure with this and probably did not consider yourself that much of a beast to look into the Reflex options, you might as well want to save a little more on the bench itself. This bench has the price of a rack.

Alternatives to the AB2 Adjustable bench

Alternatives to the AB2 are

The AB3 is the weapon of choice if you need a bench that can be moved around and used for incline, decline, and flat bench press setups. It comes in at a slightly higher price tag than the AB2 and makes more sense in my opinion if you are looking for a high-end bench.

The Rogue Adjustable bench 2.0 would probably my personal choice for a bench from Rogue. This is the middle priced bench which covers any need you might have. Production costs are lower compared to the AB2 as not as many holes need to be drilled. It still does the same with fewer options to adjust the bench. To be honest, in practice you will most likely only use one incline, one decline, and the flat position anyway.

The Rogue Flat utility bench would be my tool of choice if I had to equip an entire gym with Rogue benches. They have multiple options for customization and are only a fraction of the cost f the AB2 and AB3. You basically get 4 of these four one AB2.

Overview and review of the TITAN bench press rack

This is an overview of the TITAN bench press rack including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally posted in Which TITAN bench to get? Follow the links for details.

Overview of the TITAN bench press rack

Price: $437

The TITAN bench press rack is inspired by the designs of the Westside gym of Louie Simmons which have been first adopted by Rogue in their Westside bench. This bench station takes a rack and cuts the top bid. With this setup, you can bench heavy while being spotted by a big person and also use small increments in the range of motion or band work. This is a great tool to have for anyone that works with boards for the bench press and bands. Aso, if you are considering a separate bench station for your home gym as you have space, this should be on top of your list. The full specifications for this TITAN product are:

Fits standard pad (included) or Hefty Bench Pad (Hefty Bench Pad sold separately)
Westside hole spacing allows for small incremental adjustments
Bolt down design for a stable bench platform
Laser-cut Titan side panels
Includes one pair of handed HD J-Hooks with UHMW inserts to protect your bar knurling
Includes a pair of flip-down safeties lined with UHMW for protection in case of failed lifts
Overall Height: 54.5-in.
Bench Height: 17.5-in. | Adjustable by 1-in increments
Overall Footprint: 51.75-in x 33.75-in (not including bench pad)
Inside Depth: 24-in.
Material: 2-in x 3-in. 11-Gauge Steel Uprights
Weight Capacity: 1,000 lb.
Product Weight: 200 lb.

This is a sturdy bench for anyone who is big and serious about their bench press. With the bench press rack, the annoying setups from a moveable bench in a rack are over and you also have plenty of options for varied bench press training.

Pros of the TITAN bench press rack

The pros of the TITAN bench press rack are:

Price
Focused product
Less hassle

The biggest argument for most TITAN products is their price if you have the need. Compared to other products in the market, you will pay about half for the TITAN products. The main competitors of TITAN in the US are Eleiko and Rogue fitness. REP fitness is a runner up that is gaining popularity on Youtube channels lately.

Apart from price the general design of the bench press rack is aimed at anyone who has the space to afford a dedicated bench press station in terms of budget and space. If you can this is a superior option to other bench press stations that you see in commercial gyms with three different heights and a bit of plate storage. With this bench, you have many options for banded work, a solid spotter space, and a massive bench pad. If you want to build your bench press this is a great value for money option.

The last positive is the convenience of the competition setup of this bench. No moving the bench around and problems with the lift-off of your bench press being off. With this bench press rack, you will always have the same starting position and you will always be set up in the center of the setup.

Cons of the TITAN bench press rack

The cons of the TITAN bench press rack are:

The bench can not be removed
You can only flat bench press
Space requirements

One big downside is that you have to give up quite a lot of space to make this station happen. In a commercial gym, this will not pose a major problem, especially if you already have one of the shitty amazon bench stations with glued on storage pins. Sorry, I just hate those as the pins are always off and you never know whether to rack the bar in the middle or on the highest setting as you only get three options. So just throw the one you wanted to upholster again out and replace it with this. For a home gym, you will need a considerable basement or two-car garage gym to make it work.

As you can only flat bench press and combined with the space requirements the max adjustable FID bench is probably the better option for a home gym on the same budget. This is a precise tool that addresses the needs if experienced bench presses or flat bench press fanatics best. If you have to please more people than just those, invest in an adjustable, moveable bench instead.

Alternatives to the TITAN bench press rack

Alternatives to the TITAN bench press rack are:

The max FID adjustable bench is an alternative for roughly the same price of the bench power rack. This bench can do incline as well as decline setups. For a home gym, it is the more versatile and space-efficient option. The only thing I like to question is how many decline bench press sets per week you actually will do. If your answer is three, you might as well save yourself the decline option and go for an incline bench press. That will save $200 and you can get some kettlebells or a nice lifting belt with the saved money.

The TITAN combo rack is great when you want to have competition standards in your home or at a commercial gym. For actual powerlifting competitions you might want to get a model from a competitor that is a bit more upmarket.

The TITAN hefty bench is a great transportable alternative with bigger padding.

Conclusion for the TITAN bench press rack

The TITAN bench press rack is the best option from TITAN as a dedicated bench press station for anyone who has the space to place it within their gym.