TITAN bench press rack vs Rogue combo rack

This is a comparison between the TITAN bench press rack and Rogue combo rack 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 Rogue combo rack

The video above summarises my personal opinion for purchasing a Rogue combo rack for a home gym. If you want to just lean back and get information, watch it and then dig into the details below. In the following paragraphs you will find details on dimensions and alternative choices. I invite you to leave a comment on Youtube if you have direct questions.

The rogue combo rack comes in at a price of $2500 and is the ultimate rack for your powerlifting meet. This overview was first published in "which rack to buy from Rogue". See for yourself whether this rack is the right choice for you or you might want to steer to other options from Rogue.

What else to consider from Rogue

Overview of the combo rack

The Rogue combo rack is the gold standard from Rogue for powerlifting meets. It has been designed for the environment of a powerlifting meet where you have professional athletes of different sizes stepping up to the platform. The Rogue Combo rack is IPF certified and manufactured in Columbus Ohio. Special features are the lever arm jack, telescoping uprights which can be angled and the removable bench.

The rogue combo rack comes in black and weighs 505lb. It is 77.25'' long when the bench is attached. The total width is 80.25'' and the inside width comes to 43.5''. When it is fully extended the maximum height is 78'' for the squat and 17.5'' for the bench press. The Notes are cut from 3x3 Gauge steel as with all products from the Rogue Monster series. The overall footprint of the combo rack is 77.25'' x 80.25''.

This is the flagship rack of Rogue that has been built for showing off the best national and international athletes. That the IPF put its stamp of approval on it shows that Rogue means business. If you want to organize one big meet or multiple meets throughout a year this rack is for you. If you are serious about competing on an international level you might want to get this for your home or local gym, so that you can simulate competition as close as possible.

Pros of the combo rack

This rack is sturdy and can be easily adjusted. It also does not need to be bolted down to the ground as Rogue is making use of their flat foot design. This is handy if you are putting up a competition in a local hotel or on any stage where you are not allowed to bolt a rack into the ground. Another advantage is that the uprights can be angled. This is great when you have very big athletes competing who want to grip the bar outside of the J Cups as they are so massive. The removable bench will safe time for your meet is you do not have to haul off one piece of equipment of the stage and replace it with another. You will also get a westside Monster bench and squat stand in one purchase. This saves money if you are serious about power and strength and know what you are doing.

Cons of the combo rack

The first con is the price. For 2.500$ you can also get an RM6 from Rogue or two midrange RM4 or R4 racks. This rack is also not user-friendly. It has been designed with a powerlifting meet in mind. To operate it most effectively you need 2 - 4 spotters who get everything ready for the athlete. Great in a powerlifting meet. Suboptimal when you are training by yourself or have a gym where beginners will just wreck themselves with the setup. There are also no safeties for the squat as a spotter crew is assumed. This is the right piece of equipment for someone who wants to get a powerlifting meet organized and done with as little waiting time for the crowd and athletes between lifts as possible. The home gym or commercial gym owner will make their lives unnecessarily hard.

Alternatives to the combo rack

For 2.500$ you can get the following other options from Rogue

If you are looking at the Combo rack I am quite sure that you are serious about lifting and probably already own a gym or seriously consider to build a massive home gym. If you are not planning to become the local powerlifting meet go to point or you do not have a serious team of powerlifters around to work the combo rack while someone lifts, consider getting something else.

The Rogue RM6 rack is a great option for anyone starting a home gym who wants storage and rack space combined in one rack. You can also upgrade this rack with the Monster Lat pull down and Rhino belt Squat Drop in. Innovation at Rogue also always comes first for the Monster line and trickles down from there. If you have the budget and want the best for your home gym, this can be an excellent choice instead of the combo rack.

The Rogue Rhino monster Belt Squat saves you money compared to the combo rack and is a great option for someone who has space and already owns a rack to squat and bench press in. If you own a gym think about what your clients need. If your clients are mainly powerlifters who compete often, you might want to get the combo rack. If your gym has a more mixed clientele and many older powerlifters with lower back problems, you definitely want to get the belt squat.

If you are opening your first gym or a new gym you will probably be better of investing the money in a Monster or Monster lite rig. For 2.500$ you will get one of the shorter ones. This will give you more options to create revenue streams, as the rig can be used for more different styles of training. A rig sets you up for powerlifting, CrossFit, Weightlifting and Tabata classes. The combo rack is for powerlifters only.

The Prone leg curl can be an option for a commercial gym or home gym owners who want to present more options for leg development. If you have a lot of bodybuilders or footballers in your gym this might be the better option than the combo rack.

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.