TITAN Combo rack vs Rogue Combo rack

This is a comparison between the TITAN combo 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.

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 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 Combo rack

This is an overview of the TITAN Combo 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 combo rack

Price: $999

The TITAN combo rack combines a solid bench press and squat setup in one place. If you want a competition set up in your own home for a low price the TITAN combo rack is a very good option. TITAN copied the roller J-hooks from Ghost strong and safety pins from Rogue fitness to put together the best ideas for combo racks while not fully executing on them. Still for half or one-fifth of the price of the competition the TITAN combo rack is not to be scoffed at. The full specifications of the combo rack are:

Adjustable Squat Height: 49.5 - 61-in.
Adjustable Bench Press Height: 33.5- 45.5-in.
Bench Seat Height: 17.5-in.- Bench Length: 4 ft
Spotter Footplate Height: 8.75-in.
Spotter Arm Length: 17-in.- Footprint Width: 81-in.
Footprint Depth: 59-in.
Weight Capacity: 1,000 lb.
Product Weight: 225 lb.

This is a solid combo rack to exercise at home or to have in a commercial gym with some occasional powerlifting meets to separate from the masses. It is not necessarily the best for professional powerlifting meets or as a multipurpose station in a home or commercial gym.

Pros of the TITAN Combo rack

The pros the combo rack are:

Low price
Roller cups
Easy bench setup

For the low price, you are getting a solid simulation of a real powerlifting meet for your home or in a commercial gym that wants to mix up things a little. Compared to other models it is also great that the roller cups pioneered by ghost fitness have been implemented into the design. These make sure that the bar will always be centered dead in the middle when you start your lift without having to inch it around. When you are moving more than 400 pounds for doubles and singles on a regular basis, this does make a big difference to your bench and squat setup. The bench itself is also easy to roll in and out which can be cumbersome with other designs, where you need two people to drop the bench setup in and lift it out of the frame.

Cons of the TITAN Combo rack

Cons of the TITAN combo rack:

Finish
Space requirements
Not for beginners
Not very versatile

As with all TITAN products you have to cut corners to offer a similar product at half or even one-fifth of the price. Where other vendors go down the route of purposely overbuilding their products for extra safety and comfort, TITAN takes the approach of just enough. This means that the lifetime of their products is usually shorter and they take less abuse, while still being functional. In the TITAN combo rack, this comes to show in the roller j cup design and the height adjustments. While Rogue and Ghost are testing to make the adjustments as smooth as possible you will need more elbow grease or a bit of sandpaper with the shipped TITAN combo rack. If you hold the rollers used in the TITAN setup against the ones from Ghost fitness you will also notice a vast difference in detail and beefiness. Especially in these small items that are designed for convenience, this makes a difference of day and night. So really think about what kind of user you are before buying a TITAN or other product in the market.

While you will think at first that this is a good 2 in 1 option to save space you might be wrong. What is elusive about higher prices squat stands is that they create more stability by placing a frame on the ground. The TITAN combo rack is no different. While it is easier to move around this combo rack than a full rack, it still takes up the same footprint. This is an easy mistake to make, especially if you do not spend a lot of time planning your purchase. For home gym owners you also have to be aware that you can not use the combo rack for storage of plates and other plates to the same extent as a full rack. So think twice when you buy for budget r space reasons, as this is not what the TITAN combo rack has really been designed for.

The TITAN combo rack is also not really suitable for beginners. The height adjustments are technical and assume a team of people at a powerlifting meet to make adjustments. What is a great set up in a competition where four to five people can quickly weasel around the rack and make the necessary adjustments can turn into a right nightmare when you have to do it by yourself at home. Traditional J-Cups in a normal rack are a lot easier to adjust.

The last disadvantage is that a combo rack is not very versatile if you want a fully functioning gym. The spotter arms are a little short and not great for pin squat, rack pulls and other partial movements on the big three. You will also have a hard time setting this rack up for pull-ups, band-aided work, or using it as a yoke or sled. Combined with the fact that it is also not foldable it is not what you first would think it is. Especially if you buy for space and money-saving purposes only.

Alternatives to the TITAN combo rack

Alternatives to the TITAN combo rack are:

Folding rack
Full-size rack
Squat stands
Bench press rack

A folding rack is a good alternative if your main reason for considering the combo rack is to save space and money. These racks are available at the same or even a slightly lower price point and are a lot more versatile. They can be folded up and also be used for other exercises except for the big three lifts. If you want to build a garage gym that still needs to compromise space with cars, bicycles, and tools, this is a lot better than a combo rack.

A full-size rack would be the better option for the uncompromising garage or basement gym or commercial gym. It is safer to exercise in this and you can also store a lot of your equipment, especially plates and bands, directly on the rack. A full-size rack will also leave you with more options for upgrades in the future for attachments like pull up bars and other toys to mix up a training a little. Pin squats and rack pulls are also easier performed in a full-size rack.

Simple squat stands can be a good option if you already have some bench press setup and want to add the possibility to squat. If you get some unconnected squat stands you can create a very cheap and space-efficient squat setup. The only downside to this is that you really need to know what you are doing as the injury risk goes through the roof if you are not careful with the pins and where you place the uprights. These uprights are usually very light and not attached to the ground. Inexperience, a low budget, and ego lifting are a great recipe to have a serious home accident. Therefore, I only recommend this setup to people who know how to squat, how to drop a heavy weight safely, and take the trouble of putting some markers on the floor for their ideal setup. Duct tape will do but mark how far these uprights will go apart.

The TITAN bench press rack is a good alternative for your home gym if you ready have a rack and the space to add another bench station to your line up. This is also a good alternative for a professional gym instead of the traditional bench pressing stations, as the bench press rack leaves more options to work with bands and partial range of motion.

Conclusion for the TITAN Combo rack

The TITAN combo rack addresses a very specific niche of powerlifters with a small budget who want to simulate competition at home. If you fit that nice, I think you will be happy with a TITAN combo rack. You will not shell out $2000 to $5000 dollars for getting that little edge in competition because you know your setup. Especially if your training partner lives close or even in the same house with you, this is a good purchase. You will also need to transport the combo rack and adjust it as much, so the minor quality issues will not weigh in as much as for someone who holds powerlifting meets on a regular basis. If you are a small and light athlete, this does plenty for you. Bigger athletes might want to opt for the Rogue combo rack as it has been built sturdier. he same goes for commercial gyms that have regular usage of a combo rack and can foresee that the TITAN might not hold up to the abuse of 10-20 members that use it regularly in a week. If you regularly train with beasts of various sizes and hold meets the Ghost strong combo rack HD is the gold standard. It is overbuilt in every way and smooth, but also comes at a ridiculously high price, as the labor is not standardized or offshored.