TITAN hefty bench vs Rogue combo rack

This is a comparison between the TITAN hefty bench 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 hefty bench

This is an overview of the TITAN hefty bench 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 hefty bench

Price: $209

The TITAN hefty bench is the right choice for you if you like bench pressing heavy. Once you breach about 300 - 400 pounds of the bench press depending on your body size, some of the regular benches can feel a little small and flimsy. This is where you either need a professional powerlifting setup or a fat pad bench. TITAN does not disappoint with a hefty bench that is worth its name. The full specifics of this bench are:

Designed to handle heavy weights
Enhanced vinyl covering for extra grip and support with 4-in pad
Durable steel construction with 3-in tubing- 3-foot design allows athletes to use proper positioning of the feet.
Welded metal endcaps.- Handle and wheels for easy transport.
Powder-coated paint job prevents rust and corrosion
Overall Height: 17.5-in.
Overall Length: 53-in.
Overall Width: 24-in.
Pad Dimensions: 50-in x 15-in x 4-in.
Color: Black
Material: 3-in x 3-in 11-Gauge Steel
Weight Capacity: 1,200 lb.
Product Weight: 84 lbs.

This is a nice upgrade to a regular bench, if you already have one that is old and sweaty or when you are building your first gym.

Pros of the TITAN hefty bench

Pros of the TITAN hefty bench:

Price
Fat pad
Easy to transport

Compared to the competition this bench against comes in at about half the price. If you want to build a semi-professional gym for yourself TITAN is hard to beat at price. Especially if you do not mind to take matters into your own hands for some on-site adjustments.

The fat pad is a delight to bench on. Once you use a fat bench you will never go back to what you used before. If you are torn between a regular flat bench and the hefty, get this one. It is definitely worth the $50 or $70 extra and you will be using it for a couple of years anyway. In addition, you will also use it in almost any session.

With the included handle and wheels this bench is also easy to get to different places in your gym without having to carry it around.

Cons of the TITAN hefty bench

Cons of the TITAN hefty bench are:

Size
Finish
Not adjustable

While a fat pad is nice, it can also be a little too much. If you are a very small athlete or a beginner you might prefer to first work on a smaller bench until you have built up some size. Having a bench press set up that is wider than you back can be uncomfortable at times.

This bench is not adjustable. If you only get one bench you have to weigh up whether you want an adjustable bench or a flat bench with a big pad. In most home gym scenarios the adjustable bench is probably the better pick to keep things interesting.

With TITAN product you always run a higher risk of minor issues in quality in the finish for the welds or the coating of your products. The good news is that the TITAN hefty bench is a very easy product to manufacture is there are not a lot of moving parts. Therefore this is more of a safe place for the buyer when quality control is not as tight as with other vendors.

Alternatives to the TITAN hefty bench

Alternatives to the TITAN hefty bench are:

If you are looking for an adjustable bench for your home gym or commercial gym, then the FID single post is the go-to option to save money or pay and spray. It is only slightly more expensive than the hefty bench, but in return is more versatile for a broader audience.

The flat weight bench is one of the absolute budget options from TITAN. This is just a simple flat bench like you would find at any doctor or rehab center. Maybe not for the very ambitioned, but it does the job for a little more than $100.

The single post competition flat bench is probably the best pick from TITAN if you do not want any incline or fat pad, bu still bench press heavy. It is slightly less expensive than the hefty bench but carries the same DNA.

Conclusion for the TITAN hefty bench

If you weigh more than 120kg do yourself a favor and get this and do not go near other flat benches. Everyone else can ask themselves of heavy they already bench press and whether they felt uncomfortable on other benches. If that is the case you might want to upgrade to the hefty bench. If it is between the hefty bench and an adjustable bench for your first home gym, take the adjustable option.