TITAN X3 half rack vs Rogue Mono stand [Article, Video]

This is a comparison between the TITAN X3 half rack and the Rogue Mono stand. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the Rogue Mono stand

The Rogue Mono Stand rack comes in at $950 and is one of the better options for under $1000 from Rogue. Learn more in this review which was originally published in the Article "Which Rack to buy from Rogue for under $1000".

Overview of the Rogue Mono Stand

The Rogue Mono stand is an interesting variation on the SML 1 Squat stand. With this setup, you can unrack the weight and there is no need to walk it out. This is especially good for lifters who are injured or when you want to attempt a one repetition maximum. This design makes acquiring a Monolift station very affordable compared to other options in the market.

The Rogue Mono stand comes in black and is manufactured in Columbus, Ohio. The dimensions of this Stand are 57'' in width, 86'' in length and 78'' in height. The overall weight of the unit comes to 310LB. This leaves it with a footprint of 86''x57''. The stell notes are made of 3x3'' 11 Gauge steel.

If you want to get serious about powerlifting and meets which allow for monolift stations, this design is the one for you. It is a lot easier to handle than a traditional Mono Stand and less prone to get broken. The arms of traditional mono stands have the tendency to block over the years. There is nothing worse than a lever that is not moving out of the way when you have a very heavy weight on your shoulders.

Pros of the Rogue Mono stand

The design makes it clever and uses a lot less material to create the same effect as other mono stands. With this, even an average gym can implement a mono stand to attract more customers or help injured athletes. If you are serious about powerlifting and want to save some money on a mono stand this is the way to look.

Cons of the Rogue Mono Stand

The biggest flaw of this design is that you can not use the mono stand by itself. You need another person with you to rerack the weight. If you always train with other monster lifters this is great. However, for many, this is just simply not the case.

Alternatives to the Rogue Mono stand

There the following alternatives to the Rogue Mono stand the Rogue portfolio:

The Monolift Attachments are available for Monster, Monster lite and Infinity series of Rogue. The adjustable version is only available for Monster and Monster lite. I would definitely recommend investing the extra 30 - 40$ to get the adjustable version. This way it will be easier for you to use the Monolift attachment for the squat and bench press instead of having to get the wrench ut each time you swap.

Overview and review of the X3 half rack

The TITAN X3 half rack will put you back about $550. TITAN is well known for their very good prices compared to their competition and will get you started on your home gym. This review was originally posted in “which Titan rack to buy for under $500”

Overview of the X3 half rack

The X3 half-rack gives you the safety of a power rack while optimizing for floor space. You can even store your plates on it if you want to. The 3x3 steel tubes of this rack also provide Westside hole spacing which allows for smaller increments on your bench press setup. If this is the rack for you it comes with the following features and specs:

3" x 3" 11 gauge steel uprights.
Westside hole pattern through bench zone.
2" hole spacing above and below.
1,000 + lbs. capacity.
Pair of UHMW lined X-3 J-Hooks included.
Double-sided gusset plates.
Overall height: 92"
Overall width: 49"
Overall depth: 48"
Product Weight: 250 LB
Finish: Black Powder Coating
Floor Space: 16.3 sq ft (49" x 48")
Rack depth: 17"
Front upright height: 92"
Rear upright height: 72"

This is a great option for college dorms or small spaces at home. It can also be used to have high quality in a gym while saving a little in overall floor space for a line of racks.

Pros of the X3 half rack

As with most of the TITAN line up first and furthermost the price for what you are getting. Apart from that, a half rack can be a great space saver whilst still functioning as a full rack. Especially the possibility to store your plates on the second set off uprights might make it superior to a squat stand.

Cons of the X3 half rack

Squatting inside the rack might leave you constrained. Especially if you are very tall and big. Small athletes will have no problems, but if you are the next Eddie Hall or generally like a bit of space to do your exercises, go for a full rack like the T3 instead.

Alternatives to the X3

These are other options for the X3 half-rack:

If you already have a bench or just don’t need one you can invest just a little extra and get a colored rack.

Another way to go is to save on the color to have more budget for different size options on the T3 and maybe even adding some plate holders. The T3 is available in a short and tall version to adjust the height. For depth, you can choose between 24” and 36”.

If you want to stay within budget but start your gym with 3x3 tubing you can go for the X3 squat stand. This is a good option for big and/or experienced lifters who prefer the freedom and flexibility of a squat stand, yet still, move big weights. I recommend that you have enough space and experience on how to drop weights from a squat position if you opt for a squat stand. Spotter arms are nice with a stand but usually useless. You either miss them on a hardcore drop or the entire unit comes down because you didn’t bolt it to the ground.

The T3 folding rack saves you about $200 on the T3 and can be installed in your garage. If you only train on the weekends or two days a week, this is a good option so that you can still use the garage or basement for your car/ miscellaneous rubbish you think is important ( I have that stuff in my attic). The savings can be put towards a barbell like the blues city or Atlas bar.

Summary for the X3 Half rack

If you are ok with squatting outside the rack and still want 3x3 uprights and are storage this is a great option for you. If you have Eddie Hall’s size, stay away from this as you will constantly bang off the uprights of you are squatting inside your rack. This injury risk is not worth the savings compared to a T3.