TITAN X3 half rack vs Rogue RE3 [Article, Video]

This is a comparison between the TITAN X3 half rack and the Rogue RE3. Follow the links for more details.

Rogue RE 3 Echo Rack

The Rogue RE3 rack comes in at $569 and is one of the low-range 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".

What else to consider from Rogue

Overview of the RE3

The Rogue RE3 is a half rack for the athlete on a budget. It comes in black and is manufactured in Columbus Ohio. This is the lowest cost rack stand-alone rack that Rogue currently offers. It must be bolted to the floor for use.

The RE3 has a length of 28'' and a width of 47'' this bring the total footprint to 32''x53''. It is made from the 2x2'' 11 Gauge steel notes of the Echo Series and is therefore compatible with the beams and accessories form this product line. The height comes in at 90.375''. It ships with band pegs, a Fat/Skinny pull up bar and J Cups. The pin and pipe safeties have to be ordered additionally with this rack.

This is a compact option for a home gym or a big facility that wants to buy in bulk and use economies of scale in their order.

Pros of the RE3

The biggest pro of this rack is the price. You will get a full rack from Rogue very close to the $500 mark. This is rather the exception than the rule when you buy from one of the best in the market.

Cons of the RE3

The Echo series is one of the product lines of Rogue which has gotten less attention of the last few years in terms of development. If you always want to be up to date and get the newest upgrades, this option might not be for you.

Alternatives to the RE3

Alternatives to the RE3 are:

The RML 3W is a folding rack alternative that can be put flat to the wall after use. For this, it comes with the necessary equipment to attach it to the wall. This rack cannot be out in the middle of a room but can save you a lot of space.

The W4 Garage Gym is an out of the box home gym system for the garage where the car is never parked in. The system gets mounted to the wall and also comes in around $500.

The R3 W is the echo version of the foldable Wall Mount Rack. Instead of the 3x3'' 11 Gauge notes you will get the 2x3 Gauge Steel.

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.