TITAN X3 half rack vs Rogue RM4 fortis [Article, Video]

This is a comparison between the TITAN X3 half rack and the Rogue RM4 fortis. Follow the links for more 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 RM4 fortis rack

The Rogue RM4 fortis rack comes in at $985 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".

The RM4 Fortis is part of the Monster series of Rogue with special welding which makes it a little easier in your wallet. This is the est full rack from Rogue which you can get for under $1000. It is available in black only and is made in Columbus Ohio.

This rack comes with a width of 49'' and a length of 49''. The height is 90''. It is made from 3x3'' 11 gauge steel notes to come to a total footprint of 53''x53''. It ships with a pull-up bar, safety pins, J-Cups and MOnster band pegs. With this rack, you are entering the monster family of Rogue and can use the accessories which are labeled Monster.

The RM-4 Fortis Rack is a great option when you do not want too many options when you purchase and save money. If you like black this is a good option to stay friendly on the budget while not compromising too much on quality.

Pros of the RM4 Fortis rack

If you need a full rack for your home gym and don't want to go all out this is the one for you. With under $1.000 you safe considerably to other models. It will do the job just like an RM4 with fewer options to customize.

Cons of the RM4 Fortis rack

If you are really all about price, you might as well go for an even cheaper rack from the Infinity or Echo series to save more. Why spent $1000 when you do not get any customization. Still, that is just me talking as I am a sucker for merchandise.

Alternatives to the RM4 Fortis rack

Some viable alternatives to the RM-4 fortis rack are

The RM4 is the big brother of the RM4-Fortis and gives you more options to customize. You can choose the color and height of the rack. In addition, you can also order Gussets or socket bars which go with this rack. IN turn, the RM4 comes in at a slightly higher price than the fortis. If you want to make your gym stand out from the rest on the block, this might be the right road to travel down.

The RM 3 Fortis is the smaller version of the RM4 Fortis. This is a half rack which can be a good alternative if you are short for space and money. It will still do the trick for the squat, bench press, and deadlift. It will still come with a pull-up bar, band pegs, and J Cups to be ready to rock once it is unboxed.

The last alternative is the RML 490C. If you want to customize your rack, save money and get a bit of jazz going this is the option for you. It is only slightly above $1.000 and a full rack with color options. The only downside is that it is only compatible with the Monster lite series accessories from Rogue. You will, therefore, cut yourself out from the newest updates in the world of Rogue upgrades as they are first released for the Monster series.

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.