TITAN X3 half rack vs Rogue RML 690c [Article, Video]
This is a comparison between the TITAN X3 half rack and the Rogue RML 690c. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the Rogue RML 690C Power Rack
Price: 1.750
This review was originally posted in the longer article "Which strength equipment to buy from rogue" in which you can read about 25 products of Rogue which cost more than 1.000$. The Rogue RML 690C rack is a great option for style and storage to build your home gym. See the details in this article.
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Overview of the Rogue RML 690C
The Rogue
RML690C Rack weighs in at 530LB. It has 76'' of length while being 49'' in width. The height comes in at 90.375''. When you want to place the
RML690C into your gym the footprint will be 80''x53''. With this rack, you are getting the little sister of the
RM6 rack. It is compatible with the
Monster Lite series and gives you a full and
half rack to work with. The
half rack can either be used for
plate storage or have more athletes train in the rack.
The
690C is available in the following colors:
- Bright Blue
- Bright Green
- Burnt Orange
- Dark Blue
- Dark Red
- Gun Metal
- Light Gray
- Rogue Red
- Satin Black
- Satin clear
- White
In a Semi-Gloss Powdercoat. You have
Westside hole spacing at the bottom to have more options for bench pressing setups. Another big advantage of this rack is that it does not need to be bolted to the floor.
The Rogue
RML690C is a solid all in one solution for storage and training space for a home gym or in a professional gym to make the best of the space.
How many clients should the Rogue RML690C bring you?
If you think that the Rogue
RML 690C will bring you 6 new clients who pay you 50$ on a 1-year retainer it is worth the investment. This will yield 3.600$ net new revenue against an investment of 1.750$. Adjust the numbers for your own gym accordingly.
Pros of the Rogue RML 690C
The Rogue
RML 690C is a bit lighter on the budget than its bigger brother the RM6. It still provides storage options and space to train multiple athletes and hold
plates at the same time. It comes in different colors to fit your taste or gym setup depending on how you want to express your branding.
Cons of the Rogue RML 690C
The Rogue
RML690C might be a bit too big for home setups. There are reports of people who purchased it for personal use and came to the conclusion that the
490 would have more than sufficed. Think about how you will use the additional
half rack, as otherwise, it will only be a waste of valuable floor space. You can also not use the
RML 690C with the
Rhino Drop in, which is one of my personal biggest reasons not to get it.
Alternatives to the Rogue RML 690C
Here are some alternatives for you from Rogue for a budget of 1.750$
The RML4 still gives you the option to choose a color of your liking while saving you 700$ USD which can be used towards a
barbell and
plates on your first purchase for a home gym. For professional uses, you can also fit more
490C into your facilities if you already have solutions for string the
plates.
If you do not want to compromise on having a full and
half rack at your disposal you can go for the
R6. The
R6 is part of the Infinity series which uses less material to build the racks. It is still more than enough to train heavy in them as the
Monster Lite and
Monster series bear their names for a reason. With this, you would still be able to sneak in an
Ohio Bar while staying under 2.000$.
Conclusion
The Rogue RML 690C is a great option for home gyms or commercial gyms for mere mortals. Be mindful about the space you have before buying the 690 versions of Rogues racks. If you do not know what to do with the half rack at the back, go for something smaller.
Further reading
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.
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Westside hole pattern through bench zone.
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2" hole spacing above and below.
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1,000 + lbs. capacity.
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Pair of UHMW lined X-3 J-Hooks included.
-
Double-sided gusset plates.
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Overall height: 92"
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Overall width: 49"
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Overall depth: 48"
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Product Weight: 250 LB
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Finish: Black Powder Coating
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Floor Space: 16.3 sq ft (49" x 48")
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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.