Power rack (RML390, RM3, cheap rack)

[Crimmy]

Hi,

Just a few questions. Main concern with getting a rogue rack will require shipping it overseas.

Rogue told me the Monster series uses 1 inch holes spaced 2 inches apart. The RML series has smaller holes (didn't specify) that are spaced 1 inch apart throughout the pull/bench zone. This seems better for me, because I do a lot of pin work. Does the bigger hole diameter of the Monster series have any serious advantage?

For anyone with the safety strap accessory, does it attach to the "front" or the "side" of the rack? Because the RML series has really widely spaced holes on the side.

Any disadvantage to bolting the rack to a homemade platform instead of concrete?

Shipping is gonna cost about 1.5k. Expensive. Not sure how much it'll be taxed as well. I'm in China and I wonder if a poor quality rack is a hazard of any kind. Most of the racks I've seen here don't have very good spacing or look like the quality is kind of low. Barbells too. However, 2 bars and a rack could probably be had for 50-75% the price of a rogue rack (not including the shipping). I'll post a few pictures and see if anyone has any comments.

Shared album - Crimson Strider - Google Photos

The one with all the attachments is the one I'm most interested in. I'd probably only get the safety strap accessory though. None of them really list hole spacing/steel and hardware specs and the people selling it don't really know too much either. At least one of them can be bolted to the floor but it looks like it's one bolt per leg.

Money is an issue, but I can make it happen. Plus a rogue rack/bar should have better resale value here.

Thanks for any advice/comments.

[Crimmy]

I admit I don't understand if a bad rack is just annoying to use or also dangerous. I also don't know what constitutes as "bad" other than poor spacing and I guess wobble? So I've posted those pictures in case anyone notices something I didn't notice, but I'd default to the first Chinese rack I mentioned if other more experienced people think it looks ok.

As for why a Rogue rack... I don't have a high opinion for a lot of domestically available products in China with good reason. But I'm not entirety opposed to it either. What do you think of the racks I posted? Anything that jumps out at you and says "crap"?

Don't think I want to source a fabricator, though it's a good idea that I've already thought about.

[Cody]

Half the racks look fantastic and half the racks look just fine. If you're looking at the first one, that's a clone of a really high end EliteFTS rack that sold for something like $3500. Sumo base, front porch/indexing chins, built in Smith machine, etc. If that steel is at least 11g (more likely 3x3 7g), it's complete and epic overkill. Do it.

[MattBraunstein]

The only thing that would concern me is the quality of the welds. If something was to fail, I would think it would be at one of these joints. I'm not sure how you could verify these.

[Crimmy]

JC: Thanks; I understand how to workout poor spacing as I do it daily with my gyms rack. It sucks, but like you said it's doable. I'm hoping to use this rack to gain coaching experience which is why some added precision is important to me.

Regarding a custom rack, I don't know enough about the process and don't have enough faith in local laborers. That's the main reason. As another posted mentioned, if the weld quality is suspect I wouldn't have any way of telling until an accident happened =/. If in another country it'd probably be my first choice.

Cody: You're talking about the one with a crap to of attachments right? I found out the legs have one slot for bolting and the safeties support 500kg and jcups 300kg. Probably won't ever squat that much myself =(. The seller will get back to me tomorrow on spacing. How important is the steel quality? But yeah, that's the one I like best. And they're all within about 125$ of each other. So it's not a huge stretch by any means.

Cody, I also have a recent inzer/best belt (Sept '16) that I recently punched holes into. I know you like dissecting equipment and I took some photos. Is it something you think might be worth posting? I think I've seen you comment on quality changes with Inzer over time.

Schmatt: that's one thing I've seen said a few times here, but I wonder if anyone has experience with such an event. Seems like a good thing to be weary of, but also not something likely enough to worry about.

[Cody]

JC: Thanks; I understand how to workout poor spacing as I do it daily with my gyms rack. It sucks, but like you said it's doable. I'm hoping to use this rack to gain coaching experience which is why some added precision is important to me.

Regarding a custom rack, I don't know enough about the process and don't have enough faith in local laborers. That's the main reason. As another posted mentioned, if the weld quality is suspect I wouldn't have any way of telling until an accident happened =/. If in another country it'd probably be my first choice.

Cody: You're talking about the one with a crap to of attachments right? I found out the legs have one slot for bolting and the safeties support 500kg and jcups 300kg. Probably won't ever squat that much myself =(. The seller will get back to me tomorrow on spacing. How important is the steel quality? But yeah, that's the one I like best. And they're all within about 125$ of each other. So it's not a huge stretch by any means.

Cody, I also have a recent inzer/best belt (Sept '16) that I recently punched holes into. I know you like dissecting equipment and I took some photos. Is it something you think might be worth posting? I think I've seen you comment on quality changes with Inzer over time.

Schmatt: that's one thing I've seen said a few times here, but I wonder if anyone has experience with such an event. Seems like a good thing to be weary of, but also not something likely enough to worry about.

Yes, that rack. Concerning welds, that rack has tons of gussets, the majority of the structure is being reinforced by the 1" hardware. It's most likely heavy enough to not require bolting down. Mine didn't need it but I did it anyway. And yes, bolting to a wooden platform is perfectly fine. The spacing on that is going to be 1" holes with 2" oc spacing (just like the monster line). I personally prefer 2" spacing over westside spacing.

Is the belt an Inzer or a Best? Of its a Best, I already know the quality and materials. If it's an Inzer, I'd be curious what the leather looked like inside the new holes. I swear they're outsourcing part of their production.

[Crimmy]

Ok cool, guess I'll go with that one then.
I bought two barbells from Rogue though, shipping wasn't horrible. Men and women's B&R bar. Pretty excited, haha.

I'll make a new topic regarding the belts. I have both an Inzer and a Best.