What equipment to get for home gym?

hybrid09 wrote: ↑ Been looking for a basic rack for bench/squat for <$400, found this on Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/Sunny-Health-Fitn ... 081S9FC5X/

Should it hold up for basic use? I'm not a powerlifter by any means. I saw that the Fitness Reality 810XLT is also on sale for $365 but not sure I need a cage and it has no where to store plates.

hybrid09 wrote: ↑ Been looking for a basic rack for bench/squat for <$400, found this on Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/Sunny-Health-Fitn ... 081S9FC5X/

Should it hold up for basic use? I'm not a powerlifter by any means. I saw that the Fitness Reality 810XLT is also on sale for $365 but not sure I need a cage and it has no where to store plates.

cRaZyRaVr wrote: ↑ I would highly recommend against that one you linked to and highly recommend the FR 810. Quality stuff. Think about the safety, ease of use, and future expansion / additions. You can always add the plate pegs if need be.

multimut wrote: ↑ "Cage" or Full Power Rack, is not only for serious lifters. A full power rack (with four posts) will protect you in event of a failed lift, whereas a squat rack (only two posts) won't necessary fully protect you. if you lift alone, paying a bit more for a power rack is worth it for safety reasons. If space is limited, you might have to make do with a squat rack, but if you have room for a full power rack, it is worth it for safety reasons.

Here's one blog article on the pros and cons:
https://gymcrafter.com/squat-rack-or-power-rack/

ram0s wrote: ↑ For those looking for gym mats, Costco (Mississauga South) has the 3'x4'x3/4" rubber mats in stock.

I bought some gym equipment (power rack, barbell, and bench) and decided to pick up two of these mats

• Richmond Hill: Had 100 in stock as of last Friday
• Woodbine & Hwy 7: Does not have in stock
• Warden and Ellesmere: had about 100 in stock as of last Friday.
• Overlea: Had many in stock (I didn't ask how many).

cRaZyRaVr wrote: ↑ I would highly recommend against that one you linked to and highly recommend the FR 810. Quality stuff. Think about the safety, ease of use, and future expansion / additions. You can always add the plate pegs if need be.

HaZaRd wrote: ↑ Damn, kind of annoyed I missed that deal for $365, as it's now well over $600.

Any thoughts on this rack? https://www.gearforfit.com/p138-half-power-rack

I know it's not a full power rack, but I think it would suit my purposes for now.

SoGood wrote: ↑ looking at bumper plates:

what do you guys think? rubber plates from known brand name? or competition plates from a lesser known brand?
I'm looking at Rogue Fleck Plates or Novalook.ca Competition Plates

SoGood wrote: ↑ So, I do CrossFit and oly lifting, which is why I'm focusing on bumpers.

Not planning to drop from overhead. Probably just from waist height due to ceiling restrictions.

Yes. Was thinking the value for the competition plates are pretty good from a price point perspective

Madevilz wrote: ↑ Is Ironax a reputable brand? They have a clone of the Powertec Levergym for about $400 cheaper, was wondering if I should take a chance and go with them instead of Powertec's. https://www.treadmillfactory.ca/ironax-xls-leverage-gym

Caerus wrote: ↑ Well, I might as well resurrect the thread and answer this. I picked one up used. Had to move my power rack to a new spot as I'm starting to run out of space for stuff.

Anyway, I've got a friend who owns the yellow Powertec Levergym, so I was able to compare the Ironax to it. The Ironax is built almost identically to the Powertec. Same build quality and everything, no shortcuts taken. You'd think they came out of the same factory. Both rock solid once you weigh it down with some plates.


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The Ironax though, actually has a design improvement over the Powertec. I noticed once it was assembled and was using it. The Ironax doesn't come with any lock collars for the weight plate horns like the Powertec. This is because all of them are angled slightly upward so the plates will never come off. The Powertec horns are angled up on the main arms, but not the lat/low cable horns on the rear.

This is the main difference. Everything else is quite literally identical (even down to the same weird choice of 1" weight plate storage horns). The Ironax actually has 2 rear arms. There is a triangular hinge mechanism in between connected to both arms that the horns are attached to at an upward angle. As you pull the cable, both arms raise, but the smaller arm raises at a different angle, pulling the bottom of the hinge mechanism inward as it raises. This keeps the orientation of the weight plates horns always angled upward, throughout the entire range. It's actually pretty slick. You don't have to worry about lock collars or the plates moving around.


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Here's the Powertec lat/low cable arm and horns by comparison. The Powertec only has 1 arm in the rear and the horns are directly attached to it.


Powertec.jpeg


So if you're still interested in the Ironax a year and a half later , I'd say go for it. It's cheaper that the Powertec, build quality is identical, and it actually has a better design as well.

DeeKayYen wrote: ↑ Hi do Powertec attachments fit Ironax FID bench? I am really interested in the chest fly attachment of Powertec, and this is the one thing making me to lean towareds getting Powertec.

cRaZyRaVr wrote: ↑ Spend a bit more and go with this. https://www.gearforfit.com/p118-gf-1000 ... power-rack
You can also add a pull down section later on if you like.