Regrets and Ripoffs

[Wilhelm]

No regrets on 5/8" for westside spacing.

Why do you regret it?

Most of the attachments I see, other than pulley systems, aren't great.

I just don't adjust the jcups and safeties to that level of specificity, and at the time I bought the rack the Monster Lite series didn't come with options like numbered holes/colors. I get around the numbers with these: https://rocketpacksupply.com/products/arch which are fine.

I'm getting to be more of an equipment snob over the years. Not enough that I want to buy another rack, just would have done in differently in retrospect.

If you don't like it, then you don't.
I won't attempt to argue with that.

5/8" Monster Lite is already overbuilt (in a good way)
I use 2 holes for spotter arms and j-cups, squat and bench.
Used a few stickers at first, which are still there, but for the spotter arms it's top Westside hole for squats, and two down from that for bench.
At this point, the wear pattern shows clearly where stuff goes.
Just personally i wouldn't sacrifice the spacing for numbered holes.
I have a stand alone dip stand that i love, and wouldn't trade for a Matador attachment.

My Xmark dip stand would go in the "No regrets" thread if there were (is?) one.
$112 shipped at the time, and about $150 now, which is still a good value imo.

[SnakePlissken]

@dw Yeah, those types of racks are designed to withstand years of abuse from random idiots, but they kinda suck for actual use. I remember seeing a lot of older bodybuilder types in the home gym FB group that would scoff at people buying a Titan rack to save money when they could get a “great deal” on a used Hammer Strength rack if they were patient…

My old PLing gym had 1 Hammer Strength rack and it was always the last one taken because nobody liked it. It started as a really small gym so I think it was original equipment for them, but like you said the hole spacing was shit and the j-hooks were comically large. There's a reason they become "a great deal" when a gym upgrades their equipment and sees if they can get anything back for those things. Like 3x3, 1/8" tube's strength vs 2x3 11 GA is irrelevant in terms of what a human can lift.

[Hardartery]

@dw Yeah, those types of racks are designed to withstand years of abuse from random idiots, but they kinda suck for actual use. I remember seeing a lot of older bodybuilder types in the home gym FB group that would scoff at people buying a Titan rack to save money when they could get a “great deal” on a used Hammer Strength rack if they were patient…

My old PLing gym had 1 Hammer Strength rack and it was always the last one taken because nobody liked it. It started as a really small gym so I think it was original equipment for them, but like you said the hole spacing was shit and the j-hooks were comically large. There's a reason they become "a great deal" when a gym upgrades their equipment and sees if they can get anything back for those things. Like 3x3, 1/8" tube's strength vs 2x3 11 GA is irrelevant in terms of what a human can lift.

The only one I have used (That I can remember) kinda sucked. It was better than those stupid York racks, but not by a lot.

[Skander]

@dw Yeah, those types of racks are designed to withstand years of abuse from random idiots, but they kinda suck for actual use. I remember seeing a lot of older bodybuilder types in the home gym FB group that would scoff at people buying a Titan rack to save money when they could get a “great deal” on a used Hammer Strength rack if they were patient…

I was just following a thread like this about commerical benches. I generally kind of hate them, they are insanely slippery so that they can easily be cleaned, they're heavy to move around and often weirdly narrow and short. My rep adjustable isn't perfect, but it holds my back, it's wide, regulation height and I can stand it on end for storage. It just is a better option for my home gym.

[Clearwater47]

I only really have 2 things I regret getting - A Bandbell Bar and a Rackable Trap Bar.

Both of them are quality pieces of equipment. I just don't use them nearly as much as I expected I would, and not even close to enough to justify the space they take up or the cost. The trap bar gets used maybe once a month. the bandbell bar has been sitting in a corner for close to 2 years. If space wasn't at a premium I'd gladly hold onto them forever, but unfortunately it is and I really should just get rid of them.

Something positive has come from them though. I'm now much more cautious about buying equipment.

[hector]

I only really have 2 things I regret getting - A Bandbell Bar and a Rackable Trap Bar.

Both of them are quality pieces of equipment. I just don't use them nearly as much as I expected I would, and not even close to enough to justify the space they take up or the cost. The trap bar gets used maybe once a month. the bandbell bar has been sitting in a corner for close to 2 years. If space wasn't at a premium I'd gladly hold onto them forever, but unfortunately it is and I really should just get rid of them.

Something positive has come from them though. I'm now much more cautious about buying equipment.

Have you thought about working in new exercises with the equipment? Maybe doing farmer’s carrys as finishers with the trap bar?

[Clearwater47]

I only really have 2 things I regret getting - A Bandbell Bar and a Rackable Trap Bar.

Both of them are quality pieces of equipment. I just don't use them nearly as much as I expected I would, and not even close to enough to justify the space they take up or the cost. The trap bar gets used maybe once a month. the bandbell bar has been sitting in a corner for close to 2 years. If space wasn't at a premium I'd gladly hold onto them forever, but unfortunately it is and I really should just get rid of them.

Something positive has come from them though. I'm now much more cautious about buying equipment.

Have you thought about working in new exercises with the equipment? Maybe doing farmer’s carrys as finishers with the trap bar?

I don't have space to use the trap bar for Farmer's Carries even if I wanted to (and I agree it would be a good use for it). There have been times where I've used it for shrugs. One time used it for T-Bar Rows with a landmine attachment. Also used it for neutral grip pressing work at times. The only one I really like it for is the shrugs, but I rarely do them - almost always looking for the biggest bang for the buck type of exercises, and shrugs are just really far down that list. Like I said, there's absolutely nothing wrong with the trap bar. It's a good and useful piece of equipment. It's definitely good to have if space isn't a concern. I just happen to be strapped for space AND don't use it very often. Bad combination.