Rogue HR-2 Half Rack

Rogue HR-2 Half Rack

The Rogue HR-2 Half Rack is Rogue’s most popular half-rack. This rack is affordable, compact, and versatile. It’s constructed with 3×3 11-gauge steel with 5/8″ holes and Westside spacing. It’s compatible with Rogue’s Monster Lite attachments as well as some attachments from other companies.

This can be purchased as a package or as a conversion piece if you own the SML-1, SML-2, or SML-3 squat stands from Rogue.

Read more below.

Features & Highlights

• Steel Size – The Rogue HR-2 from Rogue is a part of their Monster Lite lineup. It’s constructed with 3×3 11-gauge steel and it’s assembled with a bolt-together design. 3×3 steel is popular for its strength, attachment compatibility, and its overall aesthetic.
• Space-Friendly Design – Half racks are sized similarly to smaller 4-post racks with the main difference being that you will lift outside of the rack. This allows for convenient on-rack storage on the back uprights, which can be challenging on a 4-post rack when lifting inside.
• No Bolt-Down Required – One of the biggest benefits of this half rack is that you don’t have to bolt it down to the ground. The HR-2 is unique in that it includes a flat-foot base. Therefore, you don’t need front foot stabilizers as you do on the Rogue Monster Lite Half Rack and Rogue Monster Collegiate Half Rack.
• Hole/Hardware Sizing – This rack uses 5/8″ hardware, which is one of the most common hardware sizes used on power racks. The rack will accommodate all of Rogue’s Monster Lite Attachments/Accessories as well as some from other companies (read more in the compatibility section below).
• Hole Spacing – The HR-2 Half Rack offers Westside hole spacing, which is a popular feature on 5/8″ racks. The holes are spaced 1″ apart through the bench zone, allowing for finer adjustments on your J-cups and safeties. This can be useful for people who are “in-between” sizes. Above and below the Westside section are holes with standard 2″ spacing between them.
• Exterior Rack Dimensions – This rack has a total length of 48″ and a total width of 49″. The uprights themselves are also 49″ wide, which is fairly common for 3×3 racks. One of the downsides to this width is you have less room between the uprights and the plates. This requires a more efficient walk-out/re-rack since there’s a greater risk of hitting the uprights with your plates. Some racks from REP and Sorinex, for example, have 47″ wide racks which provide more space to work with. The uprights stand either 92.375″ or 110.375″ depending on which option you select.
• Interior Rack Dimensions – The storage section is 17″ deep, which is not enough to lift inside of, but which is enough for properly storing plates. This is a great way to keep organized and increase the overall stability of the rack.
• Safety Options – The HR-2 does not come standard with safeties, however, you can add their pin & pipe safeties and/or spotter arms to your cart directly on the product page. I highly recommend the spotter arms for safety as well as versatility. With these spotters, you can perform rack pulls, etc… and they also include side holes for even more applications. The pin & pipes can be added to the storage section. Since you won’t be lifting in this area, I don’t see them as being practical or necessary.
• No Color Options – This rack only comes in the standard Rogue matte black powder coat.
• Made in America – The HR-2 is made in Ohio.

What’s Included in the Box

The Rogue HR-2 Half Rack includes several pieces as standard:

• (2) Monster Lite J-Cups with UHMW Lining
• (1) 43″ Single Skinny Pull-Up Bar
• (2) 70″ or 90″ Tall Back Uprights For Plate Storage
• (2) 90″ or 108″ Tall Front Uprights
• (1) 2×3 11-Gauge Steel Base Unit

Optionally, you can add pin & pipe safeties, safety spotter arms, plates, and a bar directly on the product page.

Attachment Compatibility

The Rogue HR-2 Half Rack is constructed with 3×3 steel and 5/8″ hardware, which is compatible with Rogue’s Monster Lite Attachments.

Some attachments that I think are worthy of considering include the Rogue Matador, the Rogue Landmine, the Adjustable Monolift, Storage Pins, and the Sandwich J-Cups.

The Matador allows for a portable dip station, the landmines open up a ton of barbell movement versatility, and the monolift eliminates the squat walk-out and makes bench setup MUCH easier. The storage pins are necessary for plate storage and the sandwich cups are also a big improvement over the standard J-cups.

As for attachment compatibility outside of Rogue Fitness, notable places to look are REP Fitness and Titan Fitness. Each of these companies offers attachments that will fit 3×3 and 5/8″ hardware (REP PR-4000 and Titan X-3). One thing to keep in mind is that imported racks use the metric system vs. the imperial system on USA-made racks. This means that hole spacing will be slightly shorter. If you find an attachment that has two pins (or a single pin with a second hitch pin) then it may not fit properly. Single-pin attachments tend to work fine.

What They’re Saying at Rogue Fitness

The Rogue HR-2 Half Rack receives great feedback from users. With an average rating of 4.9/5, here are some of the things people have said at roguefitness.com.

Positive

• “I purchased the HR-2 along with the safety spotter arms and AB-2 bench. This thing is solid. There is slight wiggle on a foam floor without being screwed down. the top of the 90″ uprights will maybe sway a quarter of an inch. this only occurs if you forcefully try to swing left/right on the pullup bar, or grab each of the uprights and try swaying it side to side. there is zero front to back sway even when forcing. The HR-2 is much more solid than I expected and especially much more solid than most people need. The looks of the HR-2 are incredible as well. All-in-all id say this is an excellent product and well worth the money.”
• “I’ve had my half rack for a little over 5 months now and couldn’t be happier! I originally was looking to get a full size rack, but for the price point, the foot print and the attachment options, I couldn’t pass the HR-2 up.”
• “It’s really solid and I don’t get any swaying or shifting when lifting or doing pull ups. I don’t kip when doing pull ups, but I’ve tried and there’s little to no movement of the rack itself. Keep in mind when you are setting up the half rack, not to tighten or fasten any of the bolts until its fully assembled. This allows the rack to settle onto and adjust to any uneven surfaces, making it more stable in places like garages (which have a minimal slope for draining). So if you do kip, I would just be sure to do that. The half rack has a relatively small footprint, which is perfect for those looking to set up a minimal home gym. I was looking at the RML-390F, but it just seemed like overkill for our small, townhouse garage gym. Like the RML-390F, I love the fact that this doesn’t need to be bolted to the ground, which makes moving it around easier and also is more renter friendly. I’m not sure if Rogue recommends this, but I imagine you could also strip it down to look and function more like the SML squat racks. This could be a valuable option if you move frequently like us and need to be able to downsize for a smaller space. I love the open design of a half rack more over a full blown rack/rig. You can tell this is made to last and will retain its value. One thing that I don’t really care for, is the small amount of space between the uprights. I am mindful of the pathway of the bar when I’m lifting, but I just don’t personally like it. It makes me feel a little claustrophobic. I purchased the safety spotter arms in lieu of the safety pins, which I recommend.”
  
• “I originally purchased the Monster flat foot rack. Had it for a while but the space between the uprights was not enough for me. I then upgraded to the RM-4 rack. That was a beast however, I found myself lifting mostly outside of the cage. I finally downsized to the HR-2. I wish I went with my instincts and ordered this first. I added a cross member in the back of this rack for storage and for side to side stability.”
• “I bought this rack Jan. 2021 and it’s by far the best quality bench/squat rack I’ve ever owned. (Owned 2 previously) – easy to build, doesn’t need to be bolted down, moveable, and motivating by just looking at it.
  It costs a pretty penny once you get your custom touch to it but it’s a great investment in the long run in my opinion.”
• “I bought this over two months ago and use the rack every day, whether it’s an actual workout or just hanging/leg raises from the pull-up bar it has exceeded my expectations! The rack is super sturdy even before I added any weight for it to hold (i.e. muscle-ups or those weird I bet even for those crossfit pull-ups – if that’s your thing). SO many options to adjust the height, more than my old gym’s racks!”

Critical

• None Noted

Garage Gym Lab Review

Garage Gym Lab has not yet reviewed the Rogue HR-2 Half Rack.

Other Options

The below racks were picked as alternatives to the Rogue HR-2 Half Rack.