Rogue R-3 Power Rack

Rogue R-3 Power Rack

The Rogue R-3 Power Rack is one of the most popular 4-post racks on the market. Popularized by Louie Simmons and the Westside barbell crew, this rack is built to withstand virtually anything.

Unlike the Bolt-together R-3, this version of the R-3 has welded sides, it only comes in a 24″ depth, and it can be purchased in two heights (90″ or 84″). Otherwise, it has similar specs like 2×3 steel, 47″ width, Westside hole spacing, etc…

With this being a welded rack, keep in mind that portability is a bigger consideration since you can’t break it down like you can a bolt-together rack. If you train in a basement, for instance, navigating this rack may be more challenging.

Read more below.

Features & Highlights

• Steel Size – The R-3 Power Rack from Rogue is a part of their R-series (formerly known as the Infinity Series) family. It’s constructed with 2×3 11-gauge steel and it’s fully welded. 2×3 steel is very sturdy and it’s capable of handling virtually anything you can throw at it.
• 4-Post Design – As a 4-post rack, you’ll save some space compared to a 6-post rack. There are two other differences worth considering: plate storage and stability. On a 4-post rack, while you can store plates on the back upright, you may find that the plates can interfere with your setup when lifting inside the rack. This is particularly true on the bench press. The workaround is to bench press from the inside of the opposite upright. In terms of stability, this rack will need to be bolted into the ground or onto a platform.
• 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 Infinity Attachments/Accessories as well as some from other companies (read more in the compatibility section below).
• Hole Spacing – The R-3 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 is the smallest in the R-series family with a total length of 34″ and a total width of 53″ (includes footplates). In terms of the uprights themselves, the dimensions are 30″ deep and 47″ wide. One of the main benefits of a 2×3 rack is the 47″ width. This gives you more room to cleanly un-rack and re-rack your bar without concern of clipping the uprights with the plates on the bar. For instance, Rogue’s 3×3 racks have a 49″ outside upright width, which makes a bar sit 2″ tighter to the uprights. The uprights can be purchased in 90″ or 84″ height, which is a benefit over the Bolt-Together version if you’re training in a space with lower ceiling clearance.
• Interior Rack Dimensions – The interior lifting area measures 24″ deep. While this is enough room to safely lift in, some users may find it to be too cramped. If you’d like additional space, the 30″ Bolt-Together R3 is the better choice.
• Safety Options – This rack includes pin & pipe safeties as standard, which are common for this style of rack. This safety system is a bit cumbersome to set up and it has a powder-coated exterior, which isn’t great for barbell protection. Rogue does not offer full interior safeties with UHMW lining (more protection) for their R-series racks. They do, however, offer safety arms with UHMW for the front of the rack.
• No Color Options – One of the downsides to the R-series lineup is that they only come in standard black powder coat. If you want something with color, you’ll need to upgrade to the RML-490C or the RM-4.
• Made in America – The R-3 is made in Ohio.

What’s Included in the Box

The Rogue R-3 includes several attachments as standard:

• (2) Infinity J-Cups
• (2) Pin & Pipe Safeties
• (4) Band Pegs
• (1) Fat (2″ diameter)/Skinny (1.25″) Pull-Up Bar
• (2) Welded Side Panels (90″ or 84″ height and 24″ crossmembers)

Optionally, you can add a concrete anchor kit (bolting required). You can also add from a selection of barbells (includes HG collars), benches, and plates right on the product page to save on shipping and build out a complete setup.

Attachment Compatibility

The R-3 Power Rack is constructed with 2×3 steel and 5/8″ hardware, which is compatible with Rogue’s Infinity Attachments.

Here you can add additional accessories to your rack or you can upgrade the ones that come standard with the R-3. Some attachments that I think are worthy of considering include the Rogue Matador, the Rogue Landmine, and the Safety Spotter Arms.

The Matador allows for a portable dip station, the landmines open up a ton of barbell movement versatility, and the safety spotters are better than Pin & Pipes and they allow for outside rack lifting.

As for attachment compatibility outside of Rogue Fitness, two notable places to look are Titan Fitness and Fringe Sport. Both companies offer attachments that will fit 2×3 and 5/8″ hardware. 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 R-3 Power Rack receives very positive feedback from users. With an average rating of 4.9/5, here are some of the things people have said at roguefitness.com.

Positive

• “Fits perfectly below my basement joists! I can finally max bench by myself without the risk of decapitation. Just having this in my basement raises testosterone levels in the whole house, even my dog is looking veiny.”
• “This review is for the 24″ depth shorty rack. The height and depth are perfect for my needs–smaller footprint but still very sturdy. I love the hole spacing. It’s not currently bolted as I’m still deciding on its final placement and I’m not pushing around huge weight. While it’s possible to use this without bolting, I plan on doing so as it doesn’t feel 100% safe without. I’d say don’t get this rack if you can’t or don’t want to bolt it down. Otherwise, overall, if you have the budget for it, it’s hard to go wrong with this rack.”
• “Do you remember the old Chevy Silverado ads that had the truck dashing across rugged terrain while Bob Seger’s “Like A Rock” played? Rogue should copy that commercial and make one for the R-3 Power Rack. This thing is rock solid. Built to last, incredible quality, and sturdy as can be. Received in just over 30 days during a pandemic – tremendous. Just add to cart and stop thinking about it!”
  
• “I have had my R-3 for over 5 year now and it is a beast still. The only downside, and I will not take a star away for this as I knew it when I bought it, the Infinity rigs have less accessories than the Monster or Monster Lite rigs. I would kill for an Infinity Slinger (hint hint). The R-3 though has been exceptional for me at home. The footprint is not crazy large and it stands up to any amount of weight I am able to put on it. Could not be happier.”
• “The R3 rack is solid and easy to put together. They ability to work inside and outside of the rack for specific exercises is great. The comfort of the safety pins always being the right height is such a relief when I lift alone. This is the best Rogue piece of equipment I have ever used.”
• “Good quality. Wish I had bought it sooner. Stop searching the internet and just buy one.”

Critical

• “The only downside is that many of the add ons are either no longer made or need retro-fitting. As the original rack I would have thought that Rogue would have continued to make add-ons available. I would love to have the infinity straps available again, especially since the pandemic has caused so many people to build out their own gyms.”
• “I’ve had this rack for about a month now in my home gym and I love it. I just wish I went with the RML3 instead because it is 3×3 uprights which has more varieties of attachments, and it cost around $60 more which is worth it. The regular R3 comes with 2×3 uprights which does not come with many attachments because the upright is off by an inch which does not let me get a certain attachment that I want because it only fits 3×3 uprights.”

Garage Gym Lab Review

Garage Gym Lab has owned and reviewed the R-3 Power rack (bolt together version). You can also view the synopsis below:

[letsreview postid=”1409″]

Other Options

The below racks were picked as alternatives to the Rogue R-3 Power Rack.