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Introduction
The PR-1100 from Rep Fitness is an excellent option for anyone needing a power rack without wanting to spend their yearly gym allowance on a single item. It’s built with high quality, and many features make it nearly impossible to beat for the price. The PR-1100 may be the best power rack that you can get for under $400.
This review will discuss:
- The 1000 Series from Rep
- Specs of the PR-1100
- The Assembly Process
- Attachment Options
- Where it may fall short.
1000-Series Rack
REP’s budget line of power racks is their 1000 series, and they feature 3 options. The options are very similar, with a few differences.
If the height is an issue, check out the REP 1050, labeled the “Short Home Gym Rack.” It is 72” tall and perfect if you are limited in height in your gym space.
If you have the height in your space, check out the PR 1100 and the PR 1000. Both are priced under $300, have a similar footprint, and use 2”x2” uprights with 1” holes and 14 gauge steel. The difference is the hole spacing and the multi-grip pull-up bar.
The PR 1000 uses 2” hole spacing and comes with the straight pull up bar.
The PR 1100 has a multi-grip pull-up bar but has 3” hole spacing. For the 2” hole spacing, it will cost you an extra $20.
Whatever you decide, these are arguably the best power racks you can get for the price. For this review, we will focus on the PR 1100, but keep in mind the subtle difference between these three.
Specs
The overall footprint of this power rack is 84″ tall (top of pull-up bar) x 48″ wide x 47.5″ deep. You can also save a few inches of height if you mount the pull-up bar upside down.
The interior area is just a tad smaller (79″ x 44″ x 45.5″). It is plenty of room for most to squat in.
Overall, it doesn’t take up too much space, making it an excellent option for those working with limited areas. Plus, you can get a colored option (red, blue, silver, metallic black) to add some flair!
Included Features
The pull-up bar includes a standard size bar in front, a thicker one in the back (or vice-versa if depending on installation), and then a neutral grip options in between for even more variability.
This bar is arched making it taller in the middle (or lower in the middle if you choose to assemble it upside down to save some height).
You might experience some wobble when using the pull-up bar depending on your size, but you can limit this by adding a bar with some plates to it on the back or adding the extra post plate storage or lat pulldown tower for extra weight/stability.
In general, it feels sturdy, and a multi-grip pull-up option adds even more versatility to the power rack, especially if you have a pair of rings or bands to attach to it. The pull-up bar is rated with a capacity of 400 pounds.
Numbered uprights are always a perk. It takes out the guessing you might have to do when setting up your j-cups or safety bars.
The REP PR 1100 uses laser-cut numbered uprights for holes 1, 5, 10, and 15. There are 20 total holes, and it is easy enough to count from the numbered holes to make sure everything is in line.
The laser-cut numbers give you a quality, clean look and won’t peel off or scuff as stickers would. The 1” holes are all spaced 3” apart (or 2” on the PR 1000). This rack does not use the now-popular ‘Westside spacing.’
The j-cups are lined with 3 pieces of UHMW plastic to protect the barbell knurl and eliminate noise when racking and re-racking.
The UHMW is screwed into the j-cup with a single screw. This means the plastic will turn in the j-cup. Not a big deal, but a slight annoyance. The j-cup weight capacity is stated at 1,000 pounds.
The safety bars are chrome plated and easy to move in and out. They use a ‘twist-in safety setting instead of a linchpin, which makes adjustments quick and easy.
The safety bars also give you an additional ‘j-cup’ on the outside of the rack that you can rest your barbell. The outside is not lined with anything to protect your bar so user beware.
Assembly
Assembly was quick and easy. It can be put together in under an hour by just one person. It’s easily manageable with a single person, but with most things, you could cut the time nearly in half with a second set of hands.
REP includes two wrenches which are pretty standard to any self-assembly item. Using just those wrenches would be less than ideal.
Having a socket wrench makes the process easier, and a power drill would shed some time off assembly. All parts are bolted together with washers, nuts, and bolts.
The rack weighs 130 pounds and can be moved from one spot in the gym to another relatively easily.
Large Rack Attachments
REP 1000 Series Weight Storage:
This upgrade/attachment turns any of the 4-post 1000 series racks into 6-post racks. The added 2 posts are about 5 inches shorter than your original 4 posts (at least for the 1100 and 1000).
Two short feet bolt into the bottom of the rack, and two longer arms clamp onto the top of the rack. Down each arm holds 4-2” Olympic plate holders 18” apart. This leaves plenty of room to hold bumper plates on each arm (bumper plates are 17.5” diameter; standard).
You can access the plate holders from the outside of the rack, while 2 barbell holders (one on each side) sit inside the rack attachment.
The empty rack attachment adds some extra stability, but the rack’s stability is significant when it is filled with plates. This attachment does take up an additional 5.5 sq/ft of floor space, but in that floor space, you now can store 2 barbells and a full set of plates.
This is a great option if storage is an issue you face. The attachment is currently priced at $149, which is a great price for what you get.
REP 1000 Series Lat and Row Attachment:
This versatile attachment is only an option for the 1000 and 1100 series racks.
It is connected with a single post at the bottom (which wraps under the rack and bolts in) and a single post that connects to the top of the rack. The top and bottom posts are made from the same 14 gauge 2”x2” steel that makes up the rack. Running between the top and bottom post is a chrome 2”x2” post that the plate loader fits over and slides up and down on.
The instructions are a bit difficult to follow (a small labeled picture that is difficult to see), but it did not take much effort or time to make sense of the instructions and complete the installation.
This attachment requires an extra 21” behind the original footprint of the rack (that includes the space needed for an Olympic sized plate), and from the floor stands 85 ⅛” from the ground; that’s about an inch taller than the multi-grip pull up bar installed at its tallest.
The attachment comes with a wide grip lat-pulldown bar, which has a rubber grip on the outside grip and a knurl on the inside steel. It also comes with a short straight bar. The straight bar does not have a bearing. It also comes with 2 spring clips.
The ‘single-post design for a cable system (meaning the plate loader moving up and down a 2”x2” post) is not as smooth as a cable system that uses 2 thin rods like the REP PR 4000 and 5000 Lat and Low Row attachment; or Titan Seated Lat Pull-Down.
Those are also $350 attachments for racks that are more than double the cost of the 1000 series racks.
That being said, the Lat/Low Row Attachment for the 1000 series racks is a great addition. The plate-loaded option for the ‘single post needs to be loaded evenly on each side. If you don’t, you will feel friction when you pull. When you factor in the price ($179 at the time of this article), you can’t beat it.
Other Add Ons
The PR 1100 squat rack comes with a pair of j-cups*, a pair of chrome-plated safety bars*, and the multi-grip pull-up bar*.
REP does offer additional add-ons, like:
- Lat-pulldown/Low-row cable attachment (see above)
- 2-post weight storage (see above)
- It comes with 8 weight horns are 2 bar holders
- Weight horns for plate storage
- Dip attachment
- Landmine attachment
REP’s Budget Rack; Where it might fall short:
REP knows what they are offering. This is a full rack with great attachments, and the price is almost unbeatable.
As worded by REP: ‘Max your lifts – not your credit card.’ They offer other power rack options that are beefier and give you more attachment options, but you have to pay them.
Below are some things to consider when wondering if this rack is for you.
- Re-racking Heavy Weight: If you are someone who lifts heavy and you drive the bar back into the j-cups when re-racking a bench, or you lean hard into the j-cups when re-racking a heavy squat, the rack may give a slight tip. The PR 1100 does not give you a bolt-down option to secure the rack to the floor. A back-of-the-rack attachment (like the extra storage attachment or pulley system) does provide additional support, especially if you have the weight storage system and it is loaded with plates.
- No bolt-down option: This is referenced above. This rack does not allow you to bolt it into the floor, giving you less stability than a rack that would bolt down into the floor. You may have less stability, but the rack can be easily moved or repositioned on the flip side.
- Limited Attachments: You are only given 1 j-cup option and 1 safety bar option for this rack. Other REP racks give you multiple j-cup options, safety options like safety straps, spotter arms for the outside of the rack, and different safety bar options. That being said, both Titan Fitness and Valor offer rack add-ons for 2”x2” uprights and 1” holes.
Upgrade Option from REP
All of the areas where the PR-1100 comes up short can be solved by upgrading to one of REP’s more premium options such as the OMNI Rack, which does include more attachments and a more stable base that does not need to be bolted down. Read the review here.
With that being said, this PR-1100 will cost about a third of the most basic OMNI setup.
Conclusion
In the end, this is probably the best power rack that you’ll find in this price range. While there are others out there with more features (for more $$$), it’s an excellent option for most home gym owners. It is not too good to be true, like many may believe when first looking at the price. This is a great starter rack, but it can easily be a forever rack for most people. With a listed weight capacity of 700 lbs, it would be sufficient for most home gyms. Whether you are looking to upgrade from a squat rack or want your first for the home gym, you should feel confident about ordering the PR-1100 from Rep Fitness.
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