Some common advice from veteran home gym owners is to buy “once cry once” on many of the primary pieces of gym equipment like a bench, squat rack, and barbell. However, they also mention that this is not as important on “accessory type” objects. For those building out their home gym one step at a time and on a tight budget, it’s recommended to save where you can. Certain items will “just get the job done,” and there is no need to get something fancy. This Portable Plate and Barbell Storage Tree is an example of that, which will do a fine job storing your weight plates and barbells.
This storage can handle a heavy load, doesn’t take up a ton of footprint, no need to drill into the wall, portable, and one of the lower-cost options out there. So if you’ve got plates lying around, this is definitely an option to consider.
First off, it comes in several pieces, but the installation is simple. It took between 10 and 20 minutes to assemble. The result is a pretty stout storage piece with a load capacity of 1,000 lbs. The welds aren’t beautiful, and some of the end caps aren’t perfectly placed, but overall it holds together nicely. It’s very stable.
Additional specs include:
- 6 weight posts of 8.25.” The recommended loadable length is 7 inches. For reference, this will likely fit 4 (45 lb) iron plates or 3 (45 lb) bumper plates on each side without any issues.
- The overall footprint is 24.5″ x 24.5.” It stands at nearly 67.” So while you need a bit of space on either end to grab the plates, not much space is needed at all. Many may prefer an option like this because it doesn’t need to be drilled into the wall.
- Caster wheels at the bottom help make this portable. Therefore, you’re able to wheel it around the gym. With a ton of weight, it’s difficult but not impossible to move across the room. For example, you’ll see it loaded up with 735 lbs below. The wheels can also be locked into place when not in use.
- 2 barbell holders are included, which fit any standard barbell. With plates in, it’s a bit of a tight squeeze to get your hand in there, but overall there aren’t any issues getting the barbell in or out.
- The black powder coat finish will get dinged up over time, but should at least look good from a distance for awhile. This won’t limit the amount of weight it will be able to hold.
To conclude, this is a solid storage option at one of the lower prices you’ll find. It’s strong, portable, has a small footprint, will help keep your home gym tidy, and is easy to add or remove plates. For those needing to get their weight off the floor, this makes for a solid option. It’s as simple as that.
