Introduction
The 2×2 steel post with 1″ holes is the generic ‘starter’ power rack; known as a great budget option for new home gym owners.
REP’s 1000 series is a very popular option for its affordability and its versatility with a decent number of rack attachments. REP’s 2×2 options also have a lot of popularity due to the companies growth in recent years.
A very similar rack that seems to have good reviews from happy customers despite its company’s polarizing popularity is the T2 from Titan. The Titan T-2 rack is a 2×2″ rack design that uses 12 gauge steel and 1″ holes. What stands out the most about this rack is the number of attachments they offer for this ‘ground-floor’ model rack, but is it worth it, and how does it compare to the REP 1000 series rack?
We took a look at the Titan T2 and the REP 1100 and tried to give you a breakdown of the comparisons.
Is there a better rack?
*It is worth noting we are directly comparing the REP 1100 with the Titan T2. The T2 shares a design with the REP 1000, but both the REP 1000 and 1100 are priced and built similarly with small design differences.
The Steel
The T2 and the REP 1100 both use a 2×2″ steel frame with 1″ holes, but the REP rack uses 14 gauge steel while the T2 uses 12 gauge steel.
If you are unaware of how steel gauge works, the smaller the number, the thicker the steel. That means that the Titan rack technically uses thicker steel.
It is hard to tell the difference by holding pieces from each rack and examining the thickness. Still, the Titan rack gets a slight nod in this category.
Sturdiness
All racks will have some movement, but for obvious reasons, 2×2″ frames have more wobble than their beefier upgrades.
In the battle of the sturdier rack, we are looking at these racks without extra attachments and without bolting them to the floor. How do they compare when sitting ‘naked’ and in use?
Both racks have similar builds. They have 2 feet bolted to a back brace, and the uprights are bolted at the feet.
At the top, the racks have their differences. The REP 1100 uses triangular plates to brace the corners. The T2 uses two vertically stacked bolts and holes.
That being said, the multi-grip pull-up bar on the REP rack is set in from the front corner, while the T2 straight bar is bolted right at the corners. The T2 also has an extra 1.5″ length in foot support, and the uprights are spaced an additional 2″ apart.
These small moves give extra stability and make the T2 sturdier than the REP rack.
*For this comparison, the racks were compared ‘naked’; without any rack attachments. The REP 1100 becomes sturdy when adding the weight attachment and adds even more bulk when adding the lat-pulldown/low row attachment.
Accessories
The T2 rack has 15 different accessories that you can add to the rack.
- Lat Tower/Low Row
- 10″ Extension Kit
- Spotter Arms
- Leg Holder for Lat Tower
- Vertical Mount Barbell Holder
- Safety Straps
- Dip Bars
- Y-Dip Attachment
- Stealth Leg Press
- 3 Different J-Cup Options
- Multi-Grip Pull-up Bar
- Dumbbell Weight Bar Holders
- MonoLifts
REP 1000 series racks give you six different upgrade/add-on options.
- Lat-Pull down/Low Row tower
- Weight Storage
- Landmine attachment
- Dip bar attachment
- Standard j-cups
- Extra weight horns
Both racks offer the most enticing accessory is the lat-pulldown/low row attachment. The prices on the two attachments are very similar, but it is worth noting that the REP attachment uses a 2×2″ chrome post that the weight travels along while the T2 attachment uses dual rods.
The REP version works well, but the post version creates more friction than the dual rods, and weight that travels on a dual rods is typically a smoother pulley system.
The low row on the T2 attachment also has a built-in footplate which is a nice feature.
Comparing the dip options, the T2 again has the better options (two different ones!). REP’s dip attachment for the 1000 series racks has you moving your safety bars to the same side of the frame and attaching your dip bars off the side of the rack. The T2 dip bars attach to your rack like a j-cup and are easy to take on and off. They also have their Y-dip attachment, which connects like a j-cup on one side of the rack.
When looking at accessories and add-ons for these two racks, the T2 takes this category hands down.
Swapping Accessories
*This is a sub-category and will not play a role in determining which rack is ‘best.’
Being that these racks both use 2×2″ uprights with 1″ holes, you may ask the question: Can’t you use the T2 rack accessories on the REP rack? Answer: Kind of.
Here we are comparing the T2 with the REP 1100. The T2 uses 2″ hole spacing, while 1100 uses 3″ hole spacing. Some of the T2 rack add-ons use a safety lock-in pin to secure them tightly to the rack.
You can use things like the roller j-cups on the REP 1100 (and they will work), but you cannot use the lock-in pins as intended. Other add-ons like the dip bars don’t use the lock-in pins and work perfectly fine on the REP rack.
The REP 1000 uses 2″ hole spacings, so the holes/safeties for the attachments should match up perfectly.
The Details
The T2 has a boxy design (similar to the REP 1000; like identical…). The Titan T2 logo is a sticker on the back cross-member, and they use pipe safeties. There are over 25 1″ holes on the uprights without any numbers.
The REP safeties used are twist-in extended safeties in which you can rack a barbell on the outside of the rack. The REP 1100 has some curves to it (which never hurt). The REP rack also uses numbered uprights, an underrated addition if you’re not used to them. The REP logo is in the center of the back cross member and is laser cut into a thin metal sheet. The logo is also etched into the UHMW of the j-cups.
We were talking about racks under $400, so these may not be issues for many buyers, but for the sake of competition, REP gets the points on this category of the comparison.
Recap
The REP PR 1100 edged out the Titan T2 on the details and also the company reputation when polling the general masses (though it is important to note that the Titan product line has improved, as has the overall customer experience).
When it comes to the steel used the Titan rack technically gets the nod, but in a side-by-side comparison the steel was pretty similar. Both racks have a similar weight capacity; REP 1100 listed at 700 lbs and the T2 listed capacity at 850 lbs. If you are lifting over those numbers in a rack, you should not be looking at a 2×2 style rack for under $400 (in our opinion).
The Titan T2 is a sturdier rack than the REP 1100, but it has a similar (strikingly similar) build to the REP 1000. Those racks use the same rack design with 2″ hole spacing. The difference is that the T2 has the bolt-down option in the feet, whereas the REP 1000 does not.
It was also noted that where the T2 shines in all of the accessories and add-ons available, most of these add-ons can be used on the REP rack without any significant issues.
The big takeaway is not to count out the T2. If you are looking to buy a 2×2″ style rack with 1″ holes and keep it/build upon it for the foreseeable future, then the T2 should be strongly considered. If you are looking for a good starter rack from a brand like REP Fitness, the REP 1100 is a great option.
Conclusion
These are two great budget-friendly options, and with there only being a $20 difference (both offering free shipping), price should not be an issue.
On one side, there is the T2 which is a sturdy 2×2″ style rack with a ton of excellent attachments that you can build out your rack with.
On the other side is a great company like REP with little details (numbered uprights, sleeker look), and remember, many of those Titan attachments will work on 1100.
These are two of the best-priced rack options, and you really can’t go wrong with either one. Which one works best for your situation? Hopefully, you read enough to be able to answer that question.
