Finding the right power rack to be the centerpiece of your iron sanctuary can be one of the most difficult decisions to make when building out a home gym. However, REP Fitness is alleviating this difficulty with the PR-4000 and the PR-5000. Power racks are one of the most useful pieces of equipment and are superior to a squat rack or bench rack as they provide the means to perform essentially any exercise imaginable. On top of repping out your back squats and hitting your new bench press PR, the right power rack can make all the difference in the world for your gains with attachments that allow accessory work.
Both of these power racks are forged from 11-gauge steel and feature a weight capacity of 1,000 pounds — so they’re structurally sound for your heavy lifts. REP also has a unique rack builder feature that allows you to determine the rack’s overall size and color scheme, as well as any attachments you may want to add. You may be wondering, “How are they different?” The materials aren’t different, but there are some variations regarding details that might make you lean toward one over the other — including the price, the overall size, the number of attachments you can add, the hole spacing on the uprights, and the spacing between each pinhole. Follow along as we compare these two sturdy power racks from REP Fitness, and help you figure out which one is the best fit for your home gym.
REP PR-4000 Power Rack Highlights
Regardless of your experience level, the PR-4000 is built to stand the test of time. The 11-gauge steel uprights on this rack can hold up to 1,000 pounds. Unless you’re one of the most elite athletes in the world, this weight limit should suit you just fine. The uprights also have westside spacing (one inch between each hole) through the area where you would rack your barbell while benching, and two-inch spacing everywhere else between the ⅝-inch pinholes.
This rack is made of 11-gauge steel, and comes at either 80” or 93” tall, and 24”, 30” or 41” deep. While it may be larger than other power racks, it also offers more attachment options, including those for dips, bands, leg rollers, and more.
The price for this rack is determined by the style of the attachments you choose to add on — that’s part of step one of the building process — as well as any other attachments you might like to include. If you aren’t interested in all of the possible attachments, the cheapest this rack can be is about $950. On the flip side, you could potentially spend nearly $4,000. Unless you want to add on the Ares attachment — which essentially adds a functional trainer to your PR-4000 for an additional $2,800.
Among the attachment options for this rack are iso arms (or jammers), which allow you to perform explosive movements aimed to develop upper body strength. You can also add a dip station for your chest and triceps, a landmine attachment for your barbell, a leg roller, belt squat, band pegs, front foot extensions, half spotter arms, a wall ball target, and a lat pulldown attachment. Regarding the size, you have two heights to work with (80 or 93 inches), and four depths to choose from (16, 24, 30, and 41 inches) for the cage and weight storage uprights. Choosing the color scheme is another unique characteristic of this rack since it can match your space and gear. Overall, the high quality, versatility, and possible customizations with the PR-4000 make it one of our favorites on the market.
Main Takeaways
- The ability to customize the size, color scheme, and attachments with the PR-4000 separates it from much of its competition.
- This rack can support up to 1,000 pounds, which is plenty of weight for most of the fitness community.
- Adding on the Ares attachment provides the means to perform your favorite cable exercises.
REP PR-5000 Power Rack Highlights
Similar to the PR-4000, the size, color, and attachments on the PR-5000 can also be completely customized to your liking. The 11-gauge steel uprights here can also hold up to 1,000 pounds, but they feature two-inch spacing between the one-inch pinholes. That larger pinhole size may lead to stronger attachments, but if you’re worried about the lack of westside spacing, you can mimic that spacing with the lowered J-cups — which hang one inch lower than the standard J-cups.
This rack features 11-gauge steel uprights that can hold up to 1,000 pounds. It can also be completely customized with two different height options, three options for the depth, your choice of 13 attachments, and even the color scheme.
The PR-5000 also has the same height options as the PR-4000 (80 and 93 inches), but the weight storage uprights and the uprights for the cage only have three depth options — 16, 30, and 41 inches. This rack also sports a higher price tag — the base rack with the basic “included” attachments and nothing else will run you around $1,100, but you could spend over $6,000 if you go for it all — including the Ares.
[Read More: Best Upper Chest Exercises for Building Muscle]
The PR-5000 is compatible with the same attachments as the PR-4000, but they’re a little more expensive to accommodate for the one-inch pinholes — plus, you can add three additional attachments. This may not be a big deal for some though, as two of the attachments are for barbell storage — the dual barbell hanger and barbell tube stand. On the other hand, the utility horn might be crucial for some as it can serve many purposes, such as acting as spotter arms and dip handles. So, if storing your barbells is challenging, or you simply want a jack-of-all-trades attachment, this rack may suit you best.
Main Takeaways
- 11-gauge steel uprights lead to a sturdy power rack that can hold up to 1,000 pounds.
- The optional barbell storage attachments may be crucial for anyone who can’t mount a barbell holder on their wall.
- Similar to the PR-4000, adding the Ares attachment provides the means to perform your favorite cable exercises.
What Are the Big Differences Between the PR-4000 and PR-5000?
Even though these power racks are similar in nature with 11-gauge steel uprights, a weight capacity of 1,000 pounds, and seemingly endless customizations, there are still a few differences we noticed — such as the number of depth options for each, the size of the pinholes and the spacing provided, the compatible attachments, and the price.
There’s a Price Difference
While neither one of these power racks are inherently “cheap,” the PR-4000 costs a little less. So it’s ultimately going to be the best option for those on a tighter budget who still want a high-quality power rack for their at-home workouts.
PR-4000
The final price tag for the PR-4000 will directly correlate to your specific configuration. The size doesn’t make any difference, but the clear coat color scheme is about $80 more than any other option. This is definitely something some people want to keep in mind, as you could wind up spending around $240 more just on the clear coat. The addition of attachments, starting with the ones that are part of step one in the Rack Builder, will determine the price.
The cheapest pull-up bar is the 1.25-inch straight bar, which is around $60, while the globe grip option will run you the top price of around $170. You could spend around $110 on the pin-pipe safeties, or as much as $270 on the flip-down option. Lastly are the J-cups, the standard option is the cheapest featuring a price tag of about $70, while the round sandwich option is around $130.
After selecting your build, you can add some extra attachments to your rack. So if you want to add variety to your leg day, the $300 belt squat might be what you’re looking for, while those who want beefier pecs and shoulders might want to spend around $600 on the iso arms.
The bottom line is that you determine the final price tag of this power rack by selecting the configuration you’re looking for. So while you could spend over $5,000 if you build your rack around the Ares (which we’ll discuss later) and add a bunch of attachments, you could also spend under $1,000 if you just want the rack alone.
PR-5000
The PR-5000 is similar to the PR-4000 in that your specific configuration will also determine the price, but the base rack here costs more, and so do most of the attachments. The most basic version of the PR-5000 will run you around $1,100 but could be over $6,000, depending on your attachments and whether or not you want the Ares. The Ares turns the PR-5000 into a functional trainer with a pair of weight stacks in the back of the rack. Those who don’t have one of these racks can choose to build around this attachment, but if you already have one, you can add the Ares on at any time. Either way, it’s going to cost you around $2,800.
The attachments are more expensive for the PR-5000 since they need to be thicker in order to accommodate the size of the pinholes. So, for example, the dip station for the PR-4000 is about $120, while it’s around $140 for the PR-5000. The actual spacing between each pinhole may also lead to the price gap as it may lead to more versatility when positioning your attachments.
Size
While both racks can stand either 80 or 93 inches tall and either 16, 30, or 41 inches in depth — the PR-4000 has an additional 24-inch depth option for the cage and weight plate storage uprights. This could benefit some people as 16 inches might not be enough for everyone to achieve a proper workout, while 30 or 41 inches may make it dominate too much space in some homes. So if you’re facing that problem, the 24-inch option might be the best for you as it provides enough space to bench and squat within the rack. That depth can also prevent your stored weight plates from being annoyingly close to you when lifting.
Hole Spacings and Size
A feature that many athletes (but not all) think about when looking for a power rack is the size of the pinholes, and the distance between each one. The PR-4000 features ⅝-inch pinholes that are one inch apart in the benching area and two inches apart everywhere else. The PR-5000, on the other hand, has one-inch pinholes spaced two inches apart. Westside spacing may be one of the deciding factors for athletes when looking for a power rack, and even though the PR-5000 doesn’t feature that style of spacing, you can always go for the lowered J-cups to mimic it.
Attachments
Regarding the attachments, both racks can be built with the same ones — aside from the barbell storage options and the utility horn. This might not be that big of a deal, though, unless you own specialty bars, such as one for powerlifting and one for Olympic lifting. The PR-5000 allows you to add on all three of those attachments, while the PR-4000 does not.
The barbell holders are pretty straightforward — just secure the attachments into the rack, and you can properly stash your barbell. The utility horn, however, is a multi-purpose attachment that can serve a handful of purposes. A pair can serve as a solid set of dip handles, spotter arms, a place to rest your foot when doing split squats, and even a place to store your resistance bands or barbell collars.
Which Power Rack Is The Better Option?
Since these power racks are more similar than they are different, the answer to this question really boils down to personal preference. But, we must discuss the price when determining which is best for each individual person. The PR-4000 is the cheapest of the two, and most of the extra attachments are also cheaper. If you want to save some money, you should target the PR-4000.
There are also more size options with the PR-4000 in terms of depth. This won’t apply to everyone, but the 24-inch depth of the cage and weight storage uprights might benefit those who are limited on space but also want enough room to work out properly. Built-in barbell storage may also be a factor some people are looking for — especially those who don’t have the space for a dedicated barbell holder or can’t mount one on their wall. So if that’s something you’re looking for, then the PR-5000 will be your best fit.
[Read More: The Best Upper Body Exercises and Workouts]
Those are what we consider to be the main deciding factors between these two power racks. They’re nearly identical, but the fine details may make you lean toward one over the other. But at the end of the day, you can’t go wrong with either one. They both feature 11-gauge steel uprights that can hold up to 1,000 pounds of weight and be completely customized to meet your needs. Just remember that the PR-5000 will cost you more money regardless of the build. This is likely due to the spacings between the pinholes, as they might provide more versatility and functionality with your attachments.
What Is The Ares Attachment?
The Ares is a cable attachment you can add to these racks if you already have one. For those who don’t already have one of these, you can build around the Ares with either rack — which is the route we went when we built our PR-5000. It attaches to the back uprights of the rack and has two weight stacks that are connected to two cables.
Cable machines provide constant tension on your muscles during exercises, which may lead to more gains. They’re also safer than holding a heavy dumbbell over your head or shoulders. The cables on the Ares operate on a 2:1 ratio — meaning the weight is actually half of what you have selected. Each cable has a trolley connected to the rack’s front uprights. The trolleys feature a knurled handle and an easy-to-use pop-pin that allows you to select the positioning of the cable; plus, they can swivel 180 degrees for various angles.
Each weight stack maxes out at 260 pounds, but you can spend an extra $200 or so on the upgraded version for them to reach 310 pounds. Each stack operates independently, so you can perform unilateral movements to work out any imbalances you may have, or connect the two with the included “banana” attachment. This will come in handy for those who need more weight when performing lat pull-downs and rows.
Final Word
Since there are so many power racks out there, it can be extremely difficult to find the right one. Looking for a high-quality, highly versatile rack is a key component to this process, and we can confidently say that both of these racks from REP are solid as a rock. They’re forged from 11-gauge steel, can hold up to 1,000 pounds, and they’re customizable in virtually every way.
While you definitely can’t go wrong with either option, you still want to weigh the pros and cons of each. The PR-4000 features westside spacing and is cheaper, but you aren’t able to add on any barbell storage. The PR-5000 has barbell storage attachments, but features two-inch spacing throughout and has fewer depth options. Deciding between these two awesome power racks may be difficult for some, but as long as you consider your specific needs, we think either could be the centerpiece of your home gym for decades to come.
FAQs
How much do the REP PR-4000 and PR-5000 power racks cost?
The cool thing about these power racks is that you determine the final price tag by your specific configuration. However, the PR-4000 is the cheapest of the two regardless of the build, ranging from $950 to over $4,000, while the PR-5000 ranges from about $1,100 to over $6,000. So if you’re looking at the price to decide which power rack to go with, the PR-4000 is a bit less expensive.
Are there any workouts I can do with the REP PR-5000 that I can’t do with the REP PR-4000?
No. Both are true power racks, meaning you can squat, bench, and do pull-ups with each. Your selected attachments determine the workouts you can do on each rack.
Where does the Ares attachment connect to the REP PR-4000 and REP PR-5000?
The base of the attachment where the weight stacks rest is connected to the back four uprights on either rack (if you decide to go with a six-post rack). Once it’s bolted in, connect the pulleys to the trolleys on the front uprights, and you’re all set to do your favorite cable exercises.
Can I bolt the REP PR-4000 and REP PR-5000 to the ground?
Yes, both racks feature holes at the base of the front and back uprights for you to bolt them into the ground. This may be a nice safety blanket for some, but we don’t think you’ll need to worry about stability thanks to the 11-gauge steel build of each.
