The power rack is the centerpiece of many home gyms. In a compact home gym it’s a piece of equipment that takes up a lot of space. So which power cage is the best option for a small home gym?
The smallest power racks are the Rogue RE-3, Titan T-2 24” and T-3 24”. The Rogue RE-3 Takes up 11.77 sq. ft. while both Titans take up 12.28 sq. ft. of floor space. These are also the home gym racks that are the shallowest options.
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Power rack sizes
Just throwing around brands and models of squat cages isn’t very useful without numbers To make it easy for everyone, I’ve compiled a list of the most popular power racks for home gyms and their dimensions. This way everyone can see what we’re talking about.
| Brand | Model | Type | Opening Width (in.) | Total width (in.) | Height (in.) | Depth (in.) | Floor Space (sq. in.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titan Fitness | T-2 Short 36" | Bolt down | 44 | 54 | 71.5 | 44.75 | 2416.5 |
| Titan Fitness | T-2 24" | Bolt down | 44.00 | 54 | 83.00 | 32.75 | 1768.5 |
| Titan Fitness | T-3 Short 24" | Bolt down | 42.12 | %s | 82.25 | 32.75 | 1768.5 |
| Titan Fitness | T-3 36" | Bolt down | 42.12 | %s | 91.12 | 44.75 | 2416.5 |
| Titan Fitness | X3 Short Flat Foot | Free | 42.00 | 50 | 82.00 | 50.00 | 2500 |
| Titan Fitness | X3 Flat Foot | Free | 42.00 | 50 | 92.00 | 50.00 | 2500 |
| Rogue | RML-390C 3.0 | Bolt down | 43.00 | 53 | 90.375 | 40 | 2120 |
| Rogue | RML-490C 3.0 | Bolt down | 43.00 | 53 | 90.375 | 53 | 2809 |
| Rogue | R-3 Shorty | Bolt down | 45.00 | 53 | 84 | 34 | 1802 |
| Rogue | R-3 Standard | Bolt down | 45.00 | 53 | 90 | 34 | 1802 |
| Rogue | RE-3 | Bolt down | 47.00 | 53 | %s | 32 | 1696 |
| Rogue | RML390FL | Free | 54.00 | 50 | %s | 54 | 2700 |
| CAP | Full Cage Rack 6' | Free | 39.62 | 43.62 | 72 | 47.5 | 2071.95 |
| CAP | Full Cage Rack 7' | Free | 39.62 | 43.62 | 84 | 47.5 | 2071.95 |
| Body-Solid | BFPR100 | Free | 43.00 | 47 | 83 | 45 | 2115 |
| TDS | Power rack | Free | 44.00 | 53 | 82.5 | 48 | 2544 |
| REP Fitness | PR1000 | Free | 44.00 | 58 | 84 | 48 | 2784 |
| REP Fitness | PR1100 | Free | 44.00 | 58 | 84 | 47.5 | 2755 |
| Fitness Reality | X-Class | Free | 44.00 | 52 | 86.5 | 86 | 4472 |
| Fitness Reality | 810XLT | Free | 42.00 | 46 | 83.5 | 50.5 | 2323 |
| HulkFit | 1000 | Free | 44.00 | 47 | 81 | 44 | 2068 |
| Average | 43.69 | 51.39 | 84.79 | 46.00 | 2364 |
Smallest power rack
The list above shows you the dimensions of the most popular power racks. There are a few ways you can define smallest but the size of the footprint is what’s the most important for the majority of people so let’s look at that first.
Down below there are a few other options because those racks stand out in another way than total floor area.
Foot print
These are the two smallest racks by foot print:
Smallest foot print power cage #1: Rogue RE-3
The smallest foot print in any power rack. It’s super compact and on top of that, it’s a good rack although by Rogue standards it’s on the low end of their range. The good news is that it’s also on the low end of their price range which means it’s in reach of most people’s budgets.
It’s a bit smaller in part because they use 2” by 2” upright posts. That means the outside dimensions will be a bit smaller than with 2” by 3” posts. That means it’s not as sturdy as some other racks but for most people that’s really not an issue.
Smallest foot print power cage #2: Titan Fitness T-2 24” & T-3 24”
In size these racks fall between the R-3 and RE-3 but the differences are very small. The 24” in the name refers to the 24” of depth between the upright posts. That is there because these racks are also available in deeper versions. The 24” version is the shallowest and therefore smallest.
Which one you choose depends mainly on your wallet. Rogue products are awesome and very high quality but also have a price tag to match. Titan racks are quite a bit cheaper and give up a bit of fit and finish but in the end they are very similar racks that will last a very long time.
Width
The width is a little less important than depth since you have to fit the barbell as well. If you want to use a full sized barbell, that’s the width between the walls you need (at a bare minimum 87” If you ever want to change plates 100” is better). All full sized barbells will fit on all power racks no problem. If you want to save space and don’t mind to use a shorter (6’) barbell, the width becomes more important. The width you need for the barbell is still more than you need for the rack so that’s not why. A 6’ barbell has a shorter shaft which means not all of them fit on all racks. In that case, you need to check the shaft length your barbell has and if that fit’s the outside dimensions of the rack.
The narrowest is the CAP Barbell Full Cage Rack.(amazon link)
I know that name seems a bit redundant but it’s really called that. It’s a decent rack although for the price you can find better. But if you’re looking for the narrowest, this is the one to get. It will work with most 6’ long barbells.
Depth
For many people, the total depth is an important dimension that often decides if you can fit a rack or not. The depth is the most important dimension for many home gyms. That’s partly because the width is decided for you so you can only really choose the depth. Many power cages are available in 24”, 30” and 36” depths (that’s the depth inside the upright posts so overall depth will be more). 24” is enough and is obviously the smallest. Most compact power racks have a 24” depth inside the upright posts. That is enough but if you can fit it, 30” is a bit more comfortable. 36” is nice to have but not necessary.
What’s the power rack with the shallowest overall depth?
The Rogue RE-3, Titan T-2 24” and T-3 24” are the shallowest with 32” and 32.75” respectively. Yes, those are the same as the ones with the smallest footprint. So if you get one of those, you’re going to do fine.
Smallest power rack that doesn’t have to be bolted down
You might notice one commonality between all the different racks above. They all have to be bolted to the floor. What if you want a rack that you don’t have to bolt down? There aren’t as many options to begin with and they will take up a bit more space.
Because they don’t have to be bolted down, the bottom braces have to stick out a bit further to create the same stability a bolted down one would have. That means the outside dimensions are a bit larger for the same inside dimensions.
With that said, what’s your best option in this category?
#1: Cap Full Cage Rack (amazon link)
#2: Hulkfit 1000 (amazon link)
Both are a bit bigger than the smallest (bolt down) racks although the difference isn’t huge.
Height
In some cases it isn’t all about the floor but the ceiling. Gyms tend to be in 3d after all. Just having the smallest foot print doesn’t mean it’ll fit in a small home gym though. If height, depth or width is the most important for you depends on the layout of your gym. Sometimes one dimension can be more important than another to make it fit.
Many people tend to overlook the height of a power rack when shopping for one. It’s not a problem everywhere but in places with low ceilings like a basement, it’s certainly something to keep in mind. If you’ve got the ceiling height to fit a tall power rack, go for it. There is no real downside to having the extra height.
Which power rack is best for you?
The smallest doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the one you should use. However, in this case, the smallest power rack is a good choice. It’s hard to go wrong with Rogue equipment.
If you’ve got plenty of space, you don’t have to get the biggest rack you can fit. While a slightly bigger rack can give you some more breathing room and just make your workout a bit more comfortable, at some points you start hitting diminishing returns. You want to be able to do all your lifts without hitting the walls. Being able to stand on both sides of the barbell is also useful.
Both the smallest racks are good and suitable for a home gym. They provide plenty of options for add-ons and are proven pieces of equipment used by many. That said, the T-3 is the one I tend to recommend for home gyms since it’s a bit better value for money but it’s not far off the Rogue RE-3
Read more about my recommendations for power racks here.
