A power cage is a super versatile piece of equipment but it takes up a lot of space. Luckily there’s quite a bit of variability in squat cage dimensions and that means you might be able to find one that fits your gym.
The smallest power racks are the Titan T-2 and T-3. With the REP Fitness RP-4000 close behind. Titan Fitness power racks are a good choice for a home gym since they’re compact, sturdy, and affordable. They’re also available in different sizes to suit your needs and can accommodate many accessories.
Below we’ll go into which racks save the most space, which are the narrowest, and shallowest, some folding options, and also different styles of barbell racks for if the compact options are still too large.
Contents
- 1 Squat Cage Dimensions List
- 2 Smallest Footprint Power Racks
- 3 Titan T-2
- 4 Titan T-3
- 5 Best Shallow Squat Cage
- 6 Titan T-2
- 7 Narrowest Power Cage
- 8 HulkFit Pro Series Rack
- 9 Space Saving Power Rack That Doesn’t Have To Be Bolted Down
- 10 Wall-Mounted Squat Racks
- 11 Signature Fitness Folding Rack
- 12 Half Rack
- 13 GRIND Fitness Chaos 4000
- 14 Squat Stands
- 15 Valor Fitness BD-8 Independent Squat Stand
Squat Cage Dimensions List
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 you can easily see which racks might fit your space. You do want to keep some free space around your rack to be able to use it properly. Read about how much space you need here.
Note: You can expand the list by adjusting the number of entries you want to see. You can also sort by clicking the arrows.
Brand | Model | Type | Total width (in) | Height (in) | Depth (in) | Footprint (sq. in.) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Titan Fitness | T-2 Short 36 | Bolt down | 53.25 | 71.5 | 44.75 | 2382.9375 | |
Titan Fitness | T-2 24 | Bolt down | 53.25 | 83 | 32.75 | 1743.9375 | |
Titan Fitness | T-3 Short 24 | Bolt down | 53.25 | 82.25 | 32.75 | 1743.9375 | |
Titan Fitness | T-3 36 | Bolt down | 53.25 | 91.12 | 44.75 | 2382.9375 | |
Titan Fitness | X-3 (30") | Bolt down | 48 | 90 | 30 | 1440 | |
Titan Fitness | X3 Flat Foot | Free | 50 | 92 | 50 | 2500 | |
Rogue | RML-390C 3.0 | Bolt down | 53 | 90.375 | 40 | 2120 | |
Rogue | RML-490C 3.0 | Bolt down | 53 | 90.375 | 53 | 2809 | |
Rogue | R-3 Shorty | Bolt down | 53 | 84 | 34 | 1802 | |
Rogue | R-3 Standard | Bolt down | 53 | 90 | 34 | 1802 | |
Rogue | RML390F | Free | 49 | 92 | 48 | 2352 | |
Rogue | RM-4 | Bolt down | 49 | 90 | 49 | 2401 | |
CAP | Full Cage Rack 6' | Free | 43.62 | 72 | 47.5 | 2071.95 | |
CAP | Full Cage Rack 7' | Free | 43.62 | 84 | 47.5 | 2071.95 | |
Fitness Reality | 810XLT | Free | 46 | 83.5 | 50.5 | 2323 | |
Body-Solid | GPR378 | Free | 46 | 82 | 49 | 2254 | |
Body-Solid | GPR400 | Bolt down | 53 | 79 | 52 | 2756 | |
Hulkfit | Pro Series Power Cage | Free | 44 | 85 | 47 | 2068 | |
REP Fitness | PR-4000 (24”) | Bolt down | 50.8 | 80 | 32.9 | 1671.32 | |
Rep Fitness | PR-5000 (30”) | Bolt down | 50.8 | 93 | 38.9 | 1976.12 | |
Signature Fitness | SF-3 | Bolt down | 51.18 | 83.46 | 38.78 | 1984.7604 | |
Average | 50.3 | 85.2 | 42.9 | 2141.6 |
Smallest Footprint Power Racks
Let’s explore the best compact power racks available, known for their small footprint and space-saving design. I’ve looked at the total footprint of these racks to determine which are the smallest. I’ve not considered the height in this case but you can easily look at the table to check the height for yourself.
These are ideal choices for those with limited workout space, and each one offers unique features and benefits.
1. Titan T-2: Best Value Space Saving Power Rack
The Titan T-2 is a top pick among compact power racks. Especially if you look at the value for money this space-saving rack brings. It comes in various depths and heights, so you can choose the one that fits perfectly in your workout area.
Despite its compact dimensions, it can handle barbells loaded with up to 850 lbs., making it suitable for the majority of lifters. The T-2 can be used on the floor with or without bolting down. Bolting it down will help stability though since this rack is not that heavy by itself.
It’s also one of the shortest racks on the market if you pick the short option. At 72″ tall, this fits under pretty much any ceiling you can stand up under. There are also taller options if you’ve got a higher ceiling though.
2. Titan T-3: Compact Power Cage with Added Strength
Similar in floor dimensions to the T-2, the Titan T-3 stands out with its 2″ x 3″ steel uprights, providing extra strength and sturdiness. The uprights are also made of thicker 11-gauge steel. These upgrades raise the load limit to an impressive 1,100 lbs., making it a more solid and sturdy choice than the T-2. This is a compact weight rack that packs a punch.
It’s still affordable although it definitely costs more than the T-2. If you need the extra load capacity and sturdiness that the T-3 brings, go for this one. The T-3 also has a lot more accessories and add-ons available even though the T-2 already has quite a few.
The T-3 also offers increased height adjustment options, allowing you to fine-tune the placement of J-cups and spotter pegs to your preferences. However, due to its taller frame, it may not be suitable for low-ceiling spaces.
3. Rep Fitness PR-4000
The Rep PR-4000 is a great package. It’s almost the smallest power rack you can find on the market and it’s very high quality. This rack can handle anything you throw at it for decades and look good doing so.
There is actually a way to make this rack even more compact. I’ve selected the 24″ cross-member. There is also a 16″ cross-member which would reduce the depth by 8 more inches. However, in my opinion, that is too shallow to lift comfortably. You’ll end up lifting in front of the rack instead of between the uprights. And then you might as well choose a half-rack instead of a full power rack.
The downside? it’s expensive. Rep has a very fancy rack builder tool on their website that lets you pick lots of different options and attachments. The starting price is high but not crazy. After you’ve added on some basics, you’re easily pushing the price over $1500 which is pretty steep. That said, if you want a really awesome, customized rack that’s also very compact, this is it.
Best Shallow Squat Cage
For many people, the total depth of a power rack is a critical dimension that can ultimately determine whether it fits in their gym. And while most power racks almost fit in a walk-in closet, you also want to use the thing. To use a squat cage properly, you need about 4′ of free space in front of the upright posts. A shallow cage can help accomplish this.
Fortunately, many power cages are available in depths of 24 inches, 30 inches, and 36 inches (measured inside the upright posts, with the overall depth being slightly more). That means you can pick one that fits your space.
Starting with the most compact option, a 24-inch depth inside the upright posts is generally sufficient and is the smallest available. Most compact power racks offer this 24-inch depth, which should meet the needs of many users. The bar path should be straight up and down anyways so you shouldn’t have too many issues.
As said before the REP PR-4000 has an option for 16″ braces for a 24.9 total depth, however, in my opinion, that is too shallow to comfortably use and you might as well buy a half-rack.
However, if space allows for it, opting for a 30-inch depth provides a bit more comfort and maneuverability. On the other hand, while a 36-inch depth is a nice-to-have feature, it’s not an absolute necessity for most gym setups.
If you’re in search of a power rack with the shallowest overall depth, consider options such as the Rogue RE-3, Titan T-2 24”, and T-3 24”. These racks offer depths of 32 inches and 32.75 inches, respectively, which are the same dimensions as the ones with the smallest footprint. The shallow dimensions is how they got the smallest footprints in the first place.
Selecting any of these options ensures a suitable fit for your space without compromising on functionality.
Narrowest Power Cage
When considering the dimensions of your power rack, it’s essential to prioritize depth over width, especially if accommodating a full-sized barbell is on your agenda.
To comfortably use a standard full-sized barbell, you’ll need a minimum width between the walls of 8 feet, but for more convenience when changing plates, aiming for about 9 feet is a better choice. All power racks are narrower than full-sized barbells otherwise they wouldn’t fit.
However, if space-saving is a priority, and you don’t mind using a shorter (6-foot) barbell, then the width dimension becomes more crucial. That’s because shorter barbells often have a reduced shaft length, potentially causing compatibility issues with wide.
The shaft length of the barbell should be at least 2″ longer than the outside width of the rack. So if you’re using non-standard barbells, check the dimensions or the barbell’s shaft and width of the rack carefully.
At 43.63″ wide, the narrowest rack available is the CAP Barbell Full Cage. Keep in mind that while it’s narrow, you may find better options in terms of overall features and quality.
The HulkFit Pro Series rack is just a fraction wider at 44″ and is a much better rack overall. For starters, it looks better although the yellow might put some people off. More importantly, the uprights are bigger and made from thicker steel which means the load capacity is 800 pounds instead of 500 and it feels much more stable.
The HulkFit rack also has decent add-ons and accessories available whereas the CAP rack is very bare-bones. Both of these cages will work with many 6′ long barbells.
Space Saving Power Rack That Doesn’t Have To Be Bolted Down
You may have noticed a common feature among the various racks discussed earlier: they all need to be bolted down to the floor for stability and safety. But what if you’re looking for a rack that doesn’t need to be bolted down?
While there aren’t as many options available in this category, they do offer some advantages, though they may require a bit more space.
Since these racks don’t require floor bolting, their bottom braces need to extend further to provide a similar level of stability as their bolted-down counterparts. As a result, the outside dimensions of these racks are slightly larger than those that are bolted down, while the inside dimensions remain similar. That’s only at the bottom though, anything above the bottom brace will be a bit smaller.
Here are the best squat cages that don’t need bolting down:
Wall-Mounted Squat Racks
Wall-mounted racks are almost the ultimate space-saving squat rack. They are mounted on the wall so you don’t need part of the frame. Most of them fold up so they take up very little space when not in use.
These aren’t the cheapest option, especially the full rack version like in the picture above, but they do save a lot of space when you’re not using it. To use them, you still need a good amount of space but at least after use, they are a lot more compact.
Most folding racks just have two upright posts instead of four which means they’re more like half racks than full power racks.
A good choice in this category is the Signature Fitness Folding Cage. It’s pretty affordable but sports 3″ x 3″ uprights and has a 1000-pound weight capacity which is a lot. It folds and unfolds pretty easily with just a few quick-release pins and is very solid. It measures 57.5” (W)x 24” (D)x 78.5” (H) unfolded. But when folded it only sticks out about 5″ from the wall.
Half Rack
Half racks, also known as half cages or sometimes squat racks, are a type of strength training equipment designed to provide stability and safety for various exercises, particularly squatting and bench pressing.
They consist of two vertical posts with horizontal crossbars connecting them at the top and bottom, forming a half-cage structure. The lifter typically stands inside the half rack while performing exercises.
How They Differ from Power Racks:
Size Comparison: Half racks are typically NOT much smaller than power racks. however, they have the front uprights further back which means that on some lifts you need less space.
Squat Stands
Squat stands, as the name suggests, are a simpler piece of strength training equipment primarily designed for squatting and pressing exercises.
They consist of two separate vertical stands that support the barbell, The length of the uprights is adjustable so you can put the bar at different heights. Some of these are connected at the bottom while others are separate.
Either way, they are the most compact way to be able to squat in your home gym.
How They Differ from Power Racks: