Rogue is one of the most trusted brands with a solid reputation for providing excellent-quality products and taking care of the buyers’ issues at the earliest; two things that the Chinese home gym equipment manufacturers fail to address. It sells so many makes and models of squat racks and squat stands that you could actually get overwhelmed while selecting the one that you believe will be most suitable for your needs and budget.
But, don’t worry; that’s why we are here. At Home Gym Strength, we strive hard to provide you with the most detailed product information and honest reviews so you can choose the right product for your home gym.
Talking about Rogue squat racks; the manufacturer has divided them into four categories as below:
| Series name | Frame sizing | Hardware sizing | Price | Intended use |
| Echo | 2” X 2” | ½” | Least expensive of all | Beginners/recreational lifters/athletes with low budget |
| R-serie/Infinity | 2” X 3” | ⅝” | Mid-priced | Intermediate-level lifters |
| Monster Lite | 3” X 3” | ⅝” | Expensive | Advanced trainers and athletes |
| Monster | 3” X 3” | 1” | Expensive | Body builders, athletes, powerlifters, sportspersons |
All these power racks have a walk-through design, which means they don’t have a rear stability bar.
As you can see in the table above, the Rogue Echo series racks are designed for home gym owners who do not intend to lift really heavy. They are the cheapest squat racks sold by the manufacturer and yet, they are significantly more expensive than the other budget squat racks we have reviewed so far on our website.
So, why should you go for the Rogue Echo series racks? What features make it better than the competitors? What are its shortcomings?
Read our detailed Rogue Echo series review below to get answers to these questions and many more.
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Quick Review Summary
Rogue Echo series squat racks are the cheapest products sold by Rogue Fitness and yet, they are significantly more expensive than other competitive products. The quality is as per Rogue’s standards with a 2” X 2” 11 gauge steel frame that needs to be bolted down to the floor for use. It comes with a fat/skinny pull up bar and a pair of j-hooks.
The major issue with the Rogue Echo series racks is that they have non-standard hole diameter, so you won’t be able to add additional accessories to them.
Pros
- Affordable option for budget-conscious athletes and home gym owners
Cons
- Can be used only by bolted to the floor
- Has non-standard hole size so you can’t buy accessories of your choice
- Expensive than other competitive products
Rating
We are giving this a rating of 4.1 out of 5.0.
Full Review
Now on to our full review.
Key Features
- Dimensions: RE 3- 24” X 47” X 90”; RE 4- 43” X 47” X 90”
- Weight: RE 3 weighs 160 lbs and RE 4 weighs 190 lbs
- Max weight capacity: not stated by the manufacturer but we assume it to be around 800lbs
- Frame size- 2” X 2” frame made of 11 gauge steel
- Frame has 2” hole spacing throughout
- Accessories included- one fat/skinny pullup bar, a pair of j-hooks, 4 band pegs
- Needs to be bolted to the floor
The Rogue Echo series has just two products (at the time of writing the article); the RE3 and the RE4 racks. The Rogue RE4 squat racks are heavier and have a wider footprint than the RE3. That's the only difference between them.
Rogue Echo Series racks are the best available options for athletes on a budget
If you are just a beginner, you can go with the Hulkfit Half Rack / Squat Stand, Fitness Reality Multi-Function Half Rack, Sunny Health & Fitness SF-XF9925 power cage, or the Rep Fitness PR-1100 Squat Rack.
These are some of the best budget squat racks and they are more than enough for recreational use. But, if you are already lifting a decent amount of weight and need something that can bear the rough use that you are going to put it through, you obviously need something more durable and reliable like the Rogue Echo series racks.
These squat racks are made of 2” X 2” frames, a pretty standard feature of most affordable squat racks. The frame is made of 11 gauge steel, which is exceptionally good because 11 gauge steel is much more durable and has a higher load capacity than 12/13/14 gauge steel used for making low-cost home gym equipment.
You will love the fat/skinny pullup bar
Just in case you don’t know, Rogue Fitness sells specialized dual bars called fat/skinny bars. One of them is the standard 1.25” one whereas the other has a 2” diameter.
Fat/skinny bars are good for people who have big hands and for those who love to add an extra challenge to their workouts by using a thicker grip.
Most affordable power racks have standard pullup bars. In many cases, the bars are poorly designed with almost no knurling. Rogue Echo series fat/skinny bars are, however, one of the best-in-class products with good build and grip.
It is probably the tallest of all budget squat racks
Most budget squat racks and even the mid-priced ones are usually 83” tall or less. And, they are great for most exercises but if you want to use gymnastic rings or if you want to do specific calisthenic exercises such as kipping, they may not be tall enough.
That's where the Rogue Echo series squat racks excel. They are 90” tall, so you can perform almost all types of exercises of your choice. Add a pair of Vulken wooden gymnastic rings or Pullup & Dip premium gymnastic rings and you will be able to create an enviable home gym setup that will help you grow stronger day by day.
Don’t have a budget for Rogue Echo series racks? Check out Rep Fitness SR 4000 Rack, which is equally tall and has a wider frame with more weight-bearing capacity. But, it is a half rack.
Don’t have enough space to accommodate taller racks like the Echo series ones? Check out the Titan T3 Series Squat Stand, which is just 72” tall.
Stability won’t be an issue with the Rogue Echo series squat racks
That’s because you need to bolt it down to the floor or to your weightlifting platform. There is no way you can use these racks without bolting down. They have a free-standing design, which means they do not have a rear stability bar and the base. Rogue believes these things hinder the way you can add the bench inside.
Now, as expected, a squat rack that is bolted to the floor is going to offer you maximum stability and the least wobble, no matter what type of exercises you perform or how much weight you use.
The non-standard hole diameter limits the number of accessories you can use
That's the only reason why Rogue Echo series racks couldn’t get as much popularity as its other products. As you can see in the table above, the size of the holes in the frame is ½” i.e. you can add only those accessories that are compatible with ½” holes.
Now, the main problem here is that most squat rack accessories are designed for ⅝” holes, which is the standard hole sizing for almost all racks, whether they are for beginners or for advanced athletes and bodybuilders. Accessories for ½” holes are not so easily available. You will have to buy them only from Rogue, so you will have to shell out a lot for them.
Also, please note that you can’t add any accessories from Rogue Fitness because each series has a different hole sizing. You will have to buy accessories that are specially designed for the Echo series and there are not many.
In short, if you want to accessorize your squat rack for doing a wide range of other exercises such as dips and LATs, this product is not for you.
Rogue Echo series racks must be bolted down to the floor for use
That’s actually a good thing because it helps minimize wobble and prevent chances of tripping and other accidents.
However, if you are living in a rented home or if you have built your home gym upstairs, you will not be able to bolt it down. Bolting is only possible in garages and basements.
But, you can anyways bolt it down to your weightlifting platform, which is safer than bolting it to the floor because a platform will protect your equipment as well as your knees.
You can buy readymade deadlift platforms or you can make a weightlifting platform at home using horse stall mats.
A lot of cheaper options available
The Rogue Echo series is unquestionably an expensive product. At the time of writing this article, they were sold for over $700. Plus, you will have to buy everything separately, even the floor anchoring option.
If you have that high budget, you can get Ethos power rack that is made of 3” X 3” 11 gauge frame and comes with almost all basic accessories that you may need.
If you don’t have that high budget but you still want something that is as good as the Rogue squat racks, you can go with Rep Fitness SR 4000 Rack.
Rating
We are giving this a rating of 4.1 out of 5.0.
Wrap Up
The only major issue with Rogue Echo Series squat racks is their non-standard hole diameters. Otherwise is it an excellent product for athletes and advanced trainers who need something basic to keep themselves fit and going at home.