We recently reviewed the Ethos Power rack 1.0 on our website and our review has received quite a good response. That’s why we thought of reviewing the Ethos folding wall rack too because a lot of us are looking for compact but heavy-duty home gym equipment that can be accommodated in the smallest possible spaces.
Ethos foldable wall rack is made of the same material that is used in the Ethos power rack 1.0. It is also available in the manufacturer’s typical red and black color combination. Some buyers didn’t like the bright red uprights. But, red color is scientifically proven to make you feel more energetic and we highly recommend this color for people who want to train hard. You can learn more about it in our article on ‘what color you should paint your home gym’.
Since it can be hooked to the wall, we highly recommend it for small home gyms and garages because you will be able to save a lot of floor space. Despite being a wall rack, it is indeed a commercial-grade equipment and deserves to be counted among the best half racks for home gyms.
Read our detailed review below to find out if the Ethos folding wall rack meets our expectations. Find out about its flaws and learn where it stands when compared with other competitive products.
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Quick Review Summary
Ethos folding wall rack is pretty easy to fold and unfold, so don’t worry about its user-friendliness. It is made of 3” X 3” 11 gauge frame that is supposed to hold up to 1000lbs of weight. The uprights have pegs instead of holes, so they do not accept standard accessories from other brands. The j-hooks are stable but might wobble when you use the lower cups to hang them.
Excellent product available at an affordable price but its lack of versatility could be a problem.
Pros
- Affordable
- Easy to fold and unfold when needed
- Heavy-duty product made of 3”X3” 11 gauge steel
- Comes with a lifetime warranty
Cons
- Very limited accessories available
Rating
We are giving this a rating of 4.0 out of 5.0.
Full Review
Now on to our full review.
Features and specifications of Ethos folding wall rack
- Dimensions: 49.5” width X 92” height X 25” length
- Weight: 159lbs
- Weight capacity- not mentioned by the manufacturer but expected to be around 1000lbs
- Material: 11 gauge steel
- Frame size: 3” X 3”
- Comes with an adjustable pullup bar
- The uprights have adjustable floor levelers that help keep them stable during workouts. Honestly, these levelers are not required at all because the pull up bar at the top does a pretty good job at preventing wobbles and wiggles.
- Each upright has 9 pegs at the sides that can give you a total of 18 j-hooks positions. Read below to find out what these pegs are and how they are different from the holes.
- Comes with a limited lifetime warranty, which sounds quite tempting but we don’t really know how to reach the manufacturer to avail warranty. Ethos products are manufactured overseas and sold through Dicks Sporting Goods (as per our knowledge). We are not sure if the seller will be able to help when needed.
Ethos folding wall rack is much more affordable than other competitive products
That’s surprising because the Ethos power rack 1.0 is quite expensive than most of the Best Squat Racks Besides Rogue’s. So, we had expected to be priced much more than our budget.
One thing you need to note here is that not many companies sell foldable wall racks, which is because it requires more brainstorming than manufacturing a standard squat rack or a squat stand. Since you have very limited options, their prices are usually high.
The T-3 Series Folding Power Rack with dimensions as close as the Ethos power rack could cost you around $400. It has a 2” X3” 11 gauge steel frame that is rated for 1100 lbs weight. The Valor Fitness BD-20, Folding Wall Mount Squat Rack with 2.5” X 2.5” 11 gauge steel frame was being sold at $440 at the time of writing the article.
Both these folding squat racks are good at what they are meant for but the quality of the Ethos wall-mounted rack is obviously better because it is a 3”X3” wide 11 gauge steel frame just like the Rogue RML-3W Fold Back Wall Mount Rack. It comes with 1” adjustable j-hooks position, which is the Westside hole spacing pattern. And yet, the Ethos squat rack is being sold at just $250 at the time of writing this article.
The uprights don’t have holes. They have small pegs instead
Look at the image above for reference.
These pegs do a good job at holding the j-hooks but they are not extremely stable. When you use the lower cups of the j-hooks, they wobble a bit and may make you doubt the whole setup. The hooks won’t slip off unless you mishandle them but we would have loved the conventional hole-based uprights and accessories like the ones you can see in the image below because no matter how much they wobble, they won’t fall off.
Since there are no holes in the uprights, you won’t be able to add any accessories of your choice
That’s a serious flaw and unless you want this exclusively for benching and squatting.
There is no way you can attach dip bars, spotter arms, resistance band pegs, etc. of your choice. You will have to buy them exclusively from Ethos, which sells its products through Dicks Sporting Goods (till the writing of this article). Now, Ethos doesn’t manufacture a lot of these accessories. It may start selling them in the future but, even then, you will have only one option to choose from. The Ethos power rack 1.0 has non-standard hole sizing, which means you will have to buy the accessories from the same company.
We don’t understand why Ethos customizes all its products in a way that restricts the buyers from going to any other brand. A genuine company should rather not have any compatibility issues.
How to install Ethos folding wall rack
As expected, installing a wall-mount, folding squat rack is much more challenging and time-consuming than putting together a standard power rack. Unless you have basic knowledge of assembly, you won’t be able to install it yourself. Plus, you will need at least one person to help you.
But, don’t worry. Installing the Ethos folding wall rack is a bit difficult but doable. The manufacturer sends detailed instructions and an assembly video to help you. But, as always, there are some hacks that can further simplify the process.
The above Ethos folding wall rack installation video should help you learn how you can put it together correctly in one go.
Rating
We are giving this a rating of 4.0 out of 5.0.
Wrap Up
Ethos products are quite impressive. They are meant for heavy-duty use and yet, you can buy them at a much lower price than what you will have to pay for other competitive products such as the Rogue. However, Ethos customizes its products in such a way that they work with only its own accessories. And, this lack of versatility is what we don’t like.
Nevertheless, the Ethos folding wall rack is still a good piece of home gym equipment for compact spaces. But, if you are just a beginner or a recreational lifter, you can go with squat stands instead.
Squat stands have two independent posts so you can store them in a corner or inside a cabinet when not in use. Here are some of the best squat stands that we recommend. Whatever floor space you save, can be used to accommodate all-in-one Inspire Fitness FTX Functional Trainer or something similar.
If you are looking for more such compact and versatile products, do check out fitness decks that can be used as a plyometric box, a stepper, a ramp, and a workout bench. They are great for performing high-intensity cardio workouts such as the Insanity cardio, power, and resistance training program.
You can also go through our ‘ultimate guide to building a home gym’ article for more such helpful ideas and product recommendations.