Fringe Sport is not as renowned a brand as Titan Fitness or Rogue Fitness but the quality of its products is very similar to the bigger names in the home gym equipment industry. In fact, its products can easily pass the commercial quality test, making them suitable for box gyms.
We haven’t got a chance to try a lot of their products but we have been using the Fringe Sport black bumper plates for more than 6 years now and, from our first-hand experience, we can confidently say that it is a company that you can trust with your money.
FringeSport originally used to be known as OneFitWonder.
Some of its products are still sold under its original brand name, so don’t confuse if you receive something with OneFitWonder branding.
Talking about Fringe Sport products; it doesn’t sell an overwhelming variety of squat racks, pull-up bars, benches, etc. just like Rogue Fitness or Titan Fitness does. But, whatever it sells, meets the buyers’ expectations. Its independent squat stands are one such product.
FringeSport independent squat stands are heavy-duty products meant for advanced trainers, athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts like us. The word independent indicates that the uprights are not connected i.e. they are independent. This design makes it easier to store them when done, something that you would love if you have a small home gym in a garage or a spare corner of your room or basement.
Read below to find out more about it and where it stands when compared with other competitive products such as the Rogue S4 squat stand 2.0, the Titan T3 series independent squat stand, Bells of Steel squat stands, and Valor Fitness BD-9 Independent Power Squat Stands.
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Quick Review Summary
Fringesport independent squat stands are a great product for compact home gyms, garage gyms, basement gyms, etc. They have a highly stable base with rubber feet that help maintain its stability during workouts. The frame is made of 2” X 3” 11 gauge steel, so it can be trusted with heavy weights. The footprint and the build quality match with Rogue and Titan squat stands. However, we find the Fringesport squat stand to be slightly more expensive than it should have been. Nevertheless, it is one of the best squat stands meant for rigorous training sessions.
Pros
- Have transportation wheels so you can easily move it away when not needed
- 1000lbs weight capacity
- 2”X 3 “ 11 gauge steel frame meant for heavy use
Cons
- None as such but it could have been cheaper
Rating
We are giving this a rating of 4.5 out of 5.0.
Full Review
Now on to our full review.
Key Features
- Dimension: 28 inches deep, 22 inches wide, and 72 inches tall
- Weight: 48.5 pounds each
- Weight bearing capacity: 1000lbs
- Frame is made of 2”X 3” 11 gauge steel
- Has standard ⅝” hardware
- Comes with a pair of j-hooks
- Doesn’t come with a pullup bar. The Titan S3 series squat stands come with optional pullup bars but we don’t recommend it because of stability issues associated with squat stands in general.
- Has heavy-duty caster wheels for ease of transportation
- Has westside hole spacing in the benching zone and 2” in the rest of the uprights.
- The holes are numbered for your convenience
- Comes with 1-year warranty
FringeSport independent squat stands are built to last years of rough use
They have a 2” X 3” 11 gauge steel frame, which is rated for 1000 lbs. Affordable squat stands or squat racks are typically made of 2” X 2” 12 gauge steel but this one is thicker and stronger, indicating that it is meant for people who want to train hard in the comfort of their home.
Each stand weighs 48.5lbs, which is not great when you compare it with the other high-end products but it is more than enough for fitness enthusiasts like us. You can be rest assured the FringeSport independent squat stands are not going to skid or tip-over during the training because the base is heavy. Plus, the rubber feet help enhance its overall stability.
The j-hooks you get with these stands are coated with high-quality plastic to protect your barbell’s knurling. They are pretty good and can last for more than a year of rough use.
We love the idea of adding caster wheels to the stands
Squat stands are less versatile than half racks or squat cages. Yet, a lot of people prefer them because of their independent post design, which makes it easier to stash them inside a cabinet or against the wall when they are not in use.
If you are buying a squat stand, it is obvious that you don’t have enough space and that you will be moving them frequently. Now, typically each stand weighs between 45lbs and 90lbs. Moving them with hands requires some power. Caster wheels can ease that up! Titan and Rogue stands do not have these but we do admire FringeSport for adding them.
They may sound like a very small addition but they do enhance the ease of use.
It is less heavy than other competitively-priced squat stands
As we stated above, each of the stands weighs 48.5lbs. The Titan Fitness T3 series squat stands weigh 59.5lbs each whereas the Rogue Fitness S4 squat stand weighs 65lbs each.
Needless to say, the heavier a squat stand is, the more stable it will be. So, if you squat with 500lbs on all these three products, the Rogue one will have the least possible wobble and the FringeSport squat stand will have the max. You can anyways eliminate this issue by weighing them with sandbags or weight plates. However, that will require some preparation.
The good thing is, the wobble won’t be too much to pose a threat.
It could have been cheaper by $40-50
This is our personal opinion.
Titan Fitness T3 series squat stand is also made of the same 2” X 3” 11 gauge steel. The base dimensions of both these squat stands hardly vary by a few inches and so is the build quality. Titan squat stands, however, are heavier. Yet, it sells its squat stands for just $349 whereas the FringeSport Indy squat stand is sold at $405 (at the time of writing this article). Both of them are covered under free shipping and a standard 1-year warranty.
If you are willing to spend $400+, then you may think of buying the Rogue S4 squat stand instead of the FringeSport one because Rogue offers lifetime warranty. Plus, its squat stands are heavier and more stable. However, Rogue doesn’t usually offer free shipping, so this additional cost may affect your budget.
The Bells of Steel squat stands and Valor Fitness BD-9 independent squat stands are cheaper because they are not as heavy-duty as the other three are. So, if you do not lift a lot of weight, you may want to buy them instead.
Rating
We are giving this a rating of 4.5 out of 5.0.
Wrap Up
Honestly, the FringeSport Independent squat stand deserves a 5 out of 5 star rating. It is perfect in almost all aspects. But, we still believe the price could have been lower. Nevertheless, if you think it is a good fit for your home gym, do not hesitate to spend a few more dollars because this is a product that could actually last for a lifetime!
One thing we would like to say here is that squat stands are not meant for everyone because they are not as versatile as squat racks. You should go with them only when you have space issues. And, even then, you may want to go with foldable wall-mounted squat racks. They are obviously more versatile and more stable than squat stands.
That’s it for this article. Before you go, why don’t you spare some minutes to learn how to prevent pre workout panic attacks, how to survive a panic attack during a workout, and how men can get rid of an hour glass figure quickly.