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Quick Review Summary
Titan Fitness T2-series power racks are basically entry-level products, suitable for beginners and people who have no intentions of training with heavy weights anytime soon. These racks are available in two different heights. The shorter one is meant for low ceiling areas such as basements. Both of them are very basic products with no fancy attachments and accessories. However, they provide a high value for money and work as expected. Highly recommended for new home gym owners but not for people who are already training for a couple of years and have reached a stage where they need something stronger and better than an entry-level product.
Pros
- Great value for money
- Comes with a floor anchoring option
- Compatible with a wide range of accessories
- Comes with j-cups and safety bars
- Short rack is perfect for low ceiling basement spaces
- Has a pretty decent weight-bearing capacity
Cons
- Pullup bar doesn’t have knurl marks
Rating
We are giving this a rating of 4.5 out of 5.0.
Full Review
Now on to our full review.
Noteworthy features and specifications of Titan T-2 power racks
Image Source: Titan Fitness
Dimensions
They are mentioned in the image above. Basically, T-2 series squat cages are available in two different heights. Shorter ones have a height of 70” and the taller ones stand 81” high. Everything else is the same.
Material:
It is made of 12 gauge steel.
Just in case you don’t know; the higher the steel gauge, the more brittle it will be. So, 12 gauge steel is stronger than 14 gauge steel but not as strong as 7 gauge steel.
Most squat cages including the mid-priced ones such as Valor Fitness BD-7 Power Rack are made of 12 gauge steel. And it works great for intermediate-level weight training. If you are an advanced trainer or an athlete, you might want to go with the power racks that are made of 11 gauge steel such as the TDS Power Rack and the Rogue RML-3 Monster Lite Racks. But, to be honest, it doesn’t make much of a difference unless you are training with more than 500-600lbs weight.
Uprights:
These are the main parts of the frame. The stronger the uprights are, the more durable and reliable the overall power rack will be.
Titan T-2 power rack has 2” X 2” upright, which are standard measurements of any affordable squat cage. Some may have 2.5” X 2.5” or 2” X 3” uprights but such racks often have compatibility issues because most squat rack accessories are usually compatible with 2” X2” or 3” X3” uprights.
High-end squat racks meant for athletes, bodybuilders, and hardcore trainers usually have 3”X3” rights. Check out Rogue RML-3 Monster Lite Rack for example.
3”X3” uprights are quite thick and have a larger surface that can be trusted to hold heavy weights. 2”X2” uprights, however, cannot be trusted with more than 500 lbs of weights, even if the manufacturer claims otherwise. So, the Titan T-2 power rack can be an ideal option for beginners and people who have no intentions of lifting anything beyond 500 lbs. But, if you load it with heavier weights, it might wobble.
Hole spacing
As you can expect from a low-cost product, T-2 series power rack doesn’t adhere to Westside hole spacing. It has a 2” gap between the holes and not 1”.
Here is a detailed article on Westside hole spacing and why it matters.
If you don’t have time to read the whole article; all you need to know is that Westside hole spacing is basically ensuring a 1” gap between the holes of the squat rack. It is good to have a squat rack that adheres to the Westside hole pattern but it's not mandatory.
Basically, if you are training with heavy weights, you need closer gaps between the holes so you don’t have to hyperextend or hypo-extend your muscles to rack the loaded barbell. 1” space will ensure that you load it back on the rack smoothly and comfortably, especially in the benching zone. But, if you are barely training with 200-300 lbs of weight, you won’t have to push yourself that hard to reach the j-cups. So, you can just ignore the Westside hole spacing until you are ready to lift heavy. Moreover, almost all low and mid-priced power cages have 2” hole spacing. Some even have 3” gaps.
One thing you must know is that holes on the T-2 series power cages are not numbered but that’s OK. Here is how you can mark holes on squat cages so you can easily remember the position of the j-hooks.
Can be bolted down to the floor
It is a good option and helps reduce the chances and intensity of wobbles.
The feet have floor anchoring holes, just in case you want to anchor the rack to your basement or garage floor. If you are planning to set it up in your home gym upstairs or any other area where anchoring is not an option, you still don’t have to worry about the stability of the setup. You can weigh it down by keeping most of your plates in the weigh pegs located beside the rear uprights.
Most low-cost squat racks do not have this feature, so Titan Fitness deserves some appreciation for it.
Safety accessories included
As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, this is a very basic squat rack but, thankfully, it comes with almost everything that you would need to get started. The included accessories are a pair of j-cups and a pair of pin and pipe safety bars.
Pins and pipe safety bars have become almost obsolete. They are being replaced by safety straps because straps minimize the bounce of the barbell when it falls on them. However, some models like Titan Fitness T-2 series power racks still have them. You can buy an extra pair of safety straps if you don’t like the bars.
The j-cups are pretty standard. They are lined with UHMW, which is a kind of dense plastic. The plastic lining helps reduce vibration and absorbs the shock generated while racking the loaded barbell. With moderate use, these j-cups could last a couple of years. Here are the 9 Best Replacement J-Hooks that we recommend for replacing your old, damaged ones.
Safety accessories that are compatible with the T-2 series power rack
Titan Fitness T-2 power cages are compatible with a wide range of attachments manufactured by the same company as well as any other attachment/accessory meant for 2”X2” squat racks. It makes it a highly versatile home gym equipment.
Some of the accessories that you may add to this equipment are:
Here are some more accessories that Titan Fitness manufactures for its T-2 series squat cage.
Please note: You can’t use both LAT attachment and the weight extension kit
That’s the only possible design flaw we could identify in this equipment.
But, we don’t mind that considering that it is an affordable product, meant for casual use. It is quite understandable that the manufacturer only wanted to create something basic.
What we don’t like is that Titan Fitness has nowhere mentioned this in the product details. It should have done that because a couple of buyers ordered both of them only to realize that they can add only one of them.
The rack has an excellent depth, letting you perform almost all exercises comfortably
Most low-cost squat racks have lesser depth than needed. They often make users feel cramped and uncomfortable during lifts and benching exercises. You might feel as if you will end up hitting the uprights while reracking the barbell. This could make you feel nervous and affect your concentration.
Titan Fitness T-2 series power racks are, however, quite deeper than we had expected from a budget product. As we have mentioned above (and mentioned in the image above), the footprints measure 57” in width and 50” in depth, which is enough even for people who have a broad body type. Other competitive products such as the TDS power rack have just 48” X 48” depth. They are great for compact spaces but you might have to compromise with your comfort.
The deeper frame also indicated enhanced stability, which is again one of the main reasons why Titan Fitness T-2 series squat cages are so popular among home gym owners.
Most buyers have confirmed that the power rack is quite sturdy and stable
That’s what matters the most. Imagine using a squat cage that wobbles when you try to load or pick up a loaded barbell from it.
OK, we admit that the chances of squat cages falling over are almost negligible. But, the wobbling can still shake your confidence. It can affect your concentration. You might have to spend a few extra seconds to ensure that the bar is secured properly and the cage is not going to tip over. While doing this, you might even lose your balance and fall over because you only load a barbell back on the cage when you are totally exhausted.
With the Titan T-2 series squat cages, you are probably not going to experience any such issues. Most buyers have stated that the whole frame, when assembled correctly, is pretty stable. Neither the uprights nor the base wobbles provided you stick to the weight limits, which according to our experience is 500lbs. You may have to tighten the nuts once a month though, which is a common thing with all equipments.
As we mentioned above, if you want to train harder and need your rack to be rock stable, you might get it anchored to the floor or to your weightlifting platform.
Don’t have a weightlifting platform?
Well, we strongly advise you to build one, even if you are building your home gym in your garage or basement. Weightlifting platforms minimize vibrations, shock, and noise, so your family members or neighbors won’t be disturbed or scared when you drop the weights.
Here is how you can build a weightlifting platform. Plus, here are the best home gym flooring options that we recommend.
If you are building your gym upstairs, make sure you order a pair of Yes4All drop pads that will further help absorb the shock and vibration created during weight training.
T2-series power cage from Titan Fitness comes with a standard 1-year warranty
As we said, it’s a standard warranty.
We have tried numerous products from Titan Fitness and, from our first-hand experience, we can confidently say that the products are pretty decent and can last for a good number of years. Titan Fitness also has a very supportive customer care team, so you can buy their products confidently, knowing that the manufacturer will assist you wherever necessary.
The short cage is really short. Not everyone will like it.
The height of the short cage is just 71” i.e. 5.9’. If you are taller than 5.6’, this may not be enough for you, especially if you want to use the pullup bar. It will still be good equipment for benching exercises.
Basically, the short rack has very limited use. It is meant to be used in basements and other low-ceiling areas. You should buy it only if it is the only thing you can accommodate in your home gym.
The 83” one is great though. It is suitable for most buyers but if you need an even taller squat rack, you can go with the Rogue Monster lite series products.
The pull up bar is very basic with no knurling at all
That’s not what we had expected. And, we are a bit disappointed.
The bar measures 1.25” in diameter, which is the standard measurement but lack of knurling can make it difficult to get a good grip, especially if you have sweaty hands. You can, however, replace it with a separate multi-grip pull up bar.
Lack of instruction can be a cause of concern if you have never assembled anything before
A lot of buyers have complained that the manufacturer should have sent a detailed instruction guide or maybe an assembly video to help you figure out what goes where.
To be honest, even if you have a very basic knowledge of assembling, this shouldn’t be an issue. All you need to do is to connect the four posts with the base and the pullup bar. This could require some brainstorming and a little help from a family member or friend to hold the frame up while you put on the nuts and bolts. But, as such the process is simple and straightforward.
Titan Fitness T-2 series power rack comes with all possible tools that you might need to put it together but, as expected, the tools are useless. You should use your own tools. Here are some of the power tools that you may need to assemble a power rack.
Difference between T2 and T3 series power rack
Most buyers get confused between the Titan T-2 series and T-3 series products (pic above) because both of them basically have the same features and specifications. So, we thought we should provide you with a brief comparison and help you choose the right product.
Basically, T-2 series squat racks and accessories are affordably-priced, entry-level products. When we say affordably-priced, we don’t mean cheaply built. Rather, Titan Fitness T-2 series products have surprisingly solid construction. They are full-sized power cages with no bells and whistles features but they work as expected and provide you with a stable, solid platform for your training.
T-3 series power racks and accessories are heavy-duty products meant for intermediate to advanced trainers. They are available in 82” as well as 91” in height, making them suitable for everything and for almost all types of exercises. You can even customize the depth. T-3 series racks have to be bolted down because they do not have a base frame.
T-2 series power racks have a weight-bearing capacity of 700lbs whereas the T-3 ones are designed to hold more than 1000lbs. T-3 series have 2”X3” frames and features Westside hole spacing, which is missing in the T-2 series products. These improvements explain the huge price difference between the products of these two series.
If you have just started weight training or if you are looking for something basic to keep up with your fitness routine, Titan T-2 series power racks should be enough for you. But, if you are a really tall person and you need something strong for your hardcore fitness training sessions, T-3 should be a better option.
Rating
We are giving this a rating of 4.5 out of 5.0.
Wrap Up
Titan T-2 series squat racks are one of the best power racks you can buy under $500. But, please note that they are only good for an average lifter. Advanced trainers should go with the T-3 ones other better options.
Now, as we said, T-2 power racks are one of the best options because they have a sturdier 12-gauge frame whereas other competitively priced products such as the Weider Platinum Strength Squat Rack are made of 14 gauge steel. The hole spacing in T-2 series squat cages is 2”. Other budget products have a 3” or 4” gap, which is just too much to cover with a loaded barbell.
We love the floor anchoring option. Not many budget buys come with this feature. Plus, we also like the fact that T-2 series squat racks are compatible with all T-2 series accessories and any other accessory meant for 2”X2” frames.
In short, we highly recommend T-2 series power racks by Titan Fitness, provided it suits your workout needs.
If you are setting up a weight training area in your home gym, you might be looking for affordable but good-quality products. We have already selected the best bumper plates, best fractional weight plates, best affordable barbells, best mid-range barbells, and best high-end barbells for you. We have also come up with a lot of help guides on How To Drastically Improve The Strength Of Your Squat Over The Next 2 Months, How Much Should You Squat, Is Squatting 3 Times a Week Too Much, etc.
We suggest you go through them, and if you have any doubt or query, please get in touch with us.