The TDS power rack is in demand these days because a lot of people are looking for inexpensive and yet sturdy and compact exercise equipment like this one to build their home gym, so they can exercise safely amid the pandemic. Although this squat rack isn’t a piece of commercial grade equipment, it is heavy-duty, can bear 1000lbs weight, and offers amazing height adjustment options.
Most buyers have claimed that it is almost impossible to find such heavy-duty specs in inexpensive equipment like this.
A few buyers, however, have expressed their dissatisfaction over shipping, packaging, and some cosmetic issues as well.
Overall, most people have stated that TDS power cage is a genuinely-priced, impressive squat rack for beginners, intermediates, and advanced weight trainers.
If you are interested in this squat cage by TDS, this blog will provide you almost every possible detail that you must know before you make your decision. We have strived hard to gather as much information as we can from Amazon, the manufacturer’s website, and various other resources. We have also conducted in-depth research on the buyers’ feedback to ensure that we don’t miss out on anything.
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Quick Review Summary
TDS squat rack is a decent quality product suitable for almost anyone, expect athletes and bodybuilders who anyways should buy more reliable and sturdy products. As admitted by numerous buyers, it is pretty easy to assemble and can hold up more than 300lbs of weight. You will experience bare minimum wobble, even when you are training hard, which is a good thing because most inexpensive power racks wobble a lot and can shake your confidence.
Some of the major issues that buyers have faced with the TDS power rack is poor packaging and shipping. The paint job is quite poor and you can expect it to get scratches and even rust after a few years of use. Nevertheless, it is still a good price of home gym equipment to begin with.
Pros
- TDS power cage is a genuinely priced home gym equipment
- The built, the quality, and the stability is exceptionally good for the price it is available
- The compact footprint makes it suitable for small spaces.
- The numbering system of the holes helps you make easy and quick adjustments.
- Many buyers have stated that TDS has a prompt and helpful customer service department
Cons
- There is no way you can secure it to the floor. But, this isn’t a major problem as you can anyways weigh it down by adding weights to the pegs.
- The height of the cage is just enough for tall people. If you are taller than 5’7” you will have to fold your legs while doing pullups. Well, the rack is meant to be compact enough for small homes, so the height issue should be ignored.
- The paint job is pathetic. The paint from the j-hooks and the safety bars chip off easily and you will be left with lots of black shavings to clean up. If you hate that, you can replace the j-hooks with these top-rated replacement j-hooks for power cages.
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 TDS power rack
- Dimensions: 48.5″ x 48″ x 82.5″ H
- Weight-bearing capacity: 1000 lbs
- Accessories included: J hooks and 1” solid steel safety bars, professionally knurled chinning bar
- Frame is made of 2” square gauge steel
- For height adjustment there are 31 holes, each 2” apart. The holes are numbered for your convenience.
- There are holes on the top side beams and rear beam to add lat, dip bars, or any other attachment of your choice.
Hole spacing:
The other competitive products such as Fitness Reality 810XLT Super Max Power Cage has 3” hole spacing and CAP Barbell Full Cage Power Rack has 4” spacing. Both of them have lesser weight-bearing capacity and they are priced higher than the TDS power rack. Plus, their holes are not marked. If you own one of them, here are some helpful tips on marking the holes of the racks.
If you are new to power racks, you may not be aware that hole spacing is very important to ensure your safety and comfort. When you lift off from a position that is too high or too low for you, your chances of injury increases. So, you need to have the safety bars placed just below your lowest point of motion. If they are too high or too low, they won’t be of much help, especially if you are lifting heavy weights.
2” hole spacing is found in expensive power racks such as Fitness Reality X-Class Light Commercial power rack. But, TDS squat cage is an exception.
Build quality
- The more the steel gauge, the more weight it can bear. You are getting an 11 gauge steel frame under $500!
- TDS power cage can bear 1000 lbs weight which is much more than the competitive products listed above.
- There are pre-drilled holes for additional attachments.
- There are pegs at the base for storing the weights and for weighing the rack down.
All of these indicate that this TDS squat cage is thoughtfully designed to let your exercise safely at home.
Stability
The TDS power rack is extremely stable. Most buyers have stated that it doesn’t wobble even when you don’t weigh it. A few buyers stated that it wobbles slightly but not to the point that it makes you feel unsafe.
Here is what a buyer has to say about its safety of use:
“The rack is stable enough to do pullups on and I believe it will catch anything I miss just fine, I have no concerns about rack stability.”
Assembly
Most buyers have stated that assembly is easy. It comes with all the necessary nuts, bolts, washers, etc. All the holes line up correctly. The instructions are pretty clear to understand and follow. You can assemble it alone but it will be much easier if someone helps you.
Assembly can take about an hour or two depending on your skills.
Shipping and delivery
The TDS power cage is shipped in two packages. You may not get both of them together. They could come a few days apart.
Shipping is quick but handling and delivery need a significant improvement. Many buyers have stated that their order arrived earlier than expected but the packages were poorly handled. The packaging was not enough to bear rough handling. The delivery service provider needs to improve its services.
Rating
We are giving this a rating of 4.0 out of 5.0.
Wrap Up
TDS power cage is a great value for money home gym equipment. It can even cater to advanced fitness trainers. Being an affordable power rack, it doesn’t have too many bells and whistles. But it does have the stability and durability that you are looking for. Definitely, it will be one of your most satisfying purchases.