Do You Know How Much to Spend on a Squat Rack

For most people using a garage or home gym set up, the squat rack will be the biggest purchase you make. Looking at your budget, how much does a squat rack cost?

A squat rack can be anywhere from $200 to $10,000 depending on its features and quality. Usually, the average cost is around $1000. It’s important to note that the base price of a rack has a lot in common with how many barbells it holds, how much weight equipment it includes, and what size framework it has.

Higher quality steel costs more than lower quality steel, which is why the price of a rack might jump up as its quality increases.
A squat rack is an important piece of equipment if you’re training in the Olympic weightlifting movements or when doing bodybuilding workouts. The price can range from a high-quality squat stand to a full-sized power rack.

We’ll cover both types in this article, but first, let me show you how to spot the difference between good quality and a cheap one.

The Squat Rack Specs That Matter

Squat Rack Specs and Dimensions

The columns and or tubes (which can be found on the dimensions page) are two important features of a squat rack that I like to focus on. The gauge (gauge can be found on the dimensions page) is another one.
When you’re looking for a squat rack, it may be tempting to just pick one because of all of the options available. The only two things you need to worry about are column dimensions and steel gauge.

Column Dimensions: This is generally going to be either 3×3, 2×3, or 2×2.

What does column size mean? – Column dimensions are the width and depth of the beams that your server rack is constructed with. The industry standard is high-quality racks made out of 3×3 beams.

Why is this important? – Two reasons.

1. Firstly, wider columns are sturdier than narrower ones and make it easier to balance weight.
2. Secondly, wider columns create an impression of stability while narrow ones might make the whole thing topple over.

Another advantage is that many rack attachments and hoists are compatible with a 3×3 frame. In case you have an alternate layout, it may be more difficult to find the perfect attachment for your racks.

I agree that wider columns are always better, but you should also keep the second spec in mind when buying a rack.

Steel Gauge: I would recommend 11-gauge steel for a quality rack. This can vary anywhere from 9 to 15.

What does Steel Gauge mean? – The gauge is the thickness of the beam. The lower the number, the thicker steel.

Why is this important? – This may sound obvious, but it’s worth explaining that thicker steel = stronger function. When you see racks rated for 500lbs vs 1000lbs, the difference is generally about the gauge of steel.

Bottom Line on Specs and Safety

I made my squat rack. We’ll talk about the DIY Squat Rack Cost later on, but it’s worth mentioning that I’ve bought 3 squat racks for different college weight rooms in my career. I can tell you that if I end up buying a steel rack for my garage, then it will be a 3×3 11 gauge steel one.

I just want to make sure that this purchase is safe and won’t endanger the contents inside.
That’s why I have included a few racks that are more lightweight and slim. They offer different prices and costs, but they’re not my top choice.

There are No Reviews Here

I don’t want to mislead anyone into thinking this is an actual review. I only share my experiences with products that I have used myself.

I spent a few hours researching the different companies that sell personal strength equipment and found some pretty good deals. (not cheap garbage from Amazon)

I hope this saves you some time!

Squat Stands Cost

Squat stands are grab-and-go equipment. They’re just two poles. You can set them up with the base or without, so they can be quickly put away and stored away when not in use.

Other exercises have benefits, but squatting primarily focuses on your thighs.

The only real downside to squat stands is that they’re not suited for all exercises – such as bench press or pull-ups.

Their instability can be an issue too – you need to take extra caution when racking and unracking weights.

Squat stands are great for Olympic weightlifters that don’t need a rack to do anything other than back squats.

Squat stands are also popular because they’re cheaper than racks. If you want to get into back squats but don’t want to spend a lot of money, a squat stand could be the perfect solution for you.

Wall Mounted Squat Rack Cost

Wall-mounted squat racks are my favorite kind of rack. I think that you can get the most stability and space efficiency by anchoring it to the wall.

Wall-mounted squat racks offer all the benefits of a traditional rack, only they take up far less space.

They don’t need to be bolted to the ground either! Wall-mounted squat racks are amazing. They’re even foldable, so the rack columns can be “folded” back against the wall.

They take up no space when not in use and provide a great option if you have a limited range within your break area.

If you can’t anchor your rack to the wall or maybe you don’t want to, then a Wall Mounted Rack probably isn’t for you. A squat rack I built for my garage gym is essentially the same as a wall-mounted squat rack.

Sooner or later, I’ll upgrade my wood rack with one of these. They look nice and will be much better quality.

Half Racks Cost

Half racks are a step up from metal squat stands and wall-mounted racks. Half racks are freestanding, heavy-duty & more versatile than full racks.

The only downside of a half rack is that they don’t fully enclose you when you’re lifting inside them. If you’re space-challenged, you’ll love this half squat rack that allows you to use the frame as a safety bar. Or space it out and step out of the rack instead!

This type of rack is the most popular for college weight rooms. That’s because it has a lot of versatility and can open up the room by looking nice. And with lots of top-loaded racks, it might start to look a little cluttered. Finally, these are cheaper than buying Full Racks because they don’t need as many components.

It’s only a bad thing if you have less control of the barbell; if you have it under control then stability shouldn’t be an issue.

One last thing to keep in mind with half racks – some companies like Titan and Rogue sell ‘Conversion Kits’ where you can build your half rack with a Squat stand. That might be a good idea if you would want to start with a squat stand but upgrade later.

Full Racks aka Power Cages Cost

How much would you say one of these squat racks typically costs to buy. We’re just about to wrap up with the big boys of weightlifting – full racks, or power cages as they’re called. We’ve worked out how to lift heavy weights!

Full Racks will guarantee your stability and make the movement easier. It’s never bad to handle serious weights. Full racks have more attachments and therefore make it possible to use some attachments for longer periods before having to switch out for others.

The downside is that a full rack will take up the most space which can sometimes be inconvenient for those with an already limited amount of space. These are also going to be the most expensive style out there since they’re by far the biggest type of rack.

I have my garage workspace and I know it’s a unique situation. A full rack would cost a bomb but I can’t deny that anyone who does is a total boss

Final Thoughts

There are a lot of squat rack models that vary in price. The hardest part of shopping around is trying to find all the prices.
This article should be a useful guide for you if you’re looking to buy a rack. It contains details on different types of racks and their respective prices.

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