Folding wall racks are a great space saving alternative to full-size power racks for athletes who want to train in their garage, but who still need to be able to pull the car in after a workout. Folding racks require only some empty wall space and a few inches of floor space to store, yet they open up into a full-size rack that’s about as versatile as a standard floor unit, and can hold just as much weight. Most models are less expensive than full racks, yet the majority of them can still handle the same accessories (spotters, dip station, landmine, etc.) Of course, any folding rack worth having will also have a chin-up or kipping bar.
In this article I’ll show you a handful of the available folding racks from different manufacturers, and I’ll talk about the differences in design, construction quality, and pricing. Don’t get overwhelmed, there are only a couple racks that really matter – as you’ll see as we go through the list.
*FYI: All wall-mounted folding racks will require stringers when attaching the rack to wood or metal studs. I strongly suggest doing exactly what the manufacturer of your rack suggests in terms of installing that stringer. You’ll also need to make sure your preferred location for installation has enough space for the stringers.
Rogue’s recommendation for hanging stringers. Expect to have to do exactly this for your folding rack, and probably twice.
What to Look For in a Folding Rack
Buying a folding rack isn’t much different than buying a regular squat stand or power rack. You’re going to want to pay attention to ceiling height requirements, the steel used (dimensions and gauge), where it’s sourced (US or Chinese steel), the size of the hardware used, build quality (this has a lot to do with where it comes from), and what kind of finish the unit has. Obviously price will matter, but most are priced reasonably and only one I would consider to be overpriced.
As with non-folding racks, I recommend 2″ x 3″, 11-gauge steel for the uprights. 3″ x 3″ is acceptable as well, but it will be more expensive and there isn’t much of an advantage to having it over 2″ x 3″. I’m not a huge fan of 2″x2″ because it feels kind of flimsy to me, but at 11-gauge it will still hold a good amount of weight.
Personally I prefer racks made with US-steel. US-sourced racks have a hefty list of advantages over their imported (Chinese) counterparts including fewer imperfections in the steel, more resilient powder coating, laser cut components and holes, and just a better overall user experience (no rust, consistent hole sizing, hardware holes line up, no burrs or sharp flashing, and so on.) You’ve got to figure that there is a reason importing this stuff costs half as much money, and it’s not all because of the cheap labor.
Anyway, I’ll try to address all of these things along with each product. If you happen to be looking at a folding rack that’s not listed here, just use the above information as a guideline in determining whether or not you’re looking at a quality unit or not.
PRx Profile Series Rack
The PRx Profile Series is unique in that it stows away vertically rather than to the side like most folding racks. Utilizing gas shocks, it’s probably the quickest and easiest folding rack to pull down and put away. The Profile also is the most compact of any folding racks – sticking out only 4″ from the wall when stowed away.
Unfortunately, PRx racks are easily the most expensive folding racks around. Even after coming down a little in light of all the new competition, they are still the least competitive in terms of price, with some units easily exceeding $1000 before a single accessory is added. That’s two to three times as much as other folding racks that I’m going to show you, and about as much as a full-size power rack like the RML-490 (that green rack you see in the sidebar.)
Sadly there are other drawbacks besides the high price tag. Because of the way this rack stores vertically, it requires more vertical wall space. You need to have 9′ ceilings to install any of the Profiles that have pull-up bars; 8′ ceilings just won’t do. Additionally, because of the short distance between rack and wall, the optional kipping bar is a near-necessity to put some distance between you and the wall when doing any hanging movements. That’s all well and good, but the basic kipping model starts at $800.
The PRx Profile racks are built with industry standard 2″x3″ 11-gauge steel and 5/8″ hardware, so we’re good there. PRx also makes their racks here in the USA. Now they don’t offer as many accessories as Rogue Fitness does, but Rogue Infinity accessories will fit on the standard Profiles, so that’s not really an issue. All-in-all, very nice, but pricey.
PRx also offers a 3″x3″ Pro Profile that can be ordered in like eight different colors and has etched numbers in the uprights, but for $1100 I just don’t know how appealing that is for the majority. I guess the best way to look at the Pro version is consider it their luxury model for folks with no concern for budget.
Pros: Clever vertical storage method puts this unit closer to the wall than any other unit when stored away (4″); US product, colors and numbered uprights available on Pro racks, compatible with other manufacturer’s accessories.
Cons: Most expensive folding rack; kipping model starts at $800, requires 9′ or higher ceilings for install, unit fairly close to wall, gas shocks are a wearable item.
Rogue Fitness R-3W & RML-3W Folding Rack
Of all the folding racks on the market right now, the Rogue R-3W is currently my favorite. It offers access to all the same lifts as the PRx, but for hundreds of dollars less. It has a semi-adjustable pull-up bar, Westside hole spacing through the bench region, the most accessory options by far, and it can be ordered in two different depths – something that you can’t do with any other foldable rack.
The R-3W is made with 2″x3″, 11-gauge Infinity steel, and uses Rogue’s standard, beefy 5/8″ hardware. The two available rack depths are 20.5″ and 40.5″, and they sell for $475 and $555 respectively. Both depth variations stick out less than 5″ from the wall when stowed away, so there’s plenty of space when it’s opened yet very compact when closed.
Rogue also has the option to get 3″x3″ steel in the form of the RML-3W, but unless you already own Monster-Lite accessories for this steel configuration, I can’t see any reason to make the jump. Sure, the beefier RML variations are only $20 more than their Infinity counterparts, but accessories are going to cost more as well. Your call.
Setting up and stowing away the Rogue R-3W takes a few seconds longer than the Profile, but we’re talking seconds. It’s just a matter of pulling or placing a few pins. The 20.5″ version folds inwards, and the 40.5″ versions can fold however works best for you – both left, both right, or both to the outside. All versions are the same 5″ from the wall when stowed away.
Pros: Affordable, available in multiple steel configurations and depths, Westside hole spacing, UHMW caps to protect floor, easy to use, unit is only 5″ from wall when stored, largest accessory selection of any rack manufacturer, made in USA.
Cons: Set up and storage takes 15-seconds instead of 5-seconds.
X-Training XWR Folding Wall Mount Rig
The XWR Folding Rig is a close clone of the Rogue R-3W design, though it’s a little less impressive than the Rogue. Rather than 2″x3″ steel, X-Training opted to use lighter duty 2″-square tubing. This smaller tubing typically feels less sturdy, and it’s less compatible with existing accessories on the market. Additionally, the hardware shown in the images looks too small for the application, and the lack of washers on both ends of the bolt is somewhat concerning. It’ll hold, but it won’t feel as solid as a 2″x3″ rack.
For all the compromises that seem to have been made in its design, you’d think that this would sell for way less than the Rogue unit, but it does not ($599 vs Rogue’s $475.)
Pros: Available in two heights (94″ and 109″), pull-up bar is adjustable.
Cons: Imported, light-duty steel and hardware used (and lacking washers), high retail price for specifications. As a personal note, I’ve never been able to get a customer service response from this company so who knows how well they handle issues with orders.
Again Faster Wall Mounted Folding Power Rack
The Again Faster Folding Power Rack has a very misleading name. It should probably be called a Folding Squat Stand as this unit bears no resemblance to a power rack at all. It has no horizontal cross-members between uprights (no chin/pull bar), and no safety system available. It’s essentially a pair of independent squat stands that retract to store against the wall, and nothing more.
The steel used for the uprights is standard 2″x3″ 11-gauge steel, and AF uses 5/8″ hardware for the assembly, but the first and only review left for this product includes feedback that is very reminiscent of lower-quality, imported racks and stands. It’ll take more than that one review to get a clear idea of how well this unit is built, but it’s not an ideal first review.
Then again, it may not really matter. The fact is that $400 + $130 shipping for what amounts to basic squat stands is just too much money. And while you can buy this rack packaged with an independent wall-mounted pull-up bar, it should be attached to the unit itself, not a second thing you have to find wall space for. I think AF rushed this to market without giving it enough thought. I mean, it’s neat and all, but it’s not very versatile, and it’s definitely not a bargain.
Pros: Industry-standard steel used, easy to use.
Cons: Expensive base price for so few features, and horrendous shipping; no built-in chin bar, no accessories, imported; and potential quality control issues.
Titan Fitness T3 Fold Back Power Rack
The Titan T3 Folding Rack is an exact clone of the Rogue R-3W Folding Rack. On paper, it looks identical; same design, same size steel and hardware, same height and depth, and so on. In reality. it’s made with inferior steel, cheap hardware, and it’s just riddled with flaws and inconsistencies. Titan has no shame when it comes to taking the spec sheet of a well-built American product and letting the lowest bidder in China pump out cheap, crappy clones.
The most common complaints with Titan racks included structural and surface imperfections in the steel that are easily spotted through the fake powder coat – a coating that will already be flaking off before you even have the thing assembled. Also common is a lack of consistency in hole size and location on uprights. Hardware and accessories don’t fit through some holes without drilling them out yourself, and components won’t always line up true. Removing burrs and flashing in order to remove the risk of slicing your hands open may be needed as well. Finally, expect no assembly instructions.
Not an overly impressive product or company if you ask me, but if this is all you can afford and you’re willing to endure the shortcomings and flaws, then by all means make it work. Perhaps you won’t notice all of the shortcuts if you’ve never even used a high-quality rack before; who knows.
Pros: Low price and shipping, looks like a Rogue rack from afar.
Cons: Inferior craftsmanship, low quality control from overseas manufacturer, low-grade steel, sharp flashing around holes and edges, not actually powder coated (chips and slips), pins and bolts often don’t fit through hardware holes and holes won’t always line up, no assembly instructions of any kind (huge complaint btw.)
Honorable Mention – The Slim Gym
The Pure-Strength Slim Gym doesn’t fold away, but it does take up a very minimal amount of floor space (as little as one foot in depth.) It’s made with the same 2″ x 3″, 11-gauge steel as the Rogue or PRx folding racks, and it comes standard with a pull-up bar that sits far enough away from the wall to keep you from making contact with that wall when kipping. The pull-up bar can also be adjusted to various heights.
The Slim Gym is a nifty rack. It’s a little pricey for being only two uprights with no moving parts for storage ($469), and it will need to be anchored the wall and the floor, but it looks solid, and it’s a US-product with US-sourced steel. Again, just to be clear, it does not fold away, but a foot away from the wall is not that much of a space requirement. You should have no problem pulling the car in.
Pros: Slim design is more stable due to being anchored to both the floor and wall, USA product, has accessories including spotters, three depths available (12′, 18″, and 24″), flashy red J-cups.
Cons: Somewhat expensive, hole spacing is weird at 2½” (won’t take double-pin accessories designed for standard 2″ spacing), not actually foldable; once installed it is a permanent fixture.
My Recommendation
I think that you’ll get the most bang for your buck from the Rogue R-3W. It’s among the highest quality of these racks, it’s priced reasonably well, and you have access to the most accessories. The Rogue also has the most 5-star reviews of any foldable rack, something like 43 total between the R-3W and RML-3W.
The PRx Profile Rig is a safe bet as well. It seems to be on par with Rogue in terms of build quality and the Pro version has some nice features, but you’re looking at a significantly higher price tag, and that’ll be a turn off for many of you.
The Slim Gym is also an interesting option. It’s a little more permanent in that it requires floor anchoring, and technically it does require the most floor space among these racks, but it’s built well and completely functional. The Slim Gym is definitely a better option than the Titan or Again Faster model. Matter of fact, I don’t consider either the Titan or AF folding racks to be a particularly good use of funds.
There are other folding racks out there, but most are just clones of the models here. If you see another model that you like and it’s not listed here, you should still have enough information now to make a well-informed, executive decision. Just remember, you get what you pay for.
Good luck!
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