What makes a good power rack a good power rack

So, as I was just saying, I was going to write this when I got distracted. Another look at the Elite FTS site (here) and man... how many options. I've chosen the one featured because it shows more simply what I'll be talking about but there are two or three more models above this inc one with a mono-rack included. This particular baby is $1900++ but includes the bench.



Their site blurbs says '' Power Rack - R2 Combo Rack. This rack includes all the best features you can find in a power rack. These include: sumo base, 1 and 2 inch hole spacing, chin bar, band pegs on the top and bottom of rack, weight storage, band storage, extra J hooks, extra safety pins, 0-90 flat to incline bench and dip attachments.''

As much of that follows my thinking lets start with the:

Sumo base. Basically the bottom cross member is raised off the floor. This allows those, like myself, that squat sumo or dealift sumo to get their feet out a little more than the width of the rack. Some frames allow for this by designing a 'kink' in the support and others follow the Elite idea.

Hole spacing. A small thing (you could stand on or bench from plates or extra matting to make up the difference if holes are too far apart for some lifts) but on some racks the holes are three and even four inches apart. People that actually regularly use racks properly will know that on some movements it's handy having the holes close. Ditto a small guy uses different bar and hook positions to a bigger one. Note how the closer packed holes on the rack here are about where you'd bench.

Pegs More useful if you go down the resistance bands route. Now you don't have lift the frame up, or hook them under the bench/dumbbells/whathaveyou. You might not use them now but once you get serious they'll probably be something you want.

Weight storage. It depends on how much working room you have but if you have the double back upright option many racks offer then the added option of weight storage pegs means less crap on the floor and easier to grab weights to train with.

Extra J-hooks and safety bars. Trust me, if a set breaks you might as well not have a rack at all. At the very least a spare set will mean one set is being repaired and the rack is still usuable.

Add-ons. By no means needed, per se, but very handy just the same (esp for home gyms) are the additional chinning bar and dipping options.