My new Squat Rack Stands from Valor Athletics a new addition to my CrossFit garage gym.
Well I finally got some squat rack stands!
On Christmas I got one more piece to my ever-growing garage gym. When I woke up Christmas there was a box sitting next to the fireplace that was not there the previous night, man was I excited.
At Mayra’s request I had given her my Christmas wish list in November and squat stands were on that list. I also went one step further and found specific items that I wanted and where the best deals were. I did a little research online and found these racks on Ebay. They are made by Valor athletics and had decent reviews. The reviews said they were sturdy, plus they could double as a bench press (No bench included) plus they had a small weight tree for stacking weight. Anyway, I didn’t want her spending a bunch of money on racks and they looked like a great deal. Since they were listed at about $170 bucks they were well within the Christmas budget we had given each other for presents.
Starting in early December packages began arriving at hour home. As each package arrived, I Mayra asked for hints as to the contents but she gave none. Instead she made me believe that she ordered different stuff that was on my list, needles to say I was a bit bummed. Anyway, on Christmas Eve I put all the presents out and we went to bed. Somehow Mayra snuck out in the middle of the night and put out the squat rack she had secretly purchased.
Putting it together was pretty easy, but the picture instructions left me a little confused. At one point I just sat staring at what I had built and it looked wrong, very wrong. After another review of the instructions I had it together.
Yesterday I used them for the first time and was pretty impressed especially for the price. I would put these well above something you might pick up at K-Mart, but they are definitely not pro gear. I think they will be great for doing CrossFit because for the most part most, WOD’s don’t call for a lot of weight. Plus I really doubt I’m gonna be getting anywhere near the squat racks 500lb limit anytime soon.
My first impressions.
- When putting them together I really had to tighten the bolts with a lot of force otherwise the base felt wobbly. It seems like the base could have had a better fit so I wouldn’t have had to tighten so hard.
- I put them together wrong at first. The picture directions could have been better, but I’m not a big directions guy. When I looked at the finished photos of the racks I finally got it. Total build time was probably 25 minutes.
- They seem pretty sturdy and state they are rated for 500lbs total weight, 250 lbs on either side, but I doubt I’d put that kind of weight on the racks. Not because I think they wouldn’t hold the weight, but because the stands are not attached to the floor and can slide around. I have a slick linoleum floor and really need some rubber mats, but until I do I’ll stick to a max of 300lbs or so.
- I like a couple features like the rubber rests included on the bench rests and the little safety latches that hold the bar when you’re not using it.
- The weight trees on either rack are pretty short and don’t hold a lot of weight because of their length. Since the Rogue bumper plates are so thick I can only put one 45lb and a 10lb per tree. Not a big deal so since I plan on purchasing a tree anyway. The extra weight on the racks does help with stability, especially since I don’t have mats yet.
- It adjusts high enough to allow me to squat and I’m 6’. I don’t think it goes any higher and if it did I would not use that setting because I don’t think it would be steady, especially with a lot of weight. It easily adjusts lower for shorter people with the pull of a spring-loaded knob.
Overall I like them and they are a great addition to my garage gym. While not pro quality I think they will give me years of great use. For the price they can’t be beat.
See you in the hills.
Lance
