Review of the Powertec P-PR Power Rack with P-LTO Lat Tower Option

Wikipedia describes the power rack as:

A power cage (also known as a power rack, squat cage, or squat rack) is an item of weight training equipment designed to allow for a safe free weight workout using a barbell without the movement restrictions imposed by equipment such as the Smith machine.

Originally described as an apparatus for use with barbells, the power cage was patented in 1987 by Karl I. Mullen of Portland, Oregon. As described in his patent, and paraphrased below:

It essentially comprises four vertical posts with movable horizontal bar catchers on each side. For strength the uprights are normally linked together top and bottom thus producing a cage.

A safe free weight workout can be undertaken since dropping the weight will result in it being caught by the side bars.

A power cage can be used for a number of exercises including squat and various over-head presses. Partial bench presses, partial squats and partial deadlifts for instance are practiced in this cage.

Partial movement allows for greater weight to be used in a safe way, allowing for an overloading of muscle groups to produce greater growth.

Although less experienced individuals are often seen doing so, curling in the power rack is generally deemed inappropriate.

The power rack is the first piece of equipment you should buy for your home gym. It will allow you to lift heavier, and most of all, lift safer.

The commercial gym I used to go to had a Hammer Strength power rack, a huge beast. When I went to the gym at 5 a.m., there was always a three- or four-guy wait for it, so sometimes I had to use the Smith Machine instead. I told myself if I ever got the opportunity to build a home gym, a power rack with an upper/lower pulley attachment would be my first purchase…..and then, NO WAITING EVER AGAIN!

There are dozens and dozens of web sites selling the Powertec P-PR Power Rack with the lat tower option, for about the same price, with and without shipping included, etc.

I finally found the best price (I let you know where at the end of the article) and placed my order. Unfortunately, I ordered at the busiest time of the year for exercise equipment purchasing (January, when the New Year’s Resolutionists are out in full buying force) so I had to wait three agonizing weeks for my rack to be delivered.

The rack was too heavy for UPS or FedEx to deliver, so a transport company, who could only drop off at the end of my driveway, delivered the rack. The rack and pulley attachment came in four separate boxes and the total weight was 373 pounds! Remember, shipping was included in the price, so this wasn’t a bad deal.

Assembly of the power rack was fairly easy; at least all of the hardware was included and of the same size . However, there were some quality control issues. Some of the steel edges needed to be deburred (sanded), and the saber spotters (chrome safety pins) were different lengths. This didn’t affect their performance, however.

All of Powertec’s illustrations and even their promotional video on their web site showed the white numbers on the square tubing uprights facing out, away from the inside of the rack. This is how I placed mine as well. However, when you’re inside the rack, you have to look around the square upright to see what number you’re placing the saber spotters in. A minor inconvenience, I know, but some lifters have suggested turning the tubes around so the lettering is facing in. But others have commented that seeing the white numbers on the inside has made them lose concentration when lifting!

So I guess which direction you place the numbers is a matter of personal preference. As for me, I’m too lazy to turn mine to face in, so they’re staying the way they are.

I assembled this by myself, but I could have used an extra set of hands for the assembly of the front and rear top crossbars. Just remember to start all of the bolts and just hand tighten before finalizing the assembly. You need a 17mm (¾” worked, too) socket and wrench for construction, and, as the manual states in all caps, TIGHTEN ALL BOLTS BEFORE USING THIS EQUIPMENT.

As for the assembly of the lat tower option, the illustrations in the instructions were small and somewhat hard to follow.

It did not show how one end of the cable connected and I only knew how to connect it because of what parts I had left over. One end of the cable is secured by a screw assembly and the other by one of the three ellipse hooks that were included.

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Webmaster’s Note

This website has received a few emails asking for help with the routing of the cables thru the pulleys, so I made this drawing to help.

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The rear uprights have very small threaded holes for the clear powertec plexiglass nameplate to be installed. I managed to put these uprights on backwards and had to flip them around so the threaded holes were facing in towards the middle of the rack.

Even with these minor problems, I still managed to put the whole thing together in about four hours.

The inside width of the rack is 44.5 inches (adequate) and the height is 82 inches. I have enough headroom when I do pull-ups because of my 8-foot ceilings, but other reviewers have suggested turning the front crossbar with the pull-up handles upside down if you have height issues, such as in this photo:

This puts the front cross bar pretty low, however, so just watch your head or wear a hardhat while lifting!

Even if you don't modify the front crossbar, if you’re over 5’ 9” and plan on doing inside the rack standing military barbell presses, you won’t have the clearance. I’m 5”7” and the bar almost touches the top supports when I do these.

Overall, the rack looks nice with its gun metal finish, but the powder coating is thin and scratches easily. Not a big deal. It’s also solidly built, yet I can still move it around.

As for the pull up handles, there’s this great debate on some forums as to whether they are ergonomically correct, or if they just plain suck. I find them to be no problem whatsoever, but it wouldn’t be a problem to fasten a straight bar across the top of the rack if you’d like. Here's one way to add a straight pull-up bar.

The rack comes with the best dip bars I’ve ever seen! They are well thought out and taper inward, so you can find the width that works best for you. The width varies between 18 and 27 inches, and, if you turn them around, the max width is 36 inches. They are very stable, too. Check out this video of Lee Priest doing dips on the Powertec. Lee's pretty big and the rack doesn't move:

Besides dip bars, the rack comes with a short arm curl bar, one d-handle, lat bar, iron chain, and foam pads to lock your legs under while doing lat pull-downs.

Bottom line: this is a well-made, nice looking power rack, with a great functioning high/low pulley, that will take many years of abuse.

2010 updated powertec power rack with the new Innovative Gravity Lock catches:

Most of my homemade attachments for this rack require the old, round safety spotters. Even though powertec has updated it's safties, all you need is one piece of 3/4" x 36" conduit and you can still attach the homemade attachments to this rack.

BEST PRICES:

Even though Powertec has raised the price, it’s still worth every penny.

Buy It Here!

Powertec Power rack

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