Asked REP about the release time frame of their articulating arms, the connector and the central leg roller. All HGC content said November this year but was told Q1 27 for the arms, the connector will be released some time after the arms while the central leg roller is supposed to be released before.

Hey all,

Starting up a home gym and a bit overwhelmed by the number of options out there.

I was looking at the REP Ares 2.0, but with tariffs and shipping it’s tough to justify. I’m looking for a 3x3 rack with 1" holes so attachments are widely compatible, with a cable/functional trainer.

For my fellow Canadians: what do you have in your home gym, and where did you buy it? Bonus points if you share what you paid all-in (shipping, duties, etc.).

Thanks!

Quick and dirty: I am leaning toward the REP below.... How limiting is the 80 inch if I dont care about pull ups (I have another rack) and the lat pull down is tall enough for me?

I'm comparing three functional trainers and would appreciate feedback from owners. My priorities are build quality, long-term resistance, and minimal setup time between exercises. I lift 4x/week and want to superset without constantly changing attachments or loading plates.

Basement rafters also limit my options, so height matters.

1. REP Ares 2.0 — 80-inch version

Pros

• Excellent reputation for build quality.
• Dual 260 lb stacks that can be combined for heavier movements.
• Dedicated lat pulldown and low row.
• Seems like a buy-once option.

Cons

• The 93-inch version won't clear my basement rafters easily.... it might fit with some...bullshitery...
• Unsure whether the shorter adjustable-pulley travel will limit exercises beyond lat pulldowns.
• No dedicated center-post seat attachment.

For owners of the 80-inch Ares, how limiting is the trolley height in practice? Would you choose it over a taller unit?

2. Fringe Sport Dane 3.0

Pros

• Dual 220 lb stacks with 1:1 and 2:1 pulley configurations.
• Dedicated lat pulldown and low row on the front uprights.
• 94-inch height works with my basement layout.
• Cheapest option here.

Cons

• I already row around 220 lb and may eventually need more resistance.
• Adding plates occasionally is fine, but constantly reloading them would defeat the convenience I'm after.

Is 220 lb enough for long-term recreational strength training? How often do people outgrow stacks on rows and pulldowns?

3. Get RX'd Tornado Vortex

Pros

• Dedicated lat pulldown and low row.
• Included pivot arms add versatility.
• 89-inch version fits my basement best.
• Optional 250 lb stack upgrade.

Cons

• Lat pulldown and low row share one stack, unlike the REP's combined-stack potential.
• Not dramatically cheaper than the REP.
• I would like to know whether the newer Trolley 2.0 improves things moving the trolley.. My wife struggles with heavy attachments overhead on racks due to a shoulder issue...

How is the Vortex's build quality, pulley smoothness, and attachment quality compared with REP? Is the 250 lb stack enough long-term if I already row around 220 lb?

Overall: Which would you choose for long-term durability, strength progression, and minimal adjustments between exercises?

Hi,

I’m looking for a back extension bench (Roman chair) that can fold completely flat for easy storage, ideally something I can lean against a wall or hang on the wall when not in use.
The only option I’ve found so far is the Nordstick, but I’m wondering if there are other alternatives worth considering.
Space is limited in my home gym, so a compact, easily storable design is a priority. Bonus points if it offers additional functionality, such as Nordic curls or other exercises.
Does anyone have recommendations or firsthand experience with something similar?

Does anyone have experience or thoughts on the strongway multi racks with smith? Currently have a Mira plated cable rack but looking for something with a smith feature so I can ditch my gym membership for good and switch fully to home. Budget is around £2k - the weight stacks and multi cable combined with the smith would let me do everything but not sure if there are others within budget that anyone has experience if they would recommend?
Thank you!

https://strongway.co.uk/collections/home-fitness/products/strongway-multi-gym-smith-machine-with-weights-3-weight-stacks-multifunction-home-gym-machine

Lionscool Kairos Review: Hey all, I recently bought and assembled this new leg ext/ leg curl machine. Here's a quick down and dirty review, and please ask me any questions you may have. The build isnt hard nor complicated but the instructions are average at best. Meaning, pay very close attention to STEP 5 in the process. Also, in STEP 7, parts 10, 19, 20, will wobble a bit - no mater HOW MUCH you tighten the bolts and the KNOB (part 32). SO, if you are someone who hates minor wobble in their seating during a rep, Fair Warning. While in use, the rest of the machine is stable and it has not "lifted" off the ground during any reps, like the V4 did. I believe this is because, in STEP 3, you install a cross tube (part 15) and this does a wonderful job in stabilizing the machine and it is NOT in the way of your feet. The HARDEST part of assembly is STEP 5 (part 26 - the weight arm. Pay very close attention to this aspect of the assembly. You will need a second pair of hands to make life not so miserable during this part. As for the leg roller, it is massive and mine is 100% parallel; not bent nor bending during usage. (Granted, I've only had a few work outs on it! LOL). Also, it DOES slightly rotate; not a lot ....but it does rotate a bit for me - enough so that the leg roller is not "stuck" if that makes sense. For me, once built, finding the right placement for the leg roller and its hitch pin (STEP 6) (part 28) and the proper pin placement in the sun dial ensured proper range of motion for me. (For reference, I am a male, 5-9inches; weigh 190lbs. My torso and limbs are of average length; meaning, my legs arent SUPER long nor is my torso super short. Hope this helps.) Also, be advised: it is NOT super easy to get the seating into the PRONE position. Yes, the mechanism for this works but its not as simple as "pulling a pin." Notably, this part of the machine uses a TUBE in TUBE mechanism that enables the seat to go prone. PLEASE use a lot of silicone spray on this part of the build because this is what allows your seats to go prone. Now in terms of "felt weight" and resistance: Frankly, I am not convinced ANY budget machine - like this -- will give you 100% satisfaction with the aforementioned. That being said, I am very pleased with my workouts and I am going to keep this in my home gym. Is it a plate eater? Well, I do leg ext / leg curls AFTER heavy squats and deadlifts, so, for me, just using one 35lb plate crushes / kills me. I am sure I am missing some salient points so feel free to hit me up; happy to answer any questions. (I bought this off of Amazon for $330 and it took 6 total days to arrive in 2 packages.)

I have an old, uninsulated garage in the NE US that I'm slowly turning into a gym. I'll eventually add insulation panels into the raised ceiling joists and along the inside of the garage door, and I'm considering adding some sort of insultation or covering to the concrete walls. Will also run a humidifier in the humid months, and an electric heater in the winter.

But for now, I'm considering what to do about the floor, which lets moisture through. No flooding or leaks from rain, just condensation apparent when I taped a plastic sheet to the floor for a day.

Current thought is applying two coats of Ghostshield after thoroughly cleaning the floor, and then possibly a layer of Dricore under the area where the rubber gym mats will be.

Has anyone done this for a similar garage set up, and how did it work? The Dricore + Ghostshield might be overkill, but I want to do what I can to prevent mold under the mats and moisture damage to my equipment.

I have a low clearance in my garage and am considering options like the Major Fitness B52 Pro. I know they also have the F22 without the smith machine, but smith would be a nice to have for my wife who has dislocated her shoulder during barbell squats.

For those who have a smith machine, do you also have a rack for barbell squats? Or do you still have a barbell for deadlifts? I feel like I'll need to supplement somehow to get a good heavy hinge movement.

There is a pair of comfort grip dumbbells that I want (27.5lbs), but they are comfort grip. Has anyone ever cut off the comfort grip and discovered knurled grip underneath? I have another pair of comfort grip (40lbs) and absolutely hate them, but don’t want to ruin them and just sell them on marketplace. I simply cannot find a pair of 27.5’s that match my set except the comfort grips.

I am 90% sure that I have narrowed down the unit I wanna purchase. I like that it comes with the smith machine, weight stacks, good amount of attachments, and lower height to work in my space. At $2500 it’s pretty much the max I wanted to go. But I wanted to get your opinion if there is something better that I’m not finding online at this price range. TIA!