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The Best Squat Racks To Build Serious Muscle
Written By OvertimeReviews Team
Are you searching for a new squat rack for your home gym? A squat rack allows you to lift weights more safely, making it one of the most important and versatile parts of a strength training gym. It’s the ideal piece of gym equipment to achieve your fitness goals, whether you’re into powerlifting, CrossFit, Olympic weightlifting, or simply want to build muscle through various barbell exercises.
With so many squat racks on the market, it might feel like an intimidating task to find the ideal product. To help you out, we have listed the most popular squat racks of 2025. Our informative buyer’s guide will walk you through some of the most important features and factors to consider to help you pick the right option for your home gym setup.
Compare the Best Squat Racks of 2025
CAP Barbell Squat Rack
Best Overall
The CAP Barbell Deluxe Power Rack boasts a heavy-duty construction, manufactured from 12 and 14-gauge steel. The three-step powder coat finish offers great durability that will last a lifetime. The capped frame means you never need to worry about discoloration from oxidation — this product will look brand new for a long time! It will keep you safe and secure while working out thanks to the two adjustable J-cup bar catches and two safety catches. It also has band posts to add extra resistance, a pull-up bar, and bar holders to add variety to your workouts. This pick has a combined weight capacity of 500 pounds, so you can hit new personal records on all your lifts. Plus, it comes in seven colors, so you can choose your preferred style to suit your space. Between its sturdy design and versatile accessories, this is the top squat rack on our list.
F2C Squat Rack
Most Portable
The F2C Adjustable Squat Rack offers a high Its simple design allows for easy and fast dismantling, so you can transport it when needed. Despite this portability, the top and bottom racks boast high weight capacities of 440 pounds and 550 pounds, respectively, to keep you safe and secure while you lift. It is suitable for use with Olympic and standard-sized bars. It offers 14 spotter positions with 5cm gaps, suitable for most people’s workout needs. This product is made from a 50 mm-thick steel tube, so it’s lightweight yet extremely durable. You don’t need to worry about scratching your floor during a vigorous workout, thanks to the rubber cap endings installed on this squat rack.
Yaheetech Squat Rack
Most Affordable
If you’re searching for a quality squat rack that won’t break the bank, consider the Yaheetech Adjustable Squat Rack Stands. This budget-friendly product consists of two separate posts that can be easily moved around but are designed to support Olympic and standard-sized bars. They have a combined weight capacity of 441 pounds to help you tackle even your most challenging lifting goals. The frames are made of 50mm steel tubing that is both light and durable, so you will find they are easy to move when needed. In addition, they have anti-skid pads, so you don’t need to worry about scuffing or scratching your floor. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for assembly to ensure the squat rack is as sturdy as possible.
BangTong&Li Squat Rack
Most Stable
The enhanced frame of the BangTong&Li Squat Rack provides extra support and stability, offering a maximum weight capacity of 500 pounds. This high-quality pick is rust-resistant, so it will look new for a long time. It has many safety features to help keep it firmly in place while you lift, including a safety locking system, high-quality metal nuts, non-slip washers, and sturdy H-shaped bases. This squat rack is also height adjustable, offering an impressive bracket height range so you can adjust the spotters to match your requirements. Plus, if you want to add a pop of color to your gym, opt for this product in either black and yellow or black and red.
Buying Guide: Squat Racks
Determining which squat rack is right for your needs can be tricky, so we put together this helpful buyer’s guide. Below, we cover everything you need to know about buying a squat rack to help you confidently choose the ideal model for your home gym. Let’s dive in!
Benefits of Buying a Squat Rack
There are several reasons why buying a squat rack is a great investment in your fitness regime and home gym set-up.
Versatile
A squat rack can accommodate various exercises, including bench presses, deadlifts, cable crossovers, overhead presses, squats, curls, lat pulldowns, chin-ups, and rows. It’s a real jack of all trades as far as workout equipment goes and will help you achieve your ultimate fitness goals.
Saves money
With a squat rack, you don’t need to keep spending money once you have invested in this piece of equipment, unlike when you join a gym and get a monthly membership. You will also save money on other fees and expenses that come with gym memberships.
Convenience
Having a squat rack at home saves you time driving to and from the gym and waiting in line for a rack to open up during your workout.
No spotter necessary
Safety spotters and other safety attachments allow you to work out safely by yourself without a spotter. No more relying on your pals being available to help you out at the gym with a reliable squat rack!
Easier to achieve a routine
When your equipment is just in the other room, it is much easier to stick to your workout routine. You can base your workouts and schedule around what is convenient for you without thinking about gym opening times, heavy traffic, or traveling in bad weather conditions.
Privacy
Being able to work out intensely and get super sweaty without someone staring at you is the kind of privilege you only get from a home workout. You also don’t need to talk to anyone at the gym, which can be a huge plus when you’re feeling tired at the start of the day or at the end of a long one.
Things To Consider When Buying a Squat Rack
There are lots of different squat racks available, so it might seem like a difficult task to choose between them. Weighing certain features and factors can save you time and make your decision much clearer. Here are some things you should consider when buying a squat rack.
Type
There are two types of squat racks available: a modular system and a fixed package system. This first option allows you to buy a base rack and build upon it with attachments you buy separately. A modular power rack will save you money because you won’t have to pay for attachments you won’t need or use. It is also a good way to spread the cost of a barbell out gradually as you can buy the attachments one at a time when you can afford to. A fixed package system, on the other hand, includes several stations and attachments that you may or may not use.
Attachments
Consider the attachments and stations you will find most useful and ensure the squat rack you invest in will support them. To achieve your weightlifting and strength training goals, you may want to purchase a variety of attachments such as a chin-up bar, cable crossover, lat pull-down seat, J-hooks, and mono lift systems. Some other accessories and add-ons you might find helpful for your gym routine include:
- Band pegs
- Core trainers
- Dip handle
- Plate holders
- Bench
Weight capacity
When choosing a squat rack, select one that can hold a significant amount of weight. Ideally, look for one that supports more weight than you will ever use. A rack with a weight capacity of 400 pounds or more is usually enough, though some models can hold at least 500 pounds.
Safety features
The beauty of a squat rack is that you don’t need to work out with a spotter, but that means that the safety features it possesses are very important. Ensure the squat rack you buy is structurally safe and secure. Look for durable materials like thick-gauge steel and good reviews for sturdiness. You should also look for added safety attachments and options, such as:
- Ability to anchor the rack to the floor
- Secure and strong safeties
- Strong welds
- Safety ling attachments
- Safety spotter arm attachments
- High-quality materials
- Safety sling attachments
Available space
Ensure the squat rack will fit your allocated room by measuring the floor space and height available where you plan to place it. Allow plenty of extra room if buying a modular design, as you will need space for additional attachments and stations in the future.
Hole spacing
Precise customization is one of the great benefits of using home gym equipment. To fully suit your workout goals and height, the hole spacing should be fairly close together at about a ½ inch to 1 inch apart. They should run evenly from top to bottom. Holes should also have the same diameter and be completely smooth. The tiniest bit of protruding metal in a hole will make it unusable for racking a barbell.
Hole numbering
Although placing a pin in the same hole on both sides might seem easy, you will find that most people often don’t get it right on the first try of the day. This little mistake can become frustrating if it happens regularly. Take the guesswork out by having numbered holes on both sides of the power cage and ensuring the pin placements are identical on both sides. This will also help you speed up your preparation time, as you will remember your numbers for the correct positions for your workouts more easily than you will visualize the placement of the holes.
Ease of use
Look for a squat rack that lets you easily adjust your attachments from one position to another. Pins should sit securely mounted to the structure while being easy to attach or remove.
How We Chose the Top Squat Racks
To choose the leading power racks, we have considered safety features, sturdiness, durability, and other compatible features. We compared these things with customer reviews and each product’s cost.
Price Range of Squat Racks
A squat rack can cost anywhere from $50 to $500. Squat racks on the high end of this range are usually fixed-packaged systems with key accessories and attachments to get you started.
People Also Asked
What size do barbells come in?
You can buy a women’s barbell, a men’s barbell, or a youth barbell. That is not to say that a man can’t use a women’s barbell and vice versa, just that each barbell will have different measurements. For example, a women’s barbell is 2.01 meters long, with a diameter of 25 mm, and weighs 35 pounds. Weighing 45 pounds, a men’s barbell is 2.2 meters long, with a diameter of 28 mm (Olympic barbell) or 29mm (powerlifting barbell). A youth barbell is 1.7 meters long, with a diameter of 25mm, and weighs 25 pounds.
What are some other names for a squat rack?
While shopping for this piece of gym equipment, you may also find it referred to as a squat rack, power rack, or squat cage. Other types of squat racks have built-in movement restrictions, such as the Smith machine.
Should a squat rack be bolted to the ground?
Yes, you should bolt your power rack to the ground. Without doing so, you could accidentally knock over the equipment and become injured. In addition, you don’t want this device to wobble while in use.
Is it safe to do squats without a squat rack?
No, you need a rack to do squats with a barbell. Otherwise, you could end up in a dangerous situation trying to unload a heavy barbell, risking injury.
What movements should I not do in a squat rack?
While having your own power rack at home means you don’t have to worry about keeping it from other people, there are some movements that you don’t need to use one for — or should outright avoid in one. It’s generally better to do barbell curls, deadlifts, and power or hang clean in an open space, both to give yourself more room and avoid possible injury.
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