A great squat rack is essential for your home gym. Here are the best half squat racks for developing strong and muscular legs.
Half-racks are an excellent investment in your gym.
They balance the stability and weight load of a traditional power rack without the large footprint.
In this guide, we will look at the best half racks for home and commercial gyms, including key features, where to buy, a buyer’s guide, and more.
Let’s jump right in.
Why Invest in a Half Rack?
Squats are one of the all-time, first-ballot Hall of Fame exercises you can do for more muscle and strength.
It is a functional exercise that you can perform anywhere, anytime.
For many of us, doing weighted squats was long left to the neighborhood gym. But with the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping across the globe and shuttering countless commercial gyms, most of us have been forced to workout and train at home.
Squat racks, and more specifically in this round-up, half racks, have never been more affordable.
You can purchase a half rack for your home that includes all of the bells and whistles of the top squat racks found down the road at the gym.
And even better, the home-based models are priced at a fraction of what you would pay for a commercial squat rack.
Without further ado, here is a detailed look at the best half racks for home gyms.
Rogue HR-2 Half Rack
? Best overall half-rack
Rogue makes some of the best strength training equipment on the planet.
With countless athletes across the planet putting Rogue gear through its paces on the daily, you know Rogue’s stuff is ready for battle.
The Rogue HR-2 Half Rack continues to lead the pack when it comes to the top half squat racks for home and garage gyms.
Key features include:
⭐ Thickest uprights on the market. The uprights are made of 11-guage steel and are 3” x 3”. This is as thick as it gets, guaranteeing you maximum durability over the years.
⭐ Benefits of a full-size rack with the footprint of a half rack. The main perk of a power rack is being able to step inside and use spotter pins or straps as a spotter. Half racks don’t usually have this feature, but the HR-2 does! Lift with the peace of mind of knowing that if you fail a rep there is something to catch the barbell.
⭐ Affordable. Even though Rogue is a premier manufacturer of racks, they don’t charge a huge premium. The HR-2 starts at $795 for the short version and goes up from there. This pricing is hard to beat, especially when you consider that you getting a truly premium rack that is made in the USA with American steel.
Other major selling points include Westside Hole spacing, variable height options, endless customization with Monster and Infinite add-ons, and more.
In other words, the HR-2 continues to kick all of the butts and is available exclusively at Rogue’s official website.
HulkFit Multi-Function Squat Half Rack
The HulkFit squat rack is actually a series, starting with a basic squat stand. The version reviewed here is the “pro” version, which looks like a tank and means business. The stand can handle up to a 1000-pounds of weight.
My favorite part of this half squat rack is the endless amounts of pegs, bars, and arms that facilitate an endlessly versatile workout. Arms on the base and on the safety arms mean you can use resistance bands for banded squats and presses. The pull-up bar allows for every grip imaginable, including my favorite, hammer grip.
Two arms on the backside of the stand allow for plenty of plate storage, and the rack, unlike most power racks that I have seen offered for garage and gym owners, has an attachment for landmines.
Mikolo Half Power Rack
The Mikolo Power Half Rack packs a lot of punch in a clever design. Designed to be able to max out at 800-pounds, the half rack has a near-endless number of features, which combined, will help you conquer your workouts in short order.
The pull up bar has a respectable number of grip varieties, although I didn’t like that the bar handles weren’t coated with foam or rubber. As someone who has perpetually cold hands, and who sweats like crazy through the palms when warm, gripping the bar is a struggle (and often requires a pair of weight lifting straps to tighten my grip).
Besides that minimal complaint, the half rack does it is meant to do well. J-hooks keep the barbell securely in place when resting between round. The safety bars can handle up to 180kg.
Pegs on the base are ready and waiting for resistance bands, there are up to six bars for weight plate storage, and unlike most half power racks, the Mikolo has a dip bar attachment.
Fitness First Half Power Rack
The Fitness First Half Power Rack could very well belong in your local gym. This bad boy is built and meant for serious business. Everything about this thing is heavy-duty, while also not so monstrous that it is going to take up your entire workout space.
Taking up a respectable footprint of 55 x 67 inches, the Fitness First Half Rack is built from steel and has a comfortably large walk-in area so that you can dismount the barbell and step back with confidence. The J-hooks are more akin to the ones you see at the gym, and the safety bar is reinforced for all of your spotting and barbell-holding needs.
The rack has a TON of weight plate storage, with six pegs for plates on the sides of the unit. A sturdy U-hook at the top (right by the multi-grip pull-up handles) is great for lashing up resistance bands (no pegs on the base for bands, however), and you can easily attach TRX or other bodyweight straps at the top.
Built to last, with lots of training versatility and fifteen different height options, the Fitness First Half Rack is a killer choice for pimping out your home gym.
Sunny Health Fitness and Power Half Rack
Sunny Health is one of the big sellers of home fitness equipment on Amazon, and their half rack, which retails for around $600, is well-built and exceptionally well-reviewed.
In terms of overall weight-bearing, this half rack is at the top of the pile. You can dangle up to 500-pounds of bodyweight and additional weight from the pull up bar and almost 900-pounds on the hooks.
Additional features include a knurled (fun word!) pull up bar for pulls and chins. Adjustable hook (which I like far better than most chrome pegs that cheaper home squat racks use to hold the barbell) and safety bars, pegs on the side for adding bands to your squats, two weight plate holders (which double as barbell holders), and even a landmine attachment.
With a footprint of just 42 x 47-inches, the Sunny Health Half Squat Rack packs a ton of squatting and workout punch in a small amount of space.
CAP Barbell Deluxe Half Squat Rack
If you don’t need super-high weight capacity and want something extra affordable, this bright blue power rack has got you covered.
Made by CAP Barbell, and constructed of high-grade steel, the FM-8000F (sounds like a Terminator) can handle up to 300-pounds on the bar catches and up to 300-lbs on the pull-up bar. The manufacturers rate the rack at 500-lbs maximum total weight, making it ideal for intermediate and beginner lifters.
Despite the lower weight rating, the CAP Barbell half rack does have a bunch of features that I appreciate, especially the six pegs on the base of the stand for looping resistance bands. Bars extend from the rack for plate storage, and a straight pull-up bar means you can balance out your squatting with chin-ups and pull-ups.
Didn’t See the Squat Rack for You?
Check out our other guides on the best squat racks for home gyms.
5 Best Power Racks for Working Out at Home. Power racks, or power cages, or squat cages, have never been more affordable. Check out our breakdown of the best power racks for home gyms.
