Rogue HR-2 Half Rack Review (2024): A Quality Compact Rack for Garage Gyms

Not all home gym spaces are created equally. Unless you have a giant detached garage, you’ll have to be mindful of which home gym essentials you’re adding to your garage gym and how much space that equipment is taking up.

One large piece of equipment that you may have to find a compact solution for is a squat rack. Depending on the space and functionality of your home gym, you may opt out of a full power rack in favor of a squat stand or half rack.

RELATED: Full Rack vs Half Rack

In our Rogue HR-2 Half Rack review, we’ll take a look at one of our favorite half racks from Rogue Fitness. We’ll talk about its build, footprint, and the ideal uses for it, to help you determine if this half rack is right for your home gym.

Half Rack, But Full Expert Testing

Just because a half rack is smaller than a full power rack doesn’t mean we’re giving half the effort on our testing. Our team of testers—including certified personal trainers, CrossFit Level 1 trainers, lifting coaches, and me, an Olympian—live and breathe fitness, so we know how to test squat racks extensively and honestly to prove they can (or can’t) be worthwhile investments for your home gym.

For the Rogue HR-2, GGR founder and fitness equipment guru Coop Mitchell tried out the half rack. He ran it through multiple workouts over a week, examining the features of the rack according to our fitness equipment testing methodology. He observed and scored the half rack on features such as:

• Construction
• Stability
• Footprint
• Versatility
• Accessory compatibility
• Delivery and assembly

This, along with the customer experience and value, were given ratings from 1 to 5 to determine our GGR rating for the Rogue HR-2 Half Rack.

Rogue HR-2 Half Rack

Rogue HR-2 Half Rack

GGR Score: 4.28

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Product Highlights

• Great storage capacity
• No need to bolt down
• Has a pull-up bar

Made in USA

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Doesn’t have to be bolted to the ground
• Extremely stable
• Customizable height options
• Has a single “skinny” pull-up bar
• Priced around $800

Cons

• Base is made of weaker steel
• Pin safeties cost extra

Bottom Line

The Rogue HR-2 Half Rack is one of Rogue's best-reviewed squat racks. It's a great rack that can fit anywhere, doesn't have to be bolted down, is still very stable, and has a majority of the abilities of a more expensive and bulkier rack like the ever-popular Rogue R-3 Power Rack.

A Quick Look at the Rogue HR-2 Half Rack

Rogue Fitness is no stranger to home gyms or commercial gyms. Started in a garage in 2006, the company has grown substantially, with over 1,400 employees globally. Additionally, they’re the official equipment supplier of the CrossFit Games, USA Weightlifting, the Arnold Strongman Classic, and the World’s Strongest Man competition.

Headquartered in Ohio, Rogue Fitness takes pride in its products being made in the USA, which makes for consistently high-quality products—albeit with a higher price tag.

The Rogue HR-2 Half Rack is built with the same quality in mind, constructed of durable 11-gauge steel. The half rack is compatible with attachments and accessories from the Rogue RML line of racks (Rogue Monster Lite), with 5/8-inch hole sizing along the uprights.

Before You Buy

• There are two height options for the half rack. You can choose a height of 90 inches with 70-inch back uprights, or 108-inch uprights with back uprights at 90 inches. The price difference between the two options is $35.
• If you already have a squat stand from Rogue’s SML-1 or SML-2 squat stands, then Rogue Fitness offers a half rack conversion kit, which will add back uprights, cross members, and weight horns to your stand. The kit costs $280.
• J-cups are included with the half rack, but safety pipes and weight storage horns are available at an additional cost.

Is the Rogue HR-2 Half Rack Worth It?

A half rack is a great option for garage gyms because of two things: They can be less expensive than a power cage and they save space. The HR-2 does both, with the price coming in under $800 (before shipping costs) and the footprint being smaller than a power rack. There are less expensive squat stands and racks, but for the materials used and quality, this is a good price.

Although the footprint is 48 inches by 49 inches, the front and back uprights are only 17 inches apart, leaving a lot of open space in front of the uprights. The only thing taking up space at the front is the base’s steel tubing for stability and balance, leaving room for barbell deadlifts and other exercises.

Price-wise, the Rogue HR-2 rivals other top brands for half racks like REP. “You can use the rack builder feature on REP’s website to fully customize your rack with different color uprights, cross-members, pull-up bar options, name plates, and height,” Coop says. Purchasing a REP half rack comparable to the Rogue HR-2 will cost around $840, which is comparable to Rogue’s pricing once you factor in that REP Fitness has free shipping.

Titan currently doesn’t have a standalone half rack, although you can purchase a half rack conversion kit if you have a T-3 Series or X-3 Series Squat Stand, which comes out to around $700 at most—but Titan only offers a one-year warranty on products, unlike Rogue’s lifetime warranty on structural welds and frames.

REP’s and Rogue’s offerings are on par with each other, but the main decision is whether you want the quality, American-made rack with true 3-inch-by-3-inch uprights (limiting the attachments ecosystem), or are OK with an imported rack with access to more universal attachments. Based on its quality and competitive pricing, we give the Rogue HR-2 a value rating of 4.5 out of 5.

Rogue HR-2 Half Rack Specs

Using the Rogue HR-2 Half Rack 

GGR founder Coop Mitchell used the Rogue HR-2 Half Rack extensively through a week of workouts, involving squats, bench press, and pull-ups—both strict and kipping. The Westside hole spacing in the bench zone allowed for more accurate adjustments to properly set up the J-cups for sets.

RELATED: Pull-Up Variations

The Rogue rack was stable through all weight-lifting movements. Coop says it’s ideal for bench, squat, deadlift, overhead press, and pull-ups: “The golden five,” Coop says. He had as much as 535 pounds loaded up on an Olympic barbell and set on the rack. “There was no wobbling or wear from the rack, even though the barbell was bowing already,” Coop recalls.

As a half rack, there are four uprights, with the two back posts at a lower height than the front posts. With 17 inches spaced between the uprights, there’s not a lot of room to squat within the rack; most people will feel more comfortable outside the rack on the front uprights. Additionally, the compact nature leaves less space to place as many power rack attachments, leading Coop to rate the versatility a 4 out of 5.

The half rack comes with J-cups and optional add-ons: pin-pipe safeties or plate storage horns for the back uprights. Still, Coop recommends purchasing safety spotter arms, since most of your squatting and benching will be done on the outside of the squat rack. The half rack is compatible with any Rogue Monster Lite attachments with 5/8-inch sizing. That includes:

• The Rogue Velocidor and Matador dip bars
• Landmine attachments
• Lat pulldowns and low rows
• Vertical bar holder
• Plate storage

Let’s look at the other features of the HR-2.

Footprint

The Rogue HR-2 Half Rack is 48 inches long and 49 inches wide. While that is a good bit of space, the four uprights are toward the back of the rack, freeing up the front with extra space for different lifts and exercises.

You can choose from two different heights as well, either a top height of 90 or 108 inches. The higher height also has a higher height for the back uprights, going from 70 inches to 90 inches. Even at 90 inches, the half rack won’t be ideal for low ceilings.

Construction

Like most Rogue racks, the HR-2 Half Rack is overbuilt with 3-inch-by-3-inch 11-gauge steel uprights. The base is constructed with 2-inch-by-3-inch steel tubing, which provides a very solid base. Coop adds, “This is a Rogue product, so it’s overbuilt and ready for whatever you throw at it.” He gives the construction a 4.5 out of 5.

Furthermore, the squat rack is finished with a black powder coat that is very scratch-resistant. “The powder coat on Rogue products is top-tier,” Coop says. “This has a rough texture, almost like a rhino liner you can find in truck beds. These uprights will be able to withstand a beating.” The sacrifice of the durable powder coat is that, like most of Rogue’s gym equipment, black is the only available color option. 

Stability

Coop loaded over 500 pounds on the half rack and the squat rack held up fine, with no shaking or wobbling from it. As is typical with Rogue racks, this rack will support heavy loads from powerlifters and strength athletes.

Because the HR-2 Half Rack isn’t required to be bolted down or secured, the rack stayed in place. The only time the rack felt unsecured was during kipping pull-ups. “Since kipping is using so much momentum for the pull-up, that’s when I was feeling a bit of wobble,” Coop adds. He recommends adding the optional weight horns to the back of the half rack, so you can weigh the rack down with bumper plates. He rates the stability a 4 out of 5.

Rogue HR-2 Half Rack vs PRx Profile Squat Rack

PRx Profile Squat Rack

PRx Profile Squat Rack

GGR Score: 4.3

Community Score: 4.4

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Product Highlights

• Folds to save space
• Easy folding with hydraulics
• Ability to add a kipping bar

Made in USA

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Hydraulic system folds rack
• Incredibly easy and convenient to use in a garage
• Durable at upward of 600 pounds
• Option to add a kipping pull-up bar

Cons

• Priced around $900
• Uses 2-inch x 3-inch steel
• 3×3 steel only available on upgraded product

Bottom Line

The PRx Performance Profile Rack is a great option for those looking for a space-saving option that is easy to use.

If you’re looking for compact exercise equipment solutions for your squat rack, another solution is the Profile Squat Rack from PRx Performance. This rack folds out from your wall, saving you much more space in your gym when you’re not using the rack. 

Although the Profile Squat Rack can save you more space than the half rack, you’ll have to drill the rack into a wall, so if you’re renting your space, this may not be a viable option. Also, the PRx rack is a bit more pricey than Rogue’s half rack. 

If you’re interested in American-made racks and gym equipment, both Rogue and PRx Performance are excellent choices, but which rack is best will depend on your budget, space available, and living situation. You can check out Coop’s in-depth review of the PRx Performance Profile Squat Rack for more information.

Customer Experience

Rogue Fitness has some of the best customer service in the industry. In addition to a pretty large FAQ section, you can call, email, or chat with customer service representatives on the website. Additionally, they offer 30-day returns on new, unused items—although shipping charges won’t be refunded.

Rogue has a pretty nice warranty on their racks, as well: a limited lifetime warranty on structural welds and frames. The warranty covers defects in materials or workmanship, however it’s voided for any faulty or negligent use.

Ordering and Assembling the Rogue HR-2 Half Rack

The Rogue HR-2 Half Rack can be ordered directly from Rogue Fitness’ website; you won’t find this on Amazon. They have financing options for orders over $250 through Affirm.

Since it’s a smaller rack, the HR-2 ships in several boxes through UPS. The boxes are easy enough for one person to move around. We rate the delivery and assembly a 5 out of 5, as the assembly is pretty straightforward. The half rack was assembled in our warehouse in about 45 minutes by one person; that time would be even faster with a second person holding uprights and cross-members for the other person.

Rogue provides a branded wrench for assembly, but if you have a ratchet wrench, using that can make the assembly easier.

Customer Reviews

As of this writing, the Rogue HR-2 Half Rack has an extremely positive score from customer reviews, averaging out at 4.9 out of 5 stars, from 239 reviews.

Most reviews are overwhelmingly positive, as I could only find a couple of reviews that were below 5 stars. Most of the positive reviews remarked highly on the rack’s stability and compact design.

A 4-star review from a taller athlete did note, however, that the crossmember on the 90-inch half rack got in the way of where he wanted to place his J-cups. While it’s not a dealbreaker, taller athletes may want to consider the taller height option.

One of the few negative reviews found the rack to be unstable with attachments, in particular dip bars. He had to purchase a stabilizing bar to help keep the rack stable.

Final Verdict of Our Rogue HR-2 Half Rack Review

The Rogue HR-2 is a sturdy and durable squat rack that can be a fantastic solution for a compact home gym. By itself, the rack is incredibly stable, but with added plate storage and weight plates, the half rack can provide stability for dynamic kipping pull-ups.

While the price may not be as enticing to everyone, it’s still less expensive than a power rack; plus, with a lifetime warranty, these half racks are built to last.

Full Rating

Rogue HR-2 Half Rack

The Rogue HR-2 Half Rack is one of Rogue's best-reviewed squat racks. It's a great rack that can fit anywhere, doesn't have to be bolted down, is still very stable, and has a majority of the abilities of a more expensive and bulkier rack like the ever-popular Rogue R-3 Power Rack.

Product Brand: Rogue

Product Currency: $

Product Price: 765.00

Product In-Stock: InStock

Editor's Rating:
4.28

Rogue HR-2 Half Rack: FAQs

Caine Wilkes, OLY, USAW-L1

Caine Wilkes is an Olympian, placing 9th in weightlifting at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. A former gym owner, he also has more than 15 years of experience coaching other athletes in weightlifting, CrossFit, and functional fitness.

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