Buying a Power Rack, Any Suggestions?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
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[quote]StrengthDawg wrote:
74 wrote:I don’t understand why everyone is on Elite’s nutbag especially since they just distribute Williams Strength equipment.)

I bought one of their racks and a bunch of other shit from them Because they are a cool bunch of guys who gives back to the powerlifting community by placing articles on their site and this one on a regular basis. Their customer service is top shelf. I have spoken with them several times and have gotten nothing but steller advice and an honest opinion on multiple issues.
Sure Williams Strength Syatems makes the racks they sell. The difference is the EFS racks have 1-2" hole spacing. The WS racks by the pics on their site have 2-3" hole spacing. Maybe the tighter hole spacing is available for all racks, I don’t know, but the current pricing for a 3x3 with weight storage is $1250 from WS, $1195 from EFS. Sounds like you got a hella good deal tho.

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I appreciate the “giveback” but couldn’t justify paying a premium for that.

When I was looking there was no economy line from elite. At that time, a 3x3 with weight storage and chin-up bar from elite would have cost just under $2000, for tax (OH resident) and shipping. For almost the same price I got a 3x3 rack with weight storage/parallel grip chin bar/separate fat bar for chins, high/low plate loaded lat pulldown, 0-90 utility bench with wheels, flat db bench with wheels. Plus, they customize everything to your specs since they manufacture their own equipment in house.

Being in Tennessee, you have Legend Fitness in your backyard. But, you would be paying tax, like I would be in Ohio with Elite.

In the end, so long as you are happy with your purchase and it serves your needs, its value is greater than the price you paid. Happy training.

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[quote]JPCleary wrote:
StrengthDawg wrote:
74 wrote:I don’t understand why everyone is on Elite’s nutbag especially since they just distribute Williams Strength equipment.)

I bought one of their racks and a bunch of other shit from them Because they are a cool bunch of guys who gives back to the powerlifting community by placing articles on their site and this one on a regular basis. Their customer service is top shelf. I have spoken with them several times and have gotten nothing but steller advice and an honest opinion on multiple issues.
Sure Williams Strength Syatems makes the racks they sell. The difference is the EFS racks have 1-2" hole spacing. The WS racks by the pics on their site have 2-3" hole spacing. Maybe the tighter hole spacing is available for all racks, I don’t know, but the current pricing for a 3x3 with weight storage is $1250 from WS, $1195 from EFS. Sounds like you got a hella good deal tho.

Definitely has a lot to do with the customer service, their contribution to the community, their website, which is waaaaaay better than WS’s…even after WS put together a new site. I sent an email to WS to get some information on their racks and to this day I haven’t gotten a response. I ended up having to call them which is a pain in the ass when I’m in Iraq trying to do research for my garage gym that’s getting put together when I get home. Conversely EliteFTS always promptly returns my emails. I’ve chatted back and forth through email with Dave Tate, Jim Wendler, Rhonda, Kris about numerous subjects.

It was actually Hanley’s response in this thread, which was created back in June, that clued me into WS being the primary manufacturer of Elite’s stuff. I didn’t even know anything about WS or that they are about an hour from my house. I’m actually driving up there to pick up my EliteFTS order to save myself $400.00 in shipping in a couple of weeks when I get back home.

When I called WS it was to find out what the cost of their rack is compared to the EliteFTS Collegiate Rack. From Hanley’s response, I assumed I could get that exact rack from WS…just no Elite decals on it. If I could save some dough doing that, I figured why not. As much as I want to support Elite, I have to consider the cost. But after talking with WS, I found out that is not the case. To get their rack with all the options that come with the Collegiate Rack, it was going to be more money. And there were a few options that weren’t even possible. The hole spacing is the one that sticks out in my mind.

So if Hanley is under the impression that you can just by the same exact racks from WS…that is not the case. If you want a WS rack then you go to WS. If you want an EliteFTS rack then you go to EliteFTS. They’re not the same thing. And I don’t know what difference the fact that WS is the manufacturer of the racks makes.

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I agree customer service was great with Elite.

Interesting information regarding Williams Strength, I was also under the impression that you could simply get the same specd rack as Elite from WS.

As you mentioned, price is a big factor, which is why after researching several companies I went with Legend Fitness. Couldn’t beat the quality of equipment, price of the equipment (got a lot),the ability to customize any way and their customer service (got an immediate reply from the owner of the company any time I e-mailed).

Interestingly, Legend Fitness make the Louie Simmons Westside line of equipment.