Squat Racks That Fold Against the Wall

Those of us involved in strength training are fully aware of the popularity of power racks and thanks to commercial gyms, there was never a real concern for equipment or space.

Covid changed that.

In the wake of this pandemic, there has been a rush for home gym equipment. That includes power racks and other strength training equipment.

All of these take up a lot of space. For many, this isn’t much of an issue but if your space is limited, so are your choices. And that really puts a damper on those who crave weight lifting, especially with barbells.

If you don’t have the real estate to permanently accommodate a full-size rack but have enough square footage for a temporary spot, folding squat racks are the perfect option for your home.

And guess what, like all home gyms, you don’t have to wear a mask! 

They occupy about half the footprint but unlike their counterparts, they are mounted on the wall and are designed to fold in.

Think about all of the space you’re conserving. Park your car back in the garage or move those boxes back into your basement while your rack is conveniently situated against the wall.

Folding squat racks are the ultimate space saving solution.

One point worth noting is the movement. Keep in mind that these aren’t commercial grade so you’ll notice slight movement during certain routines like kips. But they’re more than durable enough to handle the abuse.

Installation

All of the folding racks listed here can be mounted directly onto any wall, wall studs, or ledgers (horizontal boards). Ledgers provide added support and makes it easier to mount the racks.

To avoid some hassles, it’s recommended that you use a ledger (if one isn’t included) since framing studs aren’t always evenly spaced. Using a ledger would eliminate that concern.

In most cases, a single person can assemble these racks with relative ease.

Tip: For the racks that fold horizontally, mount them at least a ¼ inch higher. The space underneath can be supported with a wedge. Some of the arms on the racks don’t have movement so when you try to slide them open or close, they can get stuck.

Also, uneven floors will cause one or both legs to get stuck. Installing the uprights a ½ inch higher will resolve these issues.

Costs

Unfortunately, if you think you’re going to save money buying a folding rack, you would be wrong. Despite less material, these racks cost as much, if not more, than full power racks. This pandemic has pushed some of these prices up due to the high demand.

Surprisingly, there aren’t many manufacturers for this type of squat rack. One would think every equipment manufacturer would design at least one given its overall convenience and demand.

If you’re in the market for one of these folding racks, here are three that come highly recommended:

PRx Performance Profile Squat Rack

If the PRx name sounds familiar (not to be confused with P90x), it’s probably because you recognize it from an episode of Shark Tank.  The founders solicited the help of the business moguls and sure enough, their distinct folding design attracted the interest of Mr. Wonderful himself.

Benefits

• Many people prefer this fold-away design. It’s simpler and saves a bit of folding time.  Imagine a Murphy bed.  As opposed to other wall-mounted racks that fold away horizontally, the entire unit folds up with one quick lift and there’s no need to remove the pull-up bars.  But you just have to make sure you have the ceiling clearance.

• You have several options available.  Each unit is constructed with 11 gauge steel but comes with either 3×3 or 2×3 tubing.  You’ll also notice slight variations in the color options and design the higher up the ladder you go.

• All of the racks have a weight capacity of 1000 lbs.

• All of the racks come with a pair of heavy duty J-Cups.

• Most of the racks come with a pull up bar.

Downfalls

• A few mentionable downfalls include the price.  It ranges anywhere between mid four hundreds to over a thousand dollars.  Maybe we’re just used to pre-Covid prices.

• Another issue we can see, although not an immediate problem, are the shocks that assist with the vertical folding.  At some point, those will have to be replaced and that just becomes an unwanted added expense.  It would probably be beneficial to add the option to secure the rack with pins in the event the shocks fail.

• There’s also the height requirement.  Since the rack folds up, you’ll have to be wary of the ceiling height.

Titan Fold Back Wall Mounted Power Racks

Titan is another reputable brand in home fitness equipment.  Within their class of power and squat racks are a line of solid folding racks.

These racks are designed with the 3-way swinging option, both arms folded in, both arms folded out, are both arms folding in one direction (left or right).  Each arm is secured into position with removable pins.

Benefits 

• Like their regular equipment, all of the folding rack models are constructed with 11 gauge steel but vary in sizes between 3×3 and 2×3 tubing.

• They have racks with varying depths.  21 to 41 inches depending on your preference.  Just note that when folding the 41 inch arms out, you’re going to need at least 3.5 ft of space on each side.

• Titan racks have a whopping 1100 lbs. weight capacity.  More than enough, even for the competitive lifter.

• Titan is the only manufacturer that provides two pairs of J-Cups.  All others only provide a single pair.

Downfalls

• As with all horizontal folding racks, they may get stuck when opening or closing the rack due to uneven floors.  You need to install the racks about a ¼ to ½ inch off the ground and use plywood or other solid material to support the uprights.

Valor Fitness BD-20 Wall Mounted Folding Squat Rack with Pull Up Bar Garage Gym Equipment for Home

Valor has a series of power racks but only one wall mounted model, the BD-20.

But despite being the solo folding model, it really is everything you need in a folding rack.

The Valor Fitness BD-20 is built for durability.  It’s constructed with 11 gauge, 2.5” steel and comes with durable J-Hooks and a pull up bar that is adjustable anywhere between 69” to 93”.

At 750 lbs., it doesn’t quite have the same weight capacity as its competitors but it’s more than enough for the average user.

The rack has uprights with a height of 94” that are secured by pins.

When in use, the rack extends 23.5” from the wall and like other racks, you can add optional safety catch bars that extend it another foot.

When not in use, the 3 way folding option allows you to fold it against the wall in any direction (in, out, left/right).

Benefits 

• The BD-20 comes with an 11 gauge steel construction with 2.5” x 2.5” uprights.

• The 3-way folding helps you conserve space after each workout.  Make the most out of your space by folding the rack in, out, left, or right.

• The max weight capacity for this rack is 750 lbs.  Not quite the weight capacity like the other racks but more than enough for the average and competitive user.

Downfalls

• Muscle ups and kips can be done, however, since there is only two feet of space, you’ll have to keep your swing to a minimum.

• If you have uneven floors, the rack can get stuck.  You’ll need to install the racks about a ¼ to ½ inch off the ground and use plywood or other solid material to support the uprights.

As with all power racks, there are a full range of optional accessories you can choose from: Extra J-Hooks, dip bars, plate holders, benches, etc..,

If you don’t have one already, a tool you’re probably going to need is a bench, even if your focus is your legs.

Get creative…use it for box squats, step ups…

Or what if one day you suddenly decide, “Hey, my pecs could use some work.”   

Make sure the bench is adjustable.  That opens you up to more options – incline and declines.

So, do yourself a favor…get yourself a bench with your rack.