Rogue SM-3 Monster Squat Stand

The SM-3 is incredibly rugged, being made from 3 x 3 inch, 11-gauge square steel framing. The bolt-together base features a triangle base for enhanced strength and rigidity. The extra-thick steel frame may be a bit overboard, but it does give the construction some extra stability, and who doesn't like feeling safe? The whole frame has a black powder coat finish, a feature present in every Rogue unit. The squat stand can support up to 1000 pounds, and more, thanks to the material choice and the rugged construction, so don't worry about overgrowing this product! The J-cups are protected with UHMW plastic inserts and backs, giving them extra strength, and they are topped off with a black satin powder finish, just like the rest of the stand.

In terms of pull up bar options, you can choose between a 43-inch single skinny bar, with a 1.25-inch texture coated black powder coat finish, and a 43-inch fat/ skinny bar with a two-inch and a 1.25-inch diameter texture coated finish. Be aware that the max height on the single skinny bar is 106 inches, while the fat/skinny bar is only set at a max height of 96 inches. You should go for the skinny bar if you're into Crossfit, and choose the fat bar if you like to lift. The Rogue SM-3 features a key-hole design down the side of each upright in order to provide the ultimate in versatility. This allows you to add on a range of custom Rogue additional pieces to turn your squat rack into your complete training base unit.

The base, uprights and cross members of the SM-3 comes in a satin black powder coat finish, along with dome tag branding for a stylish, bold look. The uprights of the SM-3 are 111 inches, making them the largest in the Rogue squat stand range. This is great for taller users but could be a problem if you have limited ceiling height in your training facility. The unit is called a Monster for a reason! The footprint is 50x54", so not that large, but it can still be problematic for people who do not have enough room to house this very tall stand. Think twice about whether the stand can fit in your house, as this is probably the only actual con of this product!

A squat stand needs to be able to support a lot of weight, and especially one called a Monster squat stand! Well, the name does the stand justice, as it can support over 1000 pounds! We highly doubt that you'll ever go over 1000 pounds, but in case you do, you will still be protected. The j-cups are excellent as well, as they have a plastic protective casing. This may not seem like much since we're used to seeing plastic breaking very fast, but this specialized plastic will hold the j-cups together much longer than they would stand without the plastic hugging them. And even if something does break, rest easy knowing that the stand is protected with a lifetime warranty.

Rogue is known for making excellent products, and any price you have to pay for that should be considered low. With that being said, there are still some products that go into the really pricey range, but luckily the SM-3 is not one of those. The SM-3 costs around 700 bucks, which is not so scary considering that the stand will likely outlast every other one you decide buying. But this is the cost of the squat stand alone. The addition of the bars, weight plates, benches, and every other accessory you could get to make the experience better can seriously affect the price, racking it up to just over 1500 dollars, which is a bit too much for most people. You don't really need these items if you already have them, but if you don't, you probably won't be able to do much with just a squat stand, so you'd need to get them as well, and you will need to save up to get them!

Every squat stand produced by Rogue is essentially a power rack in itself. The reason why is very simple - if you do decide to get every other additional piece of equipment you can get with the stand, you will open up a huge world of possibilities. You will be able to do benchwork on it, pull-ups, clean pulls, and much more. Also, every SM that comes from Rogue is compatible with a lot of products from Rogue that are not included in the drop-down menu when you're buying the stand. This means that by just having two products from Rogue you can very well be equipped for life, and equipped with quality items with that!

We've all heard of Rogue fitness before, and it's hard not to, considering they create excellent products well worthy of every gym in the world. Rogue Fitness, legally known as Coulter Ventures, LLC, is a fitness brand which comes from America, but it's recognized worldwide thanks to their products. Rogue fitness produces all kinds of machines you may ever need for your gym, and they create products for every possible gym kind out there. The company was started up by Bill Henniger in 2007, so the company is quite new. He wanted to create his own Crossfit gym, but he saw a lot of issues when trying to get the machines he needed. For one, he could find one place that sold everything he needed, and two, the companies weren't equally reliable, so he never knew what to expect. So he created the Rogue brand, and although they were a re-distributor at first, soon enough they started creating their own excellent machines, and they became what we know them as today.

One thing that the SM-3 lacks, at least when compared to the SML-3, is the addition of transportation wheels. The SML-3 doesn't have them on its own, but you can buy them and then push the stand around to where you need it to be. This doesn't happen with the SMJ-3, and where you set down the stand is where the final location will be. The stand is also pretty heavy, and a bit difficult to assemble, so you will need a helping hand to install it and set it down. And we shouldn't forget the height of the unit either! It's their tallest stand to date, so measure the ceiling twice before you decide to get this stand! The footprint is not that large, and the feet are protected with rubber ends to keep your floor intact and to keep the whole unit stable, but even if you wanted to slightly move or shift the unit around the room, you wouldn't be able to do so without taking it apart. Measure your room twice, or more, and then get the SM-3!

The wide footprint and the super-strong steel frame make the SM-3 a very safe stand. Although we do feel sad about the lack of transportation wheels, that probably makes the whole thing even more secure because the last thing you need when you're battling heavyweights is to have the whole thing glide away from you. The j-cups are super sturdy and will keep the weight where it needs to be, which is away from your body. But if you want to be extra safe, consider getting the spotter's arms. They do look kinda silly, and they may get in the way, but they are a worthy addition that will definitely keep you out of harm's way. You won't always be able to have a partner there to spot you and save you if you get pinned down by a bar, and believe us when we say that you don't want to be alone if that happens! That's why spotter's arms are ideal if you like to exercise by yourself. They will make the unit a bit heavier, but if you're into kipping, you'll be able to do that as well! The stand might wiggle a bit, but solve that by placing some extra weight around the feet, or just bolt the stand to the floor!

The SM-3, just like every other product from Rogue, is extremely weather-resistant! This might not seem like an important aspect, but it does matter because the finish on the frame and everything else will keep moisture away from the steel. The reason why it resists moisture that well is that sleek black finish it has. The powder finish keeps every bit of moisture away from the steel, integral to the function of the stand. The finish is also scratch and abrasion, so it's going to look good in the long run. Still, you should always make sure you wipe down every little droplet of moisture left on the machine. The more often you do it, the lesser the chance of corrosion is! If you use chalk, do not forget to wipe that down too! Chalk invites moisture in the frame, and you don't want that!

The SM-3 is a really great squat stand that is truly worthy of your time (and investment). The Rogue SM-3 is a heavy-duty rack that sits between a full-on power rack and a traditional squat rack. It features a key-hole design all along the uprights so you can add a range of extra attachments to it. It has a bolt-together triangle base that provides extra rigidity. The rack is quite pricey though when you count in all the accessories (that you do need if you do not have any), and it is quite tall and chunky, so it might not fit into every home that easily.

If you are in need of a lower-priced rack, we recommend the TDS Power Cage Rack, which provides the same 1,000-pound weight rating, a knurled pull up bar and numbers alongside the bar placement holes.