Power Racks Australia – Price Differentials Explained

A recent thread on power racks in Australia on bodybuilding.com prompted me to explain in detail why the Powertec cages are more expensive then some of the cheap ones. There are many factors that go into determining the price of power racks.

Importing Power Racks Australia

A bit of background on the thread first. A guy was looking to import a Powertec rack from the US that was USD$500, on the premise that freight was only $100. I said that he should double check freight before handing over USD$600. As it turned out the actual freight cost was only $1,500!

Cheap And Nasty

So the guy decided to buy a cheaper power rack. The price was around $499 and that included a lat option. I was a bit shocked at how cheap it was, but it didn’t take long to figure out why.

Here are the joints on the base:

They have cut out the upright, and slid it over the base frame which is a rectangle shape, and thrown in 2 bolts. The rear support has a little more support. Compare this with the Powertec construction.

Both front and rear uprights have 2 x 5mm thick steel plates either side, secured in with very beefy bolts. The rear base section is secured separately with backing plates and a further 2 bolts.

Above, you can see that the base frames have brackets welded on as well. The uprights slide over these brackets.

Better Quality Materials

The uprights are 2.5mm steel, combined with internal and external brackets there is a lot of steel bracing these joints.

Yes that really is 5mm thick steel. If you “like” the Sam’s Fitness Facebook page you will see one of our customers Jim squatting a lazy 247kg on his Powertec Power Rack.

An Investment That Will Last a Lifetime

That is the difference in a nutshell. The Powertec Power Rack has been used and abused for more than 10 years now by some serious lifters. The design has stood the test of time. I know it is more expensive, but you are getting a lot more for your dollar and you know that it is safe. And after all that is the reason most people buy a power rack.

There aren’t too many items that people purchase today that will last indefinitely. You are lucky to get five years out of a stove or washing machine. A good quality power rack will last you forever with some basic TLC and common sense usage.

So spending a little extra to get something that is not only safer but much better to use is well worth the investment.