Fitness Reality X-Class 2868 Light Power Rack Reviewed

Fitness Reality X-Class 2868 Power Rack Reviewed 

Frame & Construction

The entire 2″ x 3″ frame is made of heavy-duty tubular steel that provides maximum durability for all kinds of heavy-duty workouts. According to the manufacturer, the cage can handle a combined weight capacity of 1500 pounds. 

It's designed with a lat pull down that has a weight plate capacity of 360 pounds, and the lat bar is 44 inches long. There's also a 20" low row bar that's covered in foam rubber hand grips for maximum comfort. 

The dimensions of the cage are 86.5" L x 52" W x 86" H and the weight itself is 301 pounds and the rack comes with its own dip station with two adjustable 20” high-density rubber grips. 

Possible Exercises

Thanks to the lat pull down, the low row bar, the pull up bars, and the adjustable dip handles, there are a lot of different workouts that can be done using the X-Class. 

This includes tricep extensions, dips, squats, lat pull downs, chin ups/pull ups, and muscle ups. The rack's versatility can be expanded even more by a lat pull down attachment and an optional Fitness Reality utility bench, which are not included.

Safety Features

This power rack comes equipped with two 11.5" safety bars and two 35.5" dual mounted safety bars, each with a combined weight capacity of 1500 pounds. The safety bars are made with a no wobble design (as long as you stay within the recommended weight limit).

It offers 25 different height adjustment levels, so you should have no trouble finding a height that works for you and keeps you safe. 

My Experience Using the Fitness Reality X-Class Power Cage

Now that we've covered all the main features of the X-Class 2868 Power Rack, let's talk about my experience using (and assembling) this machine.

The Assembly Process

Due to the size of the parts, the power rack is shipped in four boxes (two by default, four if you ordered the lat attachment, which I did). According to the manufacturer, these boxes might arrive separately, which I assume is due to the availability of the parts.

Luckily, all four of my boxes arrived at the same time, but I can imagine it would be frustrating to have to wait around for necessary parts to arrive. In any case, mine arrived together and I can say that Fitness Reality does a great job when it comes to packaging. Everything was tightly secured and in perfect condition.

Despite the large size of the cage, the assembly was actually pretty easy thanks to the well-written manual. It is actually doable by one person, although I would still recommend having a buddy to help you out. You should be done within two hours or less. 

I love that the lat attachment pull down comes with its own instruction manual that's just as informative as the power rack's manual - straight to the point and very easy to understand. 

Using the X-Class Power Rack

Once the assembly was over, I went to work to test out the rack's sturdiness. I placed it on a gym rubber floor placed over top a solid stone floor. I can tell you that there was absolutely no wobbling whatsoever.

This is partially thanks to the included U-shaped stability bar. However, I wonder if the same could be said if the rack was placed on a carpeted surface? 

Both extended safety bars do their job well. You might need to set your own position preferences, depending on the weight bench you have, but that is understandable. The included J-hooks are actually a nice touch. Who would have thought that something free would actually be above-average quality?  

The included dip bars, which are hooked to the safety bars, are very well designed and comfortable on the hands. While you might be initially surprised that these can hold 600 lbs, once you try them, you will understand. 

The U-shaped stability bar is placed at the tower's maximum height of 86 inches, which is great even for taller individuals. This is taller than most power racks, even commercial-grade ones.

The bar is perfectly solid and comfortable on the hands. If you feel like a doing a calisthenic workout, you can do muscle ups without stressing about a wobbly tower.

You might be surprised at first with the friction of the lat attachment cable as you pull down. Don’t panic! The guys from Fitness Reality solve this issue by including a tube of silicone oil that you can use to lower the friction. That's the only downside I experienced with the lat attachment, and it was easily remedied. 

X-Class 2868 Pros and Cons

If I want to be objective, I have to include pros and cons as well, because as hard to believe it, Fitness Reality X-Class Light power cage has cons as well. Here are some of them:

My Final Recommendation - Is The X-Class Worth It?

Even if you're buying a power rack for a home gym, you MUST consider this commercial-grade piece of equipment. 

This is definitely one of the best power racks on the market. It’s worth every penny. If I were you, I would go for the optional lat attachment pull down, but even if you don't, you'll get a lot of use out of the X-Class rack.

Before you buy the rack, just make sure you have enough space to accommodate it. It's quite large, but that's a big reason I love it so much!