The Power Rack is the most important piece of gym equipment. But many gyms don't have one. Building a home gym is often the only solution. Here's how to decide on a Power Rack — Power Rack buyer's guide.

Benefits of Power Rack. Free weights build more muscle and strength than machines. Work stations like Bowflex will give you subpar results and don't work for routines like StrongLifts 5x5. Benefits of Power Racks:

• Safety. Power Racks have lateral safety pins to catch the barbell in case something goes wrong. You can lift safely without a spotter.
• Easier. Squats are key to building muscle & strength. But without Power Rack you'll struggle to get the bar on your back for Squats.
• Versatile. Tons of exercises you can do: Squat, Bench Press, Inverted Rows, Dips, Pull-ups, Chin-ups, Rack Pulls and many more.

Drawbacks of Power Rack. In terms of results, buying a Power Rack is the best decision you can make. But there are drawbacks:

• Takes Space. Your basement or garage needs to be big enough for your Power Rack to fit in. Especially your ceiling must be high.
• Needs Extra Equipment. You need a barbell, bench & plates if you want to do as many exercises as you can with your Power Rack.
• Costs More Money. Because you must buy extra equipment on top of it. And a Power Rack is more expensive than Squat Stands.

Power Rack Alternatives. Whatever you do: do not get a work station like Bowflex or a Smith Machine. Free weights will give you best results. Some alternatives that might or might not work:

• Squat Rack. Open Power Rack. Less safe since they usually don’t have safety pins (some do, but you usually can’t adjust them). Example.
• Squat Holds. Can fall over if you don’t watch what you’re doing. Don’t come with safety pins, but you can use saw horses. Example.
• Half Racks. Half the height of a Power Rack and cheaper. Great if you have a low ceiling but doesn't come with a Pull-up bar. Example.
• Smith Machine. Power Rack with fixed barbell. It looks safer, but isn’t. And it’s less effective than using free weights. AVOID. Example.

How to Choose a Power Rack. The higher the quality and the more options, the more expensive the Power Rack. Things you must look for:

• Sturdy. Quality construction with little plastic. Load capacity of minimum 1000lbs/455kg. Power rack shouldn't be too light.
• Size. Tall enough so you can Overhead Press inside of it. Wide enough for increased stability and so you can do exercises like Sumo Squats.
• Uprights. Adjustable to many heights and with narrow spacing. Outside uprights so you can Press outside of your rack if it's too short.
• Safety Pins. Removable or adjustable to all the way down so you can Floor Press inside your Power Rack. Narrow spacing for pin work.
• Pull-up & Dip Bar. For Pull-ups, Chin-ups and Dips. Best is a Power Rack with a straight Pull-up bar.

Quality Power Racks in The US. The following Power Racks don't always have everything listed above. But they're good enough for routines like StrongLifts 5x5. I recommend the Powerline PPR200X: it's similar to what I have.

• Powerline PPR200X . 1000lbs capacity. Pull-up bar. Outside uprights. Short rack: great if your ceiling is low but you won't able to Overhead Press inside of it. No Dip bars. 5 star reviews. Free shipping.
• Powertec P-PR. Deeper base: stabler but takes more space. Too short to Press inside it but you have outside uprights. Built-in Dip & Pull-up bars, but the Pull-up bar isn't straight. 1000lbs capacity. Free shipping.
• New York Barbell. 1000lbs capacity. Pull-up bar. Lifetime warranty card. Too short to press inside of it. Very light. Read the reviews.
• Craiglist. Several forum members have found great 2nd hand deals on Craiglist, Search Tempest and eBay.
• EliteFTS. High quality customizable Power Racks which last forever. But more expensive and with options that you might not need (like band attachments). Handle more weight than you'll ever lift.

Quality Power Racks in The EU. Some of these companies will ship to other countries in the EU. Mail them for delivery options & costs.

• UK. Check out Fitness Superstore, Powerhouse Fitness, Watson Gym Equipment and Pullum Sports.
• Benelux. Check out Fitness Seller's Barbarian Power Rack & Helisport's Bodycraft Power Rack (I own this one).

How to Build a Power Rack. If you have the time & skills building a Power Rack can be cheaper than buying one. You decide its measurements which helps in case you have a low ceiling. Some guides:

• Wooden Power Rack. Read this guide on how to build a wooden Power Rack. Check out this, this & this examples in the forum.
• Power Rack from Scaffold. Read this, this & this guides on building a Power Rack from scaffold. Check this example in forum.

If you need opinions before buying a Power Rack or want to share tips, post in the gym equipment section of the forum.