RitFit Power Cage Review: Measure Before You Buy

A power cage is bought on two numbers before anything else, and this RitFit power cage review starts with both. How much it holds, and whether it fits the room. Everything else is negotiable.

The reason this RitFit power cage review leads with the second one is that an independent reviewer found the product listing giving two different answers to it, and the gap between them is almost double.

Twenty-nine inches, or fifty-seven

On the same listing, the specification table gives the cage as 29 inches deep by 44 long by 85 high. The product overview section instead gives 57.4 inches deep by 44 wide by 85 high.

Fifty-seven point four is 97.9% deeper than twenty-nine. In floor area that is the difference between 8.9 square feet and 17.5 square feet.

Our reading is that 29 inches is probably the cage frame itself and 57.4 inches is probably the total footprint including the cable crossover tower and the plate storage posts at the rear. That would explain it entirely and innocently. But it is our inference, not a statement from the company, and the practical consequence is the same either way. If you plan a garage layout around 29 inches and the thing arrives needing 57.4, you have a problem that no return policy will comfortably solve on a 200 pound steel frame.

So before ordering, get the total assembled footprint confirmed in writing, including every attachment you are buying, and chalk it on the floor.

The capacity claim, and the number underneath it

The stated rackable capacity is 1,000 pounds, with the J-hooks also rated at 1,000 pounds. The independent reviewer is openly sceptical of the 1,000 pound figure and advises staying lighter.

The figure that gives that scepticism substance is elsewhere on the same spec sheet. Each plate holder is rated at 165 pounds per side, which is 330 pounds across both. So the structure that holds your stored plates is rated at a third of what the rack claims to hold on the hooks.

That is not necessarily a contradiction, since a static plate post and a J-hook carry load differently. It is a useful calibration though. A rack built around 165 pound plate posts is not a commercial frame, whatever the headline rackable capacity says.

The reviewer also notes the cable load rating is not stated anywhere, which is the specification anyone doing heavy lat pulldowns or low rows actually needs.

The steel gauge nobody published

The uprights are 2 inch by 2 inch tubing. The specification table lists 14-gauge steel, but the reviewer states the gauge is not listed anywhere on the product material and that 14-gauge is their own estimate.

For context, 11-gauge is the usual benchmark for a serious home gym squat rack and 14-gauge is noticeably lighter. The reviewer's related criticisms line up with lighter steel: lighter than commercial-grade racks, and a slight wobble under heavy loads.

If you lift near the top of what this rack claims, the gauge is the number to demand in writing. Two by two tubing in 11-gauge and two by two tubing in 14-gauge are different products at the same stated dimensions.

What the scores actually say

The publication gave an overall score of 3.9 out of 5, built from nine subscores.

The plain average of those nine is 3.889, which rounds to the published 3.9. Now remove the warranty and returns score and the remaining eight average 4.125. So that one subscore is pulling the overall figure down by 0.24 points, and it is the only category scored below 3.5.

In other words, this is a rack that scores well on everything it does and badly on what happens if something goes wrong. That is a specific and actionable finding rather than a general grumble.

Why warranty and returns scored a 2

The warranty is 3 years on the frame and 1 year on parts, running from the order date rather than from delivery. It is non-transferable, does not apply in Hawaii or Alaska, and excludes environmental damage and misuse.

Returns are 30 days, unused, in original packaging, with the buyer paying return postage if nothing is wrong with the item.

Read that last clause against the product. This is a multi-hundred-pound steel cage shipped in several large boxes. Unused and in original packaging means you cannot build it, try it and change your mind. And buyer-paid postage on that freight is enough that the return option is theoretical for most people.

Keeping the boxes for 30 days in a garage you are trying to convert into a gym is also, realistically, not going to happen. So treat this as a near-final purchase and do the measuring and the research beforehand.

The attachment criticisms worth knowing

1. The safety spotter arms are described as short and thin, and possibly unsuited to very heavy squats or bench presses. On a rack, the spotter arms are the safety system, so this is the criticism we would weigh most heavily.
2. Many parts including the pulleys are plastic, and the front pulleys do not move smoothly.
3. The included barbell is not high-quality, which is normal in a bundle and worth budgeting to replace.
4. The multi-grip pull-up bar is thin.
5. The listing refers to 12 extra accessories while the itemised list contains nine, which is another inconsistency on the same page.

Frequently asked questions

How much space do I need for the RitFit PC-410CC?

The listing gives two answers, 29 inches deep and 57.4 inches deep. Get the total assembled footprint with your chosen attachments in writing and mark it out on the floor before ordering.

Is the 1,000 lb rackable capacity realistic?

The independent reviewer is sceptical and advises staying lighter, noting lighter steel than commercial racks and slight wobble under heavy loads. The plate holders on the same spec sheet are rated at 165 pounds per side.

What gauge is the steel?

Not published. The reviewer's spec table shows 14-gauge but the text says this is their estimate because the gauge appears nowhere on the product material. Ask for it in writing if you lift heavy.

Can I return it if I do not like it?

Within 30 days, unused, in original packaging, with you paying postage if nothing is faulty. On a rack of this weight that is a return policy that exists more on paper than in practice.

Is it good value at $699.99?

The reviewer scored value at 4.5 out of 5, which is among the highest subscores. For a home gym squat rack with a cable crossover, lat pulldown, low row, landmine, plate storage and a bench included, under $700 is competitive. The compromises are the steel weight, the attachment quality and the warranty.

The verdict

For a beginner or intermediate lifter setting up a home gym squat rack on a budget, this is a lot of equipment for the money and owners rate it well, with customer reviews scoring 4.5. Construction and value both score 4.5 too, and those are not small compliments.

The closing advice of this RitFit power cage review is practical. Chalk the footprint on your floor using the larger 57.4 inch figure until the company confirms otherwise. Get the steel gauge and the cable load rating in writing. Budget to replace the barbell. Plan to lift comfortably under the headline rackable capacity rather than at it. And understand before you order that the return route is narrow enough that this is effectively a decision you make once.