Budget Friendly Power Rack From Amazon | Mikolo F4 Power Cage

Budget friendly power rack from Amazon, the Mikolo F4 Power Cage might be the best entry level power rack for home use.
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Shop for the Mikolo Power Cage on Amazon
www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFMM3G42
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bit.ly/3P2VjVW
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Time Stamps
00:00 Intro
00:41 Assembling and Testing The Mikolo F4 Power Cage
01:07 Things I Like About The Mikolo F4 Power Cage
06:09 My Favorite Thing About the Mikolo F4 Power Cage
07:20 Things That Need To Change
15:48 Best Entry Level Power Rack for Home Use?
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[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Check my solution for the sandwich jHooks! kzbin.infoNUOt4l3M8R8?feature=share

[@robertagreaves4817]

I think this is a great review of your new budget friendly power rack! The comparative details, identification of pros and cons, as well as sound advice that you give are helpful to all who might be searching the market for the best power rack for their home gym. Good final verdict and great recommendations! I hope you’re going to get a lot of mileage out of this new power rack! It seems to take up less space! Great review John!

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Thank you, Mommie! It does take up a lot less room and we’ve been looking for a cable attachment for the gym, so this came at the perfect time!

[@tonyallen3138]

Wow, your gym is getting used daily and I love the look.

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

My wife and I love it! We both have goals we’re chasing so it’s a must that we get in here regularly!

[@ericpert7835]

Great video. Very informative, and your cons were detailed.

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@NoFate247]

solid review, hope they take some of your suggestions on the next iteration

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

I hope so too Jonathan! It's not a bad starter rack but the number of people who I could recommend it to is too narrow for me to fully endorse it!

[@nigelreynolds9552]

Great review…ran into the same issues as well…instructions were a little contradictory when assembling the cable but finally figured out what needed to happen…also I was annoyed as well about the Olympic plate holder sliding until I saw that there is an Allen key notch there you can tighten to stop it from sliding. All in all very objective review…much appreciated.

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Thanks for watching Nigel! I’m glad that you were able to get it figured out and I hope it serves you well for a long time!

[@WutTheWutThe]

I'm glad you mentioned the squat weight. That was my main concern. I mainly got this for the pullups, dips, cable work, and squats. I already have a great bench. Excellent review. Thank you!

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@JeffreyJames10]

Great review man - thanks!

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Glad you enjoyed it! I’m still posting Shorts videos as I encounter things that aren’t enough for a long video so keep checking out the channel!

[@macruz8503]

Wheeew good thing I saw this vid! I was about to buy this!!! Thank you so much!!!

[@bobbyhunt3009]

I wrote my first comment before I watched the video and let me say after I watched, Nice review For a review on this free rack, U did great. We know the game and U did right. Those safeties, J hooks, dip bars, and pull up bars are listed at a weight capacity of 350-400 lbs.. Nice Job Man

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Glad I could restore your faith in me. I’m pretty committed to being honest with you guys. Losing my integrity isn’t worth the price of a rack. Thanks for actually watching the review and taking the time to comment both times. Also check out the first issue I had to address with this rack. Seriously it was the next day after the review: kzbin.infoNUOt4l3M8R8?feature=share

[@davidcooper2516]

Great thorough review. Thanks! As an older athlete just getting back into weight training, I was excited to acquire this Mikolo Power Rack for my home gym, based upon features, functions, and price. And my high expectations have been more than met. Here's what I like: First, the components were packed with care, in two stout cartons, and arrived in flawless condition. Second, the assembly was easy and enjoyable, thanks to the manufacturing precision of each part, and an excellent step-by-step manual available online (and linked above). Once assembled, the rack is sturdy, good-looking, and very well-designed for all of its intended functions. My first few weeks using the Mikolo rack have confirmed the value and utility of this piece of equipment. Finally, the fact that this rack is currently available for well under $500 is simply amazing, given its quality, and all that is included. I agree with this reviewer that, for those of us who will never be upper-level power-lifters, it is a terrific foundational piece for a home gym. Finally, I suggest that you check it out for purchase on Mikolo's own website...

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Hey David, glad that you found the rack useful for your needs. Thank you for taking the time to let me know that you enjoyed the review and I'm glad that you're back to training!

[@davidcooper2516]

@@GarageGymLifeMedia Cool! I also ordered the J-Hooks and spotter arms you recommended to add to my rack. Appreciate your thoughtful insights, and will keep an eye on your channel as I progress...

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

@@davidcooper2516 I appreciate it! Every new subscriber helps me get closer to my goal for this year so thank you!

[@TheRxdawg]

Great video John! If they are Adamantium, they might damage the bar if you ever drop it, ha. I agree that the J hooks are very odd. I know Titan fitness is hated a lot in the gym community, but I’ve bought a ton of accessories for my generic 2x2 rack and been pretty happy with most, including a pair of their sandwich J hooks.

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Good point! That adamantium is dangerous! I’m not at all a fan of the sandwich Jcups I have on here. (They’re even odd looking for sandwich J cups.) the ideal solution would probably be to just get monolift attachments but l don’t want to spend that much on these. I’m looking around for some inexpensive flat 2x2 Jcups I can use for the next few months to a year. And I’m glad you’ve had a good experience with them, but I am not letting anything from Titan Fitness enter my home. I appreciate you taking the time to make a comment as always!

[@roncarlson3233]

Good review man!!!

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Thank you I’m glad you liked it! I’m hoping to have another rack to review soon so keep checking back with me!

[@airborne509]

For the olypic adapter there are small set screws you can secure them with towards the front of each adapter the small allen wrench that came with it will fit the set screws.

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

For the pulley system? Oh that’s good info!

[@davidcooper2516]

Yep, that's what I was going to add. They kinda blend in, so many won't even know they are there. Totally solves the sliding-off problem.

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Nice!

[@peterm8503]

Thanks for the thorough review! What are the hole size and the spacing between? Trying to see if I can fit attachments from other companies.

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

You’re welcome! Thank you for watching! The holes are 1 inch this is not Westside spacing. I would say you should be able to fit anything from another company as long as it is a 2 x 2 rack.

[@philmu78]

I got stuck at the guide ropes or cables point, but the way to ran them is to remove the ball end on the cable (didn't need to remove the pulleys). Other than that it was fairly straight forward setting it up following the instructions.

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Nice. Glad you got it figured out!

[@philmu78]

I just realized mine was a slightly different model

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

@@philmu78 no stress! Never knock anyone for trying to add value to the conversation!

[@GetJackedOrStayFat]

just ordered mine! my current one is only rated for 300lbs and ive been over that number on bench and squat for a while. hopefully this one lasts me a while. it says on amazon the jhooks are rated at 500lbs! surely itll last me a good bit of time

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Hey remember it doesn't matter what I think so because ultimately it's your decision because it's your money! So I'm glad you found something that you like. Hopefully it works out for you and that you're able to enjoy training on it for years to come! Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment!

[@scottallinfit]

Putting mine together right now.

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

How are you liking it so far? Make sure you don’t tighten the bolts down too far because you’ll see the metal dimple. And apparently there are a little screws that you can use to keep the weight plate holder sleeves from sliding off of the weight plate holder on the pulley.

[@scottallinfit]

@@GarageGymLifeMedia just got it set up. It's better than the 2 jack stands style weight rack that I was using. Had a baby a couple months ago so can't get to the real gym as much. The dip station way better than I expected. Glad I don't have to use the perfect pull up in the doorway anymore but can still use its straps for ab work. The top cable is seeming kind of stiff. Bottom one feels alright. I'll have to play around with it more but hoping I can get some work in with these cables

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

My man congratulations on the newborn! Those are some awesome times even when your baby doesn't seem to care that Daddy needs his sleep 😂 but don't look at your home gym as any less than the gym where you used to rent time on the equipment. If you put in the work at home, your home gym can be the BEST GYM IN TOWN for you because you can custom tailor it to you and your needs instead of the cookie cutter approach that public gyms have to use! For the pulley you might be able to lubricate it to get it to move a little more smoothly and you can also experiment with loosening the bolt a little bit. Keep me posted on how it goes!

[@scottallinfit]

Actually just had one of the cables grtoff center on one of the wheels. Plus a little wd 40 and the cables are smooth. Never used a plated cable. I should be able to do most of my cable work but will have to get a hand attachment and go single arm on some things that I'd be able to do with a real cable cross

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

@scottallinfit hey sounds like you have a plan so I’m expecting big things from you in the next year! That baby needs a strong daddy!

[@legendsfcsantaclaritavalle9077]

Awesome review! I bought one earlier today from a person that was selling on Facebook marketplace. I got it for $300 and it was hardly used. It also came with a bench, 45lb bar and some awesome plates in total or 300lbs. I scored for sure and my kids plays football and soccer so no need to drive them to the gym and we will have plenty of years with this rack. The only thing it didn’t come with is the safety bars to use for squats. Which safety bars do you recommend?

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

I believe that’s a 2x2 rack so you can grab the Yes 4All spotter arms from Amazon. They should work with that.

[@curtissiebold4460]

I ordered one and it took a while to arrive, FedEx tracking was really weird so had a lot of false hope it would arrive each day the past few days, it FINALLY have it! Package looks damaged like pieces could have slid out but we shall see. Not done with work yet, but I can’t wait to put it together tonight and hopefully I won’t have too many frustrations!

[@curtissiebold4460]

I forgot to say I did put it together and it was real easy to figure out. I’m usually not good with following instructions

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

@curtissiebold4460 oh cool! Glad it worked out for you! Sometimes I put one of these together and it feels like that evening lasts a week of misery and low back pain. I’m completely out on that! Glad you had an easy time with it!

[@TheOfficialBobert]

@@curtissiebold4460 how have you liked it? I'm about to order one.

[@curtissiebold4460]

@@TheOfficialBobert I love it! For my purposes, it works great. Now I don’t add a ton of weight to it so I don’t know how well it can withstand the full weight they say it can. I can’t think of any complaints really. It was easier to put together than I thought it would be. I made a few mistakes that was my own fault and had to go back on and undo the screws but that was minor. I recently took it apart and reassembled it in my garage and that was not really that hard at all. Now again I want to clarify that I love it for what it is. I wish I had a dual cable system so I can do exercises like a cable fly for my chest for example. But for what you can do with it, it’s great. I don’t post much but I put up a video of it some months ago. I also made a video that I did not put up yet about a month ago when I put the thing in the garage and talked about it again. I suppose I should probably upload that lol or make a new one.

[@Cody_Codi_Code]

Hey John - that was a great review. I’ve been curious about the quality/fit/finish on this cage. I was thinking about the issue you were having with rows on the lower cable. Back in the day, we’d lay a couple of 25s between our heels and the machine. You could go “all out” and screw together a couple of 2x4s or 2x6s to add some length there as well. Take care!

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Hey Cody thanks for checking in! I’m glad you liked the review and I’m actually going to be releasing a follow up soon to show how I feel about it now that after I’ve used it for a few months. Keep an eye out for it (and thanks for the tip about the 25s and 2x4!)

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Hey my man, here's that review I promised to follow up. I actually compared it to another power rack that I've used recently: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hajNlpV5qLKcfdU

[@Cody_Codi_Code]

@@GarageGymLifeMedia Thanks for the heads up, John. I went over and checked it out. That review was exactly what I was looking for. I was pumped when I saw you had the F-22 set up. You shed some light on some cons that are significant, for sure.

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

@Cody_Codi_Code glad you found it useful! I tried to do the review with questions that people who watched the unboxing asked in mind and then of course I jotted down stuff that popped up over the course of the three months that I had it.

[@jaybos44]

Hey great review, I got the same one, I wanted to know how smooth the pulley system is for you. Mine lags a little I don’t know if I have to loosen it so it can glide better not sure, but wanted feedback. Thanks

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

It’s honestly not the greatest. I don’t own this rack any more but you can try loosening them or if that doesn’t work, you can also buy some inexpensive, more robust pulleys on Amazon to swap out and see if that helps.

[@jessevlogsandfootball3645]

Just wondering did you get any new spotter arms for the squat rack? I got this same rack, just want to know what’s a better spotter arms for the rack

[@larrywelch4979]

Weight storage are they sleeved so you can store 1 inch plates, thank you

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Hey thanks for the question! Sorry this only takes Olympic plates. The standard plates won’t fit.

[@predatorparanormal]

I put up 205lb bench and squat now. I’m also 26 so not like I’m gonna have some massive jump. You think this would hold up for a while or would you recommend something else?

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Unless you do things to hold yourself back on purpose I don’t see how you don’t get much stronger within a two year period. So it depends on whether you’re okay with spending the money on it now to turn around and buy another one in two years. Also consider that you probably won’t get a ton out of it on the used market. I think you would be better off buying a Body-Solid GPR378 or GPR400 with the GPFT or GPFTS attachment. The Powerline PPR200X with the PLA200X attachment. Those are both budget friendly options that are far sturdier and you can buy once and probably never upgrade again unless you want to.

[@cyferl111]

What is the total height of the machine. And if possible the height without the pull up bar. I have low ceilings

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

I don’t have this any more. You will need to use the link to check it out on Amazon for answers to those questions.

[@dstewart7470]

John, did you find better j-hooks?

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Yes I did! The link is in the video description! Hope that helps!

[@dstewart7470]

John, another question if you don't mind: Do you feel any different now about the 14 gauge steel? That's got me a bit concerned

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

I don’t mind at all! To answer your question: no my feelings haven’t changed. I don’t feel safe using something that’s designed to be this flimsy because the margin of error for product failure is just too great. There’s no point in saving money only to spend it on medical bills. I would recommend the GPR400 from Body Solid as a much better budget friendly alternative or something from Powerline if you want to spend a little less.

[@dstewart7470]

Thanks!

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

@dstewart7470 you’re welcome! Please subscribe if you haven’t already and consider sharing the video to help me hit my subscriber goal on KZbin.

[@curtissiebold4460]

Is there a storage for the barbell?

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

No there’s not

[@echo021]

Grear review. For someone like me lifting light (less than 200 pounds for anything), would you say it's stable enough or recommend this cage for me?

[@echo021]

Side note I cant tell if they updated the cage or not but I don't see the same mikolo sign on your cage that's showing on the link now, or can it be removed? Not a fan of the name being displayed on it anyway

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

I think it’s fine but only if you don’t think that you will ever get stronger

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

You can remove the sign no problem

[@echo021]

@GarageGymLifeMedia thank you so much for the reply. I was also looking at the ritfit ppc02c on amazon but mikolo has the better deal currently. That's good to know about the sign! 👌

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

@echo021 in terms of quality I recommend the Body Solid GPR with the FT functional trainer attachment. Much more durable over the long haul.

[@ryanthomas5139]

Is this rack available in UK ?

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Yes you can find it on Amazon.

[@stephenleathers7474]

Hey John I was looking at getting the same rack, but im worried about the accuracy of the listed height of the unit. By chance, do you know the tallest point of it?

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Hey Stephen I think it’s 84 inches but seems shorter than my previous rack. I will measure it again tomorrow morning and post a Shorts video with the measurements. Do you need to know any other measurements?

[@stephenleathers7474]

@GarageGymLifeMedia I think that's it, I just got really low ceilings haha. Good work on the video, I didn't even consider finding a rack I didn't need to bolt down. I appreciate it!

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

To be fair, if you’re not going to bolt this down, you need to make sure you keep weight on the back if you’re going to do anything outside the rack like what I did with the safety spotter arms. kzbin.info65ajrHWaGl8?feature=share

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Here's the answer to your question Stephen. Thanks for watching! kzbin.infoYxqwicfiEs0

[@curtissiebold4460]

It says 80.6 inches on the website

[@jlsuter91]

Can you share a link to these j hooks? I’m having the same issue with my Mikolo rack. Love everything else.

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Sure thing here you go: www.amazon.com/dp/B09C21KMV5?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

[@jlsuter91]

@@GarageGymLifeMedia thanks man. My power rack is 2”x2.75” from Mikolo. Yours must be 2x2

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

@@jlsuter91 you're welcome! I really just went on Amazon and searched J Hooks for a 2x2 rack and picked the ones that were shallow enough for my needs. You should be able to find some the same way if those don't work especially since you've got a return window to exchange anything.

[@Doxboi]

Just want to double-check with you because I can not find the specs online on hole size! I am ordering the K3 and wondering if the holes are 1" on yours and do you think all Mikolo power racks have the same size holes?

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

@@Doxboi The holes on mine are 1 inch but I have no idea about any of their others. Why not message them through their website or if you’re ordering from Amazon check the faq for the product you want.

[@LeFamilyAdventure]

What is the dip bar width?

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

It’s two separate handles I’d have to measure the distance between them unless you mean how thick are the handles in which case I would have to measure those. So let me know a little bit more specifically would you like to know and I’ll find out and post it here as a reply to your comment.

[@LeFamilyAdventure]

@GarageGymLifeMedia yes, im interested in the distances between the handles. Im a small guy and have been used to the space between handle around 21 inches. I know there are dips bar that are wider than that and i felt more of shoulder exercise rather than tricep or chest

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

@@LeFamilyAdventure OK I will check and let you know this afternoon!

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

the dip bars are 21 inches between the handles. My apologies for the delayed response. Hope that helps you out!

[@meganfisher8453]

Are you still happy with this? I’m between this and major lutie.

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

Funny thing is I just completed shooting the side by side comparison video where I break down which one I would choose and why! The video will publish the first week of December but to answer your question, I would pick the Major Lutie Raptor F22 over this. I CANNOT endorse the PLM03 from Major Lutie because I just don't have any experience with it but the Raptor F22 in my opinion is a better choice for a first power rack if you don't have the funds for a REP Fitness PR-5000 or PR-4000. Even then I would probably choose a Body Solid GPR-400 with the GPRFTS attachment: strengthwarehouseusa.com/products/body-solid-gprft-functional-trainer-attachment

[@meganfisher8453]

Thanks! Would you not recommend the Mikolo at all?

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

@@meganfisher8453 No. I think the metal is too thin and it occupies too much floor space. I just didn't feel safe lifting on it and safety for me is a bigger deal than upfront pricing. I would hate to save money and end up spending it on emergency room copays because something broke at a critical moment especially if it's one of my kids who got injured because I went with the cheaper option.

[@meganfisher8453]

Good to know, thank you! What would your top recommendations be for either power racks or wall mounted racks? We are looking for something that isn’t going to take up a ton of space as our space is limited. We definitely want to be able to squat, probably bench press, a nice pull up bar, and lat pull down, triceps pull attachments would be a plus, even if we have to get attachments separately

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

@@meganfisher8453 for wall mounted racks I like the PRx Performance folding racks but if you want an integrated cable system, that's fairly inexpensive then I would check out the Body Solid GPRFT or the GPRFTS (if you prefer selectorized). kzbin.info/www/bejne/n4WyZKSbpdR5gaMsi=Mjizx-GuKHLBqfB7 you can find it at a local Body Solid dealer so you can check it out in person before you buy. Get your measurements so you know exactly how much floor space you have, then go to bodysolid.com and use their dealer locator to find a store near you. Most of these places will deliver and sometimes set it up for you! If you don't want to go through all of that, I would reach out to Crandall Fitness at crandallfitness.com and tell them your space requirements and Shaun Crandall will walk you through the process of building a reliable heavy duty but affordable rack system for you! So that's three options that I feel comfortable recommending.

[@giovannisolis3948]

yeah i squat 600 pounds need a better one

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

This is definitely not the rack for you! Maybe try the new Manticore from Bells of Steel?

[@ccarpenter2k]

Great video. Thanks Definitely not buying, too cheap and flimsy. More for planet fitness lifters and / or females or yoga instructors. Trying to unpack and rerack 400+ sounds awful in that cage Also, can’t do real rack pulls with weak bars like that, they will warp and probably break

[@GarageGymLifeMedia]

You’re definitely not in the target market for this although I know some pretty strong women who are too strong for this rack too. Thanks for commenting!