Agree 100% honest review due to all the valid criticisms even though not likely a way to fix any of them other than they should have a peg that goes into holes that has BIGGER hold for smith machine to latch on maybe a different latch. Seems like a better design and I love having jcup as spotter very smart idea. I just ordered Exponent Edge's JCups that are designed for standing calf raises as it locks bar in otherwise would consider this.
Very interested to see what they release. I follow them on IG and they're very transparent about the processes they go through with each piece so you know they're not cutting any corners
@@MattRosenman yeah, they said their ISO arms will be designed to work with the VTS on the front posts even if you have a cable system. I have the REP PR-5000 rack with their Ares 2.0 coming and I'm a full disciple in the Matt Rosenman church of lever arms so I'm holding out for their version. I think it would be easy to buy into their ecosystem given the versatility it offers.
I have the regular VTS on 1" holes, can confirm no issues re-racking the pins. There also little to no wobble with the regular VTS due to the extra rollers on the sides.
I can confirm the VTS regular version has near 0 wobble. And the hooks work better with 1 inch racks but its still not 100 percent easy like a real smith machine although it def works. The only negative with that version is that it is even heavier. The starting weight with a 45 pound bar is about 95 lbs because each vts unit is over 20 pounds.
Oh damn, that's heavy. I saw that they're releasing a lighter bar for the VTS that's around 10 pounds. I'd definitely consider that, although still sounds like it will be decently heavy overall regardless
There’s also an option for having the hooks on the inside of the rack too hook onto something like a hitch pin (I think). I believe there were pros and cons to each but still a cool option
I highly reccomend the bridge built coaster docks. They are a bit pricey but work the best as a safety / support for the VTS system. Especially if you use the iso handles.
Great review. I just received my VTS lite for my rogue monster Lite rack with 5/8" holes. I agree with everything you said including the two negatives. For the bar weight issue, I decided to use my BandBell Rhino Flex bar. The bar is just 8 lb so with the dual 15 lb trolleys, it's only 38 lb compared to 75. I also like it's a much thicker bar so squats and everything else feel more comfortable. I also fully agree that the hooks do not work on the 5/8 holes at all. I tried doing some light hack squats and I could not get the hooks in for almost a minute. I was about ready to just let it go and crash down. I contacted bulletproof and they said I could either exchange my hooks for the curved ones or buy them outright for $68. They would send both the 28-30mm and 50mm pairs. I decided to keep my hole hooks and just buy the curved ones outright. I think it'll work a thousand times better with them.
Yeah I think I may need to pick up a lighter bar as well. Bulletproof just released one, but it's meant for the VTS so it doesn't hold weight (since it pairs with weight horns). I'll check out the one you mentioned. And glad I'm not alone with the hook latch issue. I'm right there with you- I'm purchasing the curved hooks too- I definitely think that will solve it
I have the exact same rack as you and I'm on the fence about the VTS vs Bells of Steel Smith rack attachment. How'd things work out for you with the curved vs hooked ones?
@@Mangeurdefromage-b8b Night and day difference. It's extremely easy to use now. The only negative is the 6" hole spacing on the side to use hitch pins as safeties. There's a couple exercises where the only hole available is a bit too high which limits my exercise depth. That's just a VTS Lite issue cause with the regular VTS, you can put the safety pins on the front upright holes. To fix that, Bridge Built sells their Plate Coaster platform. It uses the front upright holes and gives a nice flat platform to rest the VTS on. They're expensive though at $200 a pair. Going that route the VTS with plate coasters is probably more expensive than the Bells of Steel smith addon.
Great review! I’ve been eyeing this thing for awhile. I appreciate the thorough review. I have 1 inch holes so hopefully the racking is a little better.
Awesome review. I might have missed it but I assume you couldn't let it rack on some spotter arms instead of using the rotational hooks? That looks like the only real downside if say you're training for failure and want to rack the weight without worry.
You could do that, it would just be an issue of setup. If you were benching and your spotter arms were at chest height, it wouldn't give you enough room to comfortably get under the bar. That method works well to act as safeties (either spotter arms or J hooks at the bottom) but wouldn't be an ideal replacement for the actual hooks.
Also, you can use a step drill bit to enlarge a select number holes to increase the 5/8 holes to one inch. Then touch up the inside of the cut metal with paint.
Oh you severely overestimate my handyman skills... I'm pretty useless when it comes to virtually anything that isn't as simple as finding a slightly different bolt to use and calling it a "hack"
@@samman1155Your recommendation was on point...I bought a step drill and drill expanded the holes on my TITAN uprights right by the T for squats and it worked like a charm. I cut 4 holes in less than one minute.
I totally agree, I am having an issue re-racking with the 5/8" holes as well, whenever i am doing squats. I don't have a reracking problem when doing presses, incline, decline, military...etc. I am only having a problem re-racking when doing squats. However, I bought both the curved and straight hooks. When using the curved hooks, it works well, just bought magnetic pins to optimize positioning. Great review, thanks for your input very good content.
@@AugustineSurfer, yes. I did get a little used to it, but switching to the curved hooks and using magnetic pins from BoS, it's so much better. When I pre-ordered, I ordered for both the straight and the curved.
If you hook resistance bands, like you would for assisted pull up In a sense, then you can do your single arm shoulder press pretty well. Hope you get to try that and like it !
Thanks for reviewing this, not many have. I think this seals the deal for me though. I have a 5/8 hole rack and I’m going to go for the hitch pin version now.
Thank you so much for this review. I have definitely had this item on my radar but I am not all in yet. Gonna stick with my iso arms and keep chugging along for now. Please do any updates that you come across. 🙂
I like the honest review n the concept. Space saving n using on a existing rack it can be a killer set up, but 5/8 catches n wobbles 😮squatting n benching looks unsafe especially heavier lbs.Maybe pins thru side as safety catches. Looking forward to nx review if u upgrade or you find a solution with current setup. I do love that smooth azz movement lol. I would Love more gym toys like this but got a used smith machine. I was worried bout space too but made it fit. Old light commercial York smith Love that thing its a tank.... Some ppl hate on smiths but its great if ur training by yourself. Matt u can do seated calf raises on it too n donkey raises too. Keep up the good work
Awesome review! I wouldn't have thought of the racking issues. I've been eyeing this for the last year hoping it would be good. I have a 1 inch rack so it should be good enough for me. I mostly want a safe way to do heavy calf raises and hack squats.
With 1" holes you'll be totally fine, I've heard from a handful of people in that camp and they have no issues. You could always opt for the curved hooks to be safe, but you'll be golden
I agree with your review. I have the regular VTS and it seems to be more stable than the lite when a barbell is in it. My rack has 5/8 holes and I don't have any issues racking it with a barbell but do have issues racking when using the iso handles. I have the curved hooks as well and I feel more confident racking on them but they have the issues you pointed out especially when you have a rack with 5/8 holes that are further apart on the sides (mine are 6 inches apart)
@waynemckinnon5312 Does it have as much movement up and down on each side as his has in the video? I'm looking at the regular VTS and I'm hoping it stays perfectly straight during use or at least has significantly less of that than it looks like his has.
@@majora3043no, the regular VTS does not have all that movement side to side. Since it has rollers on all 4 sides it eliminates all of the movement you in this video.
I think what makes them worth the money is a few things: 1. They take up very little space. 2. The ability to buy the handles and make it unilateral. 3. The ability to buy the pulleys and make it a little bit of a cable machine. 4. I’m not sure of this, but I would think someone that had a weight stack and lat pull down on the back of their unit or something like the Rep Ares could use the weight stack as a little bit of a counterbalance
Number is the biggest one for me personally. Unilateral movements aren't an option for me with the Lite version either way, and I don't think I'll use mine as a cable machine, but the compact solution was enough to make it worth it for me
I'm waiting to see what the Bells of Steel bolt on smith machine attachment costs. Bolt Fitness' rack attached smith machine for 1" holes is $1,395 w/ the bar. If BoS comes out with a 5/8 version and in closer to $1,000 (without the bar) I'm leaning that direction.
Yeah I was looking at that as well, but adding what is essentially additional posts to my rack doesn't work in my case. I would imagine that having a dedicated track will make it very smooth (and safer) but less spacing-saving than this solution. If I had to guess, I'd bet that BoS comes in under $1K though. Their functional trainer is $1K and I feel like that provides more value than a standalone smith machine attachment
@@flakey1228 That looks great and reasonably priced. It doesn't look like it's available to ship to US unfortunately. Hopefully that's in line with what BoS or another manufacture starts selling in my neck of the woods.
Yeah, with the slight tilt of the bar throwing off the alignment it makes me a bit nervous. The hitch pin route is nice in that case because it gives you a visual of exactly where to rack it
Awesome review! I had an idea with racking this guy. Do you think one could hang chains from a cross member over head and just bring the latches around to catch the chain? Might make it easier, though you'd have to adjust the chain height as necessary
Great review and very interesting and innovative product. I have a rep rack with dual athena cables which I love thinking about getting iso arms to make more hammer strength movements. Curious if you had to pick one which would it be? I'm guessing lever arms especially since you have Vendetta. I'm thinking of hooking it to cable for better resistance curve.
I have the same question. I own the Athena and have the ISO Arms with the Vendetta attachment. I wonder if it would clear to place the VTS Lite on the arms instead of the posts?
@@baezmd I bought Quantum Trainer from the UK 50x better than Lever Arms and separate machine that can do dozens of hammer strength type workouts. Rack doesn't have annoying to move and setup lever arms too!
Do note it’s 75 pounds total with regular bar. Each trolley is 15 pounds. I weighed mine with a heavy duty luggage scale to be sure but it’s a total mind fuck at 75 pounds lol I agree with you completely. And it is a total pain in the ass to rerack sometimes. The rack has to be perfectly level and even then it can be missed periodically lol. It is alot easier with 1” holes. Couldn’t imagine on a 5/8”.
Yeah I completely forgot to take into account the weight of the unit itself- added that note to the description. Muuuuch different than a 20 pound smith machine haha. And yes, the 5/8” hole sizing is brutal.
Would the bells of steel smith attachment fit your rack? Im asking because we have the same rack and im torn between this and the bos smith attachment.
I also have the VTS lite. thanks for making this video but I suggest not using your jcup to support your VTS lite. The VTS lite rollers are resting on your j cups not the bumpers which will risk breaking the rollers in your VTS. please use a hitch pin so it rest under neath the bumpers of the VTS lite. Other than that you're set and your gym is awesome.
Something I'll consider going forward. I have a bunch of attachments that I still like to use for the 5/8" but I'll be moving in the not so distant future so that may be the perfect time to upgrade
Great review, but I don't like you very much because you're influencing me to purchase this.😜 Especially since Im getting closer to 60 and safety comes first. Again great and unbiased review. Thank you!
Haha, I suppose that's a great reason to be disliked. With safety being a top priority, definitely consider the VTS over the VTS Lite! The extra stability would be great. It looks like they are also working on a 15 pound bar for the VTS (not Lite) to make it more like a true smith machine. Depending on the budget that could be a great addition
I’m second guessing this purchase. It’s a great concept but waiting 7 months and having similar issues when racking makes me just want to go purchase a smith machine. Going to give it some more time. I may be selling mine.
Keep me posted, I'd be curious to hear where you land. If you don't need a super compact solution I really like what Bells of Steel has been teasing out but I don't know when it actually releases: facebook.com/reel/747407853420036
This is a great idea, but I would rather have a complete smith machine that bolts into the rack if its about the same price. Get a 6' rackable bar with center knurl. BOS offers a mens and now a women's version too. These can hold 800 or 900lbs depending on which one you get. This will make it easier to move the bar up and down. Synergy makes a nice 7' technique bar thats even lighter, but it cant hold as much weight (200lbs I think).
Did you ditch a seated calf is a seated calf machine necessary or could you get away with just standing calf raises, I'm about to pick this up for sure
I previously ditched the seated calf machine to make room in my home gym and I don't really miss it. I actually got one of those barbell pads and I've done seated calf raises with the VTS. Works just fine
Nice review. Why do you have a 5/8” rack with limited side holes (instead of all throughout like the front/back) on the uprights? Anyone springing for a VTS/lite might as well get the regular, not the lite. So much more versatility. And even though you said it’s worth the same price as a rack (lite at $600 vs. your $600 rack), I don’t think people in general should be comparing new specialty equipment by a small company ($$$) to a basic, commoditized building block for home gyms that of course has way more functionality ($). It is not an either-or proposition. It’s both/and, if/when you have the money/desire for such additional things. Overall, great review, and pretty every exercise you demonstrated is why I would get the (regular) VTS, particularly the upright row, unilateral shoulder press (I would use my Rogue rackable curl bar to reduce weight), and calf raise. Thanks for putting the first/only review out there for this thing that I was able to find.
Regarding my rack, it was honestly a guessing game. I had a budget 2x2 rack with 5/8" holes, and I decided to upgrade to a 3x3 rack with the same hole sizing so certain attachments I had would still work with my rack. I didn't consider the side holes- I just snagged a Titan rack because I trust their quality. And yes, it's not an apples-to-apples comparison when it comes to home gym equipment by any means, but I like to think that my audience falls somewhere in between brand new home gym owners and the Garage Gym Review OG's who know all about different types of knurling and welds. I think something like this (having a smith machine) is going to appeal to even brand new home gym owners, so I think it's helpful to put it into perspective a little bit if anyone feels the sticker shock and isn't used to shopping for specialty equipment. But I totally agree, it's absolutely not an either/or type of thing at all. Appreciate you watching and thank you for the comment!
Have you seen the bolt fitness smith machine rack attachment? Not sure if you looked into? Wondering your opinion for vts vs. Bolt smith machine attachment
As a smith machine, it's likely superior. But I much prefer the solution of using my existing uprights and bar to save space. With my setup, I wouldn't want to add the full attachment with the tracks included. I would imagine the actual experience of the smith machine would be incredibly smooth with something like that though, and you wouldnt have the same latch issues.
I am going to try to incorporate it into my rack without using an additional upright I think it will work using my existing cross members / uprights It looks like it will bolt into the existing uprights and the guide rods will sit within any cross member The uprights thst the little hooks are bolted into are still usable
I love lever arms haha. I have a leverage gym. I’ve done free weights for ever and with the leverage gym I can push until failure and then safely have a thick pin stop it.
@@MattRosenman Yeah, my version has hitch pins to lock in a piece that your latch hooks can hook onto so it feels safer than trying to find that 5/8" hole on your upright. Also it's like half the cost of VTS :)
Yes I think so- there's a lot of space on the sides that I think the 2x2 option will work just fine. I'd email the company to make sure though. Their customer service is great and they seem to respond to all questions/requests
Boom! Thanks for this review! I have a pr4000 and was looking at the vts lite. Everyone seems to have racks with 1" holes. Does it mark up your white uprights? Mine is white as well. Also to offset the weight you think bands would work?
Not at all. I didn't get too into the specifics of the build (something I want to be better about in the future) but the way it's designed the only aspects that are even close to coming into contact with the rack are the plastic rollers. They definitely designed these with that in mind because there's a ton of space between the rack and every other piece of these units so these won't mark up the upright at all.
Granted it has only been a short amount of time with these but there is zero indication that there will be scuffs from these. My J-hooks do more damage than these do.
This same unit is available for 2x3 racks, you just have to select it at checkout. The bolt placement for the rollers will be slightly different to account for the extra inch
Yeah I've seen them on squat stands before. Assuming they're sturdy, of course. The only downside is the height of squat stands is typically pretty low, so it might limit a few things you can do.
No protein is inherently better, necessarily. They all just bake a little bit differently. If you're following a recipe that uses whey and it doesn't explicitly state which type, a blend would be the safest route.
I'll consider it, but I find half the appeal that you can just toss your regular barbell in these and get to work. Not a huge deal I know, but I have no real barbell storage in my basement so I just use my one barbell for everything without needing to remove it from my rack
I'd just sell this rack and buy a new one before I go ahead and mess with it like that. Regardless, I have a ton of attachments for the 5/8" holes already so I'm kind of stuck with that configuration for now
I have no idea what that means. Assuming that means someone else named a video "turn your squat rack into a smith machine" I hope you find it in your heart to forgive my horrible sin.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks for reviewing this. You're one of the first to do so on UA-cam.
My pleasure!
Love it when people review stuff they bought with their own money!
I make sure to be 100% honest whether or not I was sent equipment, but since I buy most of my own equipment anyway I guess that's a non-issue haha
Agree 100% honest review due to all the valid criticisms even though not likely a way to fix any of them other than they should have a peg that goes into holes that has BIGGER hold for smith machine to latch on maybe a different latch. Seems like a better design and I love having jcup as spotter very smart idea. I just ordered Exponent Edge's JCups that are designed for standing calf raises as it locks bar in otherwise would consider this.
Very cool. If I ever do anything besides bicep curls, I’ll have to look into this
😂 Bicep curls are all you need, baby.
😂😂😂
Thanks!
This really helped. I have been on the fence about the VTS system. You sealed to the deal, and I will order soon. Thank you Matt.
Happy to help!
Thank you for these impressions. I’ve been looking for something like this for a while and I feel like you gave me all the information I needed.
I'm so glad it helped! Which way are you leaning?
@@MattRosenman I am leaning for it, I’d have to get another bar though. So I can have one dedicated for smith machine and one for free weights.
I'm impressed with Bulletproof, looking forward to their new ISO Arms and belt squat
Very interested to see what they release. I follow them on IG and they're very transparent about the processes they go through with each piece so you know they're not cutting any corners
@@MattRosenman yeah, they said their ISO arms will be designed to work with the VTS on the front posts even if you have a cable system. I have the REP PR-5000 rack with their Ares 2.0 coming and I'm a full disciple in the Matt Rosenman church of lever arms so I'm holding out for their version. I think it would be easy to buy into their ecosystem given the versatility it offers.
I have the regular VTS on 1" holes, can confirm no issues re-racking the pins. There also little to no wobble with the regular VTS due to the extra rollers on the sides.
For sure, I'd imagine those are much more stable. Luckily it's not too much of an issue or I'd definitely consider upgrading to the VTS
I can confirm the VTS regular version has near 0 wobble. And the hooks work better with 1 inch racks but its still not 100 percent easy like a real smith machine although it def works. The only negative with that version is that it is even heavier. The starting weight with a 45 pound bar is about 95 lbs because each vts unit is over 20 pounds.
I'm curious what re-racking the regular VTS, since it has so little wobble, would be like with 5/8" holes ..
Oh damn, that's heavy. I saw that they're releasing a lighter bar for the VTS that's around 10 pounds. I'd definitely consider that, although still sounds like it will be decently heavy overall regardless
There’s also an option for having the hooks on the inside of the rack too hook onto something like a hitch pin (I think). I believe there were pros and cons to each but still a cool option
Oh! And BTW… I haven’t caught one of your videos in a while, and I have to say, you have made some massive gains! Good deal. 🙌🏽
Great review. Love the idea on my six post REP 5000 series. Totally worth it to attach in the middle upright.
Great review. I appreciate that you shared the good and the bad!
Always want to try to help as much as possible!
I highly reccomend the bridge built coaster docks. They are a bit pricey but work the best as a safety / support for the VTS system. Especially if you use the iso handles.
Great review. I just received my VTS lite for my rogue monster Lite rack with 5/8" holes.
I agree with everything you said including the two negatives. For the bar weight issue, I decided to use my BandBell Rhino Flex bar. The bar is just 8 lb so with the dual 15 lb trolleys, it's only 38 lb compared to 75. I also like it's a much thicker bar so squats and everything else feel more comfortable.
I also fully agree that the hooks do not work on the 5/8 holes at all. I tried doing some light hack squats and I could not get the hooks in for almost a minute. I was about ready to just let it go and crash down. I contacted bulletproof and they said I could either exchange my hooks for the curved ones or buy them outright for $68. They would send both the 28-30mm and 50mm pairs. I decided to keep my hole hooks and just buy the curved ones outright. I think it'll work a thousand times better with them.
Yeah I think I may need to pick up a lighter bar as well. Bulletproof just released one, but it's meant for the VTS so it doesn't hold weight (since it pairs with weight horns). I'll check out the one you mentioned.
And glad I'm not alone with the hook latch issue. I'm right there with you- I'm purchasing the curved hooks too- I definitely think that will solve it
I have the exact same rack as you and I'm on the fence about the VTS vs Bells of Steel Smith rack attachment. How'd things work out for you with the curved vs hooked ones?
@@Mangeurdefromage-b8b Night and day difference. It's extremely easy to use now. The only negative is the 6" hole spacing on the side to use hitch pins as safeties. There's a couple exercises where the only hole available is a bit too high which limits my exercise depth. That's just a VTS Lite issue cause with the regular VTS, you can put the safety pins on the front upright holes. To fix that, Bridge Built sells their Plate Coaster platform. It uses the front upright holes and gives a nice flat platform to rest the VTS on. They're expensive though at $200 a pair. Going that route the VTS with plate coasters is probably more expensive than the Bells of Steel smith addon.
Great review! I’ve been eyeing this thing for awhile. I appreciate the thorough review. I have 1 inch holes so hopefully the racking is a little better.
Hearing from others with 1" hole sizing they seem to have no issues at all, so you should be good
@@MattRosenman That’s awesome. I’m probably going to pull the trigger on it. Thanks!
Huge review, it made me rethink my approach since I have a monster lite rack with 5/8 holes.
Happy to help!
Awesome review. I might have missed it but I assume you couldn't let it rack on some spotter arms instead of using the rotational hooks? That looks like the only real downside if say you're training for failure and want to rack the weight without worry.
You could do that, it would just be an issue of setup. If you were benching and your spotter arms were at chest height, it wouldn't give you enough room to comfortably get under the bar. That method works well to act as safeties (either spotter arms or J hooks at the bottom) but wouldn't be an ideal replacement for the actual hooks.
@@MattRosenman awesome to know. Thank you
great jersey, great advice, and great video, matt. thanks.
Appreciate it all!
Really fun and informative video. Thanks for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Also, you can use a step drill bit to enlarge a select number holes to increase the 5/8 holes to one inch. Then touch up the inside of the cut metal with paint.
Oh you severely overestimate my handyman skills... I'm pretty useless when it comes to virtually anything that isn't as simple as finding a slightly different bolt to use and calling it a "hack"
@@MattRosenman Good time to start.
@@MattRosenmanJust hire a handyman to do. It’ll be worth it.
@@samman1155Your recommendation was on point...I bought a step drill and drill expanded the holes on my TITAN uprights right by the T for squats and it worked like a charm. I cut 4 holes in less than one minute.
Thank you!
I totally agree, I am having an issue re-racking with the 5/8" holes as well, whenever i am doing squats. I don't have a reracking problem when doing presses, incline, decline, military...etc. I am only having a problem re-racking when doing squats. However, I bought both the curved and straight hooks. When using the curved hooks, it works well, just bought magnetic pins to optimize positioning. Great review, thanks for your input very good content.
Glad to hear the curved hooks help! I'm definitely going that route.
Do you have the 5/8" hole re-racking issue with the VTS or VTS Lite?
@@AugustineSurfer, yes. I did get a little used to it, but switching to the curved hooks and using magnetic pins from BoS, it's so much better. When I pre-ordered, I ordered for both the straight and the curved.
If you hook resistance bands, like you would for assisted pull up In a sense, then you can do your single arm shoulder press pretty well. Hope you get to try that and like it !
Thanks for reviewing this, not many have. I think this seals the deal for me though. I have a 5/8 hole rack and I’m going to go for the hitch pin version now.
Absolutely recommend that route. Hearing other people with 5/8" holes having the same issue makes me confident in that recommendation
@@MattRosenmanare you going to do a follow up with the hitch pin version?
Thank you so much for this review. I have definitely had this item on my radar but I am not all in yet. Gonna stick with my iso arms and keep chugging along for now. Please do any updates that you come across. 🙂
I have the VTS and can confirm that the latch hooks have no issues with 1” holes.
Yup, sounds about right! Damn, now I'm gonna have to look into upgrading my rack huh
Vts or vts lite?
VTS
great review
I like the honest review n the concept. Space saving n using on a existing rack it can be a killer set up, but 5/8 catches n wobbles 😮squatting n benching looks unsafe especially heavier lbs.Maybe pins thru side as safety catches. Looking forward to nx review if u upgrade or you find a solution with current setup. I do love that smooth azz movement lol. I would Love more gym toys like this but got a used smith machine. I was worried bout space too but made it fit. Old light commercial York smith Love that thing its a tank.... Some ppl hate on smiths but its great if ur training by yourself. Matt u can do seated calf raises on it too n donkey raises too. Keep up the good work
Thank you! I would absolutely LOVE to have a york smith if space allowed.
Awesome review! I wouldn't have thought of the racking issues. I've been eyeing this for the last year hoping it would be good. I have a 1 inch rack so it should be good enough for me. I mostly want a safe way to do heavy calf raises and hack squats.
With 1" holes you'll be totally fine, I've heard from a handful of people in that camp and they have no issues. You could always opt for the curved hooks to be safe, but you'll be golden
You can try to add some flat washers between the top brace where it meets the up rights in order to align the upper portion with the lower.
That's a very interesting idea, I might just try that
Use a bands and warp ir around the bar and the top of the rack
I agree with your review. I have the regular VTS and it seems to be more stable than the lite when a barbell is in it. My rack has 5/8 holes and I don't have any issues racking it with a barbell but do have issues racking when using the iso handles. I have the curved hooks as well and I feel more confident racking on them but they have the issues you pointed out especially when you have a rack with 5/8 holes that are further apart on the sides (mine are 6 inches apart)
Nice to hear that it's more stable, I figured that'd be the case. And yeah, I definitely need to go with the curved option too
@waynemckinnon5312 Does it have as much movement up and down on each side as his has in the video? I'm looking at the regular VTS and I'm hoping it stays perfectly straight during use or at least has significantly less of that than it looks like his has.
@@majora3043no, the regular VTS does not have all that movement side to side. Since it has rollers on all 4 sides it eliminates all of the movement you in this video.
I think what makes them worth the money is a few things:
1. They take up very little space.
2. The ability to buy the handles and make it unilateral.
3. The ability to buy the pulleys and make it a little bit of a cable machine.
4. I’m not sure of this, but I would think someone that had a weight stack and lat pull down on the back of their unit or something like the Rep Ares could use the weight stack as a little bit of a counterbalance
Number is the biggest one for me personally. Unilateral movements aren't an option for me with the Lite version either way, and I don't think I'll use mine as a cable machine, but the compact solution was enough to make it worth it for me
Bells of Steel has a version 👍
I would love to see that review
That thing should work combined with your lever arms and cable. Push and pull in a locked angle track, how cool is that
Having cables, a smith machine, and lever arms pretty much in one unit is definitely awesome
This is really cool. I hate smith machines and would never get this. It is a cool option for those who want the ability to convert a power rack.
That's fair, it's certainly not for everyone. But definitely a cool option
I'm waiting to see what the Bells of Steel bolt on smith machine attachment costs. Bolt Fitness' rack attached smith machine for 1" holes is $1,395 w/ the bar. If BoS comes out with a 5/8 version and in closer to $1,000 (without the bar) I'm leaning that direction.
Yeah I was looking at that as well, but adding what is essentially additional posts to my rack doesn't work in my case. I would imagine that having a dedicated track will make it very smooth (and safer) but less spacing-saving than this solution. If I had to guess, I'd bet that BoS comes in under $1K though. Their functional trainer is $1K and I feel like that provides more value than a standalone smith machine attachment
Plus you can't use a cambered barbell or various other bars, you're stuck with a straight bar (which is great)
Look up atletica smith machine attachment.
@@flakey1228 That looks great and reasonably priced. It doesn't look like it's available to ship to US unfortunately. Hopefully that's in line with what BoS or another manufacture starts selling in my neck of the woods.
Revolt fitness looks like they are bringing out a more budget smith machine attachment!
First review I've seen of the vts lite. Thanks for your insight on the hooks, looks like my choice to upgrade to one inch holes are correct.
I think it will make a huge difference. I can make the 5/8" holes work for now but if I had the 1" holes I don't think I'd have any problem
Yeah, with the slight tilt of the bar throwing off the alignment it makes me a bit nervous. The hitch pin route is nice in that case because it gives you a visual of exactly where to rack it
Well done video and SICK Ducks cut off brother. QUACK QUACK QUACK!
90's kids, unite 👊
Awesome review!
I had an idea with racking this guy. Do you think one could hang chains from a cross member over head and just bring the latches around to catch the chain? Might make it easier, though you'd have to adjust the chain height as necessary
Where did you get those pins (silver discs?) you have when you discuss the squat exercise?
Great review and very interesting and innovative product. I have a rep rack with dual athena cables which I love thinking about getting iso arms to make more hammer strength movements. Curious if you had to pick one which would it be? I'm guessing lever arms especially since you have Vendetta. I'm thinking of hooking it to cable for better resistance curve.
I have the same question. I own the Athena and have the ISO Arms with the Vendetta attachment. I wonder if it would clear to place the VTS Lite on the arms instead of the posts?
@@baezmd I bought Quantum Trainer from the UK 50x better than Lever Arms and separate machine that can do dozens of hammer strength type workouts. Rack doesn't have annoying to move and setup lever arms too!
Do note it’s 75 pounds total with regular bar. Each trolley is 15 pounds. I weighed mine with a heavy duty luggage scale to be sure but it’s a total mind fuck at 75 pounds lol I agree with you completely. And it is a total pain in the ass to rerack sometimes. The rack has to be perfectly level and even then it can be missed periodically lol. It is alot easier with 1” holes. Couldn’t imagine on a 5/8”.
Yeah I completely forgot to take into account the weight of the unit itself- added that note to the description. Muuuuch different than a 20 pound smith machine haha. And yes, the 5/8” hole sizing is brutal.
@@MattRosenmanWhy not use something like Rep's 15 lbs technique bar and bring the base weight down to 45?
Will this work on a rogue rack?
Can you put them on the jammer arms?
I like one arm Smith machine shrugs, less weight on your back and better grip angle 👍
For sure, that's a great variation
Would the bells of steel smith attachment fit your rack? Im asking because we have the same rack and im torn between this and the bos smith attachment.
Do you know if this will work for a rack with only holes going front and back?
what brand is the multi-grip bar that won't fit?
I also have the VTS lite. thanks for making this video but I suggest not using your jcup to support your VTS lite. The VTS lite rollers are resting on your j cups not the bumpers which will risk breaking the rollers in your VTS. please use a hitch pin so it rest under neath the bumpers of the VTS lite. Other than that you're set and your gym is awesome.
Appreciate the note! Will keep that in mind going forward 👊
If I had your set up I would just swap the 2 uprights for ones with 1 inch holes. ❤
Something I'll consider going forward. I have a bunch of attachments that I still like to use for the 5/8" but I'll be moving in the not so distant future so that may be the perfect time to upgrade
Great review, but I don't like you very much because you're influencing me to purchase this.😜 Especially since Im getting closer to 60 and safety comes first. Again great and unbiased review. Thank you!
Haha, I suppose that's a great reason to be disliked. With safety being a top priority, definitely consider the VTS over the VTS Lite! The extra stability would be great. It looks like they are also working on a 15 pound bar for the VTS (not Lite) to make it more like a true smith machine. Depending on the budget that could be a great addition
I’m second guessing this purchase. It’s a great concept but waiting 7 months and having similar issues when racking makes me just want to go purchase a smith machine. Going to give it some more time. I may be selling mine.
Keep me posted, I'd be curious to hear where you land. If you don't need a super compact solution I really like what Bells of Steel has been teasing out but I don't know when it actually releases: facebook.com/reel/747407853420036
Hi what brand is your multigrip bar?
This is a great idea, but I would rather have a complete smith machine that bolts into the rack if its about the same price. Get a 6' rackable bar with center knurl. BOS offers a mens and now a women's version too. These can hold 800 or 900lbs depending on which one you get. This will make it easier to move the bar up and down. Synergy makes a nice 7' technique bar thats even lighter, but it cant hold as much weight (200lbs I think).
I simply don't have the space for that. I'd love to have a dedicated smith machine, but this is the kind of space-saving solution I need
You could purchase a lighter bar to attach to it if it's too heavy. The wobble seems annoying though.
For sure you could. I like the convenience and space saving of just using my existing barbell but it’s definitely an option
Okay. Definitely not going with the VTS Lite. Im still hoping the VTS will work for me. I am planning on putting a Smith on a folding rack.
Did you ditch a seated calf is a seated calf machine necessary or could you get away with just standing calf raises, I'm about to pick this up for sure
I previously ditched the seated calf machine to make room in my home gym and I don't really miss it. I actually got one of those barbell pads and I've done seated calf raises with the VTS. Works just fine
Nice review. Why do you have a 5/8” rack with limited side holes (instead of all throughout like the front/back) on the uprights?
Anyone springing for a VTS/lite might as well get the regular, not the lite. So much more versatility.
And even though you said it’s worth the same price as a rack (lite at $600 vs. your $600 rack), I don’t think people in general should be comparing new specialty equipment by a small company ($$$) to a basic, commoditized building block for home gyms that of course has way more functionality ($). It is not an either-or proposition. It’s both/and, if/when you have the money/desire for such additional things.
Overall, great review, and pretty every exercise you demonstrated is why I would get the (regular) VTS, particularly the upright row, unilateral shoulder press (I would use my Rogue rackable curl bar to reduce weight), and calf raise.
Thanks for putting the first/only review out there for this thing that I was able to find.
Regarding my rack, it was honestly a guessing game. I had a budget 2x2 rack with 5/8" holes, and I decided to upgrade to a 3x3 rack with the same hole sizing so certain attachments I had would still work with my rack. I didn't consider the side holes- I just snagged a Titan rack because I trust their quality.
And yes, it's not an apples-to-apples comparison when it comes to home gym equipment by any means, but I like to think that my audience falls somewhere in between brand new home gym owners and the Garage Gym Review OG's who know all about different types of knurling and welds. I think something like this (having a smith machine) is going to appeal to even brand new home gym owners, so I think it's helpful to put it into perspective a little bit if anyone feels the sticker shock and isn't used to shopping for specialty equipment. But I totally agree, it's absolutely not an either/or type of thing at all.
Appreciate you watching and thank you for the comment!
Have you seen the bolt fitness smith machine rack attachment? Not sure if you looked into? Wondering your opinion for vts vs. Bolt smith machine attachment
As a smith machine, it's likely superior. But I much prefer the solution of using my existing uprights and bar to save space. With my setup, I wouldn't want to add the full attachment with the tracks included. I would imagine the actual experience of the smith machine would be incredibly smooth with something like that though, and you wouldnt have the same latch issues.
I am going to try to incorporate it into my rack without using an additional upright
I think it will work using my existing cross members / uprights
It looks like it will bolt into the existing uprights and the guide rods will sit within any cross member
The uprights thst the little hooks are bolted into are still usable
I love lever arms haha. I have a leverage gym. I’ve done free weights for ever and with the leverage gym I can push until failure and then safely have a thick pin stop it.
Yup. I love free weights but give me machines to complement them every single day
would the vts lite fit on the upright for the bells of steel cable machine
I have a review of a similar system on my channel from SYL Fitness. Works almost identical.
Interesting
Saw those on amazon.
@@MattRosenman Yeah, my version has hitch pins to lock in a piece that your latch hooks can hook onto so it feels safer than trying to find that 5/8" hole on your upright. Also it's like half the cost of VTS :)
If you had to choose, jammer arms or smith machine, which rack attachment would you choose?
Lever arms every time. Way more versatile IMO
@@MattRosenman Thanks! I’ve got small space issues, and trying to squeeze as much from it as possible. Love the channel!
Matt do you think the VTS lite will work on a Bells of Steel rack uprights where it’s 2 1/4” x 2 1/4”?
Yes I think so- there's a lot of space on the sides that I think the 2x2 option will work just fine. I'd email the company to make sure though. Their customer service is great and they seem to respond to all questions/requests
Boom! Thanks for this review! I have a pr4000 and was looking at the vts lite. Everyone seems to have racks with 1" holes.
Does it mark up your white uprights? Mine is white as well.
Also to offset the weight you think bands would work?
Not at all. I didn't get too into the specifics of the build (something I want to be better about in the future) but the way it's designed the only aspects that are even close to coming into contact with the rack are the plastic rollers. They definitely designed these with that in mind because there's a ton of space between the rack and every other piece of these units so these won't mark up the upright at all.
Granted it has only been a short amount of time with these but there is zero indication that there will be scuffs from these. My J-hooks do more damage than these do.
Cost is still pricey for VTS. I saw they combined horns with handles for 130. Now that cost went to 175. Cost keeps going up.
Yeah, par for the course for fitness equipment in general unfortunately. Demand + innovation will drive the price.
hey bro what rack are you using?
Titan X-3. I have the bolt down version but they also have flat foot
Does this version work for 2x3 rack or u have to select that option ?
This same unit is available for 2x3 racks, you just have to select it at checkout. The bolt placement for the rollers will be slightly different to account for the extra inch
Would this work well enough on a Squat stand, such as Rogue SML-1?
Yeah I've seen them on squat stands before. Assuming they're sturdy, of course. The only downside is the height of squat stands is typically pretty low, so it might limit a few things you can do.
Amazing, ty! :)
I have a question about baking with protein powder, is whey concentrate/ whey isolate better or a blend of both?
No protein is inherently better, necessarily. They all just bake a little bit differently. If you're following a recipe that uses whey and it doesn't explicitly state which type, a blend would be the safest route.
@@MattRosenman cool thanks
Get a technique bar that weight 15 pounds bell of steel weight capcity is 200
I'll consider it, but I find half the appeal that you can just toss your regular barbell in these and get to work. Not a huge deal I know, but I have no real barbell storage in my basement so I just use my one barbell for everything without needing to remove it from my rack
Kirsten Station
Some of these downsides causes me to think this is a half-baked idea. Specifically for 5/8ths" holes
Drill your holes out to one inch. I did that to my rack.
I'd just sell this rack and buy a new one before I go ahead and mess with it like that. Regardless, I have a ton of attachments for the 5/8" holes already so I'm kind of stuck with that configuration for now
@@MattRosenman I did not have a lot of attachments yet. Plus mine is a cheap rack compared to yours.
In the early stages then that's definitely a useful hack. Admittedly I'd absolutely ruin my rack if I tried.
@@MattRosenman You wouldn't. Just get a step bit that goes up to 1" and it's easy
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Algo
Algo indeed.
You literally stole someone else’s headline WTF
I have no idea what that means. Assuming that means someone else named a video "turn your squat rack into a smith machine" I hope you find it in your heart to forgive my horrible sin.