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The Valor Athletics BD-4 is the most affordable squat rack in their collection, featuring 5 racking point positions and solid steel safety supports.
But how does this compare to the upgraded BD-6 rack? Which design represents the best value for money?
In our review we’ll take a closer look at the design of the BD-4, including the exercise options, safety features, and frame strength. We’ll also summarize the pros and cons from customer feedback, to help you decide if the BD-4 is the best squat rack for your own home gym.
Design features
If you’re considering adding any heavy barbell workouts to your home fitness program, it’s important to be able to carry out the exercise safely.
While a smith machine is certainly a great option, these are often much more expensive than squat racks and don’t offer the same freedom of movement.
The Valor Athletics BD-4 expands on the traditional squat rack design by adding a set of adjustable safety bars, built into the main frame.
Whether you are bench pressing, squatting, or even need a lower racking point for the bar during shrugs, this is an extremely useful addition.
You can quickly adjust the height of these supports to a level that suits the exercise and your range of motion, allowing you to lift at home in safety.
In terms of the main rack design itself, there are 5 racking positions to choose from, helping to support bench presses at incline angles, as well as military presses and squats.
There’s plenty of width between the frame to position a high quality FID bench, as well as giving you the space you need to squat without worrying about using a stance that’s too narrow.
For added stability and strength, the frame has two thick cross-brace bars positioned at the back. This ensures the frame stays stable when returning heavy weights to the rack.
The recommended maximum weight capacity for the frame has been set at 450 lb by Valor Athletics.
Valor Athletics BD-4 – Features Summary
- Tools included for assembly
- Adjustable spotter stands are perfect for both squats and bench press
- Solid steel bar pegs that offer a variety of bar locations
- Can be used as a solo squat rack or in conjunction with a utility bench for incline or flat bench exercises
- 5 Welded bar support positions for multiple exercises and reinforced support allows for 8 in. adjustment range
Comparison with the Valor Athletics BD-6 squat rack
If you’ve been looking at a few different squat rack options, it’s possible you’ve also come across the BD-6 squat rack, another of the designs in the Valor Athletics range.
While they are both fairly similar in design, it’s still important to know the differences to make sure you choose the option that best suits your lifting style.
The inside measurement between the supports is the same distance, at 43″, but the weight capacity does differ. The BD-6 rack can support up to 650 lb, while the BD-4 can support slightly less at 450 lbs.
If you will be using the rack for a number of different exercises, it’s likely you will need a wide range of weight plates.
Unless you have a weight plate tree or rack already, the BD-6 may be the best option.
For what is really quite a small price increase, the BD-6 rack provides 4 weight plate storage pegs, in addition to all the features of the BD-4.
Exercise options
Similar to the way a weights bench needs a weights set to make the most of the exercise options, you will also need a good quality barbell and weight plate set to get the most out of the BD-4.
If you don’t already have one of these, it might also be worth checking out our section on barbell and weight plate sets.
The variety of racking points, safety supports, and width to fit a workout bench really help to give you the best selection of exercises.
The following list is just a few of the most popular options for anyone looking to gain muscle and strength:
- Standing overhead barbell press
- Upright rows
- Bent over rows
- Shrugs
- Front squats
- Back squats
- Bench press (Incline and flat, depending on the bench)
- Standing calf raises
- Barbell lunges
- Barbell bicep curls
Customer reviews
Unlike many of the popular weights benches, squat racks usually have very few reviews left on shopping sites such as Amazon.
Despite this, we have still managed to find a mixed collection of reviews from customers who have found both pros and cons with the Valor Athletics BD-4 rack.
The lists below have been put together to show the points most frequently mentioned by these reviewers.
Pros:
- Easy to assemble
- Sturdy construction
- Excellent customer service
- Supports enough exercises to give you an effective full body workout
Cons:
- Safety support arms are limited in length compared to the ones you find on squat cages
- Lack of weight plate storage
Valor Athletics BD-4 Review Summary
Overall Review Rating
3.5 / 5
The Valor Athletics BD-4 Safety Squat Rack supports an impressive amount of weight for its entry level price, allowing for a full rack and weights bench setup to be put together for less than $500.
Looking through the higher rated reviews, they certainly support this as being a high quality and stable rack for working out from home. But it's just as important to take into account the reasons for those lower rated reviews, the main one being the short length of the safety bars.
While this rack will certainly provide a useful element of safety, if you think you might need longer safety supports and have the space and budget, it might be worth taking a look at Valor Athletics' BD-7 cage.
Product dimensions: 53" (L) x 47.75" (W) x 64" (H) Weight capacity: 450 lb
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We go to great lengths to ensure that our reviews are completely comprehensive, usually covering everything from the design features to the warranty coverage and exercise options. This is all to help guide you towards the home gym equipment that’s best suited to your goals and budget, whilst also being the highest quality option in your chosen price range.
