Compact Six Post Home Gym Rack Review - Bells of Steel Hydra

The Backstory: From 4-Post to 6-Post

We first connected with Bells of Steel at the 2024 Arnold Expo. I originally picked up the flat-foot 4-post Hydra setup and ran it that way for about a year and a half. It worked great. It was rock solid, stable, and affordable.

But like any true home gym enthusiast, after a while, you just need more. More posts, more storage, more rack.

The problem: most 6-post racks are monsters. The Rogue setup at Massenomics Gym, for example, runs about 70–80 inches deep once it’s all built out. Great if you’ve got warehouse space but not great if you’re lifting between your snowblower and your kids’ bikes.

That’s why I got excited when I found out Bells of Steel offered a 17-inch rear crossmember option. That’s when the light bulb went off: a slim 6-post build. So, we worked with Bells of Steel to make it happen, and the result has been awesome.

Check out the 6-post Bells of Steel Hydra rack here!

What You Gain with a 6-Post

The biggest advantage is storage and organization. You get that extra space on the back side to store plates and bars without interfering with your main lifting area.

  • Plate storage stays clear of your squats and bench setup

  • Easy access barbell storage (inspired by how we do it at the Massenomics Gym)

  • Room for attachments without taking over your entire garage

And because this is a true 3x3 rack with 5/8-inch holes, it plays nicely with just about every major manufacturer’s accessories. Rogue, REP, you name it. For example, I mounted a Rogue 3-bar hanger with zero modification. The holes lined up perfectly. That level of compatibility makes it easy to mix and match the best gear for your setup.

Durability and Design

After 18 months of use, I’ve beat this thing up - dropped plates, banged bars, slammed safeties. The paint’s chipped in a few places, and I consider that a badge of honor. It’s holding strong.

The Westside hole spacing is perfect for dialing in your bench press setup, and every other hole is numbered for quick, easy adjustment. It is a nice quality-of-life upgrade.

I’m running two sets of J-cups (bench and squat), safety straps, and Bells of Steel’s own plate storage horns. The only upgrade left is to add another pair of horns on the new posts.

Compact Footprint

Here’s the real selling point: The total footprint comes out to just 56 inches deep — 30" in the main rack area, 17" for the rear section, and 3" uprights on each end. That’s a lot of rack for 56 inches.

If you’re tight on space, this setup can even fit (almost) on a single horse stall mat. You can also choose the 41-inch width option from Bells of Steel if you want to get truly compact.

For most home gym owners, this is the perfect balance between a full-featured 6-post and the footprint of a standard 4-post.

5/8" vs 1" Attachments: The Real Talk

You’ll hear people online arguing about 5/8-inch vs 1-inch attachments like it’s religion. Here’s my take:

Most 1-inch systems have bigger, flashier attachments, but they also cost 20–50% more. I’ve never once felt limited by using 5/8-inch accessories, even while prepping for powerlifting meets. If you want to save some money without losing performance, 5/8" hardware is the way to go. But 1” does provide you with more options!

The Verdict

After living with this setup, I can confidently say the Bells of Steel Hydra Slim 6-Post Rack is a viable option for garage gyms. It’s solid, compact, customizable, and compatible with nearly every brand’s attachments. For around $1,700 shipped, it’s one of the best value full-rack systems on the market. Whether you’re building your first serious home gym or upgrading from a basic 4-post, this rack deserves a hard look.

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Tanner BairdComment