10 Best Power Towers For Building Serious Upper Body Strength Reviewed

In Search For The Best Power Towers

If you’ve ever been to a gym, I’m sure you’ve used, or at least encountered a pull-up and dip station, also known as the power tower.
This tall, stand-alone structure is a mandatory piece of equipment in most fitness facilities, as it is an excellent tool for building upper-body muscle with just your bodyweight.

Besides gyms, you can often find these contraptions in houses of fitness enthusiasts who like to work out at home. So, no matter which of these categories you fall into, there are a couple of things you need to know before buying a product like this.

In today’s article, I’ll help you find the best power towers for your needs, and if this is something that interests you, please, read on.

Top Rated Power towers

Table

Review of the 10 best Power Towers

1. Weider Power Tower

Weider is a well-known name in the world of fitness equipment, and today I’ll be taking a look at their power tower.

This particular model’s dimensions amount to 57” x 41” x 84” (LxWxH), which places it among higher products of its kind. Tall folks will probably find it sufficient for their needs, but those with a low ceiling will definitely want a shorter model.

As for its functionality, Weider power tower is double-sided, meaning that you do pull-ups on one side and dips on the other.

There is cushioning for the back and forearms when doing knee raises or other ab exercises. Another nice feature that it has are the push-up bars.

Like I’ve already mentioned the tower is pretty tall and I feel that the footprint is not big enough for its height. Don’t get me wrong, the station is stable, but you have to keep your movements strict and avoid kipping and swinging as it could be dangerous.
This product can support up to 300 pounds of weight, which is enough to handle most folks. However, if you like doing weighted exercises, pay attention not to go over this limit.

The assembly of this contraption is not simple, which is the main downside here. It can be hard to fit the bolts in the holes, and the unclear instructions are not helping at all.

All in all, this is a solid product that comes at a fair price and will satisfy the needs of most users.

PROS

• Sturdy construction
• Supports up to 300 pounds
• Comfortable padding
• Great price

CONS

• Not suitable for small flats
• Difficult to assemble
• Complaints of missing parts

2. Fitness Reality X Class Tower

Looking for a heavy duty product for professional (or private) use? Then look no further than this one.

Fitness Reality X Class power tower is a top-notch piece of workout equipment. It is 63.4″ x 49″ x 83″ (LxWxH) big, so it’s an inch shorter, but slightly bulkier than the previous product in this list.

The tower has an unusual, leaning construction with the front legs being slightly higher up than the back legs. This gives it a lot of stability and allows you to perform exercises such as incline rows.

The heights of the dip bars, as well as the leg pads/row handles, are adjustable, while the pull-up bar is permanently fixed. The dip bars are a bit too thick, so this might be an issue for some users.

When it comes to the weight limit, this product can bear up to 400 pounds which is outstanding as very few models can handle this load.
It is also super-easy to put together, and when fully assembled it weighs 150 pounds. It is a very stable device and will even tolerate some light kipping.

All this quality comes at a price, and this station is by far one of the most expensive on the market. However, it is well worth it, and if you have the money, you will not regret spending it on this product.

PROS

• Sturdy, heavy-duty construction
• Adjustable height of its elements
• Weight capacity is 400 pounds
• Easy to assemble

CONS

• Dip bars might be a bit thick
• Pretty expensive

3. Stamina 1960

Those on a tight budget and with limited space on their hands will probably take an interest in Stamina 1960.

It is a relatively light and simple power tower, but it is more than enough for doing all the basic upper-body exercises. Speaking of size, Stamina’s dimensions are 41.5” x 50” x 81.5” (L x W x H), and it weighs only 54 pounds, which makes it easy to move around.

When it comes to exercises, you will be able to do pull-ups of various widths, dips, knee raises, incline push-ups, and sit-ups with this station. I would not recommend you to perform the latter without placing additional weight on the footprint as the station is too light and it might fall over.

All the handles are padded with comfortable foam which enables you to get a good grip. There is no back support or extra cushioning for the forearms so some folks might not like this.

As the tower is pretty light, it is prone to wobbling, but it is nevertheless sturdy and safe to use. Its weight capacity is 250 pounds; much less than the previously reviewed products but expected for a station like this one.

It’s effortless to assemble and can be easily moved around if necessary. Stamina 1960’s price is a real bargain, especially when considering the decent quality you get for it.

PROS

• Compact and light construction
• Easy to assemble
• Very affordable

CONS

• Might wobble for heavier users
• No back pad
• Might be too light for sit-ups

4. XMark XM 4434

If you liked the previous item but feel like you need a bit more robustness and support, then check out XMark XM 4434.

When you first take a look at it, you’ll see that this is a very standard pull-up and dip station. It is 52.5″ x 24.5″ x 82.5″ (LxWxH) big, so it’s fairly tall but relatively narrow. It weighs around 80 pounds which gives it decent stability.

The power is double-sided, with the pull-up bar and push up handles facing the back and all the other elements facing the front side. A cushioned back station with arm pads provides a lot of comfort when doing ab exercises.

Dip bars are a potential problem here, as some individuals will find them too narrow, and are a bit short as well.

Despite the station having a 350-pound weight capacity, heavier users reported incidents of wobbling. This may be due to the insufficient length of the footprint. On the bright side, the footing has skid-resistant rubber protection so that it doesn’t damage the floor.

The price falls into the low-mid range, and I would say that it is a fair deal.

PROS

• Sturdy construction
• Weight limit of 350 pounds
• Comfortable padding
• Protective rubber feet
• Good price

CONS

• Dip bars might be too narrow for some
• Might wobble with heavier users

5. Bowflex Bodytower

Bowflex Bodytower is for folks in search of a station with improved stability and additional exercise options.

First off, judging by the dimensions 53″ x 50″ x 77″ (LxWxH), you can see that this is by far the shortest station in this list, but it is also very long.

The reason for the latter is that a long footprint provides superior stability, which is indeed a desirable feature. However, tall people might not be satisfied with this product.

The adjustable height of the dip bars allows the user to adapt it to their preferences. The handles have slip-proof padding and enable a firm grip.

The additional features of this product include sling traps, a great tool when doing ab exercises, as well as horizontal EZ-adjust horizontal bars for incline rows. Unfortunately, there are no handles for incline push-ups.

Assembling the device is not at all a problem, and its total weight amounts to 120 pounds. The weight capacity is 300 pounds which is pretty decent.

Now, as far as the cost is concerned, this item is one of the more expensive products of its kind. If extra stability and the before mentioned, added exercise options are appealing to you, then go for it. If you don’t require any of those features, then buy a cheaper model.

PROS

• Excellent stability
• Easy to assemble
• Good price
• Additional exercise options

CONS

• Not good for tall people
• No handles for push-ups

6. Body Champ PT600

Even though finding a tall tower isn’t a problem, few are as tall as Body Champ PT600.

Just how tall are we talking about? Well, its height is 85,8” which cannot be matched by any other model in this list. Its length and width are 42” and 43”, respectively so you might consider it relatively compact in terms of these two dimensions.

The exercise features are nothing out of the ordinary – a pull-up bar, parallel dip bars, back station, and push-up handles. The back and arm leaning areas are nicely cushioned, but the dip bars might be too wide for certain exercisers.

Body Champ’s weight capacity is 250 lbs, which is ok but could be too low for those who want to exercise with added weights.

The assembly isn’t difficult, and with the right tools, it will take you no more than 40 minutes. However, there have been reports of missing parts on delivery, so this could slow things down for you.

There have been a few complaints about this station. Namely, people complained that the welds are low-quality and that the tower tended to jiggle. This should not be of great surprise if you consider the price, which is very low.

PROS

• Great for tall people
• Comfortable padding
• Affordable price
• Easy to assemble

CONS

• Construction is not high-quality
• It tends to jiggle
• Dip bars might be too wide for some

7. Soozier Full Body Fitness Station

With a piece of equipment like Soozier, you will not need many other things to get your body in immaculate shape.

This high-quality product looks like a standard power tower with the addition of an ab bench. Compared to other stations, it is not very big, and its dimensions amount to 69” x 35” x 80” (L x W x H).

As mentioned before, the functionality of this item is similar to most other products of its kind. You can do regular and neutral grip pull-ups, dips, knee raises, push-ups, and more abs exercises on the sit-up bench (its angle is adjustable).

Construction-wise it is a strong and sturdy station, with a weight capacity of 665 pounds which is by far the best result in today’s article. Despite its resilience, the entire thing weighs only 112 pounds, and I found this to be unbelievable.

Some customers encountered problems when putting the power tower together, and this was due to the unclear instructions.

The price of Soozier isn’t too low or too expensive, but somewhere in the golden middle. You can find quality

PROS

• Strong and sturdy construction
• Amazing weight limit
• It has a sit-up bench

CONS

• The instruction manual is not great
• A bit pricey

8. Golds Gym XR 10.9

This is a simple, straightforward, and fuss-free power tower, perfect for exercisers who know what they want.

Its assembled dimensions are 57” x 41” x 84” (LxWxH), so as you can see, it is a very tall station, which is a good thing unless you have low ceilings. It weighs around 95 pounds so it isn’t too heavy nor too light.

XR 10.9 is a double-sided power tower with a standard element orientation – dip bars and back station on one side, pull-up bar and push-up bars on the other. You will not be able to do any ‘extravagant’ moves on it, but this is not necessarily a downside.

A possible issue is a narrow footprint which leaves the tower relatively unstable when experiencing some side to side rocking, so you need to be careful not to kip.

The XR’s weight capacity is not very impressive, as it can bear up to 250 pounds. However, it is very easy and quick to assemble and disassemble, so you’ll be able to move it around without too much trouble.

The price of this station is pretty low and considering its decent quality; it is a pretty good deal.

PROS

• Good for tall people
• Easy to assemble
• Great price

CONS

• The footprint should be wider
• Not good for low ceilings

9. XMark Powerbase with Assisted Lift

Having a hard time doing pull-ups and dips? Take a look at this model from XMark!
The machine’s size is 64” x 29.5” x 82” (LxWxH), so it’s not huge by any means. You can notice that it is unusually long and the reason for this is the big footprint which promotes stability.

Now, this power tower is unique because it has a feature which can make your exercises easier. It employs a pad on which you can kneel and then push or pull up from this position. It’s an excellent option for beginners.

Besides this, it has all the usual elements of a dip and pull-up station, with the addition of a part that only some have – a sit-up bench.

The construction of Xmark Powerbase is super-sturdy and durable, and it can bear up to 600 pounds of weight. This means that two people can use it simultaneously without any problems.

As for the assembly, well, it is not the easiest, but if you follow the instructions carefully, you will get it done. The machine is pretty heavy (320 pounds), so once you put it together do not plan on moving it any time soon.

The price is going to be a turnoff for many people, as this model is the most expensive power tower that I review today.

PROS

• Excellent for beginners
• Sturdy and quality construction
• Weight limit of 600 pounds

CONS

• Not easy to assemble
• Very expensive

10. Body Champ VKR1010

Last but not least, here is a power tower named Body Champ VKR1010, another model from the Body Max company.

The first thing that struck me about this model is how sleek it looked. Its frame has dimensions of 58.5” x 46.5” x 83” (LxWxH), so it is a relatively large station. It’s a good choice for tall and heavy people (the weight capacity is 550 pounds).

Pull-up fanatics will adore this tower as it will allow them to do this exercise using various widths. The entire thing is pretty stable, so there shouldn’t be any wobbling or shaking.
Besides dips and knee raises, you’ll also be able to do sit-ups with the help of the low bar. The height of the elements is adjustable.

Putting the station together should not be difficult as the company provides clear and straightforward instructions. Once assembled, the tower weighs 88 pounds which places it among lighter products of this type. VKR1010 is definitely a good quality item and if you want a power tower that won’t break your bank, then consider buying this one.

PROS

• Sturdy construction
• It looks sleek
• Stable
• Weight capacity of 550 pounds

CONS

• Relatively bulky
• Elements are not adjustable

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Why buy a power tower?

Being fit is important, but do you really need to buy a power tower? Good question. The answer depends on your personal preferences and needs.

However, I do believe that everyone can benefit from having this item, and here are the main reasons why I think so.

1. A great tool for building upper-body muscle

You don’t have to be a calisthenics freak to realize the muscle-building potential and importance of bodyweight exercises.
Most people start their fitness journey with simple movements like push-ups, and as they graduate to weight training, they tend to neglect or forget about these excellent exercises.

However, the truth is that you do not need much more than your own weight and a simple piece of equipment like the power tower to build some serious upper body strength.

This station will allow you to perform dips, pull-ups, knee raises, and many other elementary exercises that should not be overlooked by anyone who wants to become or stay fit.

These exercises cover all the major muscle groups such as back, chest, biceps, triceps, shoulders, core muscles, so all that’s left for you to do is find a way to work your legs out.

2. You can workout at home

All of the above mentioned might be of particular interest to those who are reluctant to join a gym, whether for financial or other reasons.
Buying this relatively affordable yet super-useful product will help you get in the best shape of your life without having to leave the house.
Also, individuals lacking motivation will probably work out more frequently if they have one of these stations laying around in their own home.

What to know before buying a power tower?

Picking out and buying a power tower should be an informed decision as there are many parameters that one needs to consider before laying down their cash. The crucial factors, as you will see are common sense, and now I’d like to lay them out for you.

Size

The most obvious things that you need to determine is where you want to put the tower and how much free space you have available. Depending on the model you choose, you’ll need anywhere between 10×8 feet and 4×3 feet of room to comfortably place and use this product.

What about the height? First, check out the height of the power tower that you wish to get, then measure the height of your room, and make sure that you have at least 12 inches of clearance above the top bar.

The reason for this is when you do pull-ups, you want to be able touch the bar with your chest, so there has to be enough space for your head not to hit the ceiling. Most stations are around 7 feet tall, so your ceiling should be at the height of at least 8 feet 2 inches.

Your preferences

As you can probably guess, not all towers are made equal and different models have different capabilities, weight capacities, mounting options, and so on. So before buying one of these products, ask yourself what do you want to use it for?

If you plan on doing strict pull/chin-ups, dips, knee raises, and elevated push-ups then you will be satisfied with the simplest model available, given that it can bear your weight.

Are you following a moderate or intense exercise plan? In the case of the latter, you will probably be doing a lot of reps, frequently so buy a durable and robust station that can withstand this workload.

If you want to do kipping pull-ups or more advanced calisthenics such as front levers and muscle-ups, then go for a model which can be mounted into the floor so that it can’t move.

Finally, in case you wish to have some more exercise options find a station with additional accessories such as an ab bench or weights.

Your weight/height

Some towers are so short that people who are very tall will be able to touch the ground with their knees when doing pull-ups. Of course, you don’t want this, so try to get as tall a station as possible that you can fit into your room.

Another point to take into consideration is your weight. If you weigh more than 220 lbs (100 kg), then try to find a heavy-duty tower with sturdy construction, because otherwise, the entire thing will be shaking and wobbling under your weight.

Most stations have a weight limit of around 250-300 lbs, so if you’re heavier than that, look for one that can carry you.

Ease of assembly

Those who don’t have any intentions of moving their power tower around once assembled probably don’t need to worry about this feature.
However, those who’ll need to transport this piece of equipment between (or within) buildings should buy a model that’s easy to put together and take apart.

Budget

The prices of power towers vary a lot, and the cheap ones start at around $100 while the high-end ones go over $300. Same as with products of every other type, you get what you pay for, but less money doesn’t have to mean complete garbage.

The price can also be determined by the number of functions a station has, how do you want to use it, as well as your own physical features (height and weight).

Final words

It’s been a long and bumpy ride, but I’ve managed to bring you to the end of this article. Now, it’s time for me to present you with the winning product.

In my opinion, Fitness Reality X Class is the best power tower of this roundup. It’s a high-quality, highly functional, adjustable, and built to last. Its price is high though, but I feel that it is well worth it.

What do you think about my choice? Let me know in the comments below!
Related Video:

Dip and Pull-up Station Power Tower:

Source: Wirybody