How to Pick the Best J-cups for Your Power Rack

They’re not a want. They’re a need. You gotta have J-cups to properly use your power rack.  

There’s more to these little barbell holders than you may realize at first glance, and picking the right ones can make a big difference in the success (and comfort) of your lifts.  

REP offers five different types of J-cups: Standard, Flat Sandwich, Flat Sandwich 2.0, Round Sandwich, and Lowered. Here’s a quick guide to help you pick the best J-cups for your home or commercial gym.   

J-cups at a Glance 

Standard J-cups 

Pros: Budget-friendly 

Rack compatibility (series): 1000, 4000, 5000  

Weight capacity: 700lbs for 1000 Series; 1,000lbs for 4000/5000 Series 

Landing zone width: 2" for 1000 Series; 3” for 4000/5000 Series 

Landing zone height: 5.5” 

Finish: Matte black powder coat 

Other features: Plastic liners on inside of J-cup and bracket 

Standard J-cups 2.0 

Pros: Lower profile than original Standard J-cup; nothing beneath J-cup for a clean look 

Rack compatibility (series): 4000 (coming soon!), 5000  

Weight capacity: 1,000lbs 

Landing zone width: 3”  

Landing zone height: 5.5”  

Finish: Metallic black powder coat 

Other features: Larger landing zone; more secure plastic liners than original
  

Flat Sandwich J-cups 2.0  

Pros: Plastic on landing zone/bottom; larger opening for big bars; high-end finishes 

Rack compatibility (series): 4000, 5000 

Weight capacity: 1,000lbs 

Landing zone width: 1.2” 

Landing zone height: 6.1” 

Finish: Metallic black finish with stainless-steel backing that makes the logo pop

Other features: Taller landing zone than original Flat Sandwich 

Round Sandwich J-cups 

Pros: Plastic on landing zone/bottom; secure resting point (no rolling) 

Rack compatibility (series): 4000, 5000 

Weight capacity: 1,000lbs 

Landing zone width: 1.4” (with 0.8” radius) 

Landing zone height: 5.3” 

Finish: Matte black with stainless-steel REP logo plate 

Other features: Dual-lock wraparound design  

Round Sandwich J-cups 2.0 

Pros: Plastic on landing zone/bottom; secure resting point (no rolling); taller landing zone than original 

Rack compatibility (series): 4000, 5000 

Weight capacity: 1,000lbs 

Landing zone width: 2.6” 

Landing zone height: 6.1” 

Finish: Metallic black powder coat with stainless-steel backing 

Other features: Easier to install than original 

Lowered J-cups 2.0

Pros: Lower profile than original; same height as Standard J-cups 

Rack compatibility (series): 5000  

Weight capacity: 1,000lbs 

Landing zone width: 3” 

Landing zone height: 5.5” 

Finish: Metallic black powder coat  

Other features: Allows you to add 1” hole spacing throughout entire 5000 Series rack; more secure plastic liners than the original 

Which J-Cup is Right For You? 

If you have a 1000 Series power rack …  

A Standard J-cup on a PR-1100

The Standard J-cups are for you. These basic cups come with your 1000 Series rack (a PR-1000, PR-1050, or PR-1100), and they’re the only ones compatible with those racks. If you prefer a different style of cup or want to eventually upgrade, you’ll want to order a different series of rack from the beginning.  

If you’re on a budget … 

5000 Series Standard J-cups

Standard J-cups are the most budget-friendly J-cups, and they work with all REP racks. They’re a little more basic looking than the other options, and the 1000 Series cups are the only J-cups that top out at a 700lb weight capacity (the 4000 and 5000 Series racks can handle 1,000lbs). But with a nice, tall height (5.5”) and a solid landing zone width (2” for the 1000 Series and 3” for the others), these are easy to re-rack onto and get the job done.  

If you use an oversized/specialty barbell … 

Flat Sandwich J-cups

Opt for the Flat Sandwich J-cups or Flat Sandwich J-cups 2.0, which both have the largest opening and can fit a thicker bar. These cups are only available for 4000 and 5000 Series racks and can handle 1,000lbs. The 2.0 version of these has a higher-end finish – metallic black with a stainless-steel backing. And they have a taller landing zone height than the OG J-cups, which makes re-racking and installation of these cups easier.  

If you don’t want your bar to move in the cup …  

Round Sandwich J-cups

Flat Sandwich J-cups feature a longer, flat landing zone that allows you to roll the bar slightly to get some momentum before performing a lift. Unlike those cups, the Round Sandwich J-cups have a super secure, tight resting point that holds the barbell in place from moving. No rolling around before the lift.

Plus, these cups have a dual-lock, wraparound design that holds them extra tight on the uprights, so you can have total peace of mind when you’re loading up heavy weights. These gorgeous, round bois are all about security and tightness.  

If you want to fully protect your equipment … 

Whereas the Standard J-cups only have a protective lining inside the cup and on the bracket to protect your uprights, all the sandwich-style cups feature lining that fully protects your bar. They also have plastic on the cup inside and on the bracket, as well as a liner on the bottom of the J-cups in case you miss re-racking the bar and accidentally hit the underside of the cup. Plus, the hardware is on the side so there’s no metal-to-metal contact with your bar. The Lowered J-cups 2.0 also have a soft, protective, textured lining on the front, back, and bottom of the cups.  

If you want 1” hole spacing on a 5000 Series rack … 

Lowered J-cups 2.0

The 5000 Series power racks are made with 2” hole spacing, but you can turn that into 1” between the holes if you use the Lowered J-cups 2.0 and the Standard J-cups When setting up to lift, pick one or the other, depending on the exact height needed. This allows you to have a more precise liftoff height.

The Lowered J-cups 2.0 are (go figure) lower and larger than the standard guys. These are only compatible with the 5000 Series racks (the 4000 Series racks have 1” hole spacing throughout the bench press zone anyway, where you typically want the most specific J-cup height -- so you don't need lowered cups).   

If you want an elevated look to your gym …  

Flat Sandwich J-cups 2.0

The Flat Sandwich J-cups 2.0 are as seggsy as J-cups get. They feature a metallic black finish with a stainless-steel backing, which makes the REP logo pop. Add other high-end finishes, like a laser-cut logo plate, and you’ve got one good-lookin' sandwich.