I’m going to review the REP Round Sandwich J-Cups 2.0 so you can decide if it’s the best j-cup for your REP PR-5000, REP PR-4000, or other compatible 3” x 3” squat rack.
Model | Pros & Cons | Rating |
---|---|---|
Pros:
| Rated 4.8 out of 5 |
My review will go in-depth on all key feature categories. But if you’re looking for a quick summary, I’ve got you covered:
SUMMARY: The REP Round Sandwich J-Cups 2.0 are a solid choice thanks to their robust steel construction and sandwich-style design that can support up to 1,000 lbs while providing excellent protection to your bar and power rack uprights. They’re an improvement on the previous model with a sleeker design, quicker installation, and a safer, taller landing zone. I love the round cup design because it keeps in the same spot for consistent lift-offs. While there are minor downsides, the value at $149.99 is hard to beat.
Why should you trust me? For one, I’ve been reviewing home gym equipment for years. Plus, I’ve been using these j-cups four times a week for the past several months on my REP PR-5000 power rack so you can trust my insights.
Table of Contents
Specs
- Weight Capacity: 1,000 lbs
- Off-Rack Extension: 5.3”
- Landing Zone Height: 6.1”
- Landing Zone Width: 2.6”
- Landing Zone Radius: 0.9”
- Material: Steel With Protective UHMW Plastic
- Finish: Metallic Black Powder Coat
- Weight: 7 lbs Each; 14 lbs Per Pair
Overview
The REP Sandwich J-Cups 2.0 are one of two premium j-cups that REP Fitness offers for their 3” x 3” racks.
They have a version of these j-cups for both their PR-5000 racks (1” holes) and their PR-4000 (⅝” holes). The only difference is the size of the pin.
Note that it can work on other compatible 3” x 3” squat racks as well. For the best fit, though, be sure the rack is a metric 3” x 3” rack (2.95” x 2.95”) rather than a “true” (imperial) 3” x 3” rack.
The other premium j-cups that REP offers are the Flat Sandwich J-Cups 2.0. The only difference is the cup surface is flat instead of rounded. So you can roll the bar back and forth. Whereas, the round cup keeps the bar in one spot.
REP Sandwich J-Cups 2.0 vs 1.0
The REP Sandwich J-Cups 2.0 are an improvement over the original 1.0 version. Here are the key differences:
- A Different Look: The 2.0 version has a black metallic powder coat with stainless steel beneath it, which you see through the laser-cut REP logo. The original version had stainless steel on the outside, which had a laser-cut REP logo revealing a powder coated steel base beneath.
- A Taller Landing Zone: The 2.0 version is taller, giving more clearance when racking the bar, and thus better protection of your uprights. The vertical portion is also straighter; the 1.0 had an odd bend in it.
- A Shorter Lip: The lip on the 1.0 version was taller than necessary, requiring more effort to get the bar over the lip when racking/unracking. The new version is shorter, making it easier to rack/unrack the bar while still keeping it secure.
- Faster Installation: The 1.0 had a dual-bracket installation, which was very secure, but made height adjustments take a bit longer. The new version has a single bracket but with the pin higher up, which makes installation faster while still having good security.
- Better Build Quality: On the 2.0 j-cup, the bracket that wraps around the upright is made by bending the same piece of metal as the j-cup frame backing. The 1.0 version had the brackets welded on.
My Experience Using the REP Round Sandwich J-Cups 2.0
I like my Round Sandwich J-Cups. While some minor improvements could be made, they’re functional, easy to use, strong, durable, and good-looking.
My favorite part is that the back, or the vertical landing zone, is very tall compared to the REP Standard J-Cups as well as the 1.0 round sandwich version. I never accidentally rack the bar too high and hit the uprights – something I’ve done many times with shorter j-cups.
The lip height is just right. It’s short enough to easily get the bar over it when racking/unracking. Yet it’s tall enough to securely the bar in place.
These j-cups fit well on the uprights and there are no quirks in installing them. It takes just a couple of seconds to adjust their position.
I also really appreciate how good the UHMW plastic protection is – particularly its coverage on the lip and (the front of the) underside of the j-hooks.
Sometimes, I’ll accidentally hit the lip or underside of the j-cup, usually while benching. Without the UHMW protection in these areas, this would scratch my bar and the j-cup’s finish. The UHMW protects both items in this scenario.
Construction Quality
The REP Round Sandwich J-cups are significantly larger and heavier than their Standard J-Cups 2.0:
The frame design is more robust than the standard j-cup design. It consists of two thick pieces of steel that extend forward. The protective plastic insert is sandwiched between these two pieces of steel, and together, they directly support the barbell.
The protective insert is secured well with three screws per side.
The two protruding pieces of the steel frame are welded to the even thicker steel backing. The portion of the j-cup that wraps around the upright is the same piece of steel as the backing; it’s bent into a wrapped bracket shape; not welded, so it has natural integrity.
It’s a typical “sandwich” j-cup design. But it’s nonetheless beefy, safe, and effective.
All of this would be for naught if the welds were bad. But the welds look great and appear to be robotically done since they’re so straight and consistent.
The only ding on construction quality is that these are imported from China. While this isn’t necessarily bad, it means less control over the supply chain and quality control.
Protection
REP’s Round Sandwich J-Cups feature a large UHMW protective insert sandwiched between its frame. This is where the barbell sits when it’s racked.
The protective insert protrudes significantly beyond the steel frame in most areas, providing plenty of buffer between the barbell and the steel frame. It will be protected for a long time even after the plastic lining slowly wears down from years of use.
Specifically, the protective insert protrudes beyond the frame in all the key areas, including:
- Where the bar is meant to hit it (i.e. vertical landing zone and the cup portion that holds the bar)
- Where the bar may accidentally hit (i.e. the lip and the front of the underside).
Another area that bolsters protection is the vertical landing zone height. It’s a tall j-cup, so you can rack the bar high and not have to worry about missing the back and hitting the uprights.
On top of that, all surfaces of the j-cup bracket that wraps around the upright have protective plastic linings to keep your power rack frame scratch-free.
The screws that hold the UHMW in the frame are on the sides, safely out of the way of your barbell. Compare this to standard j-cups where the hardware is on the landing zone, and can become exposed in the future when the plastic lining wears down.
All in all, your bar, j-cup, and rack frame will be protected from impacts in nearly all scenarios.
There is a noteworthy area for improvement, though. I’d like to see the insert protrude more on the bottommost section of the underside of the j-cup.
As is, the protective insert only protrudes by a tiny bit in this section. So if you bang the bar on this part, you could get some metal-on-metal contact. Granted, it’s rare to hit that part of the j-cup, but it’s possible.
Design Features
These are the key design features that the REP Round Sandwich J-Cups have:
- Round Cup: The cup portion is round. This keeps the bar from rolling around, which I like because you start every lift from the same position every time. Contrast this to a flat cup, which allows the bar to roll forward or back. This is mostly a preference thing.
- Sandwich Design: The landing zone of these j-cups is slimmer than the uprights, unlike standard j-cups that match the upright’s width. This provides extra space for racking the bar and more room for your pinky fingers with a wide grip.
- Tall Back: The back, or vertical landing zone, is 6.1” tall. That’s a pretty large area, especially compared to the typical standard j-cup on the market. This virtually eliminates going too high when you rack the bar and smacking into the uprights.
Stability & Fit
The REP Round Sandwich J-Cups fit well on the uprights of my REP PR-5000 power rack.
They install with ease. You don’t have to rotate them much to insert the pin through the uprights because the pin is so far from the bracket due to the tall height. When it goes on, it drops right into place – there’s no catching.
The j-cup does not rattle around in any significant way. While there is a very slight amount of play, it feels stable when racking and unracking.
If you rapidly slide a loaded bar on them, they will swing slightly, but not so much that they risk coming off. This is the case for any j-cup that’s not a roller j-cup.
All that to say, they’re not too loose or too tight. I’m satisfied with the quality of fit, ease of installation, and overall stability.
Keep in mind these are designed specifically for metric 3” x 3” racks (i.e. 2.95” x 2.95”). The fit will be tight if you use these on a “true” 3” x 3” rack like a Rogue Monster Rack, which uses imperial units.
Finish & Aesthetics
The sandwich j-cups are a lot better looking than REP’s standard j-cups. I also think they look a bit better than their 1.0 version, but that’s up to personal preference.
They have a darker, sleeker appearance and feature laser-cut REP branding on the sides, which exposes a sheet of stainless steel underneath. The previous 1.0 j-cups had stainless on top with a powder coat beneath.
The 2.0 j-cups have a metallic black powder coat finish, which looks great, overall. This color gives it a dark shimmer that looks different depending on how the light hits it.
The application of the powder coat is generally good, but if I’m nitpicking, mine have a couple of small spots that look slightly overapplied.
If you want custom-colored j-cups, you’re out of luck. It’s not common for brands to offer j-cups in different colors, but some brands do, including Irwin and Sorinex. Of course, both of those companies make them for “true” (imperial) 3” x 3” racks instead of metric 3” x 3” racks.
Price & Value
This isn’t a budget j-cup by any means, but it is an excellent value as far as premium sandwich j-cups go.
One pair currently goes for $149.99. Compare that to other popular sandwich j-cups including the Rogue Monster J-Cups and Irwin Alpha J-Cups, both of which cost $255.
That’s a $105 difference before considering shipping. REP has free shipping. Whereas, shipping is extra for both Rogue and Irwin.
While Rogue’s and Irwin’s may be a bit better overall (e.g. full underside protection, custom colors for Irwin), it’s hard to pay so much more for that.
Warranty
The REP Round Sandwich J-Cups have a lifetime warranty on the welds, which I’d expect for a premium j-cup from a leading equipment company.
However, the insert itself is not warrantied because it is a wear and tear item. After many, many years of use, the plastic will wear down to the metal frame and you’ll need to replace them.
Critiques
I only have two noteworthy critiques for the REP Round Sandwich J-Cups:
- I wish the plastic insert extended more past the very bottom of the underside. As is, it’s just a hair more than the metal frame in this area. While you likely won’t hit this part with your bar, you could. Other j-cups, such as the Rogue Monster J-Cups and Irwin Alpha J-Cups have this area fully covered.
- The round cup will only perfectly fit bars with shafts as thick as 50mm, which is slightly thinner than 2”. There are some thick bars out there that are 2” thick. While most people don’t have such bars, those who do won’t have an ideal fit in the cups.
Alternatives
There are many possible j-cups I could compare the REP Round Sandwich J-Cups to, including those from other manufacturers.
However, most of the popular ones are from US manufacturers (e.g. Rogue Monser J-Cups, Irwin Alpha Sandwich J-Cups), which are designed for “true” 3” x 3” (imperial) racks instead of metric racks. They will work on REP racks, but they’ll be a little loose unless you modify them.
Most people with a REP rack (or other 3” x 3” metric rack) will likely be considering the Flat Sandwich J-Cups 2.0, so that’s the primary alternative I’ll compare it to in this section.
Round Sandwich J-Cups 2.0 vs Flat Sandwich J-Cups 2.0
Deciding between the REP Round Sandwich J-Cups and the REP Flat Sandwich J-Cups is a matter of personal preference.
If you like to roll the barbell forward or backward to slightly modify your liftoff position, go with the Flat Sandwich J-Cups.
Additionally, if you’re one of the few lifters with a thick specialty bar with a shaft that’s 2” or greater, go with the Flat Sandwich J-Cups. They’ll accommodate those bars better.
The Round Sandwich J-Cups can handle thick bars, but only up until 50mm (1.97”) before the fit becomes less than ideal.
I prefer the Round Sandwich J-Cups because the barbell always settles in the same spot. I appreciate this the most when bench pressing because it gives me a consistent starting position; even slight differences can throw off my technique on that exercise.
Are the REP Round Sandwich J-Cups 2.0 Worth It?
If you have a little extra cash to spend, I think it’s worth upgrading from standard j-cups to the Round Sandwich J-Cup (or the Flat Sandwich version if that’s more your style).
You get a stronger and better-looking j-cup that provides more protection than standard j-cups. Plus, the sandwich design gives you get extra clearance on the inside and outside of the j-cups.
For something you’ll be using on most barbell exercises, it’s worth the investment in many cases.
However, if your budget is tight, skip them. Standard j-cups still provide all the utility you need. They’re just not quite as nice to use.
Conclusion
I hope this REP Round Sandwich J-Cups 2.0 review helped you decide if you want to buy these for your rack.
They’re a premium j-cup. Not perfect, but they tick all the major boxes – sandwich design, tall height, great protection overall, nice aesthetics, and a flat variation available…
…But most importantly, you get all of this at a great price of $149.99, which is a whopping $105 less than Rogue’s or Irwin’s versions, plus shipping savings.
You can get yours by using the link below: