REP Fitness Ares 2.0 Ultimate Home Gym Package Review (2026)
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Quick verdict on the REP Fitness Ares 2.0 Ultimate Home Gym Package Review (2026)
Quick summary
If you’ve ever dreamed of walking into your garage and feeling like you just stepped into a boutique strength studio, the REP Fitness Ares 2.0 Ultimate Home Gym Package is that vision turned into steel, cable, and powder coat. Centered around REP’s flagship PR-5000 rack and the Ares 2.0 cable system, this package is a serious “buy once, cry once” solution that can replace most of a commercial gym at…
If you’ve ever dreamed of walking into your garage and feeling like you just stepped into a boutique strength studio, the REP Fitness Ares 2.0 Ultimate Home Gym Package is that vision turned into steel, cable, and powder coat.
Centered around REP’s flagship PR-5000 rack and the Ares 2.0 cable system, this package is a serious “buy once, cry once” solution that can replace most of a commercial gym at home.
Quick links:
- View the Ares 2.0 Ultimate Home Gym Package at REP Fitness (Official Site)
- Shop compatible REP power racks on Amazon
- Check PowerBlock Elite EXP adjustable dumbbells on Amazon
At a Glance: What Is the Ares 2.0 Ultimate Home Gym Package?
The Ares 2.0 Ultimate Home Gym Package is REP’s top-tier bundle built around their heavy-duty PR-5000 power rack. It combines:
- PR-5000 power rack (3×3” 11-gauge uprights, 1″ holes)
- Ares 2.0 cable system with dual adjustable pulleys, lat pulldown, and low/seated row
- A compatible adjustable bench
- Olympic barbell and plates (varies by package)
- Rack accessories like J-cups, safeties, and pull-up bar
In practical terms, it’s an entire strength gym built around one integrated system: barbells, cables, pulldown, and rows, all contained in a single footprint.
For home gym owners who want to stop piecing together random equipment and instead build a “forever” setup, the Ares 2.0 package is designed to be that one big anchor purchase.
Key Specs and Features
The exact details depend on which height, depth, and post configuration you choose, but here are the important highlights you can expect from a typical Ares 2.0 Ultimate Package.
PR-5000 Power Rack
- Steel & uprights: 3×3″ 11-gauge steel uprights for heavy loads
- Hole size & spacing: 1″ holes with tighter spacing in the bench zone
- Height options: Multiple upright heights suitable for basements or garages (often in the 80–93″ range)
- Depth: 4-post or 6-post configurations, depending on how much plate storage and stability you want
- Attachments: Multiple pull-up bar styles, safeties (flip-down or straps), and other add-ons from the PR-5000 ecosystem
Ares 2.0 Cable System
- Dual selectorized weight stacks that live at the rear of the rack
- Dual adjustable front pulleys that travel vertically on the uprights for a wide range of heights
- Integrated lat pulldown station with overhead pulley
- Integrated low or seated row station with a more comfortable row height than the original Ares
- Pulley ratio optimized for functional training, allowing smooth motion and long travel
- Supports both unilateral and bilateral cable work
Compared to stand-alone cable machines or functional trainers, the Ares 2.0 integrates everything into the rack itself. That means you get true cable versatility without losing the ability to do heavy barbell work.
Included Accessories (Typical Package)
Depending on which Ares 2.0 configuration you choose, a typical “Ultimate” package can include:
- A heavy-duty adjustable bench (e.g., REP AB-5200 or similar)
- A 7-foot Olympic barbell
- A set of bumper plates or iron plates
- Standard cable attachments like lat bar, row handle, D-handles, and triceps rope
- Rack hardware such as J-cups, safeties, and pull-up bar
Individual bundles vary, so always confirm the exact components when ordering. The main idea: you can go from “empty garage” to “full strength training environment” in one purchase.
Training Experience: How the Ares 2.0 Feels in Use
Barbell Work: A True Heavy Rack
The PR-5000 is a legitimate heavy-duty rack designed to handle serious barbell loads. With 3×3” uprights and 11-gauge steel, it’s more than strong enough for heavy squats, benches, deadlift variations, and overhead presses.
Once everything is set up, you can train like you would in a serious commercial gym:
- Back squats, front squats, and box squats
- Flat, incline, and overhead presses
- Rack pulls, Romanian deadlifts, and partials
- Accessory leg work such as lunges and Bulgarian split squats
With robust safeties and a stable rack frame, training heavy at home feels secure, especially for solo lifters.
Cable Movements: The Real Difference-Maker
The defining feature of the Ares 2.0 package is how well it integrates cables into a power rack. Instead of a separate cable tower taking up extra space, the Ares 2.0 brings functional trainer capability into the same footprint you were already dedicating to your rack.
The dual front pulleys and integrated lat/row station allow you to perform:
- Chest-focused cable work: flyes, presses, and crossovers at multiple angles
- Back work: lat pulldowns, seated rows, single-arm rows, and face pulls
- Shoulders & arms: lateral raises, rear-delt work, curls, and pushdowns
- Core & athletic movements: chops, lifts, anti-rotation presses, and single-leg movements
Because everything is integrated into the rack, you can superset barbell lifts with cable isolation work without rearranging half your gym.
Workout “Flow” in a Real Garage Gym
One of the most overlooked strengths of the Ares 2.0 package is its training flow. In a small space, it’s incredibly convenient to move from exercise to exercise without walking between machines.
Examples:
- Superset bench press with cable flyes by simply reracking the bar and turning around to the pulleys.
- Move from squats to cable hamstring curls and leg extensions (via creative setups) without touching a second machine.
- Run a full upper-body push/pull session using nothing but the rack, Ares cables, bench, and barbell.
When you’re training before or after work, this kind of streamlined setup tends to translate into more consistent workouts and less time wasted.
Footprint and Space Requirements
While the Ares 2.0 package is far more space-efficient than a separate rack plus standalone functional trainer, it’s still a substantial piece of equipment. You’ll want to plan carefully.
Consider:
- Depth: 4-post vs. 6-post options affect overall footprint, especially with plate storage.
- Ceiling height: You need enough room for pull-ups and overhead pressing inside the rack.
- Side clearance: Space to load plates and move around the rack safely.
- Front clearance: Room for a bench, walking out squats, and doing cable work.
This is a natural fit for a garage, basement, or dedicated home gym room. It’s not ideal for a small corner of a bedroom or an apartment living room.
Build Quality and Aesthetics
The Ares 2.0 package is built to feel like legitimate commercial equipment in a home footprint.
- Heavy-gauge steel uprights with clean welds and a solid feel under load
- Smooth pulley action with cables that track reliably under a wide range of exercises
- Modern color and finish options on the rack and accessories, depending on your configuration
It looks and feels like a premium setup. For many home gym owners, that matters more than they expect—if your equipment makes you proud of your training space, you’re more likely to get in and use it.
Programming Possibilities
Because you’re combining a full cage, cables, and a pulldown/row station, the Ares 2.0 opens up programming options for lifters of all levels.
Powerlifters and Strength-Focused Lifters
- Heavy squats, bench, and deadlifts using the PR-5000 rack
- Pin presses, rack pulls, and other partial range strength work
- Cable accessories (face pulls, triceps pushdowns, lat pulldowns) to support heavy barbell training
If your primary goal is a stronger total, the Ares 2.0 supports that goal fully while adding the accessory versatility usually found in commercial gyms.
Physique and Body Recomposition
- High-quality cable flyes and presses at multiple angles
- Isolation work for shoulders, arms, and rear delts
- Lat-focused pulldowns and rows in a variety of grips and hand positions
- Single-leg work and tempo-focused hypertrophy sets with cables and barbells
If your goal is to look better (build muscle, lose fat, or “recomp”), the combination of free weights and cables is hard to beat.
Athletic, Hybrid, and General Fitness Training
- Rotational cable work for core strength and power
- Explosive barbell lifts or variations (push presses, power cleans, etc.)
- Single-leg stability training with rear-foot elevated split squats and lunges
- Full-body circuits mixing barbell lifts and cable moves
For people who want to be “generally athletic” rather than focused on just one strength sport, the Ares 2.0 is extremely flexible.
Pros and Cons
Major Pros
- All-in-one strength solution: Rack, cables, pulldown, row, bench, barbell, and plates can all be part of one cohesive package.
- High training density per square foot: You get the functions of multiple machines in a single footprint.
- Home gym “endgame” potential: For many lifters, this setup can replace their gym membership permanently.
- Modular ecosystem: The PR-5000 supports future expansion—monolift attachments, lever arms, different safeties, and more.
- Balanced training options: You can train heavy, do bodybuilding-style isolation work, and run hybrid programs without changing equipment.
Cons to Consider
- High upfront cost: The Ares 2.0 Ultimate Package is a serious investment, especially if purchased all at once.
- Requires dedicated space: It’s far more compact than multiple separate machines, but still not suitable for very small living spaces.
- Assembly takes time: Building a full rack plus cable system can be an all-day project (or a job for a paid installer).
- More than beginners strictly need: New lifters can get strong with a simpler rack and a pair of adjustable dumbbells if budget is tight.
Who the Ares 2.0 Ultimate Home Gym Package Is Best For
This package is not for everyone, but for the right home gym owner it’s almost ideal.
Best for:
- Intermediate and advanced lifters who want commercial-level training at home
- People with a dedicated garage, basement, or spare room gym
- Lifters who value both heavy barbell work and cable versatility
- Households where multiple people will share one premium setup
Probably too much for:
- Beginners on a tight budget just exploring lifting for the first time
- Apartment dwellers or renters who don’t have room for a full rack
- Lifters who prefer a minimalist dumbbells-and-bench approach
If you know you’re going to lift for years and you want a long-term solution, the Ares 2.0 Ultimate Package is the kind of purchase that lets you “set it and forget it” on the equipment side.
How the Ares 2.0 Compares to Other All-In-One Options
It’s useful to view the Ares 2.0 in the context of other premium all-in-one or functional trainer systems.
Versus Force USA All-In-One Trainers
Force USA’s all-in-one systems often combine a power rack, Smith machine, and functional trainer in one frame. Those are extremely versatile, but they lean more toward machine-guided paths with the Smith bar.
The Ares 2.0 instead starts with a heavy-duty free-weight rack and then integrates cables into it. If you love free-weight lifting and only want a Smith bar as an optional extra, the Ares approach may feel more natural.
Versus Standalone Functional Trainers
Standalone functional trainers are great for cable work but don’t give you the same barbell training experience.
The Ares 2.0 gives you nearly everything a functional trainer can do while still letting the PR-5000 behave like a real power rack. You trade a slightly larger footprint for far more capability.
Versus a Simple Rack Plus Separate Cable Tower
Many home gym owners start with a rack and then add a separate cable tower later. That works, but it usually takes up more space and can cost just as much as an integrated system once everything is added up.
The Ares 2.0 bundles those two pieces of functionality into a single integrated system that feels clean, organized, and intentional.
Should You Buy the Ares 2.0 Ultimate Home Gym Package?
If your goal is to build a serious, long-term home gym and you’re willing to invest in quality, the Ares 2.0 Ultimate Home Gym Package belongs very high on your shortlist.
It offers:
- Commercial-level free-weight training with a heavy-duty rack
- Cable versatility that rivals many functional trainers
- Space efficiency relative to having multiple separate machines
- An ecosystem you can keep upgrading instead of replacing
It is absolutely not the cheapest way to train at home. But for many EverydayHomeGym.net readers, it’s the kind of setup that lets you stop worrying about “what equipment you need” and focus entirely on training hard, recovering well, and getting stronger.
Where to buy:
- Ares 2.0 Ultimate Home Gym Package at REP Fitness (Official Site)
- Shop compatible REP power racks on Amazon
- PowerBlock Elite EXP Adjustable Dumbbells (Amazon)
- Home gym flooring and tiles (Amazon)
Frequently asked questions about the REP Fitness Ares 2.0 Ultimate Home Gym Package Review (2026)
At a Glance: What Is the Ares 2.0 Ultimate Home Gym Package?
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