The pull up is universally regarded as the king of back exercises. As well as helping you develop your back, pull ups are an essential component to becoming a well rounded, functional, and explosive athlete.
Despite the popularity of pull ups, performing them at home has its challenges. This is especially true for those of us without gardens or garages.
One answer can be found in the form of door frame mounted pull up bars. These might seem convenient, but anyone who has used one will tell you that they can ruin your door frames.
The best answer to doing pull ups at home or in a home gym is a dedicated pull up station. Pull up stations allow you to effectively and safely perform pull ups without ruining your door frames or taking up too much space.
This article will review the best pull up station brands available in the UK and what you should consider when buying a pull up station.
Disclaimer: Home Gymology is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.
Phoenix Fitness Pull Up Station
The Phoenix Fitness Pull Up Station is an excellent four in one solution to all of your pull up needs.
In addition to pull ups, it allows you to perform dips, leg raises and push ups, everything you need for an intense, full body workout.
Steel construction gives you a product that is built to last and won’t wear out from repeated use. The Phoenix Fitness station is 186cm tall, meaning taller trainees might need to lift their lower legs during pull ups.
Stylish orange and black padding makes performing leg raises extremely comfortable. All handles have a rubberized coating which will make sure you never lose your grip due to sweaty hands.
TRX-style handles underneath the dip attachment are an incredibly useful addition. They give you the option of doing row type exercises which will add to the back development achieved through pull ups.
Despite being a tall piece of equipment, the depth of this station is only 72cm. This means it will fit nicely into the corner or side of any home gym, as long as the ceiling isn’t too low.
Features
- Dip station
- TRX handles
- Knee raise padding
- Steel construction
Pros
- Four in one functionality
- Stylish colour scheme
- TRX handles are a unique addition
Cons
- Can’t adjust height of pull up handles
To Sum Up
The Phoenix Fitness Pull Up Station is an excellent piece of equipment that offers four in one functionality at a great price. It is compact, stylish and could give you a full body workout in its own right.
Pull Up Mate
The Pull Up Mate is a portable, free standing pull up bar that can be used for a range of calisthenic exercises.
It comes in red/black steel, takes two minutes to assemble, and can be carried anywhere in its own bag. The portability of this station is its true strength and biggest benefit.
Pull Up Mate is the perfect station for anyone short on space who can’t afford to leave a pull up station out 24/7. It is the only station which can be fully disassembled and packed into a convenient carry back and taken or stored anywhere.
At first sight it appears to be just a pull up station. However, lie the Pull Up Mate on the floor and it instantly becomes a dip and push up station.
It is an excellent choice for trainees who take calisthenics seriously. The wide base makes it much more stable when performing pull ups than stations with a narrower base.
A red/black finish provides an attractive appearance for an extremely innovative piece of home gym equipment. Steel construction and a 1-year warranty provide all the cover you need for intense and prolonged use over time.
Features
- Reorientate the Pull Up Mate for additional stations
- Portable
- Steel construction
Pros
- Extremely portable
- Can be used for multiple exercises
- Lots of optional extras
Cons
- No padding for leg/knee raises
- Can be a bit wobbly
To Sum Up
The Pull UP Mate is an innovative and super portable option for anyone looking to include more calisthenics in their home gym. Trainees who really value portability should strongly consider this option.
OneTwoFit Power Tower Pull Up Station
OneTwoFit has produced a decent tower pull up station offering a good balance between quality and value. Like many other stations, it gives you the option of performing dips, push ups and knee/leg raises.
This is the first pull up station that allows you to adjust the height of the pull up handles. At first this sounds like it would be an advantage to shorter users but the minimum height is still around 180cm. For taller trainees, this could be a good choice as the maximum height is 235cm, one of the tallest in our list.
As one of the largest stations we have looked at so far, you will need to make sure your home gym space is ready for it. It is quite a hefty pull up station and the design has a fairly large footprint. Some users have reported that this station can feel a bit wobbly when doing explosive pull ups.
If you intend to perform a lot of leg/knee raises, make sure you are comfortable doing so without a back pad or arm pads. If you are still a beginner with this exercise, you will be better suited to a pull up station that has pads.
Features
- Adjustable height
- Black finish
- Soft handle pads
- Multiple stations in one
Pros
- 6 different height options
- Includes dip and push up stations
- Ideal for taller athletes
Cons
- Large footprint
To Sum Up
The OneTwoFit power tower is a decent option if you are looking for a fairly priced multi functional calisthenics station. It has a large footprint so make sure it will fit your home gym.
Taurus Elite Pull Up Station
The Taurus elite pull up station is the most expensive pull up station on our list. In our opinion, if you have a higher budget, the additional cost is worth it. Firstly, the Taurus is a commercial grade piece of equipment. This means it was designed for constant use over a long period of time. In a home gym environment, it is almost guaranteed to last forever.
Whilst being the most expensive, it is by far the most sturdy. Weighing almost 100kg, the build quality is far and away above other pull up stations we have reviewed. No matter how explosive your pull ups are, a pull up station like this will never wobble or feel unstable.
Unique design tweaks like downward sloped pads make it extremely comfortable for performing leg raises. The arm and back pads are much thicker and of a higher quality than the pads on cheaper pull up stations.
A little talked about but useful design feature we haven’t seen yet are the raised steps.
These allow you to comfortably position yourself for a set of pull ups without having to jump up to reach the handles.
Raised steps also allow for a comfortable dismount from pull ups, dips and knee raises, reducing the chance of injury.
Features
- Robust steel construction
- Attractive matte black finish
- Commercial grade
Pros
- Extremely well built
- Excellent design and features
- Comfortable to use
Cons
- On the expensive side
To Sum Up
Taurus have produced an extremely high-quality piece of commercial grade equipment. For trainees with a large budget, looking for a station that will last a lifetime and provide commercial gym comfort, this is the best choice.
Pro Fitness Portable Pull Up Rack
Pro Fitness have produced a decent portable pull up rack. Constructed from steel piping with a black and blue finish, this rack will make a stylish addition to any home gym.
Pro Fitness advertise the rack as portable and mention a bag for storing the rack when not in use. Unfortunately there is no mention of the storage bag in the components list so this cannot be verified.
Similar to the Pull Up Mate, this rack can supposedly be reorientated to allow for exercises like dips. Due to the narrower base on this model, it is unlikely this could be done with any real degree of comfort though.
Some users have claimed that the bar is not high enough for people over 6ft to perform pull ups without raising their lower legs. If you prefer to do pull ups with your legs hanging free, bear this in mind.
Features
- Steel construction
- Self assembly
- Portable
Pros
- Can be put away when not in use
Cons
- Not high enough for taller users
- Not suitable for calisthenics like muscle ups
To Sum Up
The Pro Fitness pull up station is an okay rack for anyone looking for a simple, portable rack to use for pull ups. Trainees looking for additional functionality like a dip station or something more sturdy should look elsewhere.
SportsRoyals Power Tower Pull Up and Dip Station
The Sportsroyals Power Tower is a four in one calisthenics station. It comes in black steel, has protective padding and is rated to 400lbs. This station is a home gym in its own right, giving you the power to do pull ups, dips, leg raises and push ups from the comfort of your own home.
This rack has a higher weight rating than some of the more basic pull up stations we have reviewed. The manufacturer claims that this power tower can support users weighing up to 200kg. Heavier athletes don’t need to be worried about build quality with this rack.
The pull up handles have 6 different height levels ranging from 165cm to 225cm. This makes it a good choice for taller and shorter athletes. These increments are essential as they allow people of varying heights to comfortably grab the pull up handles before a set.
The 3 year warranty is an excellent addition to this power tower. Customer service like this goes a long way and will protect you from manufacturer faults.
Features
- Four in one station
- Black Steel
- Padding
- 200kg rating
Pros
- Suitable for a range of heights
- High weight rating
- 3-year warranty protects against lost and damaged parts
Cons
- Not portable
To Sum Up
The Sportsroyals Power Tower is an excellent all round pull up station. It presents an excellent middleground between lightweight stations like the Pull Up Mate and heavy duty stations like the Taurus. This rack would meet the needs of most users and offers excellent value for money.
Pull Up Station Buyers Guide
Functionality
You have a big decision to make when purchasing a pull up station. You can go for a dedicated pull up station or one which offers additional functionality like a dip station, leg raises, and push ups. Which one you go with will depend on your fitness goals, budget, and the size of your home gym.
For most people, we recommend that you go with a station that has multiple functionalities. A four in one station doesn’t take up much more space than a dedicated pull up station. The additional functionality also doesn’t significantly increase the price, and therefore offers good value.
If you already have a decent home gym taking shape, you may already have some of these stations. In this case, you may want to go down the route of buying a dedicated pull up station as they can be slightly cheaper.
Weight rating
Always check the weight rating of a pull up station before purchasing. Generally, most pull up stations will easily accommodate users in excess of 120kg. If you are a heavier trainee and weigh over 100kg, always double check the weight rating on a pull up station.
Generally, the closer you are to a pull up station’s weight rating, the more ‘rickety’ and ‘wobbly’ it will feel. This will be especially noticeable if you are performing explosive movements like kipping pull ups.
Height
Choosing the best pull up station for you involves taking your height into consideration. If you are a shorter trainee, you may find taller pull up stations uncomfortable to use and impractical.
Likewise, if you are taller, you may find that you cannot do a full pull up without bending your legs. If this is you, then we advise that you get a taller station or an adjustable one with several different options.
Pull up stations like the Taurus bypass this issue by including steps that allow you to easily grab the handles before your set. Steps like this also make dismounting after your set much more comfortable.
Portability
Where will you be using your rack? If you plan to set it up for the first time and never move it again, don’t concern yourself with portability.
If, however, you enjoy exercising in different places, or alternating between indoors and outdoors, consider a portable option. The Pull Up Mate is the best of the bunch in this regard and includes a handy travel bag.
Additional Features
Pull up stations can come with lots of different features, either optional or built in. The best way to find out which features you want is to read through a list of the best racks (like this one) and see which features catch your eye.
Let’s take a quick look at some features commonly included with pull up stations.
Padding
Some stations come with back and arms pads. These are to make knee/leg raises more comfortable. Doing leg raises in a free hanging position takes a lot of strength and can be difficult for beginners.
If you plan on performing leg raises, we recommend that you look for a station with padding.
Push Up Handles
These are by no means necessary but they can be useful. Doing push ups from handles allows you to go deeper than usual and makes the movement more difficult. If you love calisthenics then we recommend a station with push up handles.
TRX Handles
These provide a valuable way of strengthening your back. They give you additional options for back exercises that you don’t get with most racks.
The Phoenix Fitness is a good example of a rack that includes TRX handles.
To Sum Up
Pull ups are one of the most effective exercises in your arsenal for building a strong, lean, and powerful physique. Cheap solutions like doorframe pull up bars can damage your property and even be unsafe.
If you want to include pull ups in your routine, we recommend you choose one of the pull up stations in our roundup. If you aren’t sure which one is right for you, then our buyers guide should help you make an informed purchase.