Ares™ 2.0 Functional Trainer

Quality, installation, and utility are all excellent. Straightforward to install, and it fundamentally changes what a rack can do. My one issue, at roughly two months of ownership: the left-side floating pulley cable twisted severely enough that I had to fully remove both the upper and lower cables. Rotating the handle to counter it was ineffective by that point. Notably, this happened on the side I use less, which makes me suspect the twist was present from installation and tightened under cycling rather than being use-induced. For comparison, I've run a Force USA G15 with a similar floating-pulley design and noticeably thicker cable, and never saw this. Thinner cable makes routing and installation easier, but it's also less torsionally stiff. Suggestion to REP: print a stripe or index line along the cable so owners can spot developing twist and correct it early instead of disassembling the system.

I love my Ares 2.0. Heavy stacks, it's smooth, and has a great lat pulldown and low row. The lat pulldown and low row can also be done single arm if you choose to. I'd put this as a top 3 rack functional trainer along with Prime and Rogue. The soon to be released articulating arms are amazing as well and I can't wait to add those after using them at homegymcon.

I've been using the Ares 2.0 for several months and have to say it has lived up to the hype. This was an entirely new set up for our gym on a 6-post 30" depth and 93" uprights. So far, no issues at all with cable twisting. I did stretch the cables out on the floor for a day and really took my time with the routing process making sure I wasn't twisting the cables back up. I am also using the swivel shackles on the front trolleys which I think are a must add. The cables are smooth and the trolleys are easy to adjust with one hand. We use the dual pull points for a lot of our workouts, so I do agree with others that the 2-to-1 connector does need improvement for faster changes. That is the only remotely negative piece of feedback I have. Overall, I wish I'd bought the Ares much sooner.

The Ares 2.0 is a great foundation for a versatile rack-based cable setup. I have mine on a 93-inch 6-post rack and use it four days a week. Operation is smooth, the system is versatile, and it gives you a lot of room to expand your setup over time. If you think you will want the weight stack upgrade, buy it up front. Adding it later is not hard, but taking apart the weight stack is tedious. The main downside is installation. The manual is not very helpful, and the REP install video is basically required. Cable twist is also something to watch for, even if you are careful. Be ready to re-run the cables if needed. It is not difficult, but it is annoying because you have to remove and reinstall the safeties. Aftermarket swivel shackles at the cable ends are worth considering to help reduce twist.

I have the Ares 2.0 in a 4-post configuration, and overall I think it’s a great system, though it definitely has a few drawbacks. Pros: First off, it looks awesome. I went with the clear coat version, and it looks incredible in person. The build quality is some of the best out there compared to other brands. The 4-post setup also has a relatively small footprint while still offering a ton of functionality, which is a huge plus for home gyms. Assembly takes a while, but honestly it’s not that difficult if you’ve got an adventure buddy, an open weekend, and can “read real good.” The pulley system feels smooth and buttery, and I found threading the cables fairly intuitive. If not, REP also has a solid assembly video that walks you through the process. I also really liked the included lat pulldown bar and handles—the knurling on them feels great. Cons: You should really think of the 4-post Ares 2.0 as more of a half rack because you can’t comfortably bench or squat inside the rack itself. This is a smaller gripe, but you also need to make sure the front cable trolleys are fully lowered before squatting or benching. Otherwise, the knurling on your bar can rub against the cable lines, or the trolleys can get in the way while adjusting spotter arms or other attachments. I’d also strongly recommend replacing the included carabiners. They feel cheap, the hooks can tear up straps, and most of mine don’t fully open properly. I have the included pull-up bar as well, and I really wish REP offered a knurled version. I’d happily pay an extra $50–80 for that option. For the Future: I’ll probably expand mine into a 6-post setup eventually. I actually reached out to REP Fitness about what parts I’d need, and they were very quick to respond with recommendations and a quote. One thing to note: not all of the necessary expansion parts are listed on their website, so you’ll likely need to call or email them directly.

I installed the Rep Fitness Ares 2.0 into my custom-built 6-post rack. The rack has specs pretty similar to Rep’s PR-5000, and the Ares fit perfectly even though it’s not a stock setup. Setup took some time due to my unique configuration, but it went pretty smoothly overall. Rep did a great job with the engineering — they focused on smart design rather than just over-building everything. The pulley system is extremely smooth and quiet, which makes training a lot more enjoyable. I do get occasional minor pulley twist on certain movements, but it’s rare and hasn’t been an issue for me. Because of space constraints, I went with the 80” version. At 5’10”, I find it works great with no problems on range of motion. A couple of things I’d like to see improved: the low row footrest extension could be a little longer for better leverage, and it would be nice if the center low pulleys were adjustable in height. Some people complain about the trolleys not having guide rollers, but I think the lighter weight and smooth operation are a fair trade-off. Overall, I’m really happy with the Ares 2.0. It adds a ton of versatility to my rack without taking up extra floor space. I did have one small issue early on — the tiny Allen screw holding the plastic tip on the pop pin for the trolley worked its way loose, causing the pin to malfunction. Rep Fitness sent me a replacement trolley right away with no hassle. Their customer service was excellent. If you’re thinking about adding a functional trainer, lat pulldown, and low row to your power rack, this is a strong option.

Love having the Ares 2.0. I have had it since December 2025. I use it six days a week. I haven’t had any issues with it. Easy to set up. Updated 3/23/26: went to workout this morning and had a major cable twist.

If I sold off my functional trainer and squat rack this rack or one from Rogue would be a strong contender for LC2. I have been happy with the quality of my REP purchases even down to the quality of packing for delivery. I currently have the Arcadia.

REP Fitness Ares™ 2.0 Functional Trainer is great add on to the PR-5000 Rack. I do wish instead of 4 D-handles that they would have sent a row attachment and 2 D-handles.

It's fantastic if you need an all-in-one rack and are limited on space. Feels perfectly stable and easy to use. My only problem with it is that the pulleys seemed very stiff and had a lot of friction. I do not know if that was just because of the one I used or if that is a common issue. The pulldown also is very close to the back of the rack and there isn't any bar to hold yourself down when you're doing pulldowns. I think they need to include something like that and maybe they do, but again with the one I used it didn't work great. Also on the functional trainer part you have to move the J-hooks to slide the pulleys up and down. And obviously that is just a problem w/ it being an all in one vs. a ARES specific issues.