Bolt Fitness Stinger Smith Machine Attachment Review
This product was in-house tested by Michael at The Jungle Gym Reviews.
This is one of the few true rack-mounted Smith machine systems that feels like a commercial unit, but it comes with very strict compatibility requirements and a price that has crept up enough to make newer competitors more attractive. If you own a 43-inch rack that’s at least 91 inches tall, it’s a solid vertical-path Smith. If you don’t, this is a non-starter.
Quick Specs
Price: $1,395 shipped (48 contiguous states)
Minimum Rack Width: 43” interior only (49” exterior)
Minimum Rack Height: 91”
Bar Weight: ~55 lbs
Bar Diameter: 30mm
Loadable Sleeve Length: 15.75”
Guide Rod Motion: Vertical only
Bearings: Linear bearings on trolleys
Height Range: 15”–81”
Height Increments: 5.5” spacing
Rack Compatibility: 3x3 uprights with 1” holes
Warranty: Lifetime frame
Where to Buy / Check Price
The Stinger is sold directly by Bolt Fitness with shipping included to most U.S. addresses.
My Real-World Experience
This is not just a “drop-in” Smith bar. Bolt includes two full uprights, four crossmembers, guide rods, the bar, latching system, a pull-up bar, and even a leg press plate. Once assembled, it effectively becomes a dedicated Smith rack extension, which is why shipping used to be so expensive and why they now just roll it into the price.
In use, it feels very close to a commercial Smith. The linear bearings are smooth, the bar tracks cleanly, and the 30mm shaft with passive knurling is exactly what you expect from a gym Smith. It’s heavy enough that it doesn’t drift or tilt, but not so heavy that it becomes annoying to use for upright rows, presses, or lighter accessory work.
What surprised me was how sensitive the system is to floor level. If your rack sits on a slightly sloped floor, you will feel one side load differently than the other. That’s not a Bolt defect, it’s just physics with a 55-lb bar riding on linear rails, but it’s something you notice more here than on counterweighted commercial Smiths.
Range of Motion & Training Use
The lowest bar height is about 15 inches, which means you will need blocks or a platform for deadlifts and RDLs. That’s typical for rack-mounted Smiths and not really avoidable with this style of attachment.
The top position reaches about 81 inches, which for me at 6’2” is just barely enough for overhead pressing without hitting the stops. You don’t get true full lockout for tall lifters, but it’s workable.
For squats, bench, incline pressing, rows, shrugs, lunges, and most hypertrophy work, it performs exactly how a Smith machine should. The vertical path is predictable and repeatable, which is what most people actually want from a Smith.
Rack Compatibility Reality Check
This is where most people get tripped up. The Stinger only works on 43-inch interior width racks. That means Rogue Monster, Bells of Steel Manticore, and Bolt’s own Storm Series. Titan 42” racks and REP 41” racks do not work, period, because the Smith bar’s latch geometry is fixed to 43 inches.
Rack height must be at least 91 inches, and realistically closer to 94–95 inches if you install the pull-up bar. You cannot squeeze this into a basement rack.
Yes, you can technically mix and match parts and try to use your own crossmembers, but the mounting plates are metric and the bar width is fixed, so unless you are already in the 43-inch ecosystem, this quickly turns into a headache.
Leg Press Plate (The Weak Link)
Bolt includes a leg press plate, but it’s honestly the worst part of the system. The angles feel awkward, heel placement is backward from what you’d want, and the safety catches interfere with the movement. It works, but it doesn’t feel good, and I would not buy this attachment for the leg press feature.
How It Stacks Up to Newer Options
When this came out, it was one of the only serious rack-mounted Smith options. Now you have GetRX’d, Bells of Steel, SMAI, Maxum, and Bulletproof all attacking this space with more flexible width compatibility and better height ranges.
The Stinger still has one of the best true commercial-style latch systems, but the strict 43-inch requirement and the price make it harder to justify unless you already live in that ecosystem.
Final Verdict
If you own a 43-inch rack that’s tall enough and you want a vertical-path Smith that feels like a gym machine, the Stinger delivers. If you don’t, there are now better, cheaper, and more compatible options on the market.
Affiliate Disclosure
Some links on this site are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them at no extra cost to you.
