The Best Value Leg Press/Hack Squat Machine - Force USA Ultimate 45 Degree Combo Review

This is the Force USA 2-in-1 leg press and hack squat combo machine 45 degree premium texture pads adjustable foot plate for hack squat adjustable foot plate for leg press and a unique design that gives this more range of motion than any other comparable machines especially when we're talking this price range. It's not without a few caveats that you need to understand before you go buying this or similar options so let's check it out. Hey guys this is Michael with the Jungle Gym Reviews. Today we're reviewing the Force USA 2-in-1 leg press and hack squat combo machine. I'm on a mission to try some of the best combo machines especially when it comes to things like a leg press and hack squat.

This one's been on my radar because of one main thing I've heard about it is that it has the best range of motion which is typically the showstopper for almost all the budget combo leg press hack squat pieces. And before we get into the video, if you could quickly hit that subscribe button below if you haven't already. It's going to be continue to help us grow the channel and make sure you get notified when we post weekly review videos throughout the rest of 2025.

And of course if you're interested in purchasing this after the review please check out that affiliate link in the description below. All right so this is already set up for hack squat so let's talk about that first. Of course this is your back pad. Now with the hack squat leg press this pad is actually removable. We'll show here in a second but it basically has these three little knobs which is a unique design that way you don't have to actually stick any sort of pin or locking mechanism anywhere.

Simply mounts into these three little holes here. Now one downside is actually you can see because these are metal knobs depending on if you line it up correctly you will scratch the little bit of texture and powder coat here. I would prefer a little bit of blemish because of the quick locking and unlocking.

It's just cosmetic damage. Getting in for hack squat is pretty easy. I already have it the hack squat plate set up how I like which is typically the tallest setting. The handles themselves and all the positionings everything are very comfortable. I'm six but two and there's another locking notch above this so this definitely accommodates taller people. Plus you'll see the extra probably a foot of space this has at the top which allows for things like their calf raise block that we will show here in a second.

The range of motion on the hack squat is great. I can go this is pretty pretty low. I'm hitting the stopper right here at the bottom moment right. This is the lowest stopping position and that is a pretty good complete range of motion for me. Just great because the limitation with these combo machines is usually sacrificing range of motion in either the hack squat or particularly the leg press from other ones that I've reviewed in the past.

Now when we talk about leg press I'll show you how they get around that exact limitation but a couple other things I first want to notice on here while it's set up. Two different places to load plates. There's the top weight horns which is actually fully attached to the frame. It's bolt on not weld on.

This whole horn section is singular piece welded together but it is bolted to the frame meaning that you cannot remove this. That is one complaint of mine because step back and take a look at the overall footprint of it. This thing is pretty long but more so wide is the issue for space in home gyms and I've reviewed other options in the past whether it's been the signature fitness leg press or some of the other cheaper leg press hack squat options where this simply is usually just a big sleeve that goes all the way through so you can actually unbolt it take it out and instead just use the underside weight loading horns which this does have as well.

They say the max capacity for this is a thousand pounds. I'm going to guess that is static just based on so the other machines I've reviewed as well. Let's go ahead and show you how to switch from hack squat to leg press. This will be the first one we'll do here which is this right now it's the hack squat plate. When we couple different options here I like it in the lowest one technically you can go lower than low you can go all the way down but I like to keep it in the last pop pin hole that seems pretty adequate for me.

This will be my back pad now for leg press. Now the other thing I forgot to mention earlier was this stopper pin. This is the stopper for this whole trolley mechanism. There's three different heights you technically can remove it but definitely then if this comes all the way down it will hit your seat so I keep it in the lowest setting and as I showed you for hack squat that gives me plenty range of motion and you'll see here for leg press I am a very deep squatter and leg press has been an issue for all of these combo units that I've reviewed. This unit is not the case most of the combo and or budget hack squat leg press units the leg press plate will actually flip up from the top and kind of rest in front of the hack squat shoulder pads but in this case it flips down and is at the bottom of the trolley which basically gives you at least like a foot more range of motion almost.

I know that sounds like a lot but really really really this gives so much more range of motion. They have the plate mounted to the bottom of this trolley here rather than the top like most other units have. They've just did a fantastic job with how they designed this to make sure the plate is flat here there's nothing in your way you get all of the pressing. This is what I see typical machines do which is very much like the 90 degrees so when you kind of step back and look how it is with you know the the whole unit angles your ankles back a little bit so this is how most units are. Now with this one this is one of a handful of angles so you can actually find one that fits your joints your own biomechanics so now your ankles are in a nice position you can come all the way down to get a big range of motion pretty much as far as you want I'm not really warmed up it is not leg day for me but you'll see the range of motion on here is incredible and I mentioned a foot of distance you gain I mean look at this look at this I'm probably at 90 about here there's about still a foot between the bottom of the trolley and this stopper here in the lowest position so I literally cannot bottom that out this is me breaking my spine breaking my glutes for the camera there's about six more inches there before I bought them this trolley out and leg press pretty much unheard of but because of how they do the design of this machine that is absolutely wild now Now, kind of the downside with how they have this locking mechanism is in order to close this leg press plate and open it. That means an easy pop pin.

Don't really have a good way to get behind this easily. The pop pin is on this side, so you kind of have to either like reach up and over and grab that or reach down around and grab that. If you want to do calf raises while in the leg press position, you simply just do them off of the bottom of the trolley here. You would put your toes off the end and do your calf raise. Again, I'm six foot two.

I'm on my tippy toes. There's still what somewhere in the six inches to a foot of guide rod trolley space to go up there. So they actually really did their homework, making sure you can get full calf raise. Now the other way you can do calf raise is hack squad calf raise.

The lock square two by two or similar tube is simply just a receiver that this block goes in. There's actually three different heights. So depending on the range of motion you want. And it locks underneath here just like that.

So this is the highest height setting, meaning that your heels will not hit the plate here. I really like that they include this. This is something that I've seen a few other similar manufacturers do.

The one downside to this attachment though is because it is an attachment, it goes in that hole. If you look closely as I'm standing here and shifting my weight from rep to rep, it can kind of get a little wobbly just because there is enough tolerance next to that D-10 pin that goes inside. It's not really forced USA's fault, I would say, because if they made it any tighter, it literally wouldn't easily go in. This tube sleeve, just know that it is moderately annoying when you have a ton of weight and you're trying to do calf raises. Each rep you can sort of feel it wobble side to side.

One way I find to kind of get rid of that wobble is I actually just put it in the lowest setting. That way this is pretty much resting on the plate itself, fully resting across the face of the hack squat plate. Now the other movement I would say you could do on here, which I'll show some B-roll of is the reverse hack squat, more of kind of like a goblet squat, front squat kind of thing you would face in and front squat kind of movement. They don't advertise this, but this is one of the things I get asked by people all the time is, hey, can you do this? It is an option for accessories and really the name of the game when it comes to these combo machines is versatility, multiple movement.

So I figured I just wanted to mention that as well. The overall construction of this machine, I was actually really impressed for the price range, which right now I last I checked is about $16.99. This is definitely still on the budget end. Yes, it's over $1,000, but compared to other options like some of the bolt fitness options, I think there's some French fitness ones, the handful of the high end ones are all in the $3,000, $4,000 range.

This is half of that price and definitely I would say a much, much better value, if not the best value that I think for overall hacks, squat and leg press combos, because it takes probably some of the best parts, things like range of motion, things like loadability, comfort from the higher end models and combines it with the price and affordability. Everything from the construction, I believe is 13 gauge or 11 gauge. And I was really impressed how heavy this thing actually is. And coming from some of those more budget offerings, I thought a lot of these things were going to be pretty light or pretty flimsy, whether it was the tubing, whether it was the plates, but there was no movement in this pretty much at all. All the other options I have, there's some sort of tolerances or something where you can shake it or wobbles a little bit, but this one, honestly, not really.

The frame itself is very, very sturdy. The padding is fantastic. This is like some high end bench padding. It's thick, but durable, soft, but supportive padding and vinyl. I'm actually just really impressed with some of the quality of materials here.

So the price, relatively, if not very affordable when it comes to a big unit like this, the range of motion for both hacks, squat, very good leg presses is insane. It is smooth, but comparing it to some of the other units I've used that have linear bearings, meaning a sleeve with bearings in it that slides up and down that you kind of hear that grinding noise, kind of like a Smith machine, actually. Linear bearing trolley.

This is a roller trolley, roller on the bottom and roller on the top. They're either nylon, some sort of hard plastic or hard rubber. I'm not a materials expert, so don't quote me on that. Point being, because these are rollers rather than linear bearings, it's just a little bit less smooth, especially when you load it really heavy. You notice the heavier it gets, you can feel a little more of the friction of those rollers.

They have band peg holes on the bottom and band peg holes on the top. I've tried using basically bands in order to make the trolley pull a little harder so that it feels a little more snappy like those linear bearings. So if there's some way they can make this into linear bearings instead of the rollers and still maintain the same price and packaging and everything, that would take this from like a solid B plus A minus to pretty much like an A plus. The only thing you need to be considerate of are the dimensions, particularly the width.

Talking about a home gym with limited space and trying to stack this in. One thing I would potentially also like to see in the future is if they can remove these. Without that, you would probably cut off about another 25 to 30 inches. And then it would be actually a pretty narrow machine, all things considered. Leg press foot plate dimensions are 24 inches long by 17 and a half inches high.

And to me, I have had no issues with that whatsoever. The hack squat foot plate is 24 inches long, the same as the leg press plate, but a little bit taller at 26 inches. All things considered, this is the one to beat for right now. I'm really excited to have this in my home gym. I'm really excited to try out some other options. And I hope that you guys can check this out as a excellent range of motion, an excellent home gym and really most gym oriented leg press and hack squat combo. So guys, that's it for today's review of the Force USA 2-in-1 leg press and hack squat combo. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please leave them down below.

Be happy to answer at least try. Thanks for tuning into the Jungle Gym Reviews. We'll see you next time. Take it easy. Peace.