ForceUSA really had a good idea, when they decided to turn the space saving sled leg press design into a leg press hack squat combo. And they even managed to release its latest V3 version at a really good price. But, there are some crucial oversights that should make you consider waiting for the V4.

Specifications

• Price: ~1050 Euros
• Weight Rating: 318 kg
• Minimal Required Floor Space: Width 132 cm, depth 165 cm, height 145 cm
• Product Weight: 107 kg

Build Quality

I’ve used this machine for almost a year now. The overall build quality during assembly and usage has been surprisingly good. It was better than I was expecting at this price point. So the 318 kg weight rating did also puzzle me. I am not an engineer, but it seems pretty conservative. And since I weigh 93 kg, I can in principle only load it with 225 kg. I squat around 180 kg, so 225 kg is fairly light for me on a 35 degree leg press. So, working sets have to be >15 reps. Although this is a fairly subjective problem.

When talking about build quality, there is one famous weak point. The latch that keeps the handle for engaging/disengaging the safeties within reach. This latch has been known to break on the original V3. However new models of the V3 now come with a beefed up version of the latch. And if the old latch ever breaks, ForceUSA has stated that they will send you the new beefed up latch for free. But mine latch is still intact after 1 year of weekly use. Also, the metal covering on the end of the loading pins will flake off.

The machine is not hard to assemble. It took me a couple of hours by myself. Although, it might be a good idea to have a friend nearby when mounting the foot plate. Instructions were clear and the packaging was alright. The machine only weighs a little more than 100 kg so it is fairly easy to move around, and it takes up much less space than other leg press hack squat combos (see under “Price Point”)

Functionality

Lets start with the good stuff. You get 3 movements in one machine. You get a leg press, a hack squat and a calf trainer (it includes an attachment for calf raises). All of these movements feel great due to the big adjustable foot plate and the adjustable back pad angle. The sled also moves very smoothly. You will also appreciate the safety mechanism that automatically disengages when you start the movement. Additionally, you get a little secondary safety pin that can be inserted into the frame to provide a safety stopper. This safety stopper is also great for when the machine is not in use. I always leave it in after use to reduce the risk of kids or guest hurting themselves by disengaging the primary automatic safety mechanism by accident.

Now for the bad stuff. ForceUSA didn’t product test this properly in terms of the hack squat range of motion (ROM). They made a beautiful and big foot plate. But they extended it too far towards the floor, where no one would ever place their feet anyways. Hence, when the sled descends the weight plates hit the bottom part of the foot plate. This makes the ROM for hacks squat exceptionally bad for almost all users. You can change the angle of the back pad and the foot plate to alleviate this slightly.

However, I’ve found 2 good methods to significantly increase ROM. The first one is extremely simple. Place 2 standard sized collars between the machine and the weight plates on each weight horn. This allows for the weight plates to avoid hitting the foot plate. But, you have now also greatly reduced the loadable length of the weight horns. The second option is to increase the thickness of the shoulder pads. On my machine, I mounted 4 cm of plywood between the shoulder piece and the shoulder pads using an extra long bolt. I then also bought bench press pillows from amazon that I used to enhance ROM even further.

Price point

Not much to say here. Just look at the table below where I compare it with other home gym oriented combo machines. I think the advantage in terms of price and space required are pretty obvious. This is the main selling point of this machine.

Model	Price	Dimensions
ForceUSA Compact Leg Press Hack Squat	1050 €	W: 132 cm D: 165 cm H: 145 cm
ForceUSA Ultimate 45 Degree Leg Press Hack Squat Combo	1980 €	W: 167 cm D: 239 cm H: 152 cm
Powertec Leg Press Hack Squat Combo	1600 €	W: 104 cm D: 225 cm H: 139 cm
Atletica Leg Press Hack Squat Combo	1610 €	W: 97 cm D: 208 cm H: 147 cm
Gymkompaniet Leg Press Hack Squat Combo	2270 €	W: 102 cm D: 255 cm H: 145 cm
Truesteel Compact Leg Press Hack Squat (copy)	1000 €	W: 130 cm D: 160 cm H: 152 cm
Atletica Versa (copy)	800 €	W: 130 cm D: 207 cm H: 147 cm

Conclusion

So would I recommend this machine? If you need an affordable and space-saving leg press hack squat combo right now. And you don’t mind modifying it a bit and you can live with the low weight rating. Then yes! Price and foot print are the main selling points of this machine. But there are some overlooked problems in terms of functionality. And there might already be a better copy available.

Ee have already seen Truesteel and Atletica lauch copies. Both are interesting but both are also untested in terms of the range of motion problems af the original. I will bet that ForceUSA or another brand will bring a significantly improved version of this machine to market in 2026. I am excited to see if ForceUSA reveals an improved design at FIBO 2026.

This machine really has the potential to be an obvious choice for people with home gyms that are looking to add their first leg machine. It just need a few tweaks: Cut 10-20 cm of the bottom of the foot plate to improve ROM and increase the loading capacity.

*Update 21.04.2026* I just returned home from FIBO 2026 where ForceUSA unveiled the new V4. They had listened to all of the feedback from me and others and improved the machine a lot both in terms of functionality and overall finish. They aim to keep the price low, but they did expect the price to increase by around 300 Euros. The V4 now seems to be a step above the copies.