VTS Universal Ladder Hook

One Hook to Rule Them All

Built for the real world: bars, grips, and attachments in every diameter you actually use.

When we launched the VTS, we knew we needed one hook that could work with:

• 28mm barbells
• 29mm power bars
• 30–32mm specialty bars
• Fat bars & thick grips
• Attachments up to 50mm

In other words: a universal hook. One hook to rule them all. We thought this would be easy. We were wrong.

We’ve already engineered entire multi-roller systems… and this “simple” hook still caused more brain damage. Welcome to engineering: where the cleanest-looking parts are often the hardest to get right.

The Engineering Problem

We had to make one hook fit every diameter from 28mm all the way to 50mm — inside the tiny available space of the VTS barbell latch.

Every attempt solved one problem and created another:

• Too much side-to-side flop
• Not enough rigidity
• Failed load tests
• Wouldn’t hold alignment
• Took too much time to adjust
• Too expensive or too many parts
• Required inserts people would definitely lose
• Molded polymer inserts = huge cost for us and for you

Inserts also meant slow swaps, easy to misplace, annoying to store, and expensive to “collect them all.” Every “simple solution” created a new headache.

That’s the humbling part of engineering: simple-looking is NOT the same as simple-to-make.

The Lightbulb Moment

Way back in the early days of the VTS, we had an idea:

“What if the hook adjusted like the upper ladder latch of the VTS barbell system?”

At the time, it wasn’t rigid enough. It needed more space than we had. It didn’t stay aligned. It flopped. It didn’t meet strength expectations. So we shelved it.

After exhausting every modern idea, we circled back for one last attempt at that original concept. Only this time, we went microscopic:

• New spacing and refined radiuses
• Adjusted thickness and angles
• Rebuilt the interface and surface areas
• Tuned tolerances and geometry

And this time… it worked. Perfectly. Rigidly. Reliably. Elegantly.

Sometimes the best solution is the original one — just refined through years of pain and experience.

The VTS Universal Hook — Done Right

The new Universal Hook finally delivers what we wanted from day one:

• Uses a ladder-style adjustment system
• Lets you slide the lower section up or down
• Quickly accommodates 28–50mm barbells and attachments
• Maintains full rigidity across all sizes
• Refined radiuses and widths for clean bar contact
• Eliminates side-to-side flop from earlier attempts
• Keeps the hook upright and stable under load
• Doesn’t require inserts, extra molds, or extra parts
• Doesn’t require a horizontal safety pin

That last part is a big deal: the horizontal safety stop pin is no longer needed. The tightening knob now doubles as a bump stop, hitting the bottom of the VTS upright cleanly. Fewer parts, faster adjustments, more universal.

How It Works

The magic is in the ladder-latch interface:

• Loosen the knob holding the lower hook section.
• Slide the lower section up or down the ladder slots.
• Align the spacing to match your bar or attachment diameter.
• Tighten the knob — this locks the hook rigidly in place.
• Load, lift, and enjoy stable, repeatable alignment.

No inserts. No swapping pieces. No bags full of rubber bits you’ll eventually lose. Just a simple, clean, dialed-in hook.

What Makes This Hook Special

Other companies might have:

• Sold a set of 3–6 inserts
• Redesigned the rack and called it a new model
• Released a “Mark II” hook that still doesn’t work right
• Required a 40-minute adjustment process
• Or just said, “not compatible with your bar”

We didn’t stop there. We kept going until the most elegant solution finally clicked.

Now you get a hook that:

• Fits basically everything
• Adjusts in seconds
• Stays rigid in use
• Removes the need for the safety pin
• Expands your barbell and attachment compatibility
• Future-proofs your VTS even further

It looks simple. But simple doesn’t mean easy — it means properly engineered.

Why You’ll Love It

This hook upgrades your VTS in ways you’ll feel immediately:

• Use more bars and specialty bars
• Use more attachments without thinking about diameter
• Stop fighting wobble and side-to-side flop
• Stop storing random plastic inserts and spacers
• Get consistent, stable alignment every time

Most importantly, you get to use the VTS with a wider range of gear than ever before — without extra clutter or complexity.

In Short…

The VTS Universal Hook:

• Took years of trial, error, iteration, and stubbornness
• Solved problems we didn’t expect to be problems
• Looks simple because the best engineering always does
• Works across 28–50mm diameters
• Uses a clean ladder-latch system
• Eliminates the horizontal safety pin
• Upgrades your entire VTS experience

It’s one of those products that seems obvious when you see it… but was impossible until it was engineered perfectly.

And now? It’s perfect.