Input on homegym Im buying

Hey guys, first some background info: I currently attend college in oklahoma and work out at the school gym (which is great) but I live in DC. The thing is I dont want to buy a membership for every summer/christmas break so Im thinking of buying a home gym set, just wanted some input in which of these systems would be better for me?

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...Path=111*4603*

or

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...Path=111*4603*

Or do you guys have any others in mind? Basically I just want to squat/dead/bench but with safety so I dont bust my ass :D , thanks for the input brothas. And anything else I should need other than floor padding?

I work out exclusively in my basement, and I have a setup pretty similar to the 2nd one. Although the first one comes with the lat tower, I don't think it will be useful because you have nothing to secure yourself down when doing heavy pulldown exercises so you won't be able to do them (does that make sense?). Anyway, I have an adjustable bench, preacher curl, leg developer, squat rack, barbell, dumbells, and lots of weight. The only exercises that I can't perform are the lat pulldowns, but I don't think you will be able to either with that setup, and there are plenty of exercises to substitute for it. The only other thing I wish I had in my basement is a pull up bar.

Is there a reason you want to have a home gym? If it was between working out at home with that equipment and working out in a gym, I'd take the gym. I'm currently workin on plans for a home gym, but it will be a real home gym and a HUGE investment. I hate the multiexercise equipment.

if you go to a gym when you are home and show your student id, they will probably cut you a short two-week deal. i am in the military and spend most of my time in hotels... it works for me. i have been working out at a gym for the last month for thirty bucks and it's a purty good gym... good luck

Thanks for the response's guys, I am also not a fan of multi-machines but money is really a factor for me, in the end this might be a bit cheaper as my brother would pay half the cost. So between the two the second one would be a better option? Thanks

I think the second one is a better choice, but honestly, i can pretty much garuntee that after 1 month of use, you wont bother using that home gym any more, and it will turn into a clothes rack. I do the same thing, and i bought a home gym for my trips home from college. Now, it sits there.

I just join my gym for a few weeks when i go home, and it works much better. For the 50x's better workout i get in the gym, ill pay the money for it.

I don't have my preacher curl or leg curl hooked up. All I really use is the bench w/ squat rack. I also have a lot of free space for deadlifts, rows, etc. I've only worked out in a gym a few times and definitely prefer working out at home. For one, it saves me $40 a month, plus I never wait on machines and it takes 1 hour total to workout as opposed to driving 15 minutes everyday to a gym. Can't have an excuse to not workout either.

Take it from me. I learned alot, and bought a lot of stuff over the years. The best plan is to buy things you will be happy with for years. For example, I am at the point now where I have 3000lbs of dumbbells and 1000lbs of plates.

You will be more happy if you create a home gym that you will have for life rather than something you will dispose of when you get out of college. For example, the dumbbells were .39lb. I made several trips to accumulate them. Slow but steady. Now I have a setup where I wish for nothing considering my space limitations.