Bowflex is one of the biggest names in fitness. Their parent company, Nautilus, is known for putting out high-tech, high-quality, and even revolutionary machines. You should expect nothing less from their treadclimber.
Their ultra popular Treadclimber has brought a whole new dimension to cardio equipment— literally! One of the first things you’ll notice about the Treadclimber is that unlike a normal treadmill, there are two surface belts, one for each foot. These surface belts move up and down giving you a more complete workout. That’s just one of its unique features.
The Treadclimber has sold well and has much praise, but many people are skeptical about buying this product because of its hefty price tag. It’s a smart idea to analyze this product before buying it, so we want to go over the different features, benefits and what to expect in general from this product.
Taking Your Workout to the Next Level
The Treadclimber is a unique piece of cardio equipment to say the least. It combines the benefits and functions of a treadmill, elliptical and stepper. This means a few things for users:
- Variation: For many people, cardio is boring, which discourages them from doing it. With the Treadclimber, you have something totally new. Instead of running on treadmills or bobbing up and down on a stepper, the Treadclimber offers a refreshing change of pace (pun intended) for the users.
- Joint Health: One problem for many people who use cardio machines is that it’s hard on their joints. The problem with most cardio machines is that they require repetitive movements, which puts a lot of pressure on joints like the knee, for example. Also, when running on a treadmill the stress of the foot hitting the belt can cause some pain, both during and after running. With the Treadclimber, this is drastically reduced. And as there isn’t much of a capacity for running, you don’t have to worry about any knee pain.
- Awesome Workout: Not only does the variation provide a more enjoyable workout, but the Treadclimber also gets users to burn more calories and get their heart rate higher than normal. This is much desired by fitness and health enthusiasts.
Finding the Right Model
The Treadclimber has a few different models, but the two current ones in production are the TC100 and the TC200. Both offer the same structure, but offer a few variations.
TC100
The Bowflex TC100 is the more popular of the different models. The price tag certainly has a lot to do with it, but there are certainly other factors in play as well. For one, the TC100’s 3-in-1 system is unparalleled. The ability to walk, or lightly jog, while utilizing different inclines and positions makes for a fantastic workout.
In terms of calories, the Bowflex Treadclimber can allow you to burn up twice the number you normally would with another cardio machine in the same amount of time. And what’s even better is that even though your body is working harder, you can barely tell, because although you’re moving at the same pace, you’re moving in a totally different manner.
As far as the features of the TC100, the control panel consists of an easy-to-read LCD display monitor, that allows you to track your time, distance, speed and calories burned. It also comes with G.O. (Goal Oriented) Coach technology. This is a really cool feature, one that allows you to set, track and eventually meet the fitness goals you’ve laid out of yourself.
The G.O. Coach’s features include:
- Training: Customized workouts designed to help you meet your goals.
- Tracking: Helps you track and reach your goals by measuring your improvements over time.
As far as the specs go, here are a few of the main ones:
- Electronic functions: speed, distance, time, and calories
- Speed range: 0.5 to 4 mph
- Dimensions: 30.3 by 52.3 by 50.6 inches (W x H x D)
- Warranty: 2 years
- Capacity: 300 pounds
- Weight: 185 pounds
- Price: $1,350
TC200
The Bowflex TC200 has the same concept as the TC100, but with a few more advanced features. For example, you’ll notice that the TC200 is quite a bit bigger, in that it has extra-long foot treads. This allows more room for running and is better for those with longer strides.
Another great feature of the TC200 are all the workouts that come programmed in. It has three ‘landmark’ workouts and five standard workouts to get you sweating and out of breath. And one of the other advantages of the TC200 over the TC100 is that the max speed is 4.5 miles per hour, not 4.0. Though this may seem like a subtle difference, the difference between the two speeds is actually enough to go from a walk to a job, so it’s definitely better for those who like to run.
One complaint about the Treadclimber is that it is difficult to assemble. However, the TC200 does come with transport wheels for easy mobility.
If you’re looking for more differences, here are the specifications:
- Electronic functions: Speed, distance, time, calories and heart rate (not in TC10)
- Speed range: 0.5 to 4.5 mph
- Dimensions: 31.5 by 55.25 by 55 inches (W x H x D)
- Warranty: 3 years
- Capacity: 300 pounds
- Weight: 217 pounds
- Price: $1,700
As you can see, the size is definitely a big difference. It’s not going to take up too much space though, so it’s really only a benefit to the user.
Who is it for?
Before you put down a large sum of money to buy this great product, you should know if it’s going to be a good fit for you. Start by thinking of your goals. If your goal is to run a marathon, than this probably isn’t the best investment of your time and money. If on the other hand you are looking for a great machine to keep you in shape and to stay healthy then this is the way to go.
Age is another important factor to consider. Although we’d hate to admit it, as our bodies change we can’t do the same things as when we were younger. We have to protect our joints as they grow weaker with age. Fortunately, the Bowflex Treadclimber is low-impact. This means that the joints do not get stressed to the degree they would on something like a regular treadmill. This means it’s a great people whose age is starting to become a factor in their exercise routines.
Pros and Cons
We’ve gone over the features of the Treadclimber, as well as who it’s for. Let’s look at some of the overall pros and cons now:
Pros
- Ergonomically Designed Console: Plenty of space to comfortably store a water bottle, phone, or read a magazine.
- Stress-Free: Overall healthy for joints as it’s low impact.
- Compact: It’ll fit nearly anywhere within your home, and is easy to move around with its transportable wheels.
Cons
- Price Tag: It’s quite a hefty one compared to other cardio machines, especially if you go for the TC200 model.
- Monitor: The monitor and display is fairly simple, and lacks a lot of what newer machines have to offer.
Conclusion
Hopefully this comprehensive review has given you some unique insight about the Bowflex Treadclimber. It is truly a unique product, which you can tell from just looking at it. But once you get on it, you know it’s definitely something unique with its 3-in-1 cardio function.
What it really comes down to is what you’re looking for out of a piece of cardio equipment and the price tag. If price is no matter, and you’re looking for a totally new and unique way to stay healthy and in shape, then look no further than the Bowflex Treadclimber.
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