Nordictrack FS7i vs X32i
This is a comparison between the Nordictrack FS7i elliptical and the X32i treadmill. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review NordicTrack Commercial X32i 3999 - $4999
This is a review of NordicTrack X32i which was originally published in "Which Nordictrack treadmill to get". Follow the links for more details.
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Overview NordicTrack Commercial X32i 3999 - $4999
The Nordictrack commercial 32i is the current top of the line treadmill from Nordictrack. It comes with all bells and whistles maxed out and leaves nothing unwanted. Of course with this comes a high price tag which some people might find hard to swallow. The same is the case for the space requirements is this machines doe not fold and is huge. The full list of features includes:
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32” Smart HD Touchscreen
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1-Year iFit® Membership Included ($468 Value)**
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Bluetooth® Audio Capabilities
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Two 3” Digitally Amplified Speakers
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Reflex™ Cushioning
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22” x 65” Commercial Tread Belt
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Dual AutoBreeze™ Workout Fans
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0 - 40% Incline
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0 – 6% Decline
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0 - 12 MPH Speed
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OneTouch® Controls
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4.25 CHP DurX™ Commercial Plus Motor
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Reinforced Steel Construction
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2.5” Precision and Balanced Non-Flex Rollers
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iFit Bluetooth® Chest Strap Included
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300 Lb. User Capacity
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50 On-Board Workout Programs
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76.5” L x 40” W x 73” H Footprint
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10-Year Frame Warranty
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2-Year Parts Warranty
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1-Year Labor Warranty
If you have the money and space, you can not go wrong with this treadmill. It is top class and beats most of its competitors in terms of comfort, features, and performance.
Pros of the Nordictrack commercial 32i
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Big screen
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Wide range of inclines/declines
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Powerful motor
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Great cushioning
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High weight capacity
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Wide belt
This ocmbination makes it a great fit for health facilities who want to work with a wide arrange of clients. If you are either a very big athlete or struggle with too much weight, you can get nothing better in terms of cushioning. The screen is massive and with the I fit functionalities which come with this machine you can simulate almost any run you want to prepare for. As long as it is available on Google maps the Nordictrack 32i will simulate the ups and downs.
Cons of the Nordictrack commercial 32i
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Overkill
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Price
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Can not be folded
While having the best of everything is nice it is usually hard on resources. If you have $4000 - $5000 to spend on a treadmill, this is good. Do you really need a 40% incline and a 32-inch screen which are the mina price drivers compared to other models? Probably not. Apart from this the space requirements for this treadmill are bigger than almost anything else on the market. If you have to fit it in a small space this is not the one to get. In addition, you have no option fo fold the Nordictrack 32i to gain space.
Alternatives to the NordicTrack commercial 32i
The TrueForm Runner is an alternative to the Nordictrack 32i which plays in the same price range. The True Form runner has no screen or incline and works without a motor. The main concept is that this treadmill runs on bearing. Therefore it is the better fit for fast interval training and sprints with a lot of acceleration. Basketball players, football players, and other team sport/sprint related athletes might get more use to increase performance out of this machine.
The NordicTrack 2950 is the top of the line model which costs $1000 less. You get 15% of incline and a 22-inch screen with about the same bells and whistles otherwise. I still think this is more than enough for running indoors and lets you get 3 instead of 2 treadmills against $10.000. If you want luxury but don't want to go crazy on spending, go with this one.
The Rogue Echo Bike is a very compact low price option at about $700 if you want to keep your knees safe and still get a good workout in. It is robust, easy to store and you can get a whole fleet of them for the price of two X32i. If your gym has not a lot of space or you want to maximize it, this is a solid option. In terms of comfort do not expect too much as this bike does not have any fans and screens or digital gadgets attached to it.
Summary for the Nordictrack commercial 32i
The NordicTrack 32i is a great option for the very wealthy home gym owner, as you can not get anything better for comfort and performance or a boutique commercial gym. If you only have one treadmill in your facility, this is a good option. the Nordictrack 32i is not a good option for budget gyms which have to maximize the number of machines in their space for peak times or low budget home gym owners. For the price of one 32i you can already outfit an entire home gym.
Overview and review of the FS7i Free stride $1999
This is a review of the Nordictrack Fs7i model. You will learn about the specifics, pros, cons and alternatives of this elliptical to make a decision. This article was originally published in "Which elliptical to get from Nordictrack".
Overview of the FS7i
The FS7i Free stride is the oldest model in the Free stride elliptical range of Nordictrack. Its main features are the 7-inch touch screen, 20-pound flywheel, and 10% incline. This is a solid free stride model at a reasonable price and the full list of features includes:
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7” Smart HD Touchscreen
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Includes 1-Year NordicTrack iFit® membership**
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Pivoting Integrated Tablet Holder
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Auxiliary Music Port
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Two 2” Digitally Amplified Speakers
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AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
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SoftTouch™ Upper Body Grips
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Oversized Cushion Pedals
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Center Drive
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20 Lb. Effective Inertia-Enhanced Flywheel
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SMR™ Silent Magnetic Resistance
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32" Auto-Adjustable Stride
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24 Digital Resistance Levels
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Power Adjustable 0 – 10% Incline
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OneTouch® Controls
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Commercial Solid Steel Construction
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iFit® Bluetooth® Smart Chest Strap Included
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Oversized Levelers
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375 Lb. User Capacity
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35 On-board Workouts
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Transport Wheels
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Water Bottle Holder
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58.5" L x 29.5" W x 74" H Footprint
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10-Year Frame Warranty
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2-Year Parts Warranty
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1-Year Labor Warranty
Pros of the FS7i
The pros of the FS7i are:
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3 in 1 design
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Price
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Long stride
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Novel experience
The three in one design makes this machine especially interesting for home gym owners or for boutique gyms that do not have the space to fit out multiple machines for different preferences of their clients. As long as you have enough balance and finesse to control the floating experience this is a big bonus.
The price of the FS7i for the type of engineering it provides is also good. The FS10i and FS9i are quite a bit apart from the FS7i in price. So if you want to invest in a free stride machine from Nordictrack without completely breaking the bank, this can be a good option.
If you are a tall athlete and can not work with the shorter stride of the front and rear drive ellipticals than the free stride provides 32inches of stride length which can be varied. If you want to train for a longer stride for your long-distance runs, this is the machine to get.
The last pro of the FS7i is the novel experience you will have compared to a treadmill or traditional elliptical. This machine will make it varied and interesting for many days to come.
Cons of the FS7i
The cons of the FS7i are:
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Free-floating
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More error-prone
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No big screen
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Low-calorie burn
The free-floating experience of the Nordictrack free stride series is not for everyone. If you like the stable, predictable rotation of traditional ellipticals from your local gym, stick with a front or rear-drive elliptical.
The FS7i has more moving parts than traditional ellipticals to create the three in one experience. More moving üarts means more parts that can break, This is a relevant consideration for any commercial buyer that wants to invest in a fleet of machines. Homebuyers will very likely not put enough miles on a machine. Just take extra care that no one walks into the machine while you are exercising.
As the FS7i has its flywheel in the center you can not attach a big screen to it. Front-drive ellipticals are a better fit for that as they provide a stable rest for a big screen to be attached.
As with all ellipticals they have quite a low-calorie burn per minute given that you put in the same amount of effort. This is the price of comfort and having less stress on your joints while exercising.
Alternatives to the FS7i
Alternatives to the FS7i are:
The Nordictrack 12.9i is a front-drive elliptical in the same price range as the FS9i. The bigger flywheel and fixed ellipsis make it a better option for mass roll out or if you feel uncertain about the three in one design of the FS7i.
The Nordictrack FS10i is the newest model in the free stride line p of Nordictrack. Compared to the FS9I and the FS7i it has the best value for money ration at $2999. This might be a limited time offer due to the developments of 2020, so stay tuned and observe how prices develop when Nordictrack starts to roll out this model globally.
The VersaClimber H/HP is the home version of the VersaClimber. It has limited warranties to make the price more palatable for the home buyer. If you want to maximize your calories burned per second and train your calves like mad, this is the machine to go for.
The concept 2 rower is the classic machine for endurance training with low impact. You will also have less friction in your nether region compared to a bike when exercising. Out of these alternatives, it is the first one to be under $1000.
The Rogue Echo Bike is my personal favorite for home gyms when it comes to calories burned per minute at a reasonable price. The Rogue echo bike comes in at $700 and gives you a challenging workout to train in intervals easily.
Summary for the FS7i
The FS7i is the most affordable free stride machine out of the Nordictrack line up. If you like this design, but do not want to break the bank, go with the FS7i. This is mainly a machine for boutique gyms or a "special corner" machine for commercial gyms with massive floor space. If you are buying for the home I think this is a great machine for a multi-generation family with different needs. If your home is filled with hardcore fitness freaks you are better off investing your money in a VersaClimber and Rogue echo bike in my opinion.
