Horizon fitness Evolve 5 elliptical vs Versaclimber SM

This is a comparison of the Horizon fitness Evovle 5 elliptical and the Versaclimber SM including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

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Overview and review of the VersaClimber SM

The VersaClimber SM comes in at $4995 - $5300. In this article you will learn more about the product itself, its Pros and cons and alternatives you might want to consider. This article has originally been published in the overview "Which conditioning equipment to buy from Rogue".

Overview of the VersaClimber SM sport

The Versa Climber Sport model is the high-end product of the Versa range. This machine simulates climbing a mountain and is known for its relentless workouts. This thing will make you sweat. It can be used as a Climber or a stepper. It is hand welded and made from high-quality steel. The specs are:

Weight 150 Lb
Height 7’ 10’’
Climb angle 75 degrees
Footprint 43’’ x 46’’

The Versa Climber is made in the USA and has been around for decades. It is a good alternative for gyms which cannot provide outside space for running or want to offer their athletes something more challenging. Le Bron James is said to use this machine for his routines.

Pros of the VersaClimber SM

These are the pros of the Versa Climber for your use:

Small footprint
Intense workout
An unusual piece of equipment

Compared to most treadmills the Versa Climber has a very small footprint. That means you can fit more people into a smaller space. For a home gym, you might also be able to put it in a corner of your house and just work away. That is usually more of a challenge with heavy treadmills.

The Versa Climber possibly offers the most intense workout you can do for your cardiovascular system in the smallest space possible. This is pure intensity formed into metal.

If you are running a gym and want to attract more customers this is also an unusual piece of equipment. It might attract clients who are willing to pay more for their members to get more than just regular treadmills.

Cons of the VersaClimber

The cons of the Versa Climber are

Price
No relation to most sports
Maintenance

With the price tag of $5000, you are investing a considerable amount of money per machine. For two of these, you can get ten concept 2 rowers, skiergs or rogue Echo bikes. With this, you can run an entire CrossFit or strength class. It all depends on what kind of gym you want to be.

The movement pattern of the Versa Climber has not a lot of carryover to most sports. If you are training athletes all around you will still need to get some type of treadmill despite having the Versa Climber. Whether the Versa Climber is worth the investment if you still need to get other equipment is up to you.

The Versa Climber works with chains. These can break and need to be maintained. Based on the rattling and way this machine is used it is More likely to break down than a treadmill or bike.

Alternatives to the VersaClimber SM

Alternatives to the Versa Climber SM are

The Versa Climber H is a variation on the SM for home use. It only weighs half of the SM so it won’t take as much if a beating than the SM, which is ok for home use as it will not be used as much. Switching from the SM to the H will save you $3000. Be aware that the guarantee is voided if you place the H in a professional gym setting.

The Rogue Echo bike packs a punch on your cardiovascular system for a fraction of the cost. The workout is not as intense as with the Versa Climber as you are seated. But it comes at a considerably lower price and the bike can be moved around more easily.

The concept 2 skierg is an alternative which can be used in tight spaces. it is also an alternative for people with hip or leg injuries to do endurance work indoors. It simulates skiing like you would do it in biathlon. The price tag is considerable than the one of the Versa Climber SM model.

Summary for the VersaClimber SM

The Versa Climber SM model is the one to go for when you want to bring the Versa Climber experience to your gym. Especially when people will use it around the clock. The warranty will help in case of breakage. Compared to other workouts in the endurance sphere, the climber is superior for burned calories per minute. You will be hard pressed to find anything more challenging. For sprinters and athletes who work on the pitch, it might be better to veer towards running and sprinting as this has more overlay with their actual sport.

Overview and review of the Horizon fitness Evolve 5 elliptical

This is an overview of the Horizon fitness Evolve 5 elliptical including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was first published in Which Horizon fitness elliptical to get?

For the most up to date information and asking direct questions you can follow me on Instagram.

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Overview of the Evolve 5 elliptical $1,399

The Horizon Evolve 5 elliptical is the current flagship elliptical in the Horizon lineup. It’s main distinguishing feature is the big flywheel which provides a smoother ride and lower need for maintenance. This is the right choice if you like Horizon and the idea of an elliptical and do not want to compromise. The full specifications of this machine run as follows:

Frame Type: Sic Star Folding

Flywheel:23

Stride Length: 20

Incline Range: N/A

Resistance Range: 20 Electronically adjustable

Step on height (inches): 10

Extras: Built-in speakers, Energy Saver Mode, Passport ready, Tablet rack, Water Bottle holder

Electrical requirements: 110 lot and 220 Volt

Weight: 181 lbs.

Assembled dimensions: 69" x 28" x 69"

Max user weight: 300

Warranty - Frame: Lifetime

Warranty - Brake: 3 years

Warranty - Flywheel: N/A

Warranty - Parts: 3 years

Warranty - Labor: 1 year

Pros of the Evolve 5 elliptical

The pros are the Horizon Evolve 5 elliptical are:

Big flywheel
Foldable

This elliptical has all the bells and whistles and the biggest flywheel that Horizon currently offers. With the finding mechanic, it takes up considerably less space when it is not in use. If you want the most amount of elliptical money can buy from Horizon, then this is the model for you.

Cons of the Evolve 5 elliptical

The cons of the Horizon Evolve 5 are:

Price
Console

With $1400 the Horizon Evolve 5 is the highest priced elliptical in the Horizon lineup. For that high price, I think you get not a lot of extra compared to the Evolve 3 or AE 7.0. The only thing the Evolve 5 has going for it is the big flywheel. This is only relevant when you either go very hard at it or intend to be a lot of mileage on it in a short frame of time. The console is not internet-ready and only gives you updates about the preloaded workouts.

Alternatives to the Evolve 5 elliptical

Alternatives to the Horizon Evolve 5 are:

The Evolve 3 is in my opinion the better option if you buy into the idea of a foldable elliptical. It costs less and almost does the same as the Horizon Evolve 5 except for a smaller flywheel.

The Nordictrack SE 7i is the entry-level elliptical from Nordictrack. If Horizon is out of stock or you want to compare prices you can go with this one too.

The Rogue Echo Bike is is my opinion the best option for homeowners who want to go hard at it on a small footprint on a bike. Its low-budget competitor is the TITAN fan bike.

Conclusion for the Evolve 5 elliptical

The Horizon Evolve 5 is great when you like to buy the best and have berthing for your home gym elliptical. For commercial use I think the folding approach to the frame is not a great idea as it provides too much opportunity for things to break. For home gym users I think that the AE 7.0 Elliptical is a better value for money.