NordicTrack C990 treadmill vs concept 2 skiErg

This is a comparison between the Nordictrack C990 treadmill and the concept 2 skierg including pros, cons and alternatives. Follow the links for more details

Overview and review of the Concept 2 skiErg

The Concept 2 SkiErg comes in at $770. 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 concept 2 skiErg

The concept 2 skierg is a machine which simulates cross country skiing. The concept 2 rower flywheel has been adapted to keep the athlete in an upright position. This way of going about solves several challenges.

The design of the skierg uses a lot less space than bikes, treadmills, and rowers. Mounted to a wall it takes almost no floor space which makes it a great option for home gyms with limited space. Based on the nature of the movement it can also be used by athletes who have disabilities or rehab from injuries. You can still get a great workout in while seated with the skierg. The skierg has the following specifications:

Assembled in the us
Color black
Weight 46 LB
Length 52”
Width 24”
Height 85”

The concept 2 Skierg is great value for money, especially if you want to mainly focus on your upper body.

Pros of the Cncept 2 skiErg

The pros of the concept 2 ski erg are:

size
Can be used by people with disabilities
Price

The size of the concept 2 skierg is one of its main benefits. Mounted to a wall it takes up no floor space in your gym whatsoever. This is especially good if you want to fit a big rack into a small space and still be able to do cardio.

The concept 2 skierg is one of the few options for endurance training on the market which I know that suits people who can not stand or walk because of their wheels. The only other option I would know is the hand driven ellipticals which are bigger and provide less bang for the buck.

The price is also very attractive to many other cardio options. From the rogue website, it is one of the lowest priced options available.

Cons of the concept 2 skiErg

The cons of the concept 2 skierg are

Specificity
Not a real full body workout

Not many people compete in skiing, at least compared to running which is applicable to almost any team sports. Therefore the skierg will not provide a specific movement relevant to the sport your athletes and clients do, except you live in Norway or Switzerland. This means you will also have to provide another machine apart from the skierg.

Even though the marketing claims it is a full body workout I would doubt that you get the same amount of a response from the skierg than a rower or a fan bike. The legs are just too stationary and passive for that. Still a hard workout.

Alternatives to the Concept 2 skiErg

Alternatives to the Skierg are

Rogue Echo bike
TrueForm runner
Concept 2 rower

The Rogue echo bike will probably give you the better full body workout at roughly the same price. You will need minimally more floor space. This is a great option if you want to burn maximum calories per minute per square foot.

The TrueForm runner would be the best option in the market today to simulate real conditions on a treadmill as close as possible. This also comes at a hefty price tag. Based on the reviews I have seen it is worth every penny.

The concept two rower would be the solid option for a full body workout for every age group. I think this one of the best options for home use if you have the space for the entire family. The only downside is that you would have to free up quite some space to fit it into most homes.

Summary for the Concept 2 SkiErg

The concept 2 skierg is a great machine which fits in any corner. With this, you can train hard and burn your calories. The only downside is that you will mainly focus on your upper body while the legs stay stationary.

Overview and review of the NordicTrack C990 1599

This is a review of the NordicTrack C990 including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article has been originally published in “which NordicTrack treadmill or elliptical to get in the UK”. Follow the links for more details.

Overview of the Nordictrack C990

The C990 is a part of the outdated treadmill series from Nordictrack which has been replaced by the T series in the States fully whilst still being still in stock in other places of the earth. The main features of this treadmill are the 3 CHP motor, LCD display, and the 12% incline. The full list of features covers:

Includes 1 Year iFit Membership
iFit Integrated
Smart BlueTooth (BLE) Chestbelt Compatible
7" HD Touch Screen Display
Dual 2-Inch Speakers

3.0 CHP Motor
0 - 12% Incline
0 – 22 km/h Speed
1.9" Roller
Onetouch Controls
125kg Max User Weight
EKG Handgrips

FlexSelect Cushioning
51 x 152 cm Tread Belt
Dual AutoBreeze™ Workout Fans

SpaceSaver® Design with EasyLift™ Assist
Assembled Dimensions - 201 L x 91 x 153H cm
Product Weight 90kg
Boxed Weight 101kg
Folded Dimensions - 108L x 91W x 180H cm
Boxed Dimensions - 209 L x 77W x 35H cm
Warranty - Lifetime Frame Warranty, 10-year Motor Warranty, 2-Year Parts & Labour upon warranty registration within 28 days of purchase

This is a solid treadmill to look for int he used market. If you want your own, new treadmill with reliable delivery, this might not be the best choice as the T series is newer and in the same price range.

Pros of the NordicTrack C990

The pros of the Nordictrack C990 are:

3.0 CHP motor
Dual speakers

The 3.0 chp motor is great for home use, especially if you run a lot and want to put a lot of mileage on this machine. The speakers are also a great addition to this machine, as it was brought to market in a time when good bluetooth earphones were still rather expensive. If you mainly use Bluetooth earphones with your phone, this feature might not be that relevant to you.

Cons of the Nordictrack 990

The cons of the Nordictrack 990 are:

Price
Age

The Nordictrack 990 is currently quite pricey for a treadmill that has aged. This might be due to the situation with the Coronavirus in 2020, so you might want to revisit prices at some other stage to get a better picture.

Alternatives to the Nordictrack C990

Alternatives to the Nordictrack C990 are:

The Nordictrack T7.5 is the more modern alternative to the C990 at almost the same price. If you have the budget and want to go for a treadmill now, go for the T7.5 instead of the C990. If you want to save some money you will have better chances dumpster diving for the C990 than for the T7.5.

The Nordictrack FS5i can be an alternative if you want to have an elliptical instead of a treadmill. This model comes with the Nordictrack free stride technology which enabled three different modes of operation. You can use the FS5i as a stepper, treadmill, and elliptical. This comes at the cost of stability for a modern design. This is a good machine if you have to cater to many needs in a limited space, but not if you are a long-distance runner who wants to clock hundreds of miles.

The concept 2 model D is a rower which can be obtained for under 1000. This rower is great when you want to gove your knees and ankles a rest and still get a good workout in. It does not come with a lot of multimedia options but has everything you need to burn some calories. The only downside is that rowers are not great for interval training.

The Rogue Echo bike is one of the best machines for use in a home gym. It is compact, affordable and can be used for intense 20-minute cardio workouts covering all bases. If you don't need entertainment and want a solid airbike to kick some butt, this is the machine for you.