Nordictrack Elite 10.9i vs Concept 2 skierg

This is a comparison between the Nordictrack 10.9i elliptical and the Concept 2 skierg. 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 Elite 10.9i $1299

This is a review of the Nordictrack Elite 10.9i 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 Elite 10.9i

The elite 10.9i is the low-cost front-drive elliptical from Nordictrack. Its main features are a 20-pound flywheel, 20% incline, and a 7-inch touchscreen. The full list of features includes:

7” Smart HD Touchscreen
1-Year iFit® Membership Included*
Auxiliary Audio Port
Two 2” Digitally Amplified Speakers
EKG Grip Pulse Heart Rate Sensors

AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
Soft Touch Upper Body Grips

Front Drive
20 Lb. Effective Inertia-Enhanced Flywheel
SMR™ Silent Magnetic Resistance
19” Power-Adjustable Stride
24 Digital Resistance Levels
0-20% Incline
One Touch® Controls
Integrated Pivoting Tablet Holder
Commercial Solid Steel Construction
Oversized Levelers
350 Lb. User Capacity
Oversized Cushion Pedals

Front-Mounted Transport Wheels
Water Bottle Holder
69.5" L x 25" W x 71.5" H Footprint
10-Year Frame Warranty
2-Year Parts Warranty
1-Year Labor Warranty

This is the elliptical to get if you want to maximize your savings while still buying an elliptical from Nordictrack.

Pros of the 10.9i

The pros of the 10.9 elliptical are:

Price
7-inch touch screen

The 10.9 elliptical can not be beaten on price in the NordicTrack line-up and still dons a 7-inch touch screen. If you are considering this model the main criteria for purchase will be price, as otherwise, you are possibly looking at other options from Nordictrack.

Cons of the 10.9 elliptical

The cons of the 10.9 elliptical are:

Front-drive 20-pound flywheel
Size
Price

If you are a commercial buyer you probably want to look at the 12.9i instead. It is only a small uptick in price but you get a 30 pound instead of a 20-pound flywheel. As commercial buyers should assume heavier usage and more breakage this minimal uptick in price is a good tradeoff for fewer maintenance cases. I am also quite sure that if you buy 10 plus machines in one go you will get the 12.9i for the price of a 10.9i per piece anyway if you ask for it.

A front-drive elliptical is a big machine. Take this into consideration, especially when you are buying for a home gym. More than $1000 for one machine is still a considerable investment in the private realm. If you are already budget-conscious you might as well get a stationary bike for a lower footprint and price to meet your endurance goals.

Alternatives to the 10.9

Alternatives to the 10.9 elliptical are:

The 12.9i front-drive elliptical is the better option for commercial buyers as it is better value for money. It will not impress any of your clients, but also not look cheap or break the bank. If you want to impress go for the 14.9i instead which has a massive screen included.

The Nordictrack SE7i is a rear-drive elliptical and can be an alternative for home gym owners who still want a high quality elliptical and save some space. The SE7i comes in at the same price as the 10.9i but has the advantage that the rear-drive design makes it foldable. This way it can be folded up and stored against a wall when it is not used. This is not relevant for most commercial gym scenarios, but definitely in smaller home gym environments.

The concept 2 rower is a good option for anyone who likes a bit more intensity but does not want to stand while exercising. These rowers can also be conveniently stored on a wall hanger to save space when not in use. The main models are the Model E and Model D. Go for the Model E when you are either big and strong (reads NFL player sized) are have problems with going very low. The Model D version is the standard concept 2 model.

The Rogue echo bike is my personal favorite when it comes to bang for your buck. It has a high-quality machine that can be used professionally and only costs $700. It is space-efficient and intense. If you are a home gym owner who means business and does not need any fancy stuff, this is the machine to get.

Summary for the 10.9i

The 10.9i is a good option for anyone who loves the idea of an elliptical at home for occasional exercise and has space. For my personal tastes I think you can be more consequent in your thinking for a home gym and push the cost under $1000, but I do not have any medical conditions preventing me from doing that. I am also not a huge fan of ellipticals as I have run three marathons and want a bigger challenge. But that is just for context, I might think very differently in 10 - 20 years time or if I consider everyone in the family for a home gym.