Nordictrack Elite 12.9i vs Run rocket
This is a comparison between the Nordictrack 12.9i elliptical and the Run rocket. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the Run rocket
The Run Rocket comes in at $1999. 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 Run Rocket
The
run rocket is a piece of acceleration equipment which especially helps for sprint and acceleration training. This machine will be very useful for
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Football players
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Rugby players
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Soccer players
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Tennis players
And any other sport where you have to sprint and change direction often. The
Run rocket has adjustable resistance and comes with the following specifications:
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Length 37“
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Width 28“
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Height 40“
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Weight 165l
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44lb Flywheel
The big difference to many other machines or sleds is that the
run rocket provides consistent resistance when you are running forward and does not pull back on you. Sleds have the challenge that they have an uneven resistance and also not truly mimic a running pattern. Bands and straps simulate a real running resistance, but the pullback leaves your athletes exposed to injury risk. The
run rocket solves both of these problems for sprinting work.
Pros of the Run Rocket
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Sturdy
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No pull back
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Easy swap
This machine is built like a professional lawnmower. It can be left outside and survives rain and other weather conditions. It’s the ideal companion for the pitch.
The resistance immediately stops when the forward pull ceases. This makes it a good machine for sprint work without breaking any ankles.
With the hook and click system, you can easily swap between athletes to get a good workout in for the entire team. Parachutes are way more complicated to handle.
Cons of the Run rocket
To work effectively with the
run rocket you need access to a pitch. This machine is a waste of your time and money if it is placed into a tiny gym or back garden. You need the necessary space to do a bit of distance for your sprint work.
Compared to other sprint Resistance options like bands and harnesses the
run rocket is ten times the price and also does not include the necessary vests for the entire team. They would come in at an additional $50 to $100 a player depending on what you are getting.
Alternatives to the Run rocket
Resistance bands of all forms and lengths can be an alternative to the
run rocket. While less easy to use and setup they come in at a fraction of the cost.
Summary for the Run rocket
The
run rocket is the right option for professional training facilities which focus on speed. If you are lucky enough to be a world class athlete who has a pitch in their own home and to whom $2000 are peanuts tja this is a gijd piece of equipment to get. You can spend a whole lot of more money on things which will do a lot less for your professional development.
Further reading
Overview and review of Nordictrack Elite 12.9i $1499
This is a review of the Nordictrack Elite 12.9 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 12.9i
The
Elite 12.9i elliptical is the mid-range front-drive elliptical from Nordictrack. Its main features are the 30-pound flywheel, 20% incline, and 10-inch TOuch screen. The full list of features includes:
- 10” Smart HD Touchscreen
- 1-Year iFit® Membership Included*
- Bluetooth® Audio Capabilities
- Two 2” Digitally-Amplified Speakers
- Front Drive
- 30 Lb. Effective Inertia-Enhanced Flywheel
- SMR™ Silent Magnetic Resistance
- 24 Digital Resistance Levels
- Auto-Adjustable Stride
- 0-20% Incline
- Commercial Solid Steel Construction
- Oversized Levelers
- 350 Lb. User Capacity
- AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
- Soft Touch™ Upper Body Grips
- Oversized Cushion Pedals
- Front-Mounted Transport Wheels
- Water Bottle Holder
- 68.5" L x 28.75" W x 68.25" H Footprint
- 10-Year Frame Warranty
- 2-Year Parts Warranty
- 1-Year Labor Warranty
This is a good value for money elliptical for commercial buyers and home gym owners. You will get a larger touch screen compared to other Nordictrack ellipticals and a reasonably sized flywheel to make the machine last longer.
Pros of the Elite 12.9i
The pros of the
12.9i elite are:
- Biggest front-drive elliptical touch screen
- Good value for money
- 20% incline
The
12.9i has the biggest touch screen which Nordictrack can put in their ellipticals to date. Compared to other front and rear drive models you get the most real estate in touch screens with this machine.
For the $1499 you get a big flywheel, big screen, and a good warranty. This is the best value for money machine in the elliptical line up of NordicTrack. If you want a workhorse elliptical which becomes the backbone of your commercial fleet, this is a good option. Home gym owners who intend to put a lot of miles on their elliptical (read multiple users in the home) also want to consider this elliptical over cheaper options due to the bigger flywheel.
With the 20% incline, you can work at any intensity levels to get a workout in and make you feel good about yourself after starting the day with a good workout.
Cons of the 12.9i elliptical
The cons of the
12.9i elliptical are:
- No wow factor
- High price for doing everything moderately good
- Low-calorie burn
If you are already forking out more than $1000 on an exercise machine, you might as well get a bit of wow-factor out of the machine. This is not the case with the
12.9i. There is no cool mechanics like with the
FS7i or a massive screen like you get with the
14.9i. All you get as a solid elliptical, that's it. Good for buying in bulk when you do not need to impress that much. Most home gym owners should go for the
10.9i instead with the 20-pound flywheel to save some money.
As with all ellipticals, you get a relatively low-calorie burn per minute compared to treadmills and bikes. If this is your main concern, go for a
VersaClimber model or the
Rogue echo bike.
Alternatives to the 12.9i elliptical
Alternatives to the
12.9 elliptical are:
The
FS7i would be a good alternative for home gym owners with a little extra money to spend. This free stride model would provide a little bit more of a wow factor rather than just having an elliptical at home. If you are buying new and not used, I think this is the better option. If you buy a used elliptical and budget is your main concern, try to find a Nordictrack elite
10.9i on craigslist or eBay.
The
NordicTrack 10.9i is the most affordable front-drive elliptical out of the Nordictrack line up. It has no touch screen and a smaller flywheel. This is a good option for the home gym owner who wants to occasionally train without having to go to the gym. In this scenario, you do not need a big flywheel to take the beating of several thousand miles.
The
VersaClimber H/Hp model is the product that
VersaClimber designed for home use. If you already run outdoors and want to maximize your warm-up when you workout at home, this is the machine for you. The calories burned per minute of this are not matched on a machine with that low a footprint.
The
concept 2 rower is the home gym variation for anyone who likes rowing or does not want to stand or sit on a bike while exercising. There a re two models available, the E and the D. If you are older and struggle to get very low, go for the
model E. Otherwise get the
Model D to save some money. Commercial buyers might find it interesting that these machines can be hung on the wall, if you get multiple, to save space and make your gym more modular. Hard to do with an elliptical.
The
Rogue echo bike is in my opinion one f the best options for a home gym to burn the most amount of calories with the smallest footprint at a competitive price. Unless you have reservations for airbikes, this is the one to get at about $700 apiece.
Summary for the 12.9i
The
12.9i is a good elliptical to be bought in bulk by a commercial gym. It will please a lot of customers without breaking the bank like the
14.9i. Home gym owners might consider to either move up or down the Nordictrack portfolio as they do not have to take economies of scale into consideration. You will probably only buy one or two ellipticals in your life so you might as well either maximize your savings or maximize the wow factor.