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TITAN Low bar push pull drag sled vs Nordictrack C5.5 elliptical

Posted by Pascal Landshoeft

Feb 28, 2021 9:00:00 AM

TITAN Low bar push pull drag sled vs Nordictrack C5.5 elliptical

This is a comparison between the TITAN drag sled and the Nordictrack C5.5 elliptical including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article has been originally published in which conditioning equipment to get from TITAN. Follow the links for more details.

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Overview and review of the NordicTrack C5.5 elliptical

Overview of the Nordictrack C5.5 

 
The C5.5 which has been stripped of most of the bells and whistles and is a simple front-drive elliptical. Its main features are a 7kg flywheel, 18" stride and 5" backlit display. The full list of features reads as follows:
 
  • 5" Backlit Display
  • iFit Bluetooth - 1 Years Membership Included
  • Integrated Tablet Holder
  • Two 2” Speakers
  • Front Drive
  • 18" Manual-Adjustable Stride
  • 7kg. Effective Flywheel
  • 5-Position Manual Adjustable Ramp
  • 20 Digital Resistance Levels
  • EKG Pulse Grip Heart Rate Monitor
  • Max User Weight 125kg
  • SoftTouch™ Upper-Body Grips
  • Water Bottle Holder
  • Oversized, Cushioned Pedals
  • Front-mounted Transport Wheels
  • 20 Workout Apps
  • Product Weight 79kg
  • Boxed Weight 93kg
  • Assembled Dimensions - 169L x 63W x 169H cm
  • Boxed Dimensions - 178L x 37W x 77H cm
  • Warranty - 5-Year Frame Warranty, 2-Year Parts and Labour Warranty, subject to registration within 28 days of purchase.
This is the elliptical to get of you don't want any fancy features and minimize the amount of money you have to table for a Nordictrack elliptical. 

Pros of the NordicTrack C5.5

 
Pros of the C5.5 are:
 
  • Price
The main advantage of the Nordictrack C5.5 is the price. It is currently the cheapest front-drive elliptical from Nordictrack which you can get from them.
 

Cons of the NordicTrack C5.5

 
The cons of the NordicTrack C 5.5 are:
 
  • No touch screen
  • No incline 
  • Short stride
 
The C5.5 has been kept simple on most of its features to keep the cost of manufacturing low. You will get no touch screen or big screen to run your entertainment on. This machine also has no incline functions and the stride is relatively short compared to other elliptical models from NordicTrack with 18". 
 

Alternatives to the NordicTrack C5.5

 
The alternatives to the C5.5 are:
 
The Nordictrack 7.5 is the big brother of the C5.5. With the minimal extra investment, you get a 20% incline and a bigger flywheel. If you are considering a front-drive elliptical I personally think that the C7.5 is the better value for money choice as it is just slightly more expensive with two significant feature upgrades. 
 
The NordicTrack SE3i is the rear-drive version of the C5.5. You will get a bigger flywheel and therefore an elliptical which will last for longer. In return, this machine will take up more space in your home or gym. These are some trade-offs to be considered. 
 
The concept 2 model d is a reliable rowing machine that has been in active service all over the world. If you want to do your cardio while seated and like rowing, this is the machine to get. It will come in at less than 1000, but not have big multimedia options. The onboard computer does everything you need.
 
The Rogue echo bike is the ultimate machine for the home gym. It is compact, cost-efficient, and can still give you a challenging workout. You will not get a lot of multimedia, but the sturdiest airbike around at a price point of around 700.
 

Summary for the Nordictrack C5.5

 
The Nordictrack C5.5 is a front-drive elliptical at the lowest price point which Nordictrack offers for the UK. Personally I would go for the C7.5 instead, as it is so little extra investment for a great upgrade. 
 

Overview and review of the TITAN Low bar push pull drag sled

This is an overview of the TITAN low bar push pull drag sled including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally published in Which cardio equipment to get from TITAN. Follow the links for more details.

 
 

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Overview of the TITAN Low bar push-pull Drag sled

 
The low bar push pull drag sled from TITAN is a low price sled option from TITAN that has everything in the box to add resistance to your sprints. The  full specifications of this sled are:
 
- Load the 8" weight post with either standard or Olympic plates to increase difficulty. 
- Low Bar design allows for more leverage, giving your quadriceps a burn like no other.
- Includes a harness and carabiners to attach to the sled for sled drags.
 
- Weight: 36 LB 
- Length: 36"
- Width: 24.5"
- Weight Post Length: 8"
 
This is the easy throw-away option of a sled to be bought in bulk for a commercial gym or as a throwaway option for a home gym.
 

Pros of the TITAN Low bar push-pull Drag sled

 
The pros of the Low bar push-pull drag sled are:
 
  • Low price
  • Everything in the box
  • Can be used with a harness or stand-alone
 
This little sled only costs you $100 which makes it a great option to get for a sled that you intend to wreck anyway. Other sleds will usually start at around $200 or be almost unusable when they drop under $50 for a new piece. This means that you can justify getting two of these and abuse the hell out of the first one to be replaced by the second. For a commercial setting, especially if you have a sled friendly floor, this is a serious consideration to buy for group training.
 
With this sled, everything you need comes in the package and you are not running a risk of ballooning costs or having to get the extra attachments to use them. This package is plug and plays on arrival if it gets delivered as advertised.
 
Another advantage of this sled compared to even lower-priced models is that you can use it without a harness based on the handles on each side. Is are fairly low, which makes the workout even harder and maybe not suitable for beginners or anyone who is fairly overweight.
 

Cons of the TITAN  Low bar push-pull Drag sled

 
 
  • Low-quality produce
  • No Plastic feet to protect the structure itself
  • Small loading pin
 
Do not expect high-quality components from a sled that retails at $100. This is to be used until it breaks and then thrown away by a serious athlete or used timidly by someone who just wants to push some weight around once a month.
 
This sled will directly touch the ground with no buffer in-between. If you intend to use it on concrete it will come apart rather quickly. If you use it on grass or a running track it will not slide very smoothly. So the best use would be in an indoor gym with some kind of rubber mats. If you have this scenario it might even be a good sled for group training and you can get 5 to 10 of them depending on the group sizes you run.
 
The loading pin for this sled is quite small and also the surface to load the plates on. This is fine if you intend to load 30 - 100 lbs on it for adding some resistance to sprints. If you want to use this sled to train linebackers and Rugby monsters, abandon your plans. To these guys, this thing will be just a toy.
 

Alternatives to the TITAN  Low bar push-pull Drag sled

 
 
 
The TITAN Pro sled is TITAN's clone of the Rogue Dgosled 1.2. It comes with many possible attachments at some extra cost which can keep training interesting. This is a good sled if you are a personal trainer to wealthy clients who expect you to keep things interesting or for an ambitious home gym. If you are training a professional team and want to buy in bulk for high quality because you are using the sleds very often, then the Rogue Dogsled 1.2 would be the better pick. In that setup maybe get all of the different attachments once and a sled to equip them with each.
 
The TITAN heavy-duty sled is a clone of the Rogue butcher sled. This sled is designed to deliver very high capacity in weight. This is a good sled for a strongman who trains at home and has the space to store it. If you want to use a sled at home for sprints I would lean more towards the TITAN Pro sled. If you are looking for heavy sleds to entertain an NFL or professional rugby team, get a couple to a dozen of the Rogue butcher sleds instead. They hold up longer and your athletes will be happier using them. I only recommend this if your players earn 10.00 thousand to millions a year as a bill for $10.000 for a dozen Rogue butchers won't make a difference in the accounting department, but might make a difference to happiness and performance to the players because you got the good stuff rather than being cheap.
 
The power weighted sled with leash and harness is the ideal sled to throw in the back of a truck or under a seat. This sled has a pin that you can collapse and therefore store easily. It is also cheaper than Push-Pull Sled. In my opinion, this is the better option for sprints with resistance as they are easier to store and transport if you want to be cheap about it.
 
The XPO trainer 2 sled is the ultimate gimmick in the realm of sleds. It has big wheels and can therefore be used in suburbia without being sued by the neighbors. It works with a resistance mechanic that makes it harder to push or pull the sled the harder you work at it which is similar to the resistance techniques used in fan bikes, air rowers, or water rowers. This is the ideal sled for the weekend warrior who can afford and store it as the quality is high.
 
The Rogue Dogsled is the most modular Dogsled you can currently get in the market. compared to the TITAN Pro sled it has a higher quality finish and a little more attention to detail. In return, it costs more money. If you are intending to get this sled, also buy some extra plastic feet for it to exchange, once the first ones have worn off. This is a good sled for the serious home athlete with a big backyard or a team that wants to create the speed of their players. It is not the ideal sled for anyone who wants to get stronger to move stones, trucks, or big burly men, as it can not be loaded as heavy as other models.
 
The Rogue Echo dogsled is an option that moves the purchase price of the sled closer to the TITAN Pro without providing as many options for attachments. If you want a Rogue sled and do not care about all of the different attachments, this is a good pick and also sturdier than the Push-pull drag sled from Titan. The only downside here is that it is harder to store and that the harness and leash are sold separately.
 

Conclusion for the TITAN  Low bar push-pull Drag sled

 
If you want to make your kids happy, have a throwaway sled yourself, or just use this tool very occasionally in your training, then this is the right sled to get. If you take your sled work very seriously and you want to focus on speed it is a choice between the TITAN Pro sled and the Rogue Dogsled 1.2. If you are considering a sled to increase your strength for very heavy pushes and pulls you should be comparing the TITAN heavy-duty sled and the Rogue butcher.

Topics: TITAN