TITAN power weighted sled with leash and harness vs TrueForm runner

This is a comparison between the TITAN power weighted sled and the TrueFrom Runner including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally published in Which cardio equipment to get from TITAN. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the TrueForm runner

The TrueForm Runner comes in at $5695 - $6195. 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 trueform runner

The TrueForm runner is the latest and greatest in the treadmill industry. Compared to other treadmills it has the advantage that it is not motorized and propelled by your own weight. In addition, the surface you run on is curved so the impact of your footfall is not as hard as on a flat surface. This dynamic is achieved by a conveyor belt that runs on bearings. Think of the conveyor belt at the airport but moved by your own bodyweight. It has been used at the CrossFit games and has gained popularity since then. The dimensions of the TrueForm runner are:

Height 57’’
Width 36’’
Running surface 54’’ x 17’’
Weight 325 LB

You can choose from two different options, Enduro and Performance. Both options come in at the same price and with the same dimensions. The performance model provides a higher railing. This is especially useful when you have athletes who run very fast on the machine.

Apart from this, you can pay $500 extra to get grass or track and field topping on the running surface. If you use the TrueForm runner to train track and field or football athletes you might want to go with one of these options.

Pros of the TrueForm runner

There are several pros to the TrueForm runner

Better posture
Easier adjustment of speed
No power supply needed
No programming needed
Less impact
Good resell value
Low maintenance

Based on the setup of the Trueform runner it actively helps your clients and athletes to have better running form. If you strike with the heel the curve of the machine will help to remedy and correct this over time as you push the belt from the front to the back.

With the Trueform runner, you can adjust the speed at any given time yourself without worrying about faceplanting. Doing interval training on motorized treadmills can be really annoying as the acceleration and decelerations come in jumps rather than continuously when you program them in at the start of your workout. If you adjust them while exercising it is almost impossible, especially at high speeds.

If you deploy a whole row of these (10 - 20 machines) you might also be pleased that you do not need to plan for cabling when the gym is built and powering these treadmills all year around.

As mentioned before you can free run on these machines to your hearts contempt. No buttons or panic stops needed. Just slow down and the belt slows down with you. You will not be catapulted into the wall behind you.

The curve will also be helpful to have less strain in the ankles and knees from the impact of the food. This helps you to train longer for harder.

As with most things which are "hip" and high price you usually get a higher resell value out of them than for the lower range options. While this is mostly less important for individual buyers it can be important for a chain that regularly closes off unprofitable subsidiaries and wants to shuffle equipment around.

As there are no motors which can break down you will also have fewer maintenance needs. Although you are probably more likely to need a welder rather than an electrician when this beast breaks.

Cons of the TrueForm runner

The cons of the TrueForm runner are in my opinion:

Hard to do pace training
Not for beginners
Price tag
A big piece of equipment
Poor monitor

When I prepared for my marathons there was one thing I liked about treadmills, you could set an exact pace for some of your long runs. This is actually a strength rather than a weakness of a motorized treadmill. For me, it was handy to plan my splits and hit my target time as the pace I chose was slightly challenging. I would do one of these a week slightly above the planned pace for the marathon and add distance each time. The rest of my training would be outdoors. This raised my confidence to reproduce the exact pace I needed on race day. With the TrueForm Runner, it would have been hard to have that reference, but it would have been better to do Interval runs indoors.

Tell me what you want but this thing is not for beginners. This is designed for people who want to go like cheetahs and could not do it properly on normal treadmills. Fast acceleration and breaking are where this is at home. Not for beginners or someone who is wobbly on their feet because they do rehab or are overweight. A slow motorized treadmill is the better option here.

With $5000 a piece, this is a steep price. If you want to signal to your clients that you are doing well and justify the membership of $300 a month, this is a strategy. For two of these, you can get a 10 pack of concept 2 rowers, skiergs or bikes. 10 x $100 in membership fees from a spinning class is more than 2x $300 with a bigger spread of risk in your income.

Last but not least these are big. If you have a garden or basement gym I would almost consider this no option unless you live in a mansion. If you want to maximize floor space in your commercial gym this is also not the way to go. CrossFit boxes might like this, especially if they are in the middle of a busy city.

The monitor is poor compared to some of the concept 2 options where you have leaderboards implemented to keep yourself motivated.

Alternatives to the TrueForm runner

There are the following alternatives to the TrueFrom runner:

The assault air runner is one alternative to the TrueFrom runner if you still want a self-propelled treadmill. The assault air runner comes in at a lower price point than the TrueForm runner. The mechanics are also a little different which makes running easier on this one.

The Versa Climber is often referred to as one of the hardest things you can do in endurance on a machine. It simulates climbing a steep wall with a good grip. It comes in at about half the price and takes up less footprint than the TrueForm runner. If you want a good machine for your home to knock you out this is can be a great pick. For a commercial gym, you might not have the uptake as many people just want their treadmills.

The Rogue Echo bike is a solid choice for the home gym that wants to kick your butt. Combined to the Versa Climber and the TrueFrom Runner it comes in at a fraction of the cost. A good air bike workout will still challenge you and is highly recommended.

Summary for the TrueForm runner

This is a well-built piece of equipment which is worth the price if you have the need and space for it. Athletes who know how to pace themselves, have balance and want every workout to be as challenging and adaptable as possible will love this.

For the average gym with average clients it is probably a bit too intimidating and high performance. I do not see overweight stay at home moms or retired manly beer bellies stepping on the TrueForm runner first thing through your gym doors.

Overview and review of the TITAN power weighted sled with leash and harness

This is an overview of the TITAN power weighted sled with leash and harness including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally published in Which cardio equipment to get from TITAN. Follow the links for more details.

Overview of the TITAN Power weighted sled with leash and harness

The TITAN power weighted sled with a leash and harness is one of the cheapest and smallest sleds you can get from TITAN. The best feature about this sled is the loading pin which can be flipped down. This makes the sled an item you can take anywhere without too much hassle. The full specifications of this sled are:

- Use with Olympic plates

- Includes leash/harness

- Use on grass, carpet, or concrete

- Little assembly required

- Max capacity: 500 lb

- Powder Coated finish

- Weight: 37 LBS

- Width: 16"

- Length: 24"

- Leash / harness length: 10 ft.

There is little you can do wring with this sled, especially if you only use small weights and focus on acceleration from a starting stance.

Pros of the TITAN Power weighted sled with leash and harness

The pros of this sled are:

Ready to use package
Price
collapsible pin

With this package, you get everything you need to get going once it arrives at your doorstep, as long as you have some plates. This saves you the hassle and money to look for a harness and leash which match and can be hooked to the sled.

The price of this sled is minimal and therefore can turn it into an item to not put too much thought into for someone who serious about their own gym or training a team. Get it, use, test it, break it, or abandon it. You will not cry too many tears about an $80 purchase for your fitness.

The very special nice touch about this sled is that you can put down the loading pin. With this, you can easily transport it in a car or a truck to use it on a nearby hill.

Cons of the TITAN Power weighted sled with leash and harness

The cons of the TITAN weighted sled with a leash and harness are:

Small maximum load
Can topple over
No attachments
Direct contact with the ground

This sled is rather small and will therefore not take a lot of weight. You only have one loading pin where other models in the market have up to four depending on what you are willing to invest.

The loading pin for this model is a little too high for the base which means that it can topple over easier than other sleds when you do not pull it in a straight line. If you load it heavily this won't be an issue, but for light sprinting loads this can get annoying.

This sled will not take any extra attachments unless you weld them on.

This sled operates with direct contact to the ground with no plastic buffer in between. If you use it on rock or concrete it will suffer and ultimately break and you have to replace the entire unit, rather than just the plastic feet. You can fix this with a bit of DIY or just replace it as this is not the end of the world.

Alternatives to the TITAN Power weighted sled with leash and harness

Alternatives to the TITAN power weighted sled with leash and harness are:

The TITAN pro sled system gives you a stable sled with plastic feet and the option to use multiple attachments. This is the right sled for the home gym owner who wants to take it seriously but not spent the money on Rogue Fitness equipment. It can have some minor issues with the finish on delivery as with most TiTAN products, but that will not be an issue if you are willing to put some elbow grease in. For professional athletes, I would recommend the Rogue Dogsled 1.2 instead.

The low bar push pull drag sled is slightly more expensive than the weighted sled. the two big advantages are that it can be used bi-directionally and has low handles to also push and pull the sled without a harness.

The TITAN heavy-duty sled is the right choice for strongmen and big linemen who want to save money and train with heavy loads at their home. In a professional setting, I would recommend the Rogue butcher as an alternative for this purpose. This sled is hard to transport and store.

The XPO trainer 2 is the high-end solution for sleds. If you can afford and store it is the best sled to be used in a suburban area to just push it around the pavement or local street. The resistance increases the harder you push it which makes it great for interval training. It is not great for lineman or strongman training as the initial resistance is very easy to overcome which defeats the point for this type of training.

The Rogue Dogsled 1.2 has a lot of different attachments and will stay stable in use as it has multiple plastic feet. It is bigger than the TITAN weighted sled and can therefore take more plates without the risk of falling over. It will be harder to store in a car or truck, as the loading pin con not be folded down and the overall construction is bigger.

The Rogue Echo sled is the low-cost option of the dogsled 1.2. It will not have as many attachments available to you as the dogsled 1.2 and in return cost less. Compared to the power weighted sled with a leash and harness, the Rogue echo sled is bigger, more expensive, and harder to transport. In return, you can haul bigger loads and use it easier in both directions.

Conclusion for the TITAN Power weighted sled with leash and harness

The power weighted sled with a leash and harness is the small little companion you can take everywhere with you. It does not cost a lot and is compact. There is not really a lot you can do wrong here if you only want to do haul some extra weight somewhere outdoors. For the serious athlete that uses the sled in a gym environment or on a pitch the TITAN Pro Sled, Rogue Dogsled 1.2, or Rogue Echo Sled might be a better option, given the budget allows for it.