TITAN Pro sled system vs Nordictrack FS5i elliptical

This is a comparison between the TITAN pro sled system and the Nordictrack FS5i 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.

Overview and review of the NordicTrack FS5i 1499

This is a review of the NordicTrack FS5i 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 FS5i

The FS5i is probably the best elliptical from Nordictrack you can currently get for the UK market. It has its flywheel at the center which enables a lot of freedom of movement and a long stride of 32". The main features of this elliptical are its 7kg flywheel, 5-inch backlit display, and 32 workout programs. The full list of features reads as follows:

5" Backlit Display
iFit Bluetooth - 1 Years Membership Included
Integrated Tablet Holder
Two 2” Speakers

Center Drive
7kg. Effective Inertia-enhanced Flywheel
22 Digital Resistance Levels
OneTouch® Controls
Max User Weight 135kg
32" Auto-Adjustable Stride

AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
SoftTouch™ Upper Body Grips
Oversized Cushion Pedals
32 Workout Programmes
Transport Wheels
Water Bottle Holder

Large Boxed Item - This item can only be delivered or delivered and installed to a ground floor room location.
Product Weight 105kg
Boxed Weight 113kg
Assembled Dimensions - 148L x 75W x 187H cm
Boxed Dimensions - 157L x 77W x 65H cm
Warranty - 5-Year Frame Warranty, 2-Year Parts and Labour Warranty, subject to registration within 28 days of purchase.

This is the right choice in the Uk in most scenarios for an elliptical without breaking the bank, but also not compromising on quality or functionality.

Pros of the NordicTrack FS5i

The pros of the FS5i are:

Good value for money
Relevant product line
32" stride

This elliptical will provide a lot of options to you at a reasonable price. It is also part of the FS family which is still being produced in the US. This ensures that you will have less trouble getting support or parts for this machine than for the S and C series which has been discontinued in the States. With the 32" stride this machine provides a lot of different workout modes to play around with your stride. If you are very tall, this might be the elliptical for you.

Cons of the Nordictrack FS5i

The cons of the FS5i are:

Space requirements
More error-prone
Not for everyone

As this is one of the machines with the longest stride available for the UK market it also needs more clearance around the machine. For the ellipticals with the flywheel in the center, you have to clear the area in front and in the back of the elliptical. That is not always the most practical option to get a working setup.

Compared to the more compact design of treadmills and ellipticals with motors in the back or front, this design is a bit more error-prone. Especially commercial buyers should think twice if they have a lot of use and people using the FS5i.

The free stride models are also recommended to be tested before you use them. The freedom of movement is not for everyone who are used to classic elliptical setups.

Alternatives to the NordicTrack FS5i

Alternatives to the Fs5i are:

The ACT commercial can be an alternative for anyone who does not have the space to put the FS5i into their home gym. The ACT is more compact and therefore friendlier in tight spots. You will also save some money compared to the FS5i. The only downside is that the ACT series is discontinued and you will find it harder and harder over time to get parts and support for this particular machine.

If you want a treadmill instead of an elliptical your best choice for the Uk from Nordictrack is the T7.5. The T7.5 is right in the middle of the available Nordictrack portfolio for the UK and has all you need without going overboard on any of the features. The only downside is that you will not get a 40% incline or a massive screen with this treadmill.

The concept 2 model d rower is a great option for smaller options. If you do not want to stand while exercising the concept model d will cover your needs. Don't expect wonders from the screens on this machine, but the tracking capabilities are sound.

My personal favorite for home gym environments is the Rogue Echo bike. It is compact, easy to move, and packs a punch for a great 20-minute cardio workout using interval training. If you want to burn calories, save money, and save space, this is the machine to get. The downside is that this machine is not designed to entertain you and keep you engaged. You have to bring the willpower, the rest will be taken care of.

Summary for the FS5i

The FS5i is a great machine when you have space and you are tall yourself. It will provide many different workout modes and is probably the best buy for ellipticals in the Uk from Nordictrack to date.

Overview and review of the TITAN Pro sled system

This is an overview of the TITAN Pro sled system 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 Titan Pro sled System

The TITAN Pro sled system is a lower-priced clone of the Rogue Dogsled 1.2. This sled is versatile, compact, and can be loaded with plates. You can use it on concrete, grass, or any other medium. With the wide arrangement of options for attachments, you can keep your conditioning training interesting and vary throughout the year. The full specifications for this sled are:

- Multi-function system translates to multiple workouts/exercises with one sled.

- Works as a push, pull, or drag sled with the ability to offer much more!

- Additional accessories transform the sled into a high/low push sled, wheelbarrow, or lawn boy push sled (accessories sold separately).

- UHMW plastic ski liners protect your sled

- Can be used on grass, turf, concrete, or asphalt.

- Two 1.9-in diameter poles included

- Fits 2-in Olympic plates (bumper or steel plates) with plenty of clearance.

- Weight: 111 lbs.

- Footprint: 24-in x 40-in

- Skid width: 3-in- Steel: 2-in x 3-in 11 gauge and 1/4-in plate steel

- Plate tube height: 20-in

- Push Pole Height: 39 1/2-in

- Weight Capacity: 750 lbs.

Attachments

PROSLED - Titan Pro Sled System

- MSLEDARCH - Single Arch

- MSLED2ARCH - Double Arch

- MSLEDHIB - High Bar

- MSLEDLOB - Low Bar

- MSLEDDHA - Double Handle

- MSLEDLAWN - Lawn-Boy Handle

- MSLEDWBA - Wheel Barrow

- MSLEDRAIL - Wrap Around Rail

- PROSLEDSH - Replacement Shoes

Pros of the TITAN Titan Pro sled System

The pros of the TITAN Pro sled system are:

Compact
Modular
Price

Compared to a butcher or other bigger sled, this sled is fairly small and easily be stored upright against a wall or in some nook or cranny in your home gym or professional gym. It can also easily be thrown on the back of a trailer to train somewhere else where the view is nice or you have more space to do your exercises. Just bring a plate or two with you depending on what you want to do.

With a wide range of different attachments, you can challenge yourself to push and pull this sled from various angles and positions. This keeps the interaction with this tool fresh and fun, especially if you have a big lawn or area in your commercial gym where you can move this thing about.

Compared to other competitors in the market you pay the lowest price in the market for a comparable product with the TITAN Pro sled. If you want to build an entire home gym on a budget, but do not want to compromise on how much stuff you are getting, then TITAN fitness is one of the most complete addresses you can currently find.

Cons of the TITAN Titan Pro sled System

The cons of the TITAN Pro sled are:

Looks more useful than it might be
TITAN finish
The cost can balloon quickly

As long as you are not a professional coach or team member with easy access to a pitch, then this sled might look more useful than it will actually be. Are you really going to be hauling this thing through the neighborhood risking that someone calls the police because you are damaging the precious lawn or pavement? If you have a massive garage or basement where you do not run into the wall after you accelerated just a tiny bit, be my guest. Otherwise, you might get something stationary to take care of your conditioning needs.

As with all products from TITAN they can have some minor to major issues on quality control on their products. When your tactic is to be the cost leader for any product you put into your portfolio you will need to cut some corners. This usually comes in the form of using lower quality paints, sharp edges on drilled holes, no or poor manuals, thinner plastics on buffer zones, etc. When you observe TITAN across their products you can see that there are several reports of this happening. This does not mean that what you get has to have minor to major defects, it just means that it is way more likely than with other vendors. Especially with a sled where you will abuse the material quite a bit, you might want to consider something that will live longer. Racks and barbells are harder to break, therefore you might consider these from TITAN.

Another risk with the Pro sled is that the cost can balloon quickly. Once you start looking into the attachments you can easily rack up $500 for this sled. For this price, you can almost get a fan bike from TITAN or a Rogue Echo bike which I would recommend over a sled for a home gym.

Alternatives to the TITAN Titan Pro sled System

The heavy-duty HIgh low Push-pull weight sled from TITAN is a clone of the Rogue butcher. This sled uses a tripod/tricycle design instead of a sled design. It is bigger than the Pro sled and can therefore take a bigger load. This is the type of machine you want to get when you want to practice pushing trucks or other Rugby / NFL players. It is not great for sprints or any kind of running exercises and also harder to store than the sled.

The low bar push pull drag sled is a simple design to add weight to your sprints and comes with a small loading pin to add the weights. With $100 the price tag is very reasonable and you get everything you need to add a bit of resistance to your runs. The frame is stiff and has not any holes for attachments so you will only be able to use the sled as is without any modification. You will also drag the sled directly on the surface as it does not have any plastic buffers, so it is better to be used on grass than asphalt.

The power weighted sled with leash and harness is the cheapest sled you can get from TITAN. The plate pin is higher than for the low bar push pull drag sled so you can put more weight on it. The pin can also be collapsed for easier transport in a car or on a truck. This is a great little sled if you want to drive to the next hill in your area and do some sprints with resistance. This sled has no buffer so you will rub it directly on concrete or grass, depending on how you use it.

The XPO trainer 2 is the current gold standard in push-pull sleds on the market. It has an innovative resistance wheel in the construction which makes it heavier to push the harder you are pushing. This means that the resistance will increase the more you put into it. It also has wheels attached which makes it more palatable to use in a residential area without someone calling the cops or local counsel on you due to noise or damage to property. The downside is the high price and that you can not simulate a heavy resistance start to overcome a block. It will roll nicely from the start and get harder rather than you having to overcome the first resistance.

The Rogue Dogsled 1.2 is the current flagship sled from Rogue. This is the most expensive sled from Rogue with the most attachments available. If you are planning on really abusing the heck out of the sled you are getting this might be the better choice. The finer details are usually better in Rogue products which are relevant to a tool like a sled. That being said you will also pay a higher price than for the TITAN Pro sled.

The Rogue Echo dog sled is Rogue's toned-down version of the Dogsled to be more cost-competitive. It is not as fancy and has not as many attachments as the Dogsled 1.2 but will do the job.

Conclusion for the TITAN Titan Pro sled System

The TITAN Pro sled System is a good alternative for anyone who wants to save money, has space, and will mainly use it on grass rather than asphalt. Anyone who will use their sled on asphalt on a more regular basis, wants their attachments to tightly fit, and has a little extra money to spend might want to go for the Rogue Sled 1.2. If all you are looking for is a throwaway sled to keep on the back of your truck, go for the Power weighted drag sled with the harness.