TITAN Pro sled system vs Nordictrack VX550

This is a comparison between the TITAN pro sled and the Nordictrack VX550 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 VX 550 599 (UK)

This article discusses the pros, cons, and alternatives for the Nordictrack VX550.This review was originally posted in “Which Nordictrack bike to get”. Follow the links for more details.

The VX 550 is one of the lower budget bikes in the NordicTrack line up and is currently only available via the UK website. Its main features are a 9kg flywheel, 5-inch backlit display, and a maximum capacity of 125kg. This is the bike for you if you want a bigger flywheel for relatively little and you do not care about Ifit or other digital features to keep you engaged. The full list of features reads:

This item is NOT compatible with iFit.
5" Backlit Display
Smart BlueTooth (BLE) Chestbelt Compatible
Dual 2-Inch Speakers

Upright Frame
9kg Flywheel
20 Digital Resistance Levels
Onetouch™ Controls
EKG Handgrips
125kg Max User Weight

Oversized Cushion Seat
Vertical and Horizontal Seat Adjustment
Extra-wide Ergonomic Pedals with Adjustable Straps
No AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan Included

Front-mounted Transport Wheels
Tablet Holder Included
20 Workouts Apps
Assembled Dimensions - 150L x 61W x 167H cm
Product Weight 44kg
Boxed Weight 56kg
Boxed Dimensions - 106L x 32W x 66H cm
Warranty - 2 Years parts and labor; 5-year frame guarantee upon warranty registration within 28 days of purchase.

This is currently the cheapest 9kg flywheel you can get from Nordictrack. If you are an above-average cyclist who wants a bike that lasts to get a medium cycle in when it rains, the VX 550 can be a good option for you.

Pros of the VX 550

The pros of Nordictrack VX550 are:

Price
9kg flywheel

The VX550 has a great price point for a Nordictrack Cardio machine. In addition you will get a fairly big flywheel for what you are paying. The GX 4.7R is in the same price range but only has a 7kg flywheel. The combination of price and bigger flywheel makes this the durable low budget option in exchange for not being up to the times in the entertainment and engagement department.

Cons of the VX550

The cons of the VX 550 are:

No Ifit
No Touch screen

The VX550 is not compatible with the Ifit subscription from NordicTrack. This means that the number of days for the VX550 in the NordicTrack portfolio are very numbered. NordicTrack is pushing hard on catching up to Peloton in the entertainment and engagement segment to regain market share and establish recurring revenue. The VX550 does not fit anywhere in this strategy. If you are a commercial buyer who wants buy-in bulk, stay way clear from this one for your gym. Home users will have to make a conscious decision whether it is worth to get a 9kg instead of a 7kg flywheel while trading off Ifit. If you think you need the engagement features, go for the GX 4.7R instead of the VX550.

Alternatives to the VX550

Possible alternatives to the VX550 are:

The Nordictrack GX 4.7 is the better option if you are convinced that you need some instructors and entertainment to keep engaged with your workouts. You will get a smaller flywheel, but in return the GX 4.7 is Ifit compatible and therefore give you a big library of engaging content.

The Nordictrack C700 treadmill is a low budget alternative for anyone who prefers jogging or walking over cycling. The C700 is the cheapest treadmill in the Nordictrack line up that you can currently get. While it is a good option for joggers and walkers, it might be a bit too small for serious runners who put their treadmills through a lot of abuse.

The SE3i elliptical is the low budget elliptical option from Nordictrack. An elliptical can be a good compromise for the entire family or in a small gym to keep multiple happy, rather than just cyclists. The downside of an elliptical is that it needs more space and higher ceilings.

The concept 2 model D rower is the bread and butter machine in the rowing world. If you prefer rowing over cycling you can not go wrong with this model. You can also hang the rower on the wall to save space when you are not using it. The model D will be slightly more expensive than VX550.

My personal favorite is the Rogue echo bike for home gym use. It is slightly more expensive than the VX550 but is built more stable. In return you sacrifice any type of entertainment as it does not come with a screen. The Rogue echo bike is designed for serious athletes and might be a little intimidating for anyone who just wants to stay active and mobile, without pushing themselves to the brink of exhaustion.

Summary for the Nordictrack VX550

The VX550 is a good option if you want a big flywheel at a low price from Nordictrack. In exchange for this, you will get a product which the Nordictrack management will care very little about so expect that it will be harder to get support and parts for it.

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.