Versaclimber
Editor’s Conclusion
Looking for a challenge? If you find that you need to stay on classic cardio machines for well over 30 minutes to work up a real sweat, you may want to check out the Versaclimber. While this machine may look simple and innocent, there are few machines out there that make me wait for the sweet release of death quite like this one. It’s a great option to use in HIIT training where you need to elevate your heart rate, and you need to do it fast.
I found that just 5 minutes on this machine caused every ounce of water in my body to just drain out of my pores. It’s a machine that targets every muscle in your body from your traps all the way to your calves and it’s great for both cardio and strength training. It’s super simple to learn and is composed of strong materials that will hold up over the years of intense workouts. It comes in at a pretty steep price point, but it’s worth every penny for those that have graduated past simple treadmills or bikes.
Below, I wanted to take a deep dive into the advanced features that make the Versaclimber an amazing machine for HIIT or general strength training for your entire body.
I found that just 5 minutes on this machine caused every ounce of water in my body to just drain out of my pores. It’s a machine that targets every muscle in your body from your traps all the way to your calves and it’s great for both cardio and strength training. It’s super simple to learn and is composed of strong materials that will hold up over the years of intense workouts. It comes in at a pretty steep price point, but it’s worth every penny for those that have graduated past simple treadmills or bikes.
Below, I wanted to take a deep dive into the advanced features that make the Versaclimber an amazing machine for HIIT or general strength training for your entire body.
Versaclimber Review Facts
Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros
Handles and pedals can be adjusted to 3 different settings
Aircraft quality aluminum frame
Easy to assemble
Great for HIIT or cross-training
Provides an excellent challenge
Offers an intense full-body workout
Cons
Very expensive
Outdated computer
Cannot adjust the climbing angle
Key Features
PERFORMANCE
Even if you are incredibly fit, this is a machine that may give you a bit of trouble at first. The movements are incredibly easy to learn, but this workout is intense. Many users find that this workout is quite painful, even for the first couple of months.
This machine triggers every muscle in your body, including your arms, core, and legs. Many users elect to use this intense machine for HIIT and opt for 5 minutes of climbing instead of running. Plus, the movement is incredibly unique when compared to classic cardio machines such as bikes, which will activate all of those hard-to-reach stability muscles.
What I love most about this machine is that it is insanely intense, yet low impact. If you find that running is hard on your knees or lower back, this machine will trigger the same muscle groups and raise your heart rate while taking it easy on your joints.
Without making contact with the ground, you can build muscle, shed fat, and keep your joints nice and happy. Overall, this is one of the best cardio machines out there on the market.
MATERIALS
The Versaclimber is designed to wring every ounce of sweat from your body, so it is built to withstand a steady exposure to saltwater.
The frame of this design is made from intense Aircraft Quality Aluminum and steel materials. Aluminum is much more lightweight than steel, which means that this design can utilize an incredibly thick frame while keeping the overall weight low.
This unit is built insanely tough but only weighs in at around 65 pounds. It will not bend or wobble, and has a maximum weight capacity of up to 350 pounds, which makes it one of the toughest climbers out there on the market.
What also makes this design ideal is that the cables are coated in plastic for a smooth ride. The last thing that you want when using a climber is to run into sticking points that make the motion feel unnatural.
The quality of the cables used not only runs silently but provides an incredibly smooth ride that requires very little regular maintenance over the years.
ASSEMBLY
The assembly of this machine is a little finicky, but easy enough for even unskilled handymen. This unit includes all of the bolts and lugs needed for proper installation, as well as the tools needed to assemble it yourself. The assembly process is fairly time-consuming, but not overly complicated.
This design ships in a few separate parts and users will need to simply affix the pedals and handles onto the central frame. When in doubt, you can always pay a little bit extra to have the pros assemble it for you!
It is incredibly important to note that this design requires just a little bit of ongoing maintenance while in use. I suggest tightening the bolts, using your device for a few days, and then going back in to tighten them some more.
This allows for all of the components to settle in place and adjust the weight and then gives them one last tightening session. Versaclimber also suggests that you continue to tighten the bolts at least once every 2 months as well.
DISPLAY
While this machine really shines in all aspects, the included display falls a little short. While other machines work to update their onboard displays, the Versaclimber display seems to be stuck in the 1990s. It’s functional and accurate, which is the most important feature, but it isn’t quite as user-friendly as newer designs and doesn’t offer a whole lot in terms of advanced features.
This simple display boasts a small LCD screen that displays your time, calories burned, and feet climbed. It allows you to program workouts into the machine and also includes a race mode. The race mode sounds fun, but it is a fairly simple option. Race mode allows you to plug in the desired distance, and then start the timer.
It calculates a number based upon your weight that indicates if you will win the race. It's a simple design feature, but incredibly effective at keeping you engaged in your workout!
ADJUSTABILITY
What I also love about the Versaclimber is that it allows me to make quick and easy adjustments as needed. The handles and pedals have 3 different levels of adjustment to accommodate a wide variety of users so the movement feels natural, as well as allows you to engage in a full range of motion.
The display is even able to be adjusted to ensure that you can track your progress at a quick glance while you use your machine. The only downside to this machine is that it locks you into climbing at a strict 45-degree angle, and doesn’t allow you to adjust the pitch of your climb.
SIZE
The size of this machine is fairly shallow, and will not take up a lot of space in your home gym. The overall footprint measures to be 36 inches long, and 44 inches wide.
Versaclimber also provides an exercise mat (for an additional cost) that allows the machine to gain a firm grip on the floor to prevent wobbling. While the mat isn’t necessary to use, I highly recommend spending the extra money to ensure that you have a strong and stable base to work from.
While the footprint is very small, this unit is very tall. In fact, I feel that this design won’t really work in most indoor spaces, or even in your basement. It measures to stand 7 feet 4 inches tall, which makes it one of the tallest machines out there on the market (it’s even taller than my Power Tower!).
If you have low ceilings or a drop ceiling, you may want to take a quick measurement before you make your purchase. I found that this machine is better suited for garage gyms rather than a basement or spare-bedroom home gyms.
PRICE
I hope you are sitting down because the cost of the Versaclimber packs a wallop of a price tag! However, if you are in the market for your next great cardio machine, this design is well worth the steep price point. It costs about the same as a higher-end treadmill, yet it allows users to activate more muscle groups and shed more calories in a shorter amount of time.
Plus, treadmills tend to get a little boring over time. Why walk (or run) when you can climb? It may cost a bit more, but the high-quality materials justify its high price point.
Even if you are incredibly fit, this is a machine that may give you a bit of trouble at first. The movements are incredibly easy to learn, but this workout is intense. Many users find that this workout is quite painful, even for the first couple of months.
This machine triggers every muscle in your body, including your arms, core, and legs. Many users elect to use this intense machine for HIIT and opt for 5 minutes of climbing instead of running. Plus, the movement is incredibly unique when compared to classic cardio machines such as bikes, which will activate all of those hard-to-reach stability muscles.
What I love most about this machine is that it is insanely intense, yet low impact. If you find that running is hard on your knees or lower back, this machine will trigger the same muscle groups and raise your heart rate while taking it easy on your joints.
Without making contact with the ground, you can build muscle, shed fat, and keep your joints nice and happy. Overall, this is one of the best cardio machines out there on the market.
MATERIALS
The Versaclimber is designed to wring every ounce of sweat from your body, so it is built to withstand a steady exposure to saltwater.
The frame of this design is made from intense Aircraft Quality Aluminum and steel materials. Aluminum is much more lightweight than steel, which means that this design can utilize an incredibly thick frame while keeping the overall weight low.
This unit is built insanely tough but only weighs in at around 65 pounds. It will not bend or wobble, and has a maximum weight capacity of up to 350 pounds, which makes it one of the toughest climbers out there on the market.
What also makes this design ideal is that the cables are coated in plastic for a smooth ride. The last thing that you want when using a climber is to run into sticking points that make the motion feel unnatural.
The quality of the cables used not only runs silently but provides an incredibly smooth ride that requires very little regular maintenance over the years.
ASSEMBLY
The assembly of this machine is a little finicky, but easy enough for even unskilled handymen. This unit includes all of the bolts and lugs needed for proper installation, as well as the tools needed to assemble it yourself. The assembly process is fairly time-consuming, but not overly complicated.
This design ships in a few separate parts and users will need to simply affix the pedals and handles onto the central frame. When in doubt, you can always pay a little bit extra to have the pros assemble it for you!
It is incredibly important to note that this design requires just a little bit of ongoing maintenance while in use. I suggest tightening the bolts, using your device for a few days, and then going back in to tighten them some more.
This allows for all of the components to settle in place and adjust the weight and then gives them one last tightening session. Versaclimber also suggests that you continue to tighten the bolts at least once every 2 months as well.
DISPLAY
While this machine really shines in all aspects, the included display falls a little short. While other machines work to update their onboard displays, the Versaclimber display seems to be stuck in the 1990s. It’s functional and accurate, which is the most important feature, but it isn’t quite as user-friendly as newer designs and doesn’t offer a whole lot in terms of advanced features.
This simple display boasts a small LCD screen that displays your time, calories burned, and feet climbed. It allows you to program workouts into the machine and also includes a race mode. The race mode sounds fun, but it is a fairly simple option. Race mode allows you to plug in the desired distance, and then start the timer.
It calculates a number based upon your weight that indicates if you will win the race. It's a simple design feature, but incredibly effective at keeping you engaged in your workout!
ADJUSTABILITY
What I also love about the Versaclimber is that it allows me to make quick and easy adjustments as needed. The handles and pedals have 3 different levels of adjustment to accommodate a wide variety of users so the movement feels natural, as well as allows you to engage in a full range of motion.
The display is even able to be adjusted to ensure that you can track your progress at a quick glance while you use your machine. The only downside to this machine is that it locks you into climbing at a strict 45-degree angle, and doesn’t allow you to adjust the pitch of your climb.
SIZE
The size of this machine is fairly shallow, and will not take up a lot of space in your home gym. The overall footprint measures to be 36 inches long, and 44 inches wide.
Versaclimber also provides an exercise mat (for an additional cost) that allows the machine to gain a firm grip on the floor to prevent wobbling. While the mat isn’t necessary to use, I highly recommend spending the extra money to ensure that you have a strong and stable base to work from.
While the footprint is very small, this unit is very tall. In fact, I feel that this design won’t really work in most indoor spaces, or even in your basement. It measures to stand 7 feet 4 inches tall, which makes it one of the tallest machines out there on the market (it’s even taller than my Power Tower!).
If you have low ceilings or a drop ceiling, you may want to take a quick measurement before you make your purchase. I found that this machine is better suited for garage gyms rather than a basement or spare-bedroom home gyms.
PRICE
I hope you are sitting down because the cost of the Versaclimber packs a wallop of a price tag! However, if you are in the market for your next great cardio machine, this design is well worth the steep price point. It costs about the same as a higher-end treadmill, yet it allows users to activate more muscle groups and shed more calories in a shorter amount of time.
Plus, treadmills tend to get a little boring over time. Why walk (or run) when you can climb? It may cost a bit more, but the high-quality materials justify its high price point.
Verdict
Treadmills and bikes can become boring over time. As you use a bike day after day, your muscles start to adapt to the repetitive movement and you need to pick up the pace or workout longer to really engage your muscles.
What I love most about the Versaclimber is that even after years of weekly use, it still grinds my muscles into a pulp after a few short minutes. I recommend this machine for those that are on the hunt for a machine built for HIIT or cross-training. If you want to really raise your heart rate and build up a sweat, you can achieve this goal in under 10 minutes.
Sure, it may come in at a steep price point, but I feel that this machine is worth every penny. It’s a lot more fun to use than a tired old treadmill, and burns calories, and builds muscle a lot quicker. As a powerlifter,
I like to supplement climbing in my off-days to strengthen all those little stabilizing muscles that standard lifts do not hit, as well as burn off a few extra calories from my heavy protein diet!
What I love most about the Versaclimber is that even after years of weekly use, it still grinds my muscles into a pulp after a few short minutes. I recommend this machine for those that are on the hunt for a machine built for HIIT or cross-training. If you want to really raise your heart rate and build up a sweat, you can achieve this goal in under 10 minutes.
Sure, it may come in at a steep price point, but I feel that this machine is worth every penny. It’s a lot more fun to use than a tired old treadmill, and burns calories, and builds muscle a lot quicker. As a powerlifter,
I like to supplement climbing in my off-days to strengthen all those little stabilizing muscles that standard lifts do not hit, as well as burn off a few extra calories from my heavy protein diet!
$249.00See Deal