MaxiClimber XL Review

Our Rating

Rating: 80/100. The MaxiClimber XL is a unique piece of fitness equipment with some serious benefits, but a few drawbacks as well. First, it will provide a fantastic workout. This machine has you using both the upper as well as the lower body, and will also bring your core into engagement.

Because of the way your body is positioned while using this machine, you’ll find that your core contracts every single second of the workout. It may, in fact, be the piece of cardio equipment to most challenge those muscles. If flat abs and avoiding lower back pain are your goals, this is the machine for you.

It’s also great that this machine is low impact. Just like the elliptical or the stepper, there will be no additional stress placed on the knee joints. This said, do note that you are climbing up at a steep incline, so if you are prone to knee related issues, this may aggravate your condition.

As you do the climbing, you’ll also be pulling up with the upper body. You can adjust what muscles are worked simply by adjusting how you place your hands on the handlebars.

Another benefit about the MaxiClimber XL is that it’s extra light. You can easily fold it up and carry it out of the room with you if needed. This is because there’s no motor in this machine. It’s entirely user powered and works off a bodyweight and hydraulics system. This keeps it small, and means that it should require less maintenance.

This machine also comes 90% fully assembled, so don’t let the set-up scare you. It’s easy to get going with it nearly immediately out of the box. The unit does bring a maximum user height of 6’6″ and takes up 14.17″ x 25.78″ when folded.

On the drawback side is the fact that it’s harder to control the intensity that you’re working at. On another, more expensive machine, you can easily adjust the speed and resistance and it will take care of that for you.

But with this, you are the programmer. So for this reason, it can be harder to see natural levels of progress if you are having an off or tired day. It’s all governed by you, so you have no extra drive to help ensure you get the necessary work in that you desire.

Which brings us to the next drawback of this machine: lack of programming. You’ll have no programs to follow. If you’re someone who likes a bit of extra guidance with your workout sessions, you’ll be unfortunately out of luck here. The display console is rather simple in that all you get there is a timer that tracks how long you’ve been going for, as well as a step counter and a calorie estimator. And remember that the calorie estimator is just that: a calorie estimator. Don’t take it as the exact number of calories you are burning as it can be quite off depending on a number of other additional factors.

Pros:

• Is not powered by a motor so there is less risk of breakdown
• Uses no electricity so can be placed anywhere in your home as need
• Is ideal for building both upper as well as lower body strength, unlike some cardio machines that only focus on lower body strength
• Is going to burn calories at a very accelerated rate – much faster than many other forms of cardio
• Is easy on the joints – you can exercise pain-free with this machine since there is no impact
• Builds strength, endurance, and stamina all at the same time
• Is perfect for small spaces and home gyms
• Can be folded up and moved as needed – it’s light weight enough you can carry it with ease
• Does include a timer and a calorie and step counter. While there are no other tracking metrics, you can count steps and try and beat your step count for a designated time frame next workout
• Is cost effective at under $500. This makes it far cheaper than just about any other motor powered fitness equipment out there
• Is ideal for those who want to build a strong core. Because of the positioning of this machine, every step you take will fully integrate the core muscles, strengthening your back and abs and potentially preventing lower back pain down the road.

Cons:

• Does not provide any sort of programming so you’ll be entirely on your own when it comes to this. If you’re someone who needs some guidance with your exercise routine, this could be quite frustrating.
• Does not offer different resistance levels. This works off your own bodyweight and hydraulics, so while if your body weight changes, that may alter the resistance, this isn’t always for the better. Generally speaking, the more fit you become and the more weight you lose, the stronger the resistance should be. This machine works in the opposite direction. This could be overcome, however, by wearing a weighted vest if desired.
• Offers only a one-year warranty. While it’s nice that it has a warranty, if something breaks down on this piece of equipment after that, it’s highly likely that you’ll just need to purchase a new one. Although at the price point it’s at, this may not be that big of an issue to many people.

Introduction

The MaxiClimber XL is a unique machine that has many benefits to offer. Improved lower, upper, and core body strength are all part of the highlights you’ll receive while doing your workouts, along with both strength and cardiovascular conditioning improvements.

This machine is folding and lightweight, making it perfect for small home gyms or even for travel. The fact that it has no motor makes it far more simplistic than many of the other machines on the market and some people will really love this fact.

Made to fit just about all body types with a relatively good weight rating of 300 pounds for this model, just about anyone can use and benefit from the MaxiClimber XL.

Workout Programs

This piece of equipment does not come equipped with any workout programs, so it will be your responsibility to figure out workouts on your own. You can however, sign up to receive workouts created by this company so that you can use them on your MaxiClimber XL. The training program provided with the unit affords one a 21 Day Maxi-Challenge interval routine which is available on iOS and Android systems.