Merax Vertical Climber Machine Review

Quick Take

Short on space but still want a home fitness machine that can deliver a total-body workout? Queue, the vertical climber. Vertical climbers engage your core and major muscle groups to deliver a full-body workout without you having to sacrifice too much space in your home. Part aerobic exerciser, part toning apparatus, the Merax Vertical Climber is a total-body training machine which is compact enough for most home gyms. Highly effective and fun to use, it will have you off the couch and up and moving in no time. Learn more about the Merax Vertical Climber below.

Key Features and Benefits of the Merax Vertical Climber

• Sturdy — Durability is one of the Merax Vertical Climber’s standout features. It uses industrial-grade black steel that can easily handle people weighing 300 pounds (its maximum weight capacity is 350 pounds). It’s ideal for high-intensity aerobic exercises. The non-stick grips and sturdy leg pegs allow you to safely work out and take your routine to the max. The grips allow you to vary your hold (for versatile upper body workouts) and the wide leg pegs provide stability so you can focus on your moves.
• Adjustability — The Merax Vertical Climber’s 5-gauge adjustable frame can accommodate a variety of body sizes. The height adjustment means you won’t have to strain to perform moves.
• Compact — For such a versatile machine, a 27.2″ W x 35.8″ L x 62.4-74.8″ H footprint is impressive. The Merax Vertical Climber also folds to just 27.2″ W x 16.5″ L x 62.4 ” H so you can easily pack it away after use.
• Full Body Workout — Get an intense cardio workout as you push against gravity and tone your legs, core, triceps and biceps with every move.
• LCD Monitor —  Although basic, the LCD monitor is a useful tool for helping you keep tabs on your workout progress. It displays calories burned, time, speed and distance.

The Merax Vertical Climber Versus The Sole CC81

Our next best-rated climber for 2020 is the Sole CC81. Although the Merax climber and Sole climber are differently designed machines, they do have some similarities. Being vertical climbers, they both deliver total-body workouts by nature of their design. They are both also adjustable to accommodate for different user heights and also to provide versatile workouts. Each model also has textured pedals. These allow you to use different parts of your feet to engage different lower-body muscles. Keep in mind however that the pedals are a different shape, with the CC18’s being more like elliptical foot pedals. Both models are sturdy and durable thanks to their solid steel construction. Each can handle any workout you throw at it, and when it comes to weight capacities the machines are about on par (the Sole machine can hold 50 pounds more than the Merax model). Although the machines do share these few similarities in terms of both being solid, adjustable vertical climbers, the resemblances stop there.

One big difference between the machines is their size and storage options. The Merax Vertical Climber is just 27.2″ wide by 35.8″ long (and 62.4-74.8″ high), with an easily foldable frame. This means it will be a great option for those looking to save space. The heftier CC18 is 31″ wide by 59″ long (and 86″ high). This larger sized machine won’t be suitable for smaller home gym spaces. However, its larger size is because it is a much more advanced, hybrid machine. It’s basically an elliptical machine and a vertical climber in one, so with the one purchase you are essentially adding two machines to your home gym. The CC18 features a variety of resistance levels (1-20) from a 25-pound flywheel in contrast to the Merax machine which has no additional, adjustable resistance built in. Instead, users work against their own bodyweight as the resistance like a more basic and traditional vertical climber. The two models also differ when it comes to tech. The Sole CC18 features built-in programming, wireless-heart rate monitoring capability, Bluetooth connectivity for fitness app integration and more to keep you motivated. The Merax machine is basically just a solid mechanical unit. There isn’t much in the way of workout data or programming apart from the basic LCD monitor for your basic workout stats. Given this, it comes at a much cheaper price than the CC18, so for some shoppers, it could all come down to the cheaper price point. As with any fitness machine, you get out what you put in on each of these vertical climbers. If you are stuck between these two machines, it will really come down to the price point, and whether you have space for a larger machine. Both are versatile pieces of exercise equipment that will allow you to mix up your workout routines for years to come.