NordicTrack Vault Review

Quick Take

In a slight departure from their usual types of equipment, the NordicTrack Vault contributes to the booming segment of fitness mirrors. Fitness mirrors that stream instructor-led video workouts are a relatively new trend in the space, but one that seems to be catching on quite quickly. The idea is simple. Posing as an alternative to in-gym workouts with a personal trainer, the NordicTrack Vault gives its users access to a huge catalogue of training options including strength training, high intensity interval training, yoga, and plenty more. The unit comes built to work with the iFit workout app, which comes with a free 30-day family membership normally priced at $39 per month for a family membership, and $180/year for an individual membership. With a special drop in pricing, the Vault seems poised to make big moves into 2022.

Features

So, what is a fitness mirror, you might wonder? At a most basic level, think of it as a massive 32″ iPad with built-in storage. The Nordictrack Vault is built like a 6-foot tall armoire, 14 inches deep, with storage for all of your basic workout gear. When buying the fully loaded “Vault Complete” kit (priced at $1,999 plus delivery), the unit comes with a yoga mat, blocks, three loop bands, three resistance bands, dumbbells (5lb to 30lb pairs), and two kettlebells (20lb and 30lb). Its front panel is a full-sized mirror that hides its HD touchscreen display for when you’re ready for your workouts. This design is quite slick, and one that will appeal to those who love the idea of access to a proper workout without cluttering a room with conventional fitness equipment.

Per our chat with NordicTrack’s PR department, the current lineup of workout includes 158 workout sessions, with the obvious intent to continue expanding. These classes are split up into 4 key categories, including strength, yoga, recovery/mobility/stretching, and HIIT workout types. Within said categories, the workouts are broken down further, by skill level—beginner, beginner/intermediate, intermediate, inter/advanced, and advanced. As the unit comes available for testing, we’ll be taking a closer look at how these classes break down, and how they stack up against things like Mirror and the very similar Tempo Fit units.

The 32-inch screen makes up a good portion of its 61.5 by 22.5-inch mirror and it offers Bluetooth connectivity for heart rate monitoring and/or BT headphones. The screen swivels a full 360 degrees and is augmented by dual 3″ digitally amplified speakers. The Vault’s competitors are designed to be static, so once you’ve picked a position you’re mostly stuck with it. While Mirror leans up against a wall or gets wall mounted, the A-frame setup of Tempo is a touch more flexible, though also a pain in the butt to move around when it’s loaded with weights and other gear. Keep in mind this carbon-steel framed unit weighs 258 lbs and is tough to move about once set in place. On the downside, the Vault doesn’t offer live classes like man of its peers, nor does it offer form monitoring by way of sensors.

One question for us comes down to cost. An empty Vault will run you $1,499, and a “Complete” version with weights and whatnot is a $1,999. The good news is this is a drop from last year and we feel it’s become a much better buy frankly. When comparing this unit to other interactive equipment, it really does price match well. The big question then is what types of exercise you want. Whether shopping for bikes, rowers, or treadmills, all of the NordicTrack equipment works with iFit, and one can choose the program that suits them.