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I wanted to add a vertical climber to my home fitness collection for the high-calorie burn but small space requirements. This step climber machine, as seen on TV, is tall but don't take up much floor space because you use them to get a cardio workout standing up. Vertical climbers have handles and foot pads that you alternate moving up and down to mimic the motions of rock climbing.
Every time you reach up to the height, you must fight the weight of your body. Because the equipment uses both arms and legs, it's touted as a high-calorie burner. Some manufacturers say that you can burn up to 500 calories in a single hour. This is a similar calorie burning cardio as running on a treadmill, but climbing is easier on the knees (low impact). It works your upper body and lower body all at the same time.
Once I decided that I wanted to add one of these machines to my home fitness equipment arsenal, I created some criteria for my “perfect” climber. As I keep testing and adding machines to my home gym, saving space has become more important.
Maxi Climber Vertical Climber
PROS
CONS
Product Specifications
Why are Climbers the Best?
Treadmills and ellipticals hog up the majority of my exercise area. Being able to fold up and store a new piece of equipment under the bed or in a closet was important to me. Of course, I am not buff enough (yet) to haul a 50 lbs piece of equipment to a closet, so I wanted the climber to be under 40 lbs.
There were a few options for a space-saving, but I decided to test out one of the most popular machines for my Maxi Climber Reviews.
What muscles does the maxiclimber work?
The Maxi Climber provides an anaerobic, full body workout. The climbing motion flexes all of your major muscle groups, including your glutes, core, shoulders, triceps, biceps, calves, and thighs. You burn an average of 500 calories for every 60 minutes that you spend on the machine.
Is the MaxiClimber good for Weight Loss?
It’s good for a muscular workout and good for cardio. It can help you lose weight by transforming your body composition, along with regular use and appropriate diet. It can also help you tone your muscles to a significant effect. Like most things, you have to exert yourself to get results.
What’s the Best Vertical Climber Machine?
How many calories do you burn on a climber?
A climber burns slightly more calories than an elliptical. A 200-pound person can burn up to 850 calories in an hour on average, while on an elliptical they would only burn 830.
Does the MaxiClimber work your glutes?
Yes. It works your arms, your legs, and your glutes.
Does the MaxiClimber build muscle?
Yes. Because the Maxi Climber engages all muscle groups you can definitely build muscle using it. Using the machine can help you sculpt rock-hard abs, strong triceps, biceps, sexy legs, and lean physicality.
Does the MaxiClimber Really Work?
The MaxiClimber is an excellent exercise machine all around, good for both cardio and muscular workouts. If you use the MaxiClimber on a regular basis, it can definitely help you lose weight.
Key Features
One of the features that attracted me to these kinds of machines was the easy installation. Some of the other climbers seemed to be a nightmare to install and sometimes cost an extra $100 for an "expert installation."
I didn't want to deal with that, so I selected the option that came "90% pre-assembled." The Maxi Climber only takes 15 minutes to assemble. I had to add a couple of screws and lock some bars into place. It was much easier than other home gym equipment that I have assembled.
Climber Storage
The Maxi Climber also folds away easily for storage. All I had to do was remove a safety pin from one area, move some bars around and push the safety pin into a new spot. I loved that it locked back together.
I had dropped so many pieces of equipment on my feet before because they didn't lock together like this one. Once it's folded away, I can store the vertical climber in my hall closet or even under my guest bed.
Other climbers I looked at did not fold as flat and could only be stored in a closet.
If you haven't seen a vertical climber before, you should check out this video. It can be hard to imagine how it works.
The video shows how the this machine works and gives an overview of the all the benefits of a vertical climbing workout.
My Experience with the Maxi Climber
The Maxi Climber has been a great fit for my space-saving and calorie burning needs. The flat-folding mechanism allowed me to store it in my living room. I could even fit it under my big couch! When the kids are down for a nap, I can sneak in a workout.
Unlike the loud treadmill or elliptical, the Maxi climber made a minimum amount of noise. The only sound is the swishing of the bars moving up and down.
Even though I'm only moving my body weight, it's an intense workout. Ten minutes is currently enough of a workout for me to get sweaty and sore. After I'm done, I can slide the Maxi climber back under the couch before the kids even wake up.
My Detailed Review
When this steel product came mostly assembled in the box, I breathed a sigh of relief. It was easy to put together. I didn't even need any help from my husband!
Compared to other vertical climbers in my reviews, which sometimes charge $100 for a professional installation, this design was far superior. The ease of assembly and folding convinced me to rate the design and size highly. I also couldn't believe that it would fit under my bed, but it did!
Once I started using this machine, I found that some features were lacking. The timer does not show the current amount of calories burned. It only summarizes the workout at the end. I like to track my progress along the way.
I also entertained ideas of doing this workout barefoot, but the bumpy foot pads (for better grip) were not pleasant on my bare toes. Shoes are definitely required.
Although I would have enjoyed more features that I liked, the price and warranty were about what I expected.
It's an average price for items in the category. I personally like to have more than a one-year warranty on my home exercise products. You never know how kids and workout equipment might interact. But the one year warranty seems average or even better than most vertical climbers.
Which MaxiClimber Model is the Best?
You might not have known, there are four models of the MaxiClimber available for purchase online. But you might not be certain of what they are or how they might be different. Here, I will try to explain the features of each model in greater detail.
MaxiClimber Sport
This model is very similar to the Classic version, only it doesn’t include an electronic fitness monitor. The Sport model is only 6 feet tall as opposed to the Classic 6.2 feet. The unfolded footprint is 24.6 x 18.5 Inches, and like the other models, it comes pre-assembled with MaxiClimber fitness app compatibility.
Maxi Climber XL 1000
The Maxi Climber XL comes a little taller than the Classic version at a height of 6.6 feet. It comes with bigger pedals than the normal model and includes hydraulic resistance with over 12 different levels of muscle toning. The Maxi Climber XL has a higher weight capacity of over 300 pounds with an unfolded footprint of 26.78 x 41.33 Inches.
MaxiClimber XL-800
This model also has bigger pedals and a device holder, but it lacks the hydraulic resistance features found with the XL 1000. It also has a high height of 6.6 feet, and an unfolded footprint of 25.78 x 41.33 Inches.
So now that you’ve seen how each model differs, which do you think would be best for you?
Should I buy the Maxi Climber?
Although the Maxi-Climber is one of many great step machines for home fitness that stores easily, it's not the perfect climber for everyone. It is a middle of the price range model that has all the essential features that most people want, like a calorie counter and foam handles.
What sets it apart from the others is the simply assembly. However, it's not the best choice for everyone. People who weigh more than 240 lbs should invest in a vertical climber rated for higher weight.
Beginners should also take care to learn the correct posture and position the climber on a stable surface to avoid any mishaps. I personally love storing a piece of home fitness equipment under the coach, but I do miss more advanced features like active calorie tracking. This piece of equipment folds for easy storage.
