Walkabout Wanda – The Potato Mill
Written: Nov 10 '01 (Updated Nov 10 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: She is sleek and quiet with an easily understood console.
Cons: She requires some assembly and that is a two person job.
The Bottom Line: "Walkabout Wanda" has become like one of the family. If we stay true to her, we just may enjoy a more healthy life.
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| gungian's Full Review: NordicTrack APEX 4100i (NTTL1890) |
All right, I admit it, look up the term “couch potato” and you are likely to find the definition illustrated with my likeness. I wasn’t always like this – but age and demanding desk jobs have taken their toll. [My fondness for Guinness, I assure you, has absolutely nothing to do with it!] A mind may be a terrible thing to waste – but a waist is a terrible thing to mind.
A few weeks ago Mrs. G and I decided to mind our waistlines and get somewhat serious with our own version of the battle of the bulge. As neither of us is a skier or runner – we pretty much knew that we wanted a treadmill. We made the rounds of the local exercise, discount, and department stores. We finally found our new exercise companion at Sears. Her manufacturers call her NordicTrack Apex 4100i [NTTL 1890] - but we just refer to her as “Walkabout Wanda”.
Now “Walkabout Wanda” is a pretty good looking number. Most of her metal parts have a battleship gray patina [what sailor wouldn’t love that] while her molded plastic components are jet black. She is straight where a treadmill should be straight and has curves in all the right places.
“Walkabout Wanda” really has two sets of characteristics. Primarily, she comes with all those things that make her a fine basic treadmill. But she also has an array of attributes that make her a standout treadmill among treadmills.
The Basic Features:
Walking Deck – her walking deck is a roomy 55” long by 20” wide. This provides plenty of room to accommodate a full range of stride lengths. The 2-ply tread is built to handle loads of up to 300 pounds. The DuraSoft Cushioning TM foam construction claims to be easier on the joints. [So far that claim seems genuine.]
Motor – her motor is rated at a sturdy 2.0 HP continuous-duty [not to be confused with the less capable rated for “peak performance”]. One of our more important buying criteria was “quietness”. The Apex models are the first of the NordicTrack line of treadmill products that comes with their DuraDrive TM operating system. [Both Mrs. G and I have been easily able to listen to music or TV while striding about with “Walkabout Wanda”.]
Maneuverability – her deck can flip up when not in use. She has a patented Space Saver ® design that allows her to be folded up and rolled out of sight. [Unlike other foldables we tried, “Walkabout Wanda” comes equipped with good-sized wheels that make her easier to maneuver than most models.]
The Special Features:
Display Console – [yea, I know, most treadmills have a console – but this is special.] The display on this console is so intuitive that even a technologically challenged walker [that would be me] can figure it out. It has both numeric and graphic displays. Another great feature is that the digits are nice and big. This means that I can exercise without keeping my eyeglasses on. [A definite plus!] There is a pair of 2-pound ErgoGrip TM hand weights in slots at the upper left. With these you can get a bit of upper body action going. [3-pound weights are also available from NordicTrack.] The console boasts one touch pads for incrementally changing the speed [in miles or kilometers per hour] and incline [in degrees]. [This is terrific, as you don’t need to stop your activity – or clear the deck – while you change settings.]
Exercise Routines - her repertoire of programs is impressive. She comes with 29 pre-programmed routines that range from easy walking, through fat burning, and on to full aerobic. Some of these are track routines, some are trails, and still others represent road courses. [We are just getting started after years of inactivity. So far we have stayed in the manual mode so that we can start off at a snail’s pace and work up very gradually.]
Pulse Sensor – her console comes with two CardioGrip TM handles placed centerline and just below the displays. One just has to step on the two wide side rails, grasp these handles, and an accurate reading of your pulse rate is displayed. [This is a great feature that helps keep your exercise routine in the proper range for best results.]
Warranty – her warranty is a state of the industry 3-2-1. NordicTrack provides 3 years on the motor, 2 years on the frame, and 1 year on labor. [For a mere $146.29 we purchased an extended warranty that doubled coverage to 6-3-2.]
Extras – her list of features is really quite extensive. In addition to those already mentioned, you can hook her up to your sound system [portable or installed] and even your computer. [Connecting to your PC allows you to interact with a host of computer-aided exercise routines at iFIT.com.] She even has an optional chest pulse sensor among other neat gadgets.
The Apex 4100i lists for $ 1,899.00 directly from NordicTrack. Their website is currently offering a special rate of $ 1,599.00 [10 payments at $ 159.00] plus $ 175.00 for shipping. We found it advertised for $ 1,599.00 at a couple of our local stores. Mrs. G and I haggled a bit with the manager at our local Sears. That worked for us as we wound up paying $ 1,563.82 [inclusive of tax and home delivery] for our “Walkabout Wanda”. [It is definitely worth trying to deal with the salesperson or manager. With sales tax, delivery and all – we figure it saved us a couple of hundred dollars.]
You can get some specifics [and see some glamour shots of the Apex 4100i] at NordicTrack’s website http://www.nordictrack.com/nt/v4/home_flash.html.
© 2001
Recommended:
Yes
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gungian
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Location: Falls Church, Virginia
Reviews written: 222
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10/16/06 - Life is hectic - but good! Write On!
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