New Image Maxi Climber - Vertical Climbing Cardio Exercise Machine - Full Body Workout - Multifunctional At Home Gym Equipment - Black/Grey

Assembly: it's both easy and hard. I managed it on my own, and I'm a 5'5 woman with chronic pain disabilities, but it's quite awkward. I had to lie on the floor to do up the nuts on the four bolts for the stabiliser bars, as at that point the device can't be stood upright. The next bit is attaching the cord to a nut, and there isn't much space to turn the spanner, so it frustratingly takes ages even though not difficult. The rest slots neatly in and clicks into place, which is great, except that the moving handles are so tall that unless your ceiling is over 9ft high you have to tilt the device on it's side, hold it with one hand and awkwardly slot the long metal bars in with the other hand, then repeat on the other side. It would help to have two people at that point.Use: well, it's hard work! I can say that anyone saying there is no resistance is using their body weight wrong - if you go very slowly you can tip your body weight to help the active arm and leg rather than using it against the muscles. I've done three sessions so far, 10 mins, and ached like crazy in between. And I'm reasonably fit as I walk a 20 minute steep hill at least four times a week. I had assumed that as I have a level of fitness already 10 mins at a time would be too easy a start, but noooo!I enjoy the movement, and it's the first home exercise device I've tried that doesn't hurt my back at all, because I'm not sitting, but stretching out that area from both above and below.I'm not at all sure it works on the core muscles as I have no aching there, while my arms and legs ache like crazy.It does make quite a lot of noise, metal on metal runner noise. There are no squeaks, bangs or clanks, but it's not quiet. I don't find it annoying as it forms a rhythm as I move, but you couldn't watch TV while using it, and nor could anyone else in the same room.Because it lifts you high up there can be a tendency for people to stare in through the window as they see movement and maybe hear the noise.The timer/calorie counter is a rough guide. I'm using a countdown timer and it disagrees with the MaxiClimber's timer by about half a minute. It's useful to know how many steps you've done. I've deliberately worked to slow down so I can keep going longer, as I had to stop 3 times in my first 10 minute session due to over-exertion. It also helps to keep checking your posture and trying to make sure you work both sides evenly - I'm finding I tend to work my right more than my left unless I pay attention.I'm not at all sure I'll be able to follow the recommended three week starting programme, because I still ache so much after each session that increasing what I'm doing yet seems a bad idea. I look forward to being able to get on to interval training, but I also look forward to not aching like crazy all the time! It must be doing me good, but it's not for the faint hearted. Mind you, I feel that once I can do half an hour non stop on this thing, I'll be a pretty hard woman!I love this piece of kit and I suspect it's very effective for raising fitness levels, if you can get through a week or two of constant muscle aches.

What a fabulous example of medieval torture!I've had this two days and I can barely walk! It's so simple yet clearly effective.My hobby is hill walking so thought I'd get something to maintain / enhance my leg strength. I have no doubt that this will do the job at a fraction of the price of other apparatus. Don't be put off by the price, it may be cheap (relatively) but it is well made and solid. Took 10 mins to put together and every time I see it I climb on for a go! You can use your arms and legs, target triceps or biceps (just change your grip). You can just use legs too. YOU set the pace, how deep you go on each step etc. The counter doesn't work but you don't fatten a pig by measuring it. Get on, climb until you feel it working, repeat. Highly recommend.

I watched the adverts for this over and over again, watched Youtube videos to see how easy this was as a machine and then obviously the Amazon reviews as well. It had really decent reviews and it was this or a Spin cycle but I edged with this because it also worked the shoulders and arms.The first few days. I won't lie to you are a killer....your legs will feel that they are on fire and I managed all of 2 mins before my legs became jelly but persevere because this is a great machine. At the moment I have flu so haven't been on it for a little while but what I found really good was to download a staggering time app, then set it up to do 1 min, 30 secs and 30 secs rest then repeat x 3. You'll get what I mean if you download an app, then what I do is 1 minute of normal, short steps but quite fast similar to a run, then 30 secs of deep steps using using the inside of my hand so I'm using my biceps then rest for 30 secs....then do it all again x 2. That's virtually 4 and half mins of exercise but it will feel like 20 mins I assure you.Noise levels are fine, you can hear the pulley and the metal working but its not loud. Its well built, took literally 10 mins to put up initially but now I can take it down in 5.ok so folding it or storing it away, it can be a bit of a pain. Its not the machine that's the issue but its the frame legs that are quite wide and it would have been nice if somehow they build these to have either a quick release bolt or made them a little smaller although they need to be big to support the machine and keep it stable. Its not to heavy but again it would have been easier with some transporting wheels on the baseThese are only minor gripes though, if you have enough room to keep it up then this won't be an issue.You won't be disappointed with the machine, just make sure you persevere at the start

Excellent concept, great for small spaces, compact and easy to fold up and store when not in use. However, as other reviewers have said, the design is also fatally flawed as the friction caused by the motion of the rubber rollers causes them to wear away - pretty sharpish, as we discovered. After about 10 uses there began to be a grinding noise, increasing in volume with each use and eventually loud enough to frighten the cat, and a pile of little rubber shavings would appear underneath the machine. If it was just us we'd probably have continued to use it, and then I'd be able to document how long it took to stop functioning altogether, but the cat is a traumatised rescue cat and we don't want to scare her so we've humped the machine to the storage shed, where objects tend to enjoy a long and peaceful retirement before their final journey to the tip. We did examine it thoroughly to see if there was anything to be done - lubricating the rollers? Any kind of adjustment? - but concluded it was just badly designed. An unfortunate waste of money, but if anyone else manages to design something similar - small footprint, easily stored, good exercise, affordable - that's not defective, I'll be right on it (as it were).