My family had exercise machines in our house growing up, but for the most part they just wound up collecting dust. Maybe it was because I didn’t care too much about my health when I was a teenager? I don’t know. What I do know, however, is that being able to try the shiny new NordicTrack Vault during lockdown has made space (quite literally, actually) for an exercise machine in my life. And wild areas, but I actually use this one.
How does the NordicTrack Vault work?
A big technological device like this might seem intimidating to be able to operate, but it’s actually a cinch. You basically open up the front of the mirror (think of it like a door, but with a 360-degree rotation so you can position it however you want to) and flick the switch on the back to turn it on.
From there the Smart HD Touch screen will fire up, and you need to just follow the prompts. For the initial use, you’ll have to connect to your WiFi and login to your iFit account to get started, but for workouts following, that will all be ready to go.
After you’ve created your account or have logged in, you can choose from a massive number of iFit’s workout options, all guided by a variety of personal trainers. No disrespect to Yoga with Adriene, but it’s good to mix up who you’re taking direction from sometimes.
From strength and interval training to yoga and pilates, there’s a workout at your disposal for every fitness level and workout intensity.
Measurements and specifications
One of the biggest selling points of this machine is that it’s space-efficient. Its vertical storage through a carbon steel-based mirror means fits within 72.65″ (H) 14″ (D) and 24.25″(W).
You’ll obviously need space in front of the device (to you know, work out) but all in all the dimensions are impressive to the point of confusion – it was a shock to the system to be able to fit an exercise machine in a Metro Sydney household like this. It takes up less room than the fridge.
NordicTrack Vault Design
Holy chicness. While my household has this in the bottom level of our house, it could just as easily be smack-bang in the living room and not be an eye-sore. In fact, I wish my lounge room wasn’t on the third level of this house so that we could put it up there without pissing anyone off on the second floor.
The oversized mirror is 61.5″ in size and is easy to clean thanks to the microfibre cleaning towels that come inside (but more on that below). I keep saying mirror, but more technically it’s so much more than that. As mentioned before it turns into a Smart HD touchscreen once on, while still providing the reflection for visual guidance as you go.
It makes it a lot easier to copy your trainer’s posture and direction, which can sometimes be a worry when working out from home.
What comes with it?
If you get the NordicTrack Vault Complete, it comes with all the bits and bobs. More specifically:
- Exercise Mat
- 5-30 Lb Dumbbells
- 20 Lb & 30 Lb Kettlebells
- 2 x Yoga Blocks
- 3 x Loop Bands
- 3 x Super Resistance Bands
- Premium Shelves
- Hanging Shelves
- Cleaning Towel
- 30 Day iFit® Family Membership
Shipping
Shipping is free for Australian capital cities and major metro areas, and managed by a company called The Fitness Doctor. They’re basically partners of NordicTrack machines, and can come to set up the machine for you. It was a real dream as me + building + glass is not a good combination.
The “fitness doctors” arrived at 8am (a time organised with me prior to delivery) and the machine was ready to use by 9am. They also gave me a nice rundown of how to use the machine, and what to avoid. Shipping happens with 1-2 days of your order being placed.
Things to keep in mind
It’s recommended that you pull out the battery charger when you’re not using it for the longevity of the screen quality, but after a few uses, it became autopilot for me to do this. Another super tiny grievance here is that the weights are in lbs rather than kilos, but it hasn’t phased me too much during my journey.
I did have some buffering issues earlier on – basically where it would stop mid-workout to load – but after a call with tech support, we restored settings in iFit and it’s been working without problems since.
NordicTrack Vault Complete Price
Let’s not beat around the bush, the NordicTrack Vault is going to set you back, but it’s not hard to see why. The RRP for the Vault Complete, which comes with premium kettlebells and dumbbells, as well as yoga, pilates, and strength training accessories, is $5,499 – but it’s currently on sale for $4,499 (a whole $1,000 off). It’s also available to buy via Zip Pay so it’s a less aggressive hit to your bank account.
That said, the machine is relatively useless (for exercise, that is) without an iFIT membership. You’ll get a complimentary 30-day Family Membership with your purchase, but after that, it will set you back with the pricing breakdown listed below. I’d recommend giving it the streaming treatment and sharing the price and use amongst your household.
iFIT Family Membership:
Includes 5 users in total, all with the same content access.
Yearly: $550.84 + GST
Monthly: $54.25 + GST
iFIT Individual Membership:
Yearly: $250.38 + GST
Monthly: $20.87 + GST
Good thing is, iFIT is able to be used throughout your workout journey, whether it’s via your NordicTrack Vault or otherwise. For example, you can connect to it at the gym and continue where you left off.
Why is it worth it?
The variety of workouts in your own home through iFIT is hard to beat. I’ve always struggled with IRL personal trainers and classes for anxiety reasons, so it makes me feel really comfortable.
I also love that you’re able to connect your headphones to the device via Bluetooth, so it’s not disruptive to others. We have a nurse who does night shifts in our house, so it’s been a dream in that regard.
If you’re about to drop cash on something like a gym membership, personal trainer, workout equipment or even, you know, a mirror, I’d figure out the collective cost of those against this. It’s definitely super innovative and much more versatile than other machines we’ve forked out on in the past, and, to be honest, those are around the same price.
At the end of the day, it’s an investment in your health – you’ve just got to figure out the price tag you’re willing to put on that.
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