Before you buy: Here’s what a Cult Fit trainer says you should know before investing in a walking pad

Over the past two years, walking pads have become increasingly popular among fitness enthusiasts in India. Compact, foldable and generally more affordable than traditional treadmills, they offer a convenient way to add more movement to an otherwise sedentary lifestyle, whether you’re working from home or catching up on your favourite TV show. However, not all walking pads are created equal, and choosing the wrong one could mean an expensive mistake. In this edition of ‘Before You Buy,’ HT Lifestyle spoke to Ashwini V Rai, fitness expert at Cult Fit, to understand what buyers should consider before investing in a walking pad, from usage and available space to speed, features and individual fitness goals.

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Ashwini highlighted that unlike treadmills , walk pads are constructed specifically for walking at low speeds. Most walk pads are not created for jogging and running and would not produce satisfactory results for those purposes. If your goal is to get an easy workout for the day or to walk during TV commercials, you should consider purchasing a walk pad. If you need to conduct high-intensity interval work and incline workout, a treadmill will be more appropriate.

“If there is one component of the walk pad that determines how long it will serve its owner, that is the motor of the machine,” highlighted Ashwini. The rating that you should look for is the continuous duty rating (CHP), not the peak power of the motor indicated in great font on the packaging. If you cannot find information about the motor capacity, you'd better look for another walk pad. Motors with less than 1 CHD tend to fail within a short period when used by people who weigh more than 70 kg.

The width of the belt and its weight limit are more important than one would assume. While a thin belt may seem attractive if it is narrower than the natural walking stance of a person, it will lead to constant steps and corrections and will become quite annoying. Ashwini advises checking the width of the belt by standing or measuring according to your shoes' width in-store or while browsing for a belt online. It is also essential to make sure the maximum weight limit of the belt is appropriate.

In case a plan is to use a walk pad during business calls or late at night when the family is asleep, noise will be a critical factor. While all the motors and belts are different in their characteristics, it is essential to remember that cheap units tend to become increasingly loud over time.

Although the manufacturers claim that it is convenient to store the walk pad under the bed or sofa, you have to take into account the folded size and weight. If you will not use the device for unfolding and folding every day, you should prefer a model with wheels to roll or leave it in the deployed state in a corner.

The motor and drive belt are the most common defective items for which the warranty is offered. “Pay attention to the warranty conditions since in many cases, the warranty for the motor is significantly higher than the coverage for the belt and walking platform.