The Bowflex TreadClimber, occasionally marketed under the brand name Nautilus -- the Bowflex parent company -- bills itself as a combination stair stepper and treadmill. You can operate the TreadClimber in treadmill mode, stair stepper mode, or in both modes at once. Three workout types in one machine is the biggest argument for purchasing a TreadClimber over other home cardio equipment, but that same versatility can become a limiting factor if you find that you use one of the TreadClimber's three modes more than the others.
Significance
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults should get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise every week. Purchasing home exercise equipment such as the TreadClimber saves you money in the long run over a gym membership, and also saves you the time and money you'd otherwise spend commuting to and from the gym. Although versatility is the TreadClimber's strongest point and it performs well in each of the three workout modes, it fails to excel at any of them as a single-function workout machine would.
Treadmill
The TreadClimber has two individual treadles -- like a small treadmill for each foot -- that move up and down to approximate the motion of stair stepper pedals. In order to use the TreadClimber in treadmill mode you must lock these treadles in place, which often obligates you to work out at a fixed, steep incline angle. TreadClimbers are further limited by a low maximum speed -- from 3.8 mph on the TC1000 to 4.5 mph on the TC5500 -- and the split between the treadles. If any of these issues are discomfiting to you or limit your workout, you might be more comfortable with a regular treadmill. Most regular treadmills offer maximum speeds of at least 10 mph and incline settings of up to 15 percent.
Stair Stepper
Stair Steppers work your glutes, calves, hamstrings and quads, with heavy emphasis on the glutes and quads. But most conventional stair steppers, even home models, come with push-button adjustable intensity levels. With the TreadClimber, you have to manually adjust the hydraulic resistance for the treadles' stepper function. The TreadClimber treadles are also fixed in the rear, instead of fixed in a vertical track as with conventional stepper pedals. If you prefer the feel of conventional stepper pedals or being able to make on-the-fly adjustments as you work out, you might prefer a conventional stair stepper to the TreadClimber.
Elliptical Trainer
Although the TreadClimber's combination mode is billed as similar to pedaling an elliptical trainer, users report that it actually feels more like walking in sand. If you're most interested in the TreadClimber's "elliptical mode," try the TreadClimber first. Then pedal some elliptical trainers in a similar price range. You might find that you prefer the elliptical trainer, which allows you to set your own pace instead of keeping up with the TreadClimber's belt speed.
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