Mobia by Nautilus provides a unique walking workout experience. It’s a treadles-style treadmill because of its duo-tread belts; it combines the features of a treadmill, stepper, and the low impact benefit of an elliptical.
You can see an image of the Nautilus Mobia below to get an idea how this relatively unique looking treadmill / stepper provides a multi-faceted walking workout.
Frankly, I’m excited about the Nautilus Mobia because it shows fitness equipment makers are really thinking creatively to create exercise machines that truly offer variety and unique workouts. It also specifically caters to walkers and hikers to provide a walking workout experience.
OVERVIEW
First of all, the Mobia by Nautilus is not for runners. The maximum speed is 4 miles per hour – which is more than sufficient for a great walking workout – given the incline and stepping action. It’s a combination of stepper and treadmill with the low-impact benefit of an elliptical trainer.
The Mobia Walking Workout Experience
The Mobia Treadmill is designed to offer a low-impact AND intense workout. The Mobia has two tread belts side-by-side – one for each foot. When you place a foot on one tread belt, the tread belt is situated in an incline. Then your weight pushes the individual tread belt down. When you lift your foot off one tread belt, that tread belt rises again so you are constantly stepping up. The other dimension to the Mobia for enhancing intensity is the fact you can choose from 12 resistance settings. The resistance is built into the incline / decline of the two tread belts. The higher the resistance setting, the harder it is to push down an individual tread belt from its inclined position.
Features
| Speed Range | .5 – 4 miles per hour. This is not a running machine; it’s designed for walking workouts. If you’re a hiker or like low impact workouts, and you’re looking for a different kind of walking workout with more intensity options, then the Mobia by Nautilus could be for you. |
| 3 – in – 1 Functionality | The Mobia offers the features of treadmill and stepper, plus gives you the low-impact benefit of an elliptical trainer. The two tread belts move in typical treadmill fashion, except each individual tread belt rises and lowers independently – much like the two steps on stepper. |
| Resistance Range | 1 – 12 levels. You don’t see resistance as an option on treadmills, but then the Mobia is no ordinary exercise machine or treadmill … it’s a treadles (two tread belts) and stepper all in one. The resistance is applied to the incline/decline of the individual tread belts. The higher the resistance, the harder it is to push down an individual tread belt, which increases the intensity of your workout. |
| Incline Mechanism | The two tread belts incline and decline using hydraulic technology for a smooth and consistent motion. |
| Heart Rate Monitor | I’m pleased to see the Mobia comes with a telemetry chest strap heart rate monitor so you don’t have to maintain a grip on pulse grip handle bars. Your hands are free to maintain stability. Since you will be less stable on a treadles (i.e. duo-tread belt treadmill) because of the independently inclining and declining tread belts, having hands-free heart rate monitoring is good for safety so you can hold onto the extended handle bars. |
| Console |
|
| Low Impact Features | The Mobia by Nautilus presents a low-impact workout in two ways.
|
| Handle Bars | There are two handle bars that extend the length of the Mobia. Most treadmills have short railing which is nice because it doesn’t restrict arm movements for upper body workouts. However, the extended handle bars / railings is for safety due to less stability walking on the Mobia. It’s less stable because the individual tread belts will be at different levels while walking. |
| Computer Display |
|
| Bonus Materials | A specialized Nautilus Nutrition Plan and Introduction to Fitness Guide to get you started on your fitness lifestyle – whether you are looking to lose weight and/or simply improve your conditioning. |
| Maximum User Wt. | 300 pounds. I typically critique exercise machines with only a 300 pound maximum user weight because it excludes people weighing more than 300 pounds. It’s also indicative of not being as strong of a machine as I’d like. It seems to me that a walking exercise machine (such as an exercise machine with treadles) such as the Mobia by Nautilus, it being designed for a walking workout, should have a higher maximum user weight. Many people weighing more than 300 pounds are looking to lose weight and are precluded from buying a lot of fitness equipment models because they weigh more than 300 pounds. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Design | I can’t help but be impressed with the very cool look, style, and design of the Mobia. Check out the image below – it could actually (maybe) be something you like to have in your home. It’s a sleekly designed machine in white that has a solid, but fluid design to it. |
| Financing | Yes, financing is available through Nautilus. |
Benefits of the Nautilus Mobia
- Multi-dimensional walking workout – treadmill, incline, stepper – all providing a low-impact workout that is easy on your feet, ankles, knees, hips, and spine. Note that because the incline tread belts fall to the floor, that you enjoy additional cushioning or low-impact. Walking is already low impact, but with the falling tread belts, you will experience very little impact when walking on the Mobia.
- Wireless heart rate monitoring so you can workout hands-free.
Shipping Information
- Standard shipping (curbside) within the continental USA: $199.99
- Standard shipping (curbside) to Hawaii / Alaska: $499.99
- In-home delivery and/or assembly is available in some areas.
Warranty Information
- Motor: 2 years.
- Parts: 2 years.
- Electronics: 2 years.
- Hydraulics: 2 years.
Complaints
- The handle bars extend the length of the Nautilus Mobia. This is a disadvantage because it restricts arm movement in the event you wish to do upper body workouts with wrist weights / hand held weights. That said, the extended handle bars are a safety feature. Because the two tread belts move independently, you’ll experience a little more instability than you would on a traditional treadmill.
- No incline range: It would have been nice to see the option to adjust the incline of the two tread belts.
- The warranty duration for the motor and hydraulics is pretty short – only 2 years.
- Maximum 300 pound user weight.
Price Range
$1,500 – $2,000 (price and inventory may vary).
If you’re a walker or hiker, the Nautilus Mobia may be the exercise machine for you. Sometimes simply walking gets a little boring, stale, or you want to target some more muscles without increasing the impact to your joints. The Mobia provides a resistance-based incline / stepper action that actually works out different muscles than simply walking on flat surface or even a static incline tread deck.
Related posts:
