If you’re looking to add an all-in-one fitness solution to your home, then you’re in luck because there are many direct to consumer fitness brands that have released smart home studios that take care of all your fitness needs in one tidy package.
Purchasing traditional fitness equipment can be pricey and also quite cumbersome. However, smart gyms are changing the landscape of the fitness industry by offering compact, elegant machines that have everything you need in one place.
When COVID-19 shut down our beloved local gyms and fitness centers, many Americans were forced to purchase gym equipment, or, an all-in-one smart gym. If you weren't one of those Americans that pulled the trigger on a smart gym system, you may benefit from knowing the following “fast-stats” case study researched by the CDC.
The CDC released shocking information that only 53.3% of adults met the Physical Activity Guidelines for aerobic physical activity. Moreover, even less met the aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity – 23.2% of adults aged 18 and over.
Here's the good news:
Today, we’re excited to explore two popular smart training studios, Tempo and NordicTrack Vault. These are two incredible pieces of equipment that offer exceptional value. But which one is the best choice?
We’re going to run you through all the pertinent information on each studio and line them up head-to-head so that you can determine which one is the right choice for you, your goals, budget, and space accommodations.
Here's what we'll be covering in this comparison article:
$500 OFF!Weighing Tempo Home Gym Vs. NordicTrack's Vault: Let's see how they stack up!
| VERSUS TABLE | ||
|---|---|---|
| 🆚 | Tempo | Vault |
| Price: | $1,995 | $1,999 Standalone ($2,999 Complete) |
| Shipping: | $250 | Included |
| Membership: | $39/mo | First year iFit Free, then $39/mo |
| Warranty: | Cabinet: 3 years, Display: 12 months, Heart Rate Monitor: 12 months, Weight set: 3 years, Labor and installation: 12 months | Unknown at the moment |
| Dimensions | 6′ tall x 2'2″ wide x 1'4″ deep. You'll need 8′ of clear space | 72.65″ tall x 24.25″ wide x 14″ deep. You'll need 7′ of clear space. |
NordicTrack Vault Overview
NordicTrack is a very recognizable name in the fitness industry, so it comes as no surprise that they have released their version of a smart mirror gym as a response to new competitors like Mirror and Echelon Reflect. This brand is always looking to create the next best thing in the industry, and they certainly nailed some features on the Vault.
While they’re clearly aiming to compete in the smart gym market, they took a unique design approach to their product. The Vault is just that – a “vault” that opens up and reveals convenient vertical storage for all your equipment. It’s a self-contained unit that’s making fitness more accessible and less cumbersome, particularly for those who live in small homes/apartments and have limited space to dedicate to a home gym.
There are two packages to choose from; the Stand Alone, which comes with the unit and an empty vault compartment, and the Complete which comes equipped with all the weights and additional equipment you need to have a complete home gym experience from home. There is a significant price difference between the two models, but if you are starting from scratch with zero equipment, it may be well worth the additional investment.
NordicTrack’s Vault is a beautiful machine, with its 60” mirror and sleek design, it’s a far cry from traditional fitness equipment. This is a machine that you’ll be delighted to display in your home. When turned on, there is a 32” touchscreen display that rotates 360 degrees, allowing you to always have the best viewing angle for your workouts. When the Vault is off, it gives the appearance of a regular mirror, which is great for those whose living space will double as their workout space.
NordicTrack’s iFit Programming
Not only does this brand have a reputation for excellence when it comes to their equipment, but also with their programming, too. After all, there are two pieces of the puzzle – the equipment and the programming that make or break home gym equipment.
NordicTrack has a full library of live and on-demand workouts, led by their expert trainers and available to stream across all their equipment. When purchasing Vault, you get instant access to iFit and a full year’s subscription for free. This is a major perk of this studio!
What classes are available through iFit?
When using iFit in conjunction with Vault, you have access to the following types of workouts:
- Strength
- Pilates
- HIIT
- Lift
- Sculpt and tone
- Yoga
- Mindfulness
- Intervals
Plus, the brand is always creating fresh, new content that’s designed to keep users engaged, entertained, and always making progress towards their goals.
What we love about Vault
- Large, 60” mirror screen with 32” rotating touch screen within
- Included discrete, vertical storage
- Free year of iFit included with purchase
- Tons of programming options within the membership
What we don’t love about Vault
- You’re required to install the unit onto a wall in your home
- It’s very heavy and large
- There are no personalized form cues and feedback
- It’s expensive, especially when you choose the Complete package
Tempo Studio Overview
The Tempo Studio is one of the most buzz-worthy pieces of equipment on the market right now, and for good reason. It’s jam-packed with innovative, AI technology that’s designed to give the users the most effective home gym experience possible.
The tempo is one of the most intuitive fitness studios on the market. The brand believes in personalized workouts that are not only effective but safe, too. Users are made to feel as though they’re working one-on-one with a personal trainer when using this system, but for a whole lot less money and with a lot more convenience.
$500 OFF!
This home fitness studio is centered around strength training, as evidenced by their inclusion of Olympic-grade weights. For those who are brand new to strength training or training with weights, Tempo takes all of the anxiety and guesswork out of getting started. The AI technology tracks your movements, provides personalized form cues, counts your reps, and even selects your weights for you. They hand you the keys to success, all you need to do is show up (which isn’t hard when showing up involves walking out into your living room!)
$500 OFF!Aside from all the tech and features, Tempo also clearly put a lot of time and thought into the design. For starters, they didn’t want to require users to have to drill holes in a wall in their home, which is particularly impactful for renters or for those who want flexibility in where they work out in their home. Additionally, the unit is sleek, compact, and includes a storage compartment that completely hides away your equipment when not in use.
Tempo’s Fitness Programming
Whenever a new product or brand hits the market and there’s little information regarding the programming, it can feel like a risk. However, Tempo has knocked the training out of the park with their dedicated programming. Not only do they provide personalized strength workouts, but they have a complete library of additional options that allow users to experience a complete, well-rounded workout routine, without needing to subscribe to any additional apps or purchase any additional equipment.
Their library of workouts includes:
And the company is constantly expanding its programming, adding in new modalities and catering to other populations. Their goal is to make fitness accessible, safe, and effective for everyone, which is why they offer a variety of workouts with personalization inside everyone. Tempo allows you to start from where you’re at and progress towards your unique goals in the most efficient manner possible. It doesn’t hurt that the instructors are incredibly motivating and inspiring, always pushing you to reach new heights in your fitness journey.
What we love about Tempo
- It’s a complete system with everything you need at one price
- Weights are Olympic-grade
- Every workout is personalized
- Instructors are experts in the field
- AI technology takes the guesswork out of training
- Hundreds of classes to choose from
- Sleek, inclusive design
- Not wall mounted
What we don't love about Tempo
Programming is heavily focused on strength training as a foundation in your fitness, so if you aren’t into lifting weights, it may not be the best choice
If you don’t stand at the appropriate distance from the sensors, they can sometimes miss a rep. This smart home gym is what I like to call, “The Real Deal Holyfield.” The pros heavily outweigh the cons and the investment isn't even that much when you consider gym membership costs vs buying tempo.fit.
Now that you have an overview of each of these smart fitness studios, let’s get down to the brass tacks and identify what the key similarities and differences are between these two machines.
See Tempo's Home Gym in Action
Similarities and differences between Tempo and Vault
On the surface, these two machines appear very similar, however, once you peel back the layers you’ll start to see where they differ. Let’s take a look.
How are they the same? Both smart gyms offer:
- A solid foundation for strength training workouts
- High-quality, durable equipment that’s meant to replace your need for anything additional
- Interactive touchscreen displays for easy, smart navigation
- Included storage for all weights and equipment
- Programming and apps that feature live and on-demand training options
How about the differences?
- Vault has a giant, 60” mirror screen, Tempo is a display screen only
- The tempo is free-standing, Vault requires installation into a wall
- Vault’s Complete package (equipment included) costs $1000+ more than Tempo
- Tempo features a 42” interactive touchscreen display, Vault’s touchscreen is 32” and it rotates
- To our knowledge, Vault does not use 3D mapping for form cues and feedback, but Tempo does
Which smart studio takes the cake, Vault or Tempo?
If you’ve narrowed your search for a smart home gym down to Tempo and Vault, rest assured that you really can’t go wrong with either option. That said, one training studio is probably a better fit for you over the other, so it’s crucial that you take some time to review the benefits, features, and nuances of each to determine which is the better investment for you personally.
It comes down to three big decisions:
#1: What’s your preferred training style? If you want to strength train and do so efficiently and with proper form, then the Tempo is going to be the most advanced, intuitive option for you. On the other hand, if you’re more into cardio, yoga, pilates, and other non-weighted types of movement, you’ll find more of those types of classes within the iFit app and those modalities tend to be great for doing in front of a mirror-like the one on the Vault.
#2: How much space do you have/are you willing to install your studio into a wall? If your space is tight, you may find that the Vault is a little overwhelming, whereas the Tempo is smaller in size and a bit more compact. Also, consider where you’d like to set up your gym and whether or not that space includes a studded wall suitable for installing your studio.
#3: Lastly, what’s your budget? Vault’s Complete package is over $1000 more than Tempo, which is a pretty significant price increase. However, if you already have equipment/don’t plan to weight train, you can get the stand-alone unit for a comparable price.
Today is your chance to lift yourself up and be all you can be. Fitness gives us the opportunity to explore what drives us, appreciate our bodies, reach new heights AND join like-minded people (communities) that help push us through the hard times. It's like we always say here at Fitness Training Star…
“TRAIN HARD!”
So, which smart gym will you choose? Will it be Tempo Studio, or NordicTrack's Vault? Good luck in your fitness journey and please let us know which one you chose and why. Who knows… maybe your comment will help someone in this fitness community reach their goals and make the best purchase of their life!
$500 OFF!Go to Tempo's official website
Go to NordicTrack's official website
