I’m well-versed in walking pads (odd, I know, but I review fitness equipment for a living). After testing a ton of them, I really thought I had seen all the category had to offer. That was before I heard about the Urevo CyberPad, which allows users to walk at a 14 percent incline—the highest I’ve seen on the market.
It has plenty of other cool features (I’ll get to those later), but the thing that really makes it stand out is that incline. If you’re looking for a walking pad that can give you a more challenging workout, but you don’t really want to run, this is the one for you.
Photograph: Adrienne So
Up and At ‘Em
The CyberPad setup required exactly zero brainpower (exactly how I like it). I had it out of the box and up and running in minutes. I’ve tested another Urevo machine and found that one easy to unpack and set up as well; the company seems to do a great job of making products that are ready to use right out of the box. At 70.6 pounds, this machine is on the heavier side, which I expected with the incline mechanism. But it was easy to wheel around and get into place under my standing desk.
The incline tops out at level 9, which, depending on how you have the machine’s back feet positioned, is a 9 percent or 14 percent grade. I suspected I might feel a little wobbly trying to type with the incline all the way up, but the machine itself felt incredibly stable.
Photograph: Adrienne So
From a cardio perspective, the 14 percent incline is tough to maintain for long. It really feels like you’re hiking. But it’s not so challenging that you can’t do it while you work. For me, that’s a big deal. I like getting my steps in on a walking pad, but sometimes I want to boost my fitness in a more significant way. Sadly, I haven’t figured out how to run while I work—even walking at high speeds can make it hard for me to type—but steep hill walking is a great proxy that doesn’t make reading or writing any harder. This machine allows you to do it without having to shell out the money or space for a heavy-duty running treadmill.
