CES 2024 sprawled across several high-profile destinations on the Las Vegas strip, and we headed right for The Venetian to catch up with some of our favorite cardio brands. From newly released to upcoming products, we got an early look at equipment we just can’t wait to test thoroughly.
WalkingPad Treadmills – Ultra-Compact Running Treadmills
WalkingPad was our first stop of the day, because we couldn’t help but notice the abundance of treadmills we didn’t recognize. Also branded as Kingsmith, WalkingPad’s standout products for CES 2024 were expansions to its R and X series. While WalkingPad is, perhaps, best known for its under-desk treadmills, these new entries extended its footprint in the fitness space.
WalkingPad embraced the colorful light trend many fitness brands are using.
The R3 and X series treadmills are larger and faster. With maximum speeds from 9 to 11 miles per hour, these are powerful running treadmills. However, WalkingPad maintains its compact design with a deck that folds in half. In the past, we could feel the folding seam underfoot, but these new treadmills feel incredibly smooth. Their larger size and foldable handrails are very promising for an improved running experience.
The R3 is much different from its predecessors, and we hope a lot smoother.
These treadmills have 2024 release dates with the first batch of new products set for July and others promised later in the year. WalkingPad is ready to shake up the home treadmill industry with a patented and unrivaled compact folding style.
LifeSpan – Eco-Conscious Exercise for the Office
The LifeSpan Ampera comes in gray and white, charges devices, and is made of recycled materials.
While WalkingPad is venturing into the fitness space, LifeSpan is making its departure. The brand has refocused its product range for the office space. LifeSpan debuted a new treadmill at CES 2024 to join its Glow-up under-desk treadmill series. We also got a look at their yoga ball office chair, which can be placed on top of their under-desk treadmills when you need a break from walking.
This is the white edition of the Ampera bike with the yoga ball behind it.
The star of the show for LifeSpan was the Ampera under-desk bike. This bike uses upright cycling geometry. For a little extra flare, the Ampera Office Bike also has a color-changing light ring around the crank arms that can be controlled by your phone.
The Ampera Office Bike is made of recycled materials and uses energy generated from pedaling to charge your smart devices. This bike is just the first among a line of Ampera products that will interest the eco-conscious office worker. We couldn’t help but notice the luminescent tree dominating LifeSpan’s booth and were thrilled to find out it represented LifeSpan’s new initiative of planting one tree for every $300 spent on their website.
The LifeSpan recumbent bike is compact and height adjustable.
The Ampera Office Bike does not have a backrest, so it may not appeal to all users. LifeSpan has a recumbent under-desk bike with a bit of lumbar support for multi-tasking cyclists who want a little more support. While it’s not a part of the Ampera line, it has LifeSpan’s same quality construction.
We hope to have full reviews on these LifeSpan products as soon as possible, so check back to see!
Sunny Health and Fitness – Making Training Content Accessible
Sunny Health and Fitness brought a wide range of products to CES; all of which are available now.
There’s no single product that takes center stage from Sunny Health and Fitness. Instead, it’s their dedication to making affordable smart products for every consumer’s needs. From compact steppers to treadmills to rowers, Sunny has it all. But if there’s one thing the brand wants you to know about, it’s their free app with content made by in-house personal trainers.
This Sunny treadmill has smart connectivity and a spacious console.
Sunny is on a mission to update all of their products to smart connectivity with their app. Two points that will stand out to consumers are their goal to keep these products as reasonably priced as their non-smart equipment and their plan to keep the training content free indefinitely.
Snailcle – AI-Powered Cycling and Rowing
Snailcle’s products are cute, fun, and very snail-like.
Snailcle is a portmanteau of snail and cycle, a reference to their bikes’ snail-like shape. We almost overlooked these bikes, but boy, were we glad we didn’t! From the creator of WalkingPad comes this home cardio brand with integrated AI technology.
Colorful lights are a unique aesthetic trend making its way into the cardio equipment space.
The Snailcle S1 is an exercise bike that adjusts to your posture and to match the virtual training content. As you ascend and descend hills, the S1’s resistance and seat and handlebar positioning adjust to create a more immersive experience. Subscription services should watch out, because Snailcle’s training content is free! The Snailcle app is not integrated into the bike itself but can be accessed through a smart device and cast to your TV.
The Snailcle M1 rowing machine is compactly stored with its rail retracted.
I got to test out the M1 rowing machine. Like many rowing machines we have tested, it uses magnetic resistance to create powerful but quiet resistance. Unlike, other rowing machines, the M1 has a compact storage feature I’ve never seen before. The rail retracts into the plastic casing surrounding the flywheel. Better yet, this feature is automated. Somehow, the M1 is still smooth and comfortable. It also uses the free Snailcle training app.
The M1 has a tablet rack but not a built-in display.
The last Snailcle product we saw was the R1 recumbent bike. This bike has a retracting base, similar to the M1 rower. Again, it uses the free Snailcle app.
Health and Fitness Trends at CES 2024
- Recovery gear: Improving your fitness isn’t always about increasing your time spent training. The recovery gear to reduce downtime between training sessions remains ever popular. We spotted tech aimed at improving sleep as well as gadgets with vibrational, e-stim, and air compression technology.
- Wearables: Garmin unveiled new watches and an overhauled app design. AI and augmented reality upgraded headphones, sunglasses, and rings. Taking fitness wearables to a new level, Hyper Shell and Hurotics showcased exoskeletons to assist with walking and running.
- Safety Devices: SABRE’s pepper spray, portable alarm, and safety app are great options for anyone training outdoors.
- Virtual Training: Samsung promoted FIVA, an app that lets you virtually train with friends anywhere in the world. Other brands like Snailcle and Sunny Health and Fitness made their virtual training content free, improving its accessibility and challenging the subscription model we have grown accustomed to.
From our first stop to our last stop, CES 2024 was quite interesting for the fitness industry.
Our Takeaway from CES 2024
There were so many eye-catching tech products at CES 2024. We are most excited about the LifeSpan Ampera product line, WalkingPad’s new running treadmills, and Sunny’s introduction of new smart equipment. We will be keeping a close eye on upstarts like Snailcle and can’t wait to test more home fitness equipment!
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