Top Treadmill Review Site RunReviews Loves the SurfShelf!
Last month the creators of RunReviews asked me if they could test and review a SurfShelf for their site, and since they are one of the top treadmill review sites on the Internet, I was totally excited.
If you are not familiar with RunReviews, it’s an awesome site with tons of really informative (and completely honest) reviews of treadmills and associated gear (and now treadmill laptop holders and desks as well!).
In addition to exercise equipment reviews, the site also has great sections on Treadmill Workouts, 101 Running Tips, How to Buy a Treadmill and the Most Influential Runners. It’s a really fun and informative site.
The reviewers are also very serious about what they publish, and they typically get 2-3 different reviewers to provide the feedback necessary for the detailed equipment reviews that they provide. You can totally trust what they say.
When it came to reviewing the SurfShelf, they totally loved it.
Here’s a quick excerpt:
The advantages of using this product are unlimited. We can now have free entertainment on our treadmill (we don’t need a TV screen, sound system or iPod deck which add significant costs to a treadmill). Plus, we can have permanent access to the Internet anytime we are on a treadmill, even at the gym. We simply connect the laptop to the Internet with a wireless modem and place it on the Treadmill Desk.
You can read the full RunReviews SurfShelf review here.
If you looking to buy a treadmill, check out RunReviews before you buy… they’ll help you out in a big way!
Have fun!
Randy
ObsesionFitness.com
ObsessionFitness.com review by Steve Schone, Editor, October 28, 2009
SurfShelf: A Long Overdue Fitness Innovation!
Treadmill Laptop Holder/Tray | SurfShelf Exercise Desk for Treadmills, Indoor Bikes and Elliptical Trainers
Here’s a long overdue innovation that helps alleviate the inevitable boredom that comes with working out on a stationary exercise machine.
Google and Dell have installed SurfShelfs into all of their fitness facilities. Jason Chen, Editor of Gizmodo.com called it “one of my favorite inventions ever.”
The SurfShelf securely attaches any laptop or portable DVD player to your treadmill, elliptical trainer, exercise bike or stairmaster. It fits 99% of existing stationary exercise machine models. It also works great as a book holder.
Regular laptop computing tasks using a mouse and keyboard are possible but awkward. The SurfShelf is best suited for watching video — either a DVD or on YouTube, Hulu etc. It’s also good for games that only use the directional keys or a game pad.
SurfShelf laptop trayThe product consists of a 100% Polycarbonate tray that will not break, nylon belts and a Velcro strap to hold everything rigidly in place. The secure mount is important because you don’t want your laptop falling to the ground during a workout.
The SurfShelf also comes with a free membership to In-Gym.com, a video entertainment site built specifically for SurfShelf users. The interface allows you to locate and launch a wide variety of online video feeds, all from one place. By using the arrow keys only and not pausing your workout you can choose from Sports, News, Hollywood Entertainment, Health & Lifestyle videos, Music videos, Online TV and Teen Stuff.
Rock Star Jeff Scott Soto Takes SurfShelf on Tour!
Jeff Scott Soto
So, it was a normal day at the office last week when all of a sudden I get an email from Jeff Scott Soto asking if he can come to our office to buy a SurfShelf before he leaves the next day on tour to London.
JSS wants to come by our office to grab a SurfShelf to take on tour?!? HECK YEAH!
So about two hours later I’m shaking hands with a true rock star. And he’s a totally cool guy too… very down to Earth and extremely personable. He’s one of those guys who has a super cool vibe about him without even trying.
To keep in top shape as necessary to jam on-stage, Jeff uses elliptical trainers in the hotels between shows… and he’s on them pretty much every day. Now with his SurfShelf, he’s able to watch DVDs and online TV on his laptop while he keeps himself fit.
If you’re not familiar with JSS, he’s been rockin’ for over 25 years with a wide variety of killer bands (he was the lead singer for Journey for their 2006 tour, Talisman, etc.), other artists and on his own (I’m spinning his solo album “Lost in Translation” as I write this post!).
Currently he’s touring with Trans-Siberian Orchestra for their holiday show. And my wife and I are definitely going to hit the show when it comes through LA and San Diego in early Dec.
Check out his sites below. You’ll find great sample tracks that totally rock as well as lots of great videos, photos and back stories…
and of course the JSS post about SurfShelf he wrote on his MySpace blog… how cool is that?!?
Thanks Jeff! Can’t wait to see your show soon!
Treadmill Review Sites
What treadmill should you buy?
Are you in the market for a new treadmill? If so, how do you know which one to buy? I get emails all the time asking me which treadmill are the best, and of course, of these, which work the best with the SurfShelf.
Luckily, the SurfShelf fits most of them, so the real decision is which treadmill is going to meet your specific needs. And of course, at the right price. Then you can transform the one you pick into an entertainment station / treadmill desk with the SurfShelf laptop holder.
With all the different brands of treadmills available these days, it’s difficult to know which ones to consider. Your decision also depends of course on how much money you are willing to spend.
To make life easier, I suggest first visiting a few treadmill review sites. You can’t actually buy treadmills on most of these sites, but they review all of the top brands and models to get you started. Here are a few that I am aware of:
1. www.obsessionfitness.com
2. www.runreviews.com
3. www.treadmillreviews.net
4. www.treadmillreview.net
5. www.treadmilladviser.com
6. www.treadmilltalk.com
7. www.treadmill-ratings-n-reviews.net
8. www.exerciseequipmentexpert.com
9. www.treadmill-tips.com
10. www.treadmill-ratings-reviews.com
11. www.toptreadmilltips.com
You’ll see that treadmills can range in price from a few hundred dollars to many thousands, with one of the most expensive models being the WalkStation treadmill desk by Steelcase that costs $4500 for the base model (options are additional).
But don’t worry, you won’t need to spend nearly this much if you don’t want to. Check out the review sites above and in my next post I’ll list a few online stores that have great deals.
Have fun,
Randy
#1 Gadget Site Gizmodo.com Loves the SurfShelf Treadmill Laptop Holder
The SurfShelf received a fantastic product review this week on Gizmodo.com!
If you like gadgets, then I’m sure you’ve heard of Gizmodo.com… it’s the top gadget site on the Internet. We love Gizmodo, and it has been a dream of ours to be reviewed on their site…once you’re on Gizmodo, you’ve arrived.
The fact that they contacted us asking if they could review the SurfShelf was absolutely HUGE! And now that the review is up, we couldn’t be happier.
Here’s the link:
Gizmodo Review: SurfShelf Treadmill Stand For Laptops Is Brilliant
“This is one of my favorite inventions ever.”
- Jason Chen, Editor of Gizmodo.com (09/01/09)
Did Jason just say “ever”?
Here’s a guy who is THE EDITOR of GIZMODO.com, the #1 gadget review site on Internet, who reviews thousands upon thousands of really cool inventions for a living, saying that the SurfShelf is one of HIS FAVORITE INVENTIONS EVER!
WOW! That is the best compliment I think we’ve ever had!
Here’s his full review (without his pictures)…
“The SurfShelf does what many home-made and Ikea-bought shelves, tables and stands do: put your laptop in front of your face while you’re walking on a treadmill. And it works beautifully.
The Price: $40
The Verdict: This is one of my favorite inventions ever. Treadmill computing—or using a treadputer—is one of those ideas that’s ideal for out-of-shape people who work at home, since you’re still capable of doing all the work you were doing before, except now your legs are moving. Its major barrier is the fact that you had to have a treadmill, plus a stable enough platform to keep your laptop on. If you could rig that up yourself, great, but most of us were too lazy or too disinclined to. Now it just costs $40.
To answer your first question, yes, it is ill-advised to type and run at the same time. But typing and walking fast, or running and just watching something on your computer works just fine. In fact, I’m typing this entire review up while I’m walking on my treadmill.
How it works: The SurfShelf consists of two interlocking polycarbonate pieces supported by either one or two straps to your treadmill, elliptical or stationary bike. If rigged up correctly—something I had to ask for help with—it’s incredibly stable, capable of supporting somewhere in the neighborhood of 55 pounds. Plenty solid enough for your laptop provided you don’t constantly lean on it.
This thing has basically turned working into exercise. By spending 2-3 hours a day typing, emailing, and reviewing while walking, you basically get free calorie burn doing something you’d be doing anyway! According to Nike+, 2 hours of fast walking while working burns 1,000 calories. And even if you’re not lucky enough to work from home, being able to watch YouTube or BitTorrented content makes any workout go faster.
Assuming you already own a treadmill that’s gathering dust, the SurfShelf is the easiest way of getting you back on that thing. And if you’re a freelancer or the type of person who spends much of your day on a computer, this could be the healthiest gadget you buy this year.
Here’s the link again if you want to see his pics:
Gizmodo.com Review: SurfShelf Treadmill Stand For Laptops Is Brilliant
Thanks Jason, that was awesome!
