Updated for 2022!
Vertical climbers are easily the best exercise machines available for those who want to strengthen the muscles you use most frequently while climbing.
The reason for that, is that they’re essentially machines that mimic rock climbing as closely as possible. Hence the name, as you might have guessed.
They’re not just for climbers though. Their true strength lies in that they’re able to provide such a good full body workout in the same way that climbing does. That means non-climbers can enjoy all the benefits of climbing to their fitness that climbers take for granted.
There’s also far less capacity to injure yourself on a vertical climber than if you were doing weightlifting exercises like barbell rows and so on.
I mean, that’s a huge extra bonus there considering that these machines are already better at targeting those muscles than those kinds of exercises that tend to “make do” with the limitations of traditional gym equipment like barbells.
Anyway, this is quick guide to the best vertical climbers, with our recommendations based around different people’s criteria, so you can choose the vertical climber that suits you best.
| Editor’s Award | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best Vertical Climber | Sportsroyal Vertical Climber |
| Alternative Top Pick | ReLife Rebuild Your Life Vertical Climber |
| Best Heavy Duty Vertical Climber | Doufit CM-01 Vertical Climber Exercise Machine |
| Best 2-in-1 Vertical Climber and Exercise Bike | Best Choice Products Total Body 2-in-1 Vertical Climber |
| Best Compact Vertical Climber for Limited Space | Relife Folding Vertical Climber |
Click to jump straight to each topic.
The Best Vertical Climbers Reviewed
Best Vertical Climber: Citybirds Vertical Climber
Best Vertical Climber
This is the ideal one to go for. The folding design saves 80% of its overall space, and it doesn’t sacrifice durability to achieve this either. The frame is made of frosted steel, and the triangular structure and suction cups make it stable during heavy workouts.
This is the updated model, based upon customer feedback among all vertical climbers.
One of the standout features of this one is that the LCD display is just so much better than the tiny, hard to read ones you see on almost every other vertical climber out there.
It also has 5 adjustable levels, from 3.9 – 19.7 inches, and is suitable for all body types. It also comes with a 2-year warranty.
What We Like:
- Durable, Sturdy Construction – The frosted steel frame seems sturdy, and having a stable vertical climber than can take the punishment of hard workouts is exactly what you’re looking for.
- Better LCD Screen Size Than Others – You can clearly see how much better this one’s screen is compared to most others out there. It makes the screens on others look like they’re from a calculator or something.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Alternative Top Pick: ReLife Rebuild Your Life Vertical Climber
Alternative Top Pick
ReLife Rebuild Your Life Vertical Climber
An extremely popular pick, and not just because of the ambitious name. The pedals have some inclination to help keep your center of gravity close to the frame.
It also has a lifetime warranty on all vulnerable parts, and a one year warranty for the sturdy main frame.
This one is adjustable to 5 different levels of resistance.
The first two levels are like climbing stairs, the next is more like difficult hiking or scrambling, then one up from that is like proper climbing, and, finally, the last gear is like a difficult climb.
What We Like:
- Lifetime Warranty on Vulnerable Parts – The frame is only a one year warranty, but it’s easily strong enough for that to not really matter. It’s the other parts that are much more useful to be covered by a warranty, so it’s great that that’s the case here with this one.
- Inclined Pedals – The pedals actually slant inwards, and you do feel like they’re more ergonomic that way. You tend to naturally press slightly outwards with your feet on a vertical climber, so this helps mitigate that so you can forget about your feet and just concentrate on working out hard.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Best Heavy Duty Vertical Climber: Doufit CM-01 Vertical Climber Exercise Machine
Best Heavy Duty Vertical Climber
Doufit CM-01 Vertical Climber Exercise Machine
Built to take a beating, this heavy duty vertical climber has a sturdy steel frame and toughened parts to maximize its durability.
What’s more, is that it still has adjustable arms and all the other quality features you’d expect in a vertical climber.
- Equipped with a U-bend foot pipe, foam sleeves, durable pedals and anti-skid rubber caps.
- Tracks your workout data, including calories, time, effective distance, and step count. Stay motivated by beating your personal best.
- Uses an LCD screen as a display, along with button control.
- Folds away for easy storage.
- Easily movable because of its bottom wheels.
- Allows for 7 levels of adjustable height up to a maximum height of 6.3 feet.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Best 2-in-1 Vertical Climber and Exercise Bike: Best Choice Products Total Body 2-in-1 Vertical Climber
Best 2-in-1 Vertical Climber and Exercise Bike
Best Choice Products Total Body 2-in-1 Vertical Climber
Both a vertical climber and an exercise bike. This one has 8 levels of resistance for the exercise bike, but only one for the climber. Basically, it’s like the opposite of the Flyerstoy vertical climber we looked at earlier.
- Displays speed, time, distance and calories burned through its button operated LCD display.
- Combines both cardio and strength training in one exercise machine.
- Has adjustable climbing arms along with non-slip foot guides.
- Allows for 8 different levels of magnetic resistance for the exercise bike.
- Lets you adjust the pedal straps for a good fit.
- Folds away for easy storage.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Best Compact Vertical Climber for Limited Space: Flyerstoy Folding Vertical Climber
Best Compact Vertical Climber for Limited Space
Relife Folding Vertical Climber
An ergonomic and compact design that works for all body types, complete with a sturdy steel alloy frame with anti-rust paint.
This foldable vertical climber has a pretty compact profile, jutting out less than others with its handlebars and supports.
- Constructed with a durable, lightweight frame that can handle weight up to 350 lbs.
- Easily assembled, since it’s 90% pre-assembled out of the box.
- Uses an LCD display, and can track your time, speed, distance and calories burned.
- Able to keep all your workout data in view during your workout, letting you keep to an effective training plan.
- Saves space by having a compact profile. When you fold this vertical climber away, it doesn’t stick out awkwardly like some others do. It’s basically even more compact than an ironing board when folded away.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Other Worthy Mentions
The original patented brand of vertical climbers. They also have a free app that helps with your workouts.
Key Features:
- Comes 90% preassembled
- Good quality grips
Frequently Asked Questions
Do vertical climbers really work?
The truth is, they actually work better than most other exercise machines.
The reason for that, is that they work more than one muscle group at once. Think about it. You’re working both arms and both legs at the same time.
Compare that to perhaps the three most common exercise machines out there:
- An exercise bike, which only works your legs in a small degree of motion.
- A rowing machine, which has a good range of motion but still only works your upper body.
- A treadmill, which has more dynamic movement to it, but it only works your legs and it doesn’t even provide resistance against you.
As you can see, a vertical climber is basically able to do the same job as all three of those machines at the same time. This is why we harp on all the time about climbing being such a great alternative to the gym.
How many calories can you burn on a vertical climber?
You can expect to burn a whopping 800 calories per hour if you’re on a setting that feels right for you. Something that’s not too heavy, and not too light either.
A light workout on a low resistance setting would be more like 500 calories per hour, which is much closer to what you’d expect to burn on a treadmill.
On the other hand, if you really went ham on your vertical climber, you could burn up to 1000 calories per hour… until you start slowing down to what you can handle, which, of course, brings your average down again.
Either way, you don’t have to guess how many calories you’re burning. The vertical climbers out there that are worth getting almost always have an LCD display which tells you exactly how many calories you’ve burned during that session.
How long should you use a vertical climber for?
Honestly, don’t overdo it. Climbing is a really intense form of exercise if you really go at it, and you’ll likely feel sore for the next few days if you’re not already used to it.
The reason for that, is that motions you make while climbing puts into action a whole range of muscles, tendons and ligaments that you don’t normally use in the gym. Once you’ve eased into using your vertical climber though, you’ll be able to exercise for as long as you like.
As for a recommendation of how long to use one for, just go until you’re exhausted. That’s what all of us climbers do when we go rock climbing normally. It’s really the best way, and it sure is a whole lot more fun than running on a treadmill for a whole hour straight.
Are vertical climbers bad for your knees?
Vertical climbers are extremely low impact as far as exercise machines go. There’s no sudden, jarring movements, which are the ones that you have to look out for if you have have weak knees or hips.
The hand and foot grips of the machine are always in contact with you too, which means they’re able to do a pretty darn good job of evening out the stress that’s placed on your joints.
Also, remember that with most vertical climbers you can change the level of resistance that the machine puts out. If you think too much force is going to be a problem for your knees, then simply start on the easiest setting and work your way up. That’s all there is to it.
We hope this list of the best vertical climbers has been helpful.
If there’s anything good that you think we’ve missed, or if you have any questions about anything, then let us know down in the comments below.
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