Review: EgoFit Walker Pro - an under-desk treadmill

My doctor told me that sitting at a desk all day was slowly killing me. So I purchased a standing desk adapter.

Then my doctor said I ought to take better care of my feet. So I purchased a massaging foot mat to go with my standing desk.

Now my doctor says that I need to do more exercise rather than standing still all day. So I purchased a standing desk treadmill.

I suspect my doctor might work for Amazon...

Anyway, this is the popular-on-TikTok EgoFit Walker Pro. It's a short little treadmill with a gentle incline, remote control, and surprisingly passable Android app.

What's in the box?

• 1.8m kettle lead
• 2x bottles of lube
• Allen key for adjustments
• Manual & Quickstart
• Remote and batteries

It is pretty much plug and play. Wheel it where you want - thanks to the front wheels - plug in to power and flick the switch.

Taking it for a spin

Here goes!

Well, yeah, it works! The sound was a bit louder than I was expecting. But it is a sort of low-level white noise which is drowned out by a bit of music.

But how does it sound to people on the receiving end of my endless video calls?

I don't know about you, but that's too quiet for me to easily hear. Perhaps a bit of thumping at the higher speeds. But when I'm talking you really can't hear the walker.

Of course, you may get seasick from seeing me bob up and down!

The 5% incline doesn't sound like much, but it does simulate walking uphill. Depending on your level of fitness and the speed you choose, you'll find yourself working up quite a sweat. Crack open a window unless you want your office to smell like a locker-room.

The app

The remote is pretty simple. Four buttons - start, stop, speed up, slow down. Done. But what if you want a properly programmed workout which speeds up and slows down over time?

Well, the EgoFit has Bluetooth! And an app!!!!

I was prepared for the usual malware infused piece of shit that you usually get with cheap hardware. But... despite the poor reviews on Google Play, it's surprisingly good. And pretty inclusive!

You can skip all the demographic stuff if you want. You can give a fake email and it will happily let you in.

There are a variety of programs for you to try.

If you want to track your steps etc, it's perfectly adequate. One thing to note is that some of the exercise patterns come with "motivational" music. I couldn't find a way to turn that off permanently.

There's also a slightly weird social thing - where you can see how you're doing against other "players".

I get that some people love the "Peloton" social aspect - but it wasn't for me. Thankfully it is optional.

I did some light fuzzing of the Bluetooth and I couldn't quickly connect to it from a 3rd party device. I suspect it isn't that secure - a determined attacker could probably speed you up without your consent. But it is a single button to bring it to a gentle stop, so there's little risk of injury.

Price and verdict

The current price on Amazon is about £360 - depending on what vouchers are on offer. That's mid-range for this sort of equipment. You probably aren't going to be running a marathon on it, or trying to beat Usain Bolt. But for a gentle stroll while working, it's fine.

I'm 80Kg and about 190cm tall. I didn't break it and the length was just right for my stride.

I wrote this entire blog post while walking. I had to re-adjust my keyboard slightly as I found myself subconsciously pushing forward against it. My typos-per-minute didn't seem unduly affected. Doing fine motor actions with a mouse was a little trickier. It took a few moments to adjust to the rhythm and then it just faded into the background.

And I think that's the key. Yes, you could go for a walk in the sunshine for free - but here on rainy island that's not always a possibility. And I can't easily go for a jog around the block when I'm meant to be working. Perhaps a local gym subscription is cheaper? But that means leaving the house, actively making a choice to exercise, and getting sweaty in public.

With this, I don't have to make a choice. It's just there. I have to stand on it to get to my computer. Pressing a single button is less effort than finding my gym clothes.

It is a little heavy - but not that cumbersome. The wheels on the front make it easy to roll away if you need. It will stand on its side quite happily.

If you're still on the Working From Home kick and want your body not to die, then this is a pretty reasonable investment.

I really hope that, next time, my doctor tells me that I need to spend more time playing video games so I can review something a bit more fun!