The WalkingPad solves a classic treadmill problem: size and storage. Typically most treadmills are bewildering to move or store, often require a ton of dedicated space for them, and are unsightly placed in your main living space. While many walking focused treadmills are smaller and more portable than their running oriented counterparts, nothing we've seen truly solves the problem quite like the WalkingPad P1. This makes the WalkingPad P1 one of the best treadmill choices for small spaces, apartments or those of us tight on space, storage, or spare rooms.
The WalkingPad P1 is designed to be folded and features wheels that allow it to be rolled into a closet, under a bed, dresser or anywhere you can find an extra 1.4 cubic feet or about the space 5 shoeboxes take up. Many treadmills simply can't be stored, and this makes the WalkingPad truly unique and innovative.
Lastly, while running on a treadmill is an excellent form of exercise, many people find it more sustainable and realistic to walk, even if it's for a much longer time period. The WalkingPad is great to use while watching TV or working at a standing desk and makes forming a good healthy habit easier than running does.
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Pairing with a Standing Desk
At Start Standing, we love standing desks and ways to keep active when spending a lot of time behind a computer. The WalkingPad P1 makes a great companion to any standing desk and gives you another option beyond sitting or standing.
With the astronomical prices of treadmill desk combos, you can save a lot of money buying the treadmill and standing desk portions separately. The WalkingPad P1 would pair well with the ApexDesk Elite or the Jarvis from Fully.
Shipping, Warranty, and Where to Buy
As the WalkingPad can be folded, it makes it one of the very few treadmills that can be shipped through normal parcel shipping as well as being eligible for Prime two-day shipping on Amazon and it requires zero assembly. Pretty impressive.
While WalkingPad does have its own website, the cheapest place to buy one is on Amazon. The P1 would be covered by Amazon's return policy but unfortunately, WalkingPad's warranty on the P1 doesn't extend beyond the 30-day period.
Design and Quality
The design of the WalkingPad P1 won a RedDot Design Award for 2019 and we can see why. Not only is the folding innovative but this doesn't seem to come at the expense of its design or size. When unfolded it's hard to tell that it hinges in the middle.
When it comes to build quality, so many plastic office items we review tend to fall short (standing desks, chairs, stools, etc...). The WalkingPad is an exception. All it takes is one look at the steel hinges and the overall weight (68 pounds!) to realize this is a quality, well-made item. Although the warranty doesn't seem to align with this, we can see the P1 lasting years.
Operation and Setup
The operation of the WalkingPad P1 is natural, intuitive, and most importantly, simple. To set it up you simply unfold the pad (while being very very careful about the noted pinch points - see images below), plug it in, and turn the power on. After this, you can control everything from the remote.
Many treadmills are overly complicated with features, buttons, and dials that you rarely use, especially if you want to focus on walking and are less concerned about running. The walking pad remote only has 4 buttons, which is all you need to operate it.
Our favorite part of its operating mode is the speed up and slow down areas on the tread that allow you to regulate your speed without pressing any buttons.
If you need to make adjustments or if you find the belt is getting pretty hot, you can use the included Allen key and oil to make sure the treadmill is running properly.
The WalkingPad App
The WalkingPad App offers many of the features you might find in a more traditional treadmill, such as calorie counting, recording, and measuring your activity. Like the WalkingPad itself, it's a simple app but has everything you really need.
The app also helps you get started and familiarize yourself with all the features of the WalkingPad by asking you to walk for a period of time at different speeds to get the hang of it.
The connection to the WalkingPad App is via Bluetooth and we had no issues finding the device and connecting to it over and over again as we were storing it after use each day.
Overall
In conclusion, the WalkingPad P1 offers a variety of benefits and solves problems for those of us looking to stay more active in our homes or offices. Many of us want a treadmill in our home but can't justify the price, can't find a permanent space for it, and have no solution for storing it. If you're looking to be more active in your home and have any of the typical concerns of treadmill ownership, consider the WalkingPad P1.
Pictures
WalkingPad P1 Frequently Asked Questions
Here are our answers to the most frequently asked questions about the WalkingPad P1.
What is a WalkingPad P1?
The WalkingPad P1 is a portable treadmill that easily fits under a couch, bed, or in your closet. It also can be paired with a standing desk to create a treadmill desk.
How fast does the WalkingPad P1 go?
The WalkingPad P1 goes as fast as you need to walk in place with a top speed of 3.75 miles per hour. Some people find that they can jog in place, though we wouldn't recommend that.
How many hours per day should you walk while working?
The Mayo Clinic recommends walking 10,000 steps per day, which is the equivalent to 4 to 5 miles. For most people that will take approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Does the WalkingPad P1 have shock absorbers?
The WalkingPad P1 does not appear to have shock absorbers, but you shouldn't need any if you are only walking on it. We recommend using supportive walking shoes if you are using it often.
Can you lose weight with a treadmill desk?
Yes, using a treadmill desk can help you lose weight. However, you won't burn as many calories as you would doing a regular treadmill workout at higher speeds, unless you're walking for longer periods.
Comments
The app doesn’t work. Also to adjust the speed it doesn’t work
I have this as part of my standing desk setup. The app leaves a lot to be desired. I have had no success getting bluetooth to connect on any Android device, old or new. It will pair but will not connect. There are a lot of complaints of this online. Many people are saying, “I have Apple and it works every time” Without the app you are either limited to 1.75 for the speed, or you can manually try to override it by holding the mode button on the remote and the unit itself for several seconds and then scrolling through the settings (according to some online reviews where people also could not get the app to function). I have tried to use this manual process and have not had any success. That said, 1.75 is plenty fast for walking while working. If you are going to use this at your standing desk, it is a good product out of the box. If you want to practice speed walking, or desire the activity tracking features, you may be up against some technical challenges.
This is a follow up comment regarding the App. I found a vague comment elsewhere stating “unpair, you’re welcome”
I have finally had success connecting the app on an Android phone. If you have already paired the WalkingPad to your device, unpair it. Go straight to the app and connect from the App only. If this is your first time setting up, go straight to the App, DO NOT PAIR before going to the app. If on subsequent uses, the app can not find the walkingpad again, unpair the walking pad and go straight to the app. Bluetooth on my device settings shows “disconnected” and does not even show the WalkingPad in the list of devices. Regardless it is working fine in the app and the app shows Device Connected.