The Octane Q47 elliptical trainer is overall a sweet machine. Two former Life Fitness executives started Octane – so the founders knew something about quality elliptical machines. They decided to start a company that only builds ellipticals, and though there were some quality control issues at the start, these days they are cranking out some impressive equipment.
The Q47 is their top of the line elliptical, and not only is it a quality product, but it has some of the most innovative features found in the industry.
Adjustable Stride Length – There are several companies that offer adjustable elliptical strides, however, Octane offers the widest range. You can adjust the stride from 18″-26″. Why would you want to adjust the stride? First, you want to adjust the stride according to your height. Obviously, shorter people are more comfortable with and shorter stride, and the opposite is true for taller individuals.
Second, regardless of your height, by adjusting the stride you can focus your exercise on different parts of your lower body. For example, at the 18″ stride you can concentrate on your thighs and calves. At a 26″ stride, you emphasize the hamstrings and glutes.
Note: You can adjust the stride and the resistance from buttons in the moveable handlebars – a smart feature.
SmartStride – In conjunction with the adjustable stride, you have the SmartStride program. You can have the Q47 calculate the stride length according to your height and the speed. Moving at slower speeds would be like walking, and when you walk you have a small stride. If you speed up, like running your stride length would increase. The machine sets the stride lengths accordingly.
ArmBlaster – Often people who exercise on an elliptical do not adequately exercise their upper body. Most of the workout is concentrated on the lower body. Consequently, they are defeating the purpose of the combination upper and lower body workout of an elliptical. With the ArmBlaster program, more resistance is placed on the upper body, thereby forcing you to build your upper body muscles.
X-Mode – This program is like having a personal trainer. The machine prompts you to do different exercises like squats, lean back, pedal fast or slow and more.
1.8″ Foot Pedal Distance – This is particularly important to woman. As it was explained to me, men hips go straight down, while women's hips go out and in. This closer foot pedal design can reduce strain to you knees.
280 lbs. Machine Weight – The combination of the weight and the base design give this machine a very solid and stable feel.
Double Rail Design – The problem with some front drive ellipticals is that the pedals run on a rail and consequently you experience a slight shifting from left to right. The Q47 has two rails per pedals. There are two concave wheels, each riding a separate rail, giving it a very stable feel.
You can tell there was considerable thought put into the design, ergonomics and biomechanics of this machine. Furthermore, the variety of innovative programs really takes cross training exercise to a new level. In talking to the manager of an equipment store that sells Octane, he told me they are very durable with few service issues.
There is a reason Octane has become one of the most popular elliptical machines. If you can afford a high-end elliptical, this one is definitely worth considering. MSRP $3600-$4200, depending on the model.
Also check out the Octane Q37 Elliptical Review.