I recently added a walking pad / minimal treadmill to a workspace in Casa Griffin, so I thought I’d do a little post on it. Readers, do you have a desk treadmill or walking pad in your office? What are your thoughts on the products you’ve bought — and what would you recommend to others considering it?
How to Set Up a Walking Pad In Your Office
What to Look For in a Desk Treadmill or Walking Pad For Your Office
I looked through a lot of reviews and articles on which walking pad to get for your office, and… they all kind of look the same and cost the same. I zeroed in on a few specific products that I’d seen recommended here or in Facebook groups — specifically the DeerRun 3 in 1 (the one I ultimately got, currently under $300), the UREVO Under Desk Treadmill, and the Sperax walking pad — and figured I’d compare those models before expanding or concluding my search.
We intended to use the walking pad with a standing desk, so we weren’t too concerned with handrails or the like. I’ve always hated running on treadmills so I wasn’t interested in running on the walking pad at all — just a leisurely walk for me, thanks! — so the top speed didn’t matter.
The two things that mattered the most to me were 1) the width of the treadmill, because I was worried about missteps, and 2) how loud the walking pad was.
(You may also want to pay attention to the weight limits on the treadmill, or the total weight of the treadmill — there was a big variation in both of those numbers. If I wanted the option to fold it up or move it around, a 70 lb. walking pad might not be as ideal as the 42 lb. option.)
The Width of the Belt on the Treadmill or Walking Pad
Of the options we looked at, most were around 15.5-17″ wide. This isn’t very wide! The belt on the one we got is 43 “x 16”, and it’s fine… but if I were to buy it again I’d probably look harder for a wider belt.
Note that this information isn’t immediately clear from the dimensions that are the easiest to find. For example, the three models I was looking at had a range of depth from 18.4″-26.4″ — but that’s the width of the entire product, not just the belt.
(By contrast, a typical running treadmill belt goes up to 22″ wide.)
How to Know How Loud Your Walking Pad Will Be
Most product descriptions discussed horsepower, but only one discussed decibels. This was something I hadn’t considered before, but NO, I did not want to have a crazy loud treadmill. It would be fine if it were, but I was hoping to watch videos or take the occasional Zoom call, so having a loud whirring sound would not be ideal.
This information was also missing from a lot of products — the one we got noted that it was 60 decibels. It’s definitely loud enough that I wouldn’t want to use it while someone else was in the room working. I could take a call with it, but having a headset or AirPods in would be vastly preferable to using the speaker, though that’s probably true whether you’re on a walking pad or not.
(The one we got also had a higher horsepower than a lot of the others we looked at — 3 HP vs. 2.25 HP — which I think also usually has something to do with how loudly it’s working.)
What Standing Desk to Get For Your Walking Pad
You may already have a standing desk for your walking pad, in which case you’re set! We did not have one, and tossed around various makeshift ideas before deciding, eh, let’s just buy something off Amazon. (Various makeshift ideas we had: Card table stacked with books! Somehow using a nearby shelf! Finding a used standing desk on Facebook Marketplace!
Our standing desk was less than $125, which was cheap enough that we could disregard the options as being more of a hassle than a cost-saving measure.
There are desks of different widths, obviously. When we looked, we were thinking that we didn’t necessarily need a huge workspace, but we wanted to keep an old laptop on the desk… I had hoped for a space for a notepad or the like.
We wound up getting a desk that was 48″, which accommodates all of that (and more). The desk came in four width options, 40″ to 63″, and in four finishes, but we just got the cheapest option (Rustic Brown, 48″) because it was going into an out of the way spot.
In general, the desk is better than I had hoped — the mechanism to rise/lower it is smooth and easy, and once you get it to a height you like, you can unplug the desk, freeing up a spot on your outlet strip.
What Else to Get With Your Walking Pad and Desk
We’ve added an extra monitor, keyboard, and mouse to the space, all to connect to an old laptop that had lousy battery power. We also keep a notepad and pen nearby. I’ve seen a lot lately about how women ought to be walking with weighted vests, so I might get one of those to keep nearby. (The desk has a few handy hooks on the side, as you can see from the photo.) We also keep a phone charger and Fitbit charger nearby.
Something else to consider is whether you want a rubber pad to go underneath your walking pad — great if you’re in a rickety upstairs apartment! We didn’t bother with this step, and it’s fine.
How to Track Steps on a Walking Pad Desk
This is a key tip if you want to track steps: You cannot wear your Fitbit or Apple Watch on your wrist and have it track steps — it only does that if you’re swinging your arms. I find it tracks my steps fine if it’s in my pants pocket. Another option: tucking it into a sock, or using an ankle strap like this one from B-Great.
How We Like Our Walking Pad
I really like it — it’s convenient, and an easy way to get more steps in. Am I using it as much as I’d hoped? Of course not, because I’m horrible at working out (plus, the old laptop is a bit slow, so that’s annoying if I’m actually trying to work while walking). My older son likes it also (and my husband hasn’t tried it yet). But for the prices we paid for everything I think it’s a great way to get a few more steps in.
Readers, do you have a walking pad set up in your home office or work office? What are your thoughts on the products you’ve bought, best practices for using it, etc.?
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