Matrix ClimbMill vs StairMaster Gauntlet Stepmill vs Life Fitness PowerMill Climbers

A stair climber machine, also known as a stair mill or step mill, is a piece of exercise equipment designed to simulate the act of climbing stairs. It provides a cardiovascular workout by engaging the muscles in the legs, glutes, and core.

Stair climbers are popular in both home and commercial gyms because of their ability to provide a challenging and efficient, sweat-inducing workout while also strengthening and toning the lower body. You can use it as either a warm-up to your workout or a calorie-burning finisher to your routine.

The three most popular stair-climber brands are the Matrix ClimbMill, the StairMaster Gauntlet, and the Life Fitness PowerMill. In selecting among these three fitness machines, you have to consider your fitness goals, preferences, and budget.

In this guide, we compare the top three brands and their variations to help you decide which stair climber best suits your requirements.

Matrix ClimbMill

The Matrix ClimbMill is suitable for home or commercial gyms. Its belt-driven mechanism makes it run quietly and smoothly.

The machine has multiple resistance, speed, and incline settings that make it suitable for workout enthusiasts of all fitness levels. You can easily go from a slow-paced sweat session to an intense leg workout in a matter of minutes. It also has pre-programmed settings that enhance the user experience by providing variety, structure, and convenience, making workouts more enjoyable and effective. Depending on the model, you get to enjoy extra features like a heart-rate monitoring system and entertainment options.

Pros

  • Wide range of resistance, speed, and incline levels that you can customize
  • Pre-programmed workouts
  • Designed for ergonomics, providing a comfortable, secure grip
  • Smooth, belt-driven system that makes it quiet when it's running
  • Most attainable price ranges among the three popular brands

Cons

  • Higher initial cost than other stair climbers

StairMaster Gauntlet

The StairMaster Gauntlet is a classic stair-climbing machine that offers a more challenging workout with its rotating stairs. It has eight steps with different console options, step-rate adjustments, and intensity levels, allowing you to work out at your own pace and preference.

The caveat: the machine is chain-driven so it runs louder compared to other stair climbers.

Pros

  • Rugged design that is suitable for heavy use in your fitness center
  • Ideal for intense cardio workouts that replicate a real stair-climbing motion
  • The revolving staircase design has eight steps, measuring 8 × 12 × 22
  • Offers 20 adjustable step rates from 24 to 162 steps per minute

Cons

  • Lacks comfort features like adjustable handrails and entertainment
  • Louder noises during exercise

Life Fitness PowerMill Climbers

The Life Fitness PowerMill Climber is a motor-driven, revolving staircase. With a large step space and over 20 resistance levels, it can cover your warm-ups up to intense cardio workouts that can burn roughly 360 calories in 45 minutes.

This stair climber features the SureStepSystem Technology, which ensures smooth motion and a wider range of speeds for more workout variations. It provides multiple intensity levels and pre-programmed workouts for users, catering to everyone’s fitness goals.

Pros

  • Smooth and quiet operation that is ideal for home gyms and fitness centers
  • The rotating staircase design makes your workout more challenging while minimizing impact on joints
  • Belt-driven operation which makes it run quietly
  • Includes a large step space and anti-toe-pinch design for secure footing

Cons

  • More expensive than other stair-climbing machines

Factors to Consider: Matrix ClimbMill vs StairMaster Gauntlet vs Life Fitness PowerMill Climbers

Intensity Level of Workout

All options offer an extensive range of resistance levels at 20-26, making every brand and variation a great choice for those looking for slower paces to higher-intensity workouts.

The key difference is that the Matrix ClimbMill and the Life Fitness PowerMill provide a full range of motion through their adjustable settings. Meanwhile, the StairMaster Gauntlet offers a fixed range of motion and mimics actual stair climbing. If you’re looking for more flexibility and a wider range of motions, the ClimbMill or the PowerMill may be your best bets.

Space Consumption

Stair climbers often consume a larger footprint and it’s important to consider the size of the exercise equipment to ensure that it fits into your home gym or fitness center. The Matrix ClimbMill and Life Fitness PowerMill machines are larger in size compared to the StairMaster Gauntlet.

Noise Level

If you’re concerned about noise, the Matrix ClimbMill and the Life Fitness PowerMill are the quieter options. The StairMaster Gauntlet runs on a chain, causing louder sounds.

Maintenance

The Matrix ClimbMill requires occasional maintenance for its electronic components and software updates. Similarly, the Life Fitness PowerMill needs regular software updates and occasional servicing. The StairMaster Gauntlet involves minimal maintenance because of its simple mechanical design—routine cleaning and lubrication are usually sufficient.

Comparison Table of Matrix ClimbMills


Matrix ClimbMill C5x (Remanufactured)

Matrix ClimbMill C7xe (Remanufactured)

Matrix ClimbMill C7Xi (Remanufactured)

Matrix ClimbMill C3x (Remanufactured)

Price

$5,299

$5,099

$5,799

$5,399

Step Depth and Height

10” and 8”

10” and 8”

10” and 8”

10” and 8”

Compatibility

iPod for charging

Nike + iPod, Virtual Active, iPod for video and audio playback, Netpulse, IPTV, Asset Management, mPower

IPTV, RFID, most smartphones and tablets

-

Display

Intuitive LED console display.

15-inch touchscreen display with FitTouch Technology

16-inch class projective capacitive touchscreen LCD

8x16 LED graphic display

Technology

Control Zone sensor, Sweat Management System, Step position software

Vista Clear Television Technology, Step position software, Control Zone sensor, Sweat Management System,

Vista Clear Television Technology, 3-speed personal fan, Virtual Active programming, Sweat Management System, Control Zone

Sweat Management System, ECB modular drive system, Step position software

Comfort and Design

Ergo foam grips on handlebars with pause, stop, and resistance controls, step-up plate, anti-rust design, removable side panels

Optimized handlebar design with Ergo Form grips, rear locking and leveling castors, removable side panels, anti-rust design

Step-up plate, ergo foam grips on the handlebars, integrated controls and accessibility, rear locking, and leveling castors, removable side access panels

Anti-rust design, removable side panels, Ergo Foam grips, integrated pause, stop, and resistance controls

Comparison Table of StairMaster Gauntlets


StairMaster 4 Series Gauntlet w/10” LCD (New)

StairMaster 4 Series Gauntlet w/10” Touch (New)

StairMaster 4 Series Gauntlet w/15” Embedded Display (New)

StairMaster 10 Series 10G Gauntlet w/10 Touch Display (New)

Price

$5,999

$6,499

$9,799

$13,299

Resistance Levels

20

20

20

25

Step Rate

24-162 steps per minute

24-162 steps per minute

24-162 steps per minute

24-190 steps per minute

Step Depth and Height

10” and 7”

10” and 7”

10” and 7”

12” and 8”

Display

Choose between 10’ non-touch, 10’ touch and 15’ OpenHub display

Choose between 10’ non-touch, 10’ touch and 15’ OpenHub display

Choose between 10’ non-touch, 10’ touch and 15’ OpenHub display

LCD 10’ and 15” display

Workout Options

Landmark Challenge program

Landmark Challenge program

Landmark Challenge Program

Standard console program, Landmark Challenge program, OverDrive Training Mode

Comparison Table of Life Fitness PowerMill Models


Life Fitness PowerMill Integrity Series Climber (Remanufactured)

Life Fitness PowerMill w/ Integrity C Console (95PS C WIFI) (Remanufactured)

Life Fitness Discover SE 95PS Elevation PowerMill Climber (Remanufactured)

Life Fitness Discover SI PowerMill Climber (Remanufactured)

Life Fitness Discover 95P SE3 HD PowerMill (Remanufactured)

Life Fitness Discover SE3 95PS PowerMill (Remanufactured)

Life Fitness Discover ST PowerMill (Remanufactured)

Price

$5,999

$6,099

$6,599

$6,299

$6,999

$6,699

$7,299

Resistance Levels

25

0-25

0-25

25

0-25

26

26

Step Depth and Height

-

9.875” and 7.5”

-

-

9.875” and 7.5”

-

9.875” and 7.5”

Heart Monitoring

Lifepulse, DSP, Polar, Telemetry

Contact heart rate


Lifepulse Digital Heart Rate, Polar Compatible

Polar, Telemetry and Bluetooth, Heart Rate, Lifepulse, DSP

Lifepulse, digital contact heart rate, polar, telemetry-compatible heart-rate monitoring system


Max User Weight

400 lbs

4000lbs

400 lbs

400 lbs

400 lbs

400 lbs

400 lbs

Weight

473 lbs

473 lbs

473 lbs

473 lbs

473 lbs

473 lbs

473 lbs

Tech Features


Dual remote stop and speed controls, SureStep technology, dual braking system, bullhorn handlebar design, LED display, 4 available workouts, optional attachable TV,

Connect Bluetooth to compatible headphones and heart rate devices. Save workout results via a QR code.

SureStepSystem Technology, 10-inch LCD touch screen, 21 available workouts, 12-185 steps per minute

16” LCD touchscreen with readouts like speed, incline, heart rate, pace, elapsed time, time distance remaining, calories, 22 languages, includes games and apps, virtual courses, compatible with Apple Watch GymKit and Samsung Galaxy Watch.

Multiple workouts and interactive courses, LCD surface capacitive touch screen, 16-inch screen, Compatible with Android and iOS, wide on-slip two-tone stair pedals, integrated reading rack.

Touchscreen navigation, integrated TV, and display readouts include: speed, incline, heart rate, pace, elapsed time, calories, distance climbed and remaining, dual stop-assist, and auto-detect future

Console



16-inch LCD capacitive touch screen, 3.5mm stereo, USB charging, ethernet, and optional WiFi, Includes a TV, virtual courses, solitaires app

10-inch LCD surface capacitive touch screen, 3.5mm stereo, USB charging, ethernet and optional WiFi, attachable TV option, virtual courses, solitaire app

16-inch LCD capacitive touch screen, 3.5mm stereo, ethernet, and included WiFi, includes a TV, virtual courses, Bluetooth compatible, apps include TV, internet browser, Netflix, Hulu, Pandora Radio, YouTube, ESPN, BBC, Newsy, Economistt

16-inch LCD capacitive touch screen, 3.5mm stereo, ethernet, and included WiFi, includes a TV, virtual courses, Bluetooth compatible, apps include TV, internet browser, Netflix, Hulu, Pandora Radio, YouTube, ESPN, BBC, Newsy, Economistt


Which one should you purchase?

The Matrix ClimbMill, StairMaster Gauntlet, and Life Fitness PowerMill are all quality stair climbers that can stand heavy usage. They are made with top-quality materials, manufactured by trusted brands, and can carry out basic warm-up exercises to higher-intensity cardio workouts.

So, in selecting which one you should purchase, the answer solely depends on your budget, space availability, maintenance capacity, and personal preferences when it comes to design and tech features.

If you need more personalized assistance in choosing the best stair climber to suit your requirements, feel free to contact us at sales.cs@fitnesssuperstore.com.

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