Bowflex Vs. Nordictrack

Shannon ClarkLast Updated: December 24, 2019

When looking at fitness equipment to purchase, without a doubt, one of the top things on your list to do is consider the brand names. Certain brands just come with the security of knowing they are well-made and have been around for quite some time.

Even the most price-conscious consumers will often choose a brand they recognize despite it costing a little more than choosing a brand that’s new to the scene and one they are not quite sure of.

Two names that are very well recognized however are Bowflex and NordicTrack. What’s behind these brands? How will they help you achieve your fitness goals? How do they stack up?

Let’s check out the Bowflex vs. NordicTrack comparison.

Let’s take a closer look at how these compare.

Claim To Fame

Behind every good brand is a kick-start. For Bowflex, this was their traditional strength training series line, which consisted of a weight free way to build strength and muscle. These machines were very popular in the home workout space because customers were able to simply use one machine to do over 90 different exercises. The machine offered variable resistance levels, all without having to change a single weight stack.

This made it very popular since it was unique and different – something to catch attention.

With NordicTrack, this brand made its claim to fame with ski machines, which would allow users to get the skiing experience even when there wasn’t any snow on the ground. These were great for those who skied competitively as well as for those who were simply looking to get a different type of workout session in.

From there, they went on to develop other pieces of cardio equipment and have now become the main brand player that we know today.

Now Known As…

It’s important to know as you shop that both of these brands can go by other names. As they’ve expanded, their core name has changed. Bowflex is also known as Nautilus, so if you’ve ever seen equipment made by this company before, you know that it’s Bowflex at work. Some people may recognize Nautilus from commercial gym equipment as they make a whole line of machines that are top quality for commercial use.

Likewise, NordicTrack is owned by ICON Fitness, so if you ever hear people talking about ICON, you know that they are also referring to NordicTrack. ICON Fitness makes two brands and NordicTrack is the more budget friendly brand. This does not mean low quality however. These machines are made with the same precision and care that all their equipment is made with. They just don’t have all the same bells and whistles that impact price.

Machine Types

Which now brings us to machine types. This is where you see more of a spread. The Bowflex has simply expanded and offers many different types of machines, so if you’re someone who is interested in cardio variety, you might find that this brand is easier to work with.

This brand includes Max Trainer, LateralX, Elliptical, Treadclimber, and HVT, all of which offer a slightly different pattern of movement. Do keep in mind that certain people will have certain preferences and this can greatly impact adherence rates. If the Bowflex has a machine that you find comfortable and enjoyable to use because of how you move on it, this can be a very good thing for your results.

When looking at NordicTrack, we see only two options, the Elliptical and Freestride Trainer.

Warranties

As you shop, also consider the warranty. When you make an investment in a machine, you want to ensure that your investment is protected.

Bowflex falls a bit short here. If you purchase one of their higher up models – one that is very advanced and more costly, you’ll get a much better warranty with it. But the lower end models kind of leave you hanging. You get just a single warranty, which is going to be less than optimal for most people. If things go wrong, they usually do so after the one year period is up. Unless you are a heavy user and really work that machine hard during that initial period.

For NordicTrack, the warranty stands out above the rest. They offer two years on labor and five years on parts and frame, so you are well covered. Most often if you have warranty related issues, they’ll occur in this time period and beyond five years, most people are already shopping for a new machine.

iFit Enabled

With the advancements now in technology, more and more people are turning to iFit as a means of helping to stay on track with their fitness journey.

The good news is that both of these machines come complete with iFit, so you won’t have to worry about going at it alone. Of course you are required to purchase the iFit membership on its own, but it is available for those who want it.

Affordability

As price is a main concern for many people, how does the affordability of these machines stack up? Good in both cases.

You can find a Bowflex machine for under $1000 so this will work for many of those on a strict budget. Most will be slightly over $1000 or ranging up into the $2000 range, however there is a wide range so no matter what you need, you can likely find a solution.

With NordicTrack, you’ll also find some machines priced down in and around the $1000-14000 mark. Other more advanced models do go higher, but they cap off and then you’d be getting into the higher end line of ICON Fitness, Proform, which his their more advanced brand.

Drive Location

Finally, considering the drive location, NordicTrack is superior as they make front, rear and center drive machines. While this may not seem like that exciting of news to you, it does impact how big the machine is, so you may find it becomes more important when trying to work with the space set-up you have.

The Bowflex only has front drive machines, so there is slightly less option here. The good news is front drives are usually smaller than back drives, but not as small as center drives. So you’ll be right in the middle, size-wise.

So there you have a closer look at the key comparisons between Bowflex vs. NordicTrack. Both brands are excellent choices and no matter which you choose, you can rest assured you are getting a good machine.