The STEPR is the first connected fitness stair climber designed for the home. Something that feels long overdue given how popular stair climbers have become over the past few years. Similar to Peloton, it connects to a variety of classes and entertainment options through an attached touchscreen. Also similar to Peloton, the design of STEPR takes it above and beyond what has previously been available.
STEPR – Video Review
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STEPR design
Above all else, the design is where the STEPR really shines. The company here has made several very smart decisions that separate this from anything else.
First off, the build quality displayed here is excellent from the welded steel and molded casing to the textured stairs and 27-inch HD touch screen that can rotate 360 degrees. Not only is the STEPR built to last, but it looks great within a home.
Another design choice that makes this really unique among home stair climbers is how compact it is. With a footprint of just 3.5 feet long and 2.4 feet wide, the STEPR takes up less space than a treadmill or even an exercise bike.
Part of what helps create the smaller footprint is that the rotating steps are only 5.2” high. While some may prefer a higher step height, I feel like the smaller steps will be more than adequate for most. The step height also allows for accessibility since not everyone can keep up with the extra large steps stair climbing machines tend to have.
The STEPR weighs a hearty 286 lbs, but it is still fairly easy to move around. Given the narrow design, it can easily fit through any standard door (unlike treadmills). There are also an included pair of transport handles that you can screw into the base to create more leverage and control when wheeling it around.
STEPR screen and controls
The 27-inch HD Touchscreen and included speakers look and sound great. They can also be tilted up or down by 45 degrees and rotated 360 degrees. The ability to fully rotate the screen allows it to be well suited for activities off the STEPR, like when taking its strength, mobility, or boot camp classes.
Directly below the screen is a phone holder (which can also charge your phone via an available USB-C port on the screen). Further down is an extra large bottle holder and two additional narrow storage slots.
On each side is a rail, as well as two additional handholds. The left handhold has a start, pause, and stop button, and the right handhold has buttons that allow you to increase or decrease your speed.
In terms of speed, STEPR has 25 different levels. The lowest setting brings you to as slow as 24 steps per minute, and the highest setting brings you to as fast as 137 steps per minute. At that pace, you pretty much have to jog to keep up – so likely faster than most people will ever want to go.
STEPR safety
One of the things that I get concerned with when testing out a climber for home use is the level of safety – both for the user as well as for kids or animals who may be nearby.
Here, the STEPR goes above and beyond with not just two manual stops but also with infrared sensors below the machine. When triggered, the sensor will alert you and stop the STEPR, making injury unlikely in the case you fall or an animal walks by.
STEPR membership
It is important to remember that the STEPR just started shipping out, so whatever I write here is likely to be outdated as time goes on (another great reason to keep checking in with Connect The Watts!)
As of now, STEPR comes with its all-access membership free of charge and allows for up to five separate profiles to be made. The company says they want to continue to add and evolve the membership and will only charge an optional subscription should they put together an experience truly worth it.
What’s currently available is access to instructor-led studio classes, scenic classes, a variety of entertainment options (Netflix, YouTube, etc.), and a Quick Step mode if you want to just see your metrics.
Included as entertainment is an integration with Spotify and soon-to-come Feed.fm. While Netflix and YouTube are the current streaming apps available, Disney Plus, Hulu, and Amazon Prime should also be added as soon as this month.
What’s nice here is you can start up a quick workout and then open up or change between any of these integrations without stopping your workout. Once selected, you can also choose between picture-in-picture or set up your metrics within a line that can be moved to wherever you’d like on the screen. It’s very slick and easily one of the best implementations of entertainment media that I’ve seen in a connected fitness device.
STEPR classes
The classes themselves (both in-studio and scenic) feel like a good start but don’t have close to the production value of something like Peloton. The in-studio instructors are good, but the set-up and minimalistic background feel fairly low-budget. The scenic climbs are more disappointing, with an instructor standing still and talking for much of it and chopped-up footage that looks like it was taken on a phone.
However, one thing that I am impressed with is the level of communication on display here between STEPR and its members. It is one of the best I’ve seen, with a clear roadmap and timeline for features in development. This helps me feel more confident that the classes and content will improve dramatically in the near future.
In addition to what I’ve already mentioned, the roadmap for December includes the ability to connect via Bluetooth to headphones and heart rate monitors, Paramount Plus and YouTube TV being added, and Milestones and Badges to be earned. Next year should bring even more updates, including a companion app, more entertainment options, and integrations with Apple Heart, Garmin, Strava, and others.
Final thoughts
Despite the minor issues I have with some of the classes so far, STEPR is easily the best at-home stair stepper I have seen. It looks great and feels even better to use.
The connected fitness aspects like classes, entertainment, and scenic routes are a mixed bag right now, but it’s hard to expect much from a service like this that has literally just been released. Not to mention, there is currently no cost for the membership. Given the level of communication STEPR has with its community, I believe the connected fitness service will improve quite dramatically over the next several months.
While it has a more premium price of $4,999, the cost feels as justified as can be, given the quality on display here. So if you love using a stair climber and want one of the best that feels truly designed for the home, I highly recommend it.
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