Nordictrack Freestrider Trainer FS9i review: What you need to know before you buy

The Nordictrack Freestride Trainer FS9i is currently the premium version of the Freestride elliptical, which comes with all the extra bells and whistles you don’t get with the FS7i or FS5i models.

The great advantage of the Freestride trainer is that it is like a new and improved elliptical trainer. Instead of the traditional crank-connected pedal, it uses a floating suspension system.

This removes the traditional limits of a set stride length that you get with standard ellipticals. Basically, you can set your own stride length: up to 38 inches (traditional elliptical stride is about 18 to 20 inches).

In fact, you set the pace yourself based on the force and direction in which you press the pedals. So you can take short strides to climb stairs, longer strides to jog, or even longer strides to jump over obstacles.

This means you can constantly change your movement and ultimately get a much more effective workout overall.

The Freestride Trainer FS9i also comes with an incline and decline option that other models don’t have to add even more cross training to your workouts. Incline and Decline changes the slope of your running route and is great for adding more cross-training challenge and burning more calories.

Another benefit of this trainer is that you get the largest full color web browser Nordictrack makes (full 10 inches). You can surf the web while you exercise, read emails, or catch up on the latest business news. This is a great way to keep yourself entertained (or distracted) while you exercise.

And this trainer also integrates with iFit LIVE. So you can go online and download new workouts to your machine or track your workout stats over time.

You can also choose to run famous trails around the world, from Hawaii to Paris to Sydney. Actual landmarks scroll across the console screen to give your workout a virtual reality feel, very cool.

The Nordictrack Freestride Trainer FS9i also has incline and resistance controls on the movable arm bars, something you don’t find on the FS5i model. So you can change your resistance or incline from the movable arm bars, without reaching for the console (and stopping your upper body workout).

A final benefit of this machine is that you also get more resistance levels than the other models, so there is more room to grow and challenge yourself as you get in better shape.

Those are some of the main advantages of the Nordictrack FS9i Freestrider. Are there any drawbacks?

Well, the only major drawback is that this is a luxury machine at a luxury price. Priced at over $2000, it’s not for the buyer on a budget. If you want the benefits of the Freestride trainer design at a more affordable price, you can go for the simpler FS5i model which is around $1000 less.

If you don’t plan on heavy or frequent use of your trainer (and don’t mind having the web browser or tilt), you may be fine with the FS7i or FS5i model. So it really depends on what you’re looking for.

But if you’re looking for something beyond a traditional elliptical trainer with the ability to set your own pace and get a more effective lower-body workout, the Nordictrack Freestride Trainer FS9i is definitely worth a look.