None of this is to say that the workouts on the Vault won’t get your heart pumping—I’m constantly dripping sweat at the end of the strength workouts.
Equipment Requirements
You can purchase either the Vault: Complete or Standalone. It’s about a $1,000 difference between the two versions; both options include free delivery and setup.
The Vault: Complete includes the following:
- 30-Day iFIT Family Membership (more on the membership details below.)
- An exercise mat
- 2 yoga blocks
- 3 mini-resistance bands in light, medium, and heavy weights
- 3 larger loop resistance bands in light, medium, and heavy weights
- 5- to 30-pound dumbbells
- 20- and 30-pound kettlebells
- Shelves
- A cleaning towel for the mirror
The Vault: Standalone only includes the 30-day membership, shelving, and cleaning towel.
If you’re able to, spring for the complete version. All of the equipment fits neatly into the shelving. Your own equipment will probably fit within the mirror’s storage, but it’s a risk. (Something to note: The exercise mat didn’t fit inside my Vault because of how the delivery team set up the shelves. I wasn’t paying close attention because I was working during the set-up. The team was extremely friendly so it would’ve been super easy to ask them to rearrange the shelves to fit the mat. If you’re unsatisfied with the shelving, you can also adjust them yourself!)
The best part about having all of the equipment in one place was that I could adjust my weights as much as I needed. During breaks, if I felt that my muscles could go heavier (or that I desperately needed to switch to lighter weights), I could open the Vault as the instructor continued to speak, grab what I needed, and be ready for the next circuit in time. For most workouts, my workout area would be littered with three different sets of dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands.
Regular Software Updates
I haven’t noticed system upgrades, but I was told that the Vault’s updates focus on protecting data, enhancing security, fixing bugs, and boosting program performance. Updates typically go through automatically after an hour of idle time.
Cost
The NordicTrack Vault isn’t cheap, regardless of whether you get it with equipment. With equipment, the entire system costs $2,999; for just the Vault alone, it’s $1,999. Delivery and assembly are included in both.
Your purchase comes with a 30-day trial of iFIT’s Family Membership, but eventually, you’ll need to pay for an actual subscription to access their workouts. A monthly family plan is $39; but paying for a yearly family plan at $369 upfront will save you $99—so it’s definitely the smarter decision if you’re ready to commit. iFIT’s family plans allow you and up to four additional people to access iFIT’s database under one subscription. So you could use the Vault, your mom could use NordicTrack’s treadmill, and your friend could use the app at a gym. Each person can create their own profile so that no one’s workouts interfere with another. The annual individual plan is $144 (and allows for only one account).
Other Stuff to Keep in Mind
App
The app opens the door on iFIT’s database of workouts for all of NordicTrack’s products. You can access workouts for specific machines—treadmill, bike, rower, elliptical—and join challenges with other users. There are other types of workouts, such as runs at scenic locations around the world, which are great to watch and truly break up the monotony of logging miles on a treadmill. The Vault offers about a dozen non-studio destination workouts such as yoga in Bermuda, a dumbbell strength routine in Portugal, and a HIIT workout in front of the Seljalandsfoss Waterfall in Iceland.
Customization
When you start a workout, a bar appears at the top of the screen showing the total estimated calories burned, time remaining in the workout (or actual time of day), and estimated calories burned per hour. An algorithm—as well as a user’s metrics (age, height, weight, etc.) —is used to estimate calorie burn by factoring in each exercise, duration of the movement, and estimated heart rate throughout the movement. My one gripe is how calorie-focused these metrics are. I prefer to focus on the movements and keep a pulse on how my body feels during the workouts. So for most workouts, I hide that entire bar from view by swiping up.
Music and Volume
Workouts aren’t timed to specific songs on a playlist. Instead, a “radio” station with set songs starts playing as soon as the workout begins. It’s more like background music; it’s not curated by trainers. You can select different types of music—pop, R&B, country, etc.—but again, neither you nor the trainer has real control over what’s played. If you’re someone who likes to push themselves for 30 seconds of a specific song, you won’t find that here.