​Vertical climber machines have been proven time and time again to be one of the best exercising machines for ​kicking your cardiovascular system into shape. But, what most of us seem to ignore is that vertical climber machines (and climbing exercises) are best at targeting your core and lower body muscles like no other, plus the fact that it eliminates the need for you to do any annoying sit-ups and squats.

​Vertical climber machine targets your quads, calves, glutes, hip flexors and your abs ​in one single movement that none of the other at-home cardio equipment can offer. In other words, one single climbing move is equivalent to doing several bodyweight exercises like burpees, sit-ups, lunges, and squats.

​This is one of the main reasons why vertical climber machine is very popular at-home and gym equipment that's able to combine so many different exercising moves into one single highly targeting and effective movement. ​

In other words, if you are looking for an at-home exercising machine that is the best at targeting your core, lower body muscles and gets your heart pounding at the same time, then vertical climber machine is ​the best at that.  

​Before buying any type of vertical climber machine, it's best to look at the benefits and features that a climber machine will be offering you, which will make your decision of purchasing or not purchasing a bit easier, and that's precisely what I'm going to do prior to reviewing the best and top rated vertical climber machines.

A QUICK PRODUCT OVERVIEW

​Best vertical climber machines- THE BENEFITS

My advice to anyone who wants to invest in an exercising machine is to know exactly what you are trying to achieve with an exercise machine, before going ahead and invest in one.

That's why it's an excellent idea to look at the benefits that an exercise machine can offer, and that will help you to make an informative decision based on facts and not assumptions.

1- More calories in less time. Climbing and vertical climber machines, in particular, have been proven to make your body burn more calories in less time when compared to elliptical and treadmill machines. The repetitive climbing movement in itself forces your body to balance, coordinate and strengthen your muscles all at the same time which puts your body under extra pressure to use more effort and force​ and that ​leads to more calories burnt in comparison to ​any other exercising machines.

2- Low impact. I love low-impact exercising machines. When it comes to sports and exercising in general, injuries are the worse thing that can happen to anyone who wants to stay active. Low-impact machines take that worry away and make working out more enjoyable. Besides, if you are worried about your back or have back problems and wondering if a climber machine is a right choice, then let me assure you that climber machine is back friendly and won't put any pressure on your back during a workout.

3- Easy and straightforward to use. Vertical climber machine is suitable for all ages regarding usability and simplicity. Whether this is your first ever exercising machine or not, you will find it very easy to use and operate with no instructions are needed whatsoever. All you need to do is hop on it and start paddling away, it's as simple as that.

4- Most compact machine. There's no doubt that vertical climber machine is the most space-saving and compact workout machine when compared to elliptical, treadmills and other popular exercising equipment. All you need to worry about is, of course, the height if you are planning to use it in a basement or place with a low ceiling.

5- Abs and lower body. As I said before, If you are looking for a machine that will immensely help you to get strong core and glutes, then vertical climber machines will go a long way in achieving that for you.

6- Upper body workout. Despite that I firmly believe that climber machines are the best for core and lower body, they are also very effective at strengthening your chest, arms, lats, and your upper and lower back. The truth is that to get a strong core, you must strengthen your back and your obliques. The climbing movement targets all of these areas, which will go a long way in getting you that strong core that you always wanted.

7- Fits every budget. If you are looking for workout equipment that will beat your body into shape without breaking the bank, then a vertical climber machine is what you are looking for.

8- Balance and coordination. Since you are moving upwards while fighting gravity, your body is automatically challenged to stay balanced and coordinated, and that also means that your muscles are working extra harder to keep your body in the right climbing position, which is a challenging thing to do. Balance and coordination is another reason why you will be burning more calories than using exercising equipment that doesn't as much balance and coordination.

Best vertical climber machines- THE FEATURES

​When you are getting a vertical climber machine, some features are a must-have and others are just extra accessories that you might not find them necessary.  That's why it's really important to look closely at their features before investing in one. Let 's look at the most essential features, and they are:

1- Adjustable height. Depending on your height, most vertical climbers can be adjusted to accommodate your individual height. Vertical climber machines are around 6 feet in height, so you need to make sure that you have enough height space when purchasing one.

2- Foldable. Although that vertical climbers are already very compact in design, they are also designed to fold up to save you even more space.

3- For all body types. High-quality vertical climber machines are designed to accommodate people of all body types. Regardless of your size, be assured that these machines are designed to give you a very good full-body workout.

4- Sturdiness and stability. Again, this will depend on the quality of the climber that you are getting. A gym quality ones are surprisingly very sturdy and stable. Despite that, they look like that they might tip over at any time, but the truth is that climber machines are designed to be as durable as an elliptical or any other workout machine.

5- Weight capacity. Weight capacity depends on the make itself. Some will hold up to 440lbs+ and others will take up to 200lbs in weight capacity. This is a very important feature, and you must always get one that has the highest weight capacity. From my personal experience, higher weight capacity means that it's much sturdier and durable than a machine that holds less in weight capacity.  

6- Assembly. Most vertical climber machines​ (if not all) come 90%  assembled, and all you need to do is unpack them, attach a few pieces together and start using them straight away.

7- Noisy?. This is probably the only downside to owning a climber machine. They tend to produce a bit of noise, and that might annoy some people. The good news is that the noise is not excessive and you will get used to it right ​after a short while.

​Best vertical climber machines- TOP RATED

1- MaxiClimber vertical machine

​Maxiclimber is one of the first in the fitness world that revolutionized the climbing exercise and made everyone realize that you can do climbing exercises at home and burn a ton of calories. Maxiclimber vertical climber machine is the best seller and the most popular climbing machine in the world and rightly so.

​Popularizing one of the most challenging exercises in the fitness world and make everyone having fun while doing ​it is not an easy task to accomplish. But guess what? They emphatically succeeded in doing so, and that's why they are the best in the business if making vertical climber machines.

When you look closely at the Maxiclimber, you see that it has a very simplistic look and design where you instantly get the feeling that this climber is very easy to use and looks very durable and sturdy, which is precisely what you are going to get with Maxiclimber. ​

​The main reason why the Maxiclimbers are very easy to get used to is that they are ergonomically designed to accommodate all body types and have the adjustable height feature, which gives you the peace of mind that it will adjust to your weight and height.

The other thing to remember is that it supports up to 240lbs, which shows how durable this climber is but that doesn't mean it's not lightweight. As a matter of fact, it's pretty lightweight and can be folded easily for quick storage.

Maxiclimber comes 90% assembled, so you don't have to spend hours trying to assemble it from scratch. It will probably take you 15-20 mins to assemble which is nothing when compared to other exercising equipment where on average you will be spending 1-2 hrs trying to assemble.

If you are looking for a vertical climber that is very easy to use, affordable and very durable, then this is one for you.

2- RELIFE Vertical Climber

Relife is a brand that's known for making a high-quality exercising equipment, and that's no different when it comes to their vertical climber machines. The thing that I really love about this brand is that they always take exercising equipment and make it even better that it already is and that's exactly what they did with the vertical climber machine.

 The first thing that you will notice is that this climber feels much sturdier than most vertical climbers out there. Despite that is designed similarly to other vertical climbers, the Relife climber feels much sturdier and durable, and that's probably because of the square steel tube design.

This limber supports up to 250lbs in weight capacity, but this doesn't mean that you can't use it if you are over 250lbs. Some people who are over 250lbs who have used it were amazed at how stable and durable it was, which again doesn't surprise me one bit.

When it comes to the height issue, Relife climber comes with 5 adjustable height levels to accommodate your body type and height. And also, it folds up for easy and quick space saving storage.

​The only thing that I didn't like is that you have to assemble it yourself, which is not ideal entirely. However, assembling a vertical climber is not as complicated or as time-consuming as assembling a home gym. All in all, it might take around 30-40mins to put it together, which is not bad at all.

​If your number 1 worry is durability and stability, the Relife climber is made to last for a lifetime.

3- ​Merax Vertical Climber

​Merax vertical climber is a heavy-duty climber that will last a lifetime. You might have guessed it already, the very first thing (and probably the only thing) that I always look at and worry about (before worrying about the other bells and whistles) is the quality of the build. You will instantly know whether exercising equipment is worth the investment or not by its design and the material is constructed from.

​The first thing you will notice with Merax vertical is that it's constructed from square steel, which gives it the durability and stability that you are looking for in a vertical climber. The other thing to keep in mind that the Merax vertical climber can hold up to 350lbs, which is another​ indication as to why this the climber is much more stable and durable than so many vertical climbers out there.

It also comes with 5 adjustable height levels to accommodate all body types just like the Relife climber and Maxiclimber. As you know that this is a must-have feature in all vertical climbers ​because it lets your body to be in a correct posture​ during workouts. The other reason why you must get an adjustable climber is that working out with a proper posture prevents injuries.

The other good news is that you can fold it up in seconds and it comes partially assembled where it will take you around 30mins to fully assemble it.

A the end of the day what separates Merax climber from the rest is its weight capacity, which is much higher than most climbers.

4- Rxlife Vertical Climber

Rxlife vertical climber is another heavy-duty exercising machine that's built to take whatever you are going to throw at it. Just like the Merax climber, this climber is constructed to hold up to 330lbs, which tells you how durable and sturdy this machine is.

The square steel tube design makes it even more stable and sturdy than climbers that made from circle steel tube design, and that's something that you should consider when looking for a very sturdy piece of equipment.

It comes with 5 adjustable height levels, and it's foldable. The thing that impresses the most about this climber is that it can be easily adjusted and folded up in seconds.

​The Rxlife vertical climber is very popular because of its durable construction and weight capacity which makes it one of the best vertical climbers on the market right now.

5- Miageek Vertical Climber

Miageek Vertical Climber is 2 in 1 exercising machine that you can use it as a climber and a stationary bike. If you are looking for a compact climber/bike machine that's very easy to use and made from almost 100% steel material, then Miageek climber/bike is one of the best.

The good news is that they do sell the climber separately without the bike. So, if you are only looking for a climber and don't want the bike feature, then you can purchase the climber separately, and it's cheaper that way.

The bike feature is added ​to let you warm up and cool down before and after working out, which is very important to prevent muscle cramps and injuries in general. Most people underestimate the importance of warm-ups and cool-downs, which is why most of us get muscle cramps (during and after exercises), and our muscle recovery takes longer than usual. Light biking is one of the most effective and safest ways to slightly elevate your heart rate,  warm up your muscles and gets your body ready for exercise.

That's not all, the Miageek climber has all the bells and whistles that you come to expect from a top-rated vertical climber, and they are:

1- It supports up to 220lbs in weight capacity.

2- It has 5 adjustable height levels to fit all/most body ​types.

3- It folds up for easy and quick storage.

4- climber/bike combination option (climber can be bought separately).

​5- Comes in 3 different colors to choose from (blue, pink and orange).

​6- It's very easy to assemble, and it shouldn't take more than 30-45 mins to be fully assembled.

​Whether you are going to get the climber/bike combo or just the climber, what you are getting is a high-quality vertical climber that will most definitely help you shred calories and tone up at the comfort of your home.

​Final thought

There is no doubt that vertical climber machines are very effective for weight loss and muscles toning. If that's what you want to do, then vertical climbers are the best option if you are ​looking for a compact machine that is effective and affordable at the same time.

​In my humble opinion, there are a few things that you must keep in mind before buying a vertical climber, such as:

1- Weight capacity. Greater weight capacity means the machine is very sturdy and durable.

2- Adjustable height levels to accommodate your body type. Remember that not all climbers provide this feature so make sure that the machine you are buying is equipped with this feature.

3- Climber/bike combo. There are so many climbers that offer the bike extension. What you are getting is 2 weight loss proven machines in one that will not take a lot of space and very affordable.

​But always remember that not all climber/bike combo machines are gym quality, and that's why you really need to do your homework before investing in a vertical climber.