Working flat out on the KingSmith WalkingPad R1 Pro
16/11/2021
Translation: Julia Graham
Support: Anne Chapuis
Anne Chapuis has perfected the office gym. She clocks up as many as 25 km on her WalkingPad every work day. The treadmill is good but not everything is on point.
Anne makes progress while going nowhere. Above the table top, she works with our translation team to make sure digitec and Galaxus look good in English, French and Italian. Below the table top, it’s all about keeping fit. As soon as she opens her door on Monday morning with her gym outfit on, I know she doesn’t do half measures. Her home office with standing desk resembles a command centre. It looks efficient and well thought out. Underneath it, I spot the «KingSmith WalkingPad R1 Pro». KingSmith is a Beijing brand connected with Xiaomi. And the R1 Pro is a fluke of a treadmill that keeps you on your toes at speeds up to 10 km/h. «I’ve been using it for three weeks now and I’ve walked about 300 km,» Anne tells me. «Although a few kilometres seem to be missing from the stats, the app didn’t work at all on a few of the days.» Together, Anne and I are going to look at where the device picks up points and where it lags behind.
Delivery and servicing
I’ve already had the pleasure of carrying a full-blown treadmill (article in German) into a flat and setting it up. It was a difficult and sweaty affair. Which is why the first thing I want to know this time is what has to be done before it can be used. «It comes fully installed,» Anne says. The 38 kg device can be folded in the middle, fits easily into a cardboard box and is ready to use in an instant.
«If you’re walking all day, you need to oil the treadmill now and again,» Anne explains. The company doesn’t specify any maintenance intervals. «There isn’t any kilometre indication. Instead they say you’re supposed to oil it when the belt heats up too fast.» To demonstrate, Anne lifts up the back part of the belt, and the running surface separates from the plastic underneath with a squishing sound. «That’s normal,» she reassures me. You drizzle silicone oil under the belt, and then it runs like clockwork again. If it slides to one side, you can centre it again with a few turns of an Allen key.
Setting it up and storing it away
When it’s unfolded, the treadmill is 146 cm long, 72 cm wide and at most 15.5 cm in height. When it’s folded and stored upright, it doesn’t take up any more space than a suitcase. It also has transport casters that make it easier to manoeuvre about the flat. «My only criticism is that the power cable isn’t that well thought out,» says Anne. «You have to unplug it before you fold up the pad, otherwise it gets in the way.» She thinks it would have been better to put the port on the side.
Walking and running
The treadmill only gets folded up and pushed against the wall at weekends. From Monday to Friday, it’s constantly on the go. Today is no exception – as Anne gets on with her work, the belt creaks into motion. While the motor is relatively quiet, you can hear each step resonate around the room. «You get used to the noise quite quickly,» Anne points out. I wonder how she can type so well as she’s walking. And if her neighbours have got accustomed to the background noise just as easily. It would seem they’re not troubled by it. «No one’s complained yet. And you’d think that if they were going to it would have happened by now, as I often start at 6 a.m.»
But what might not be a problem in a well-soundproofed new build could well be a test of nerves somewhere else. A few days later when I tell a colleague about Anne’s gym office, she groans. «In the flat above us, they’ve also got something like that.» Before you invest in a treadmill, you’ll want to consider the harmony of your neighbourhood and at least get a sound absorbing floor guard to put underneath it. That doesn’t change anything about the hard feeling underfoot. «I initially thought I’d walk barefoot, but the grooves make it really uncomfortable,» explains Anne. As the device is foldable and the running surface is thin, your feet end up rubbing on it with each step. «After just one day, I had such sore feet that I vowed never to use it without shoes again.»
Automatic features
Anne normally walks at a speed of 4 to 5 km/h, and she sets the speed manually. But the WalkingPad R1 Pro also has an automatic feature. If you move on the front section of the belt, the treadmill will go faster. Meanwhile, walking or running at the rear of the belt will make it go slower. «I don’t like that much,» says Anne. «I’d have to move the treadmill further back and I don’t actually want to do that.» When I wanted to find out how fast the device would work in automatic mode, I flew backwards and almost fell flat on my face. So, it’s understandable that Anne would rather stay in charge of the controls and go at her tried and tested speed.
In theory, you’re also supposed to be able to use the device freestanding. To do that, you’d fold the handle up. It comes with an emergency stop clip and a recess for a smartphone or tablet. Although, given the running surface is only 41 cm wide, it might not be a good idea to look at a screen when you’re running as fast as 10 km/h.
«I haven’t used it folded up. I prefer to go running outside,» says Anne. The surface is big enough for what she needs: «I sometimes notice that I veer to the side while I’m working but I’m yet to fall over during a call.» If you need more space, have a look at the more expensive follow-up model, R2, which has a slightly wider running surface.
Anne winds down her walking kilometres until her treadmill orders her to take a break. «When you walk two hours in one go, it forces you to take a half hour break.» I find being patronised and told what to do annoying. Anne, on the other hand, didn’t have a problem with it and assumed there were other reasons for the enforced break. «It’s probably also good for the motor.» With 1.25 HP, the device is designed for loads up to 110 kg and has a power consumption of 918 W. If Anne walks eight hours per day, that would set her back about one and a half francs, based on a rate of 21 rappen per kilowatt hour.
Remote control
As the treadmill has no fixed console, the little remote control is vital. It lets you start and stop the belt, regulate the speed and activate automatic mode. «It’s really practical,» Anne enthuses. Which is why she always keeps the oval thing the size of a car key on her desk. «You can also control it from your phone, but the app isn’t that great.»
Display and app
There’s an app for adjusting the settings and getting an overview of stats. The little display on the treadmill itself disappears out of sight under the desk. It alternates between displaying the time you’ve walked or run, the distance, the step count and the speed. That’s about the limits of the app – and at times it can’t even manage that. «Sometimes it switches off. Then you’ve walked two hours and the data hasn’t saved,» Anne tells me. «For it to sync, you need to remember to leave the app open when you step away from the treadmill.»
Otherwise you’ll lose the information, as the treadmill switches off when it’s idle for a few minutes. «If you do something in between, for instance if you have to deal with post at the door, the treadmill can have already switched off by the time you get back.» Then the only proof you have of the kilometres you’ve walked are your achy legs rather than stats on a screen – something Anne was particularly interested in when she first started using a treadmill at work. «Eventually, you just round up,» she explains. «For me, I’ve worked out it’s on average 18 km per day.» No matter what the app says.
Verdict
Anne’s personal verdict isn’t a surprise. She went from eight hours sat at a desk to almost a half marathon every day. «I’ve spent money on more stupid things.» Which isn’t to say that everything about the device is smart. As far as the hardware goes, what’s especially annoying is the position of the power cable and the hard running surface. In terms of software, the frustrating thing is the fact the app quits. Nonetheless, the KingSmith WalkingPad R1 Pro definitely serves its purpose. It ticks all the boxes when it comes to being aesthetically pleasing, it’s quick to store away and it adds some movement into your daily home office routine. The treadmill may not be high-end, but Anne would still recommend it. «As far as I’m concerned, it’s not the best from a quality point of view. But it’s still absolutely fine for the price.»
Michael Restin
Senior Editor
Michael.Restin@digitecgalaxus.chSimple writer, dad of two. Likes to be on the move, shimmies through everyday family life, juggles with several balls and occasionally drops something. A ball. Or a remark. Or both.
