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Saturday, October 23, 2010

Stamina 15 9003 Deluxe Conversion II Recumbent / Rower most popular

Band : Stamina
Product Features :
- Combination rowing machine and recumbent exercise bike for total body workouts
- Top bar for performing upper body exercises such as bicep curls and tricep kickbacks
- Electronic monitor with large LCD display tracks speed time calories distance and more
- 8 levels of smooth quiet magnetic resistance hand pulse sensor built into grips
- 250 pound weight capacity measures 74 5 x 25 5 x 10 inches W x H x D

Stamina 15 9003 Deluxe Conversion II Recumbent / Rower
>> kramersan
Have used this machine for a couple weeks I am very pleased with it overall The only negative is a clicking sound when biking until it warms up Pretty minor though
>> Met my needs
Item arrived on time and while packaging was a little beat up I would say it seemed to do its job of protecting the contents Setup and assembly were fairly easy just follow the directions word for word and all needed tools are included I have been using for about a month now and find as an old guy with a heart condition resuming an exercise program after several months off that having the lowest levels of resistance to begin with has been a plus I am not a real big bruiser with a need to beat machines to pieces so levels of resistance provided have been adequate I have not used the highest levels yet Started with just biking added rowing after a couple of weeks and both work fine are easy to switch between No issues with missing or broken parts but I will agree with another reviewer that having some parts pre attached makes an initial inventory a little difficult Havng pulse rate available is a real plus Some cons would like to have ability to show final stats after a ride Right now only chance to see final totals is catch them before it resets if I use a preset goal value like a preset time Average heart rate would be a plus also when ride is completed And footrests for rowing place axis at mid foot whereas more at ball of foot seems like it would be more comfortable These are pretty minor Pros easy to use and switch between cycle and row and exercises quiet operation large display feels solid that will offer many years of use with minimal care After a month of daily use all glides still work well resistance seems pretty even for both bike and rower without catches or slips Mixed feelings about the fabric covered seat and backrest reasonably comfortable but I wonder about cleaning if they will start to smell like absorbed sweat over time Right now the comfort is well worth it I have had no need to contact the manufacturer so cannot report any dealings there Some of the additional possible exercises listed seem a little contrived but still having them is nice but are not really gym quality Overall I am quite pleased with my purchase and with the progress I am making getting back into shape Overall product construction and quality are actually much better than I might have anticipated for the price
>> First rate
This unit is superb It was easy to assemble but take your time The handgrips had small tears in them but an email to Stamina got me a new pair within a week The existing ones function fine however I got this one because I liked the two in one feature to it I highly recommend it

Cheap price for Brunton SOLARIS 52 CIGS Foldable Solar Panel Black/Silver 12 Volt is the best

Band : Brunton
Product Features :
- Flexible thin film solar provides all weather power even in low light conditions
- 12 Volt output charges many of your electronic devices including laptops satellite phones and more
- Reverse flow protection prevents discharging the devise you are using
- Durable/waterproof construction allows one to mount or pack a resourceful supply of power for a number of devices
- Compact and lightweight at 3 pounds 6 ounces

Brunton SOLARIS 52 CIGS Foldable Solar Panel Black/Silver 12 Volt
>> Solar
Great product Bought it for a boat to keep the batteries up during the day Works exactly as I expected
>> Wondering about the built in voltage regulator in the Solaris 52
This foldable Brunton panel certainly produces more power than any other little portable panel It is truly amazing in that regard around 3 amps of power in direct sunlight

Somehow I must have fried the voltage regulator on mine because it puts out 26volts even when connected to devices and batteries seeking only 12 volts I ran the current using the clamps through a volt meter as the power comes out of the panel before it goes into a Brunton SOLO 15W 12volt lithium polymer battery

The meter still reads 26 volts or so not 12volts The panel s regulator is supposed to drop it to 12volts if that s all the device needs right

The manual for the SOLO 15 says it can be directly connected to any portable Solaris panel but 12volt batteries including the SOLO 15 simply cannot handle a 26 volt charging current That will ruin the battery and I ve already done that once

I did however accidentally connect a 12v battery to it with the wrong polarity one occasion so that may have fried the regulator But any day now I will be receiving another Solaris 52 a brand new one I ll connect it to a Brunton SOLO 15 and see if the voltage coming in and out is regulated to 12 volts before I do anything else to the panel

I ll give an update after that little experiment

It would be really nice if it does automatically regulate down to 12v without needing an external 24v to 12v converter because two of these Solaris 52 panels together could re charge the best portable 12volt power source for your money the Duracell 600 Xantrex 600 under the Duracell label in only a few hours hypothetically will be able to confirm in a few days

Two of those big batteries will power the most power hungry laptops for 12 hours and Mac s for twice that long They hold 28aH of juice If you ve got four of the Duracell 600 s to capture and store all the power these Solaris panels can generate in one day then you should be able to keep any laptop going 24 hours from stored sunlight power only A Duracell 600 costs only about

It is kinda sad that Brunton s SOLO 15 lithium 12v battery is so fragile and costs because they are so light and small two of them would provide hypothetically almost as much power 24aH as one Duracell 600s 28aH with one fifth the weight and half the size

When I say fragile I don t mean it breaks easily from rough handling They are actually very sturdy in that regard The fragility relates to how the battery stops working properly after only a few uses especially when they are drained completely while charging a laptop or perhaps charged with too much voltage from a malfunctioning Solaris 52 panel

Brunton will have a winner if those SOLO 15 batteries can be redesigned with better circuitry to protect them from the common things that will hurt any battery excessive discharge and over the limit voltage while charging

As for the Solaris 52 foldable panel itself the bottom line

Even if I fried the built in voltage regulator through my own error or those voltage regulators don t always do what they are supposed to and therefore I must use a small external 24v to 12v converter like the one made by Velleman costs less than then it s still a very worthwhile product

There are many things on the plus side My favorite is how small it reduces to when folded I also love how fast I can set it up on a vehicle windshield facing the sun Then all that energy baking my dashboard is transformed into juice for my laptop pretty cool

Let s hope Brunton s partners in China start acting more like the Japanese and refining the quality of these winning designs rather than merely figuring out how to make more of them and make them faster and cheaper Focus on the quality and feature improvement first Then you ll have some VERY popular must have products for people who might want to use their laptops in the great outdoors like me



Update

The Solaris 52 is powerful indeed but it may be TOO powerful for many gadgets I just received the second Solaris 52 and tested it various ways in direct sunlight I needed to test a brand new one right out the box to make sure I wasn t getting skewed results from the one I THOUGHT I had accidentally damaged But the brand new one behaves exactly the same way so I did not damage the first one afterall That s a good thing and a bad thing It s a bad thing because the Solaris 52 is definitely NOT a 12 Volt solar panel They really should not call it that That claim is dangerously misleading

The Solaris 52 goes WAY over 12volts under normal direct sunlight conditions more than twice that voltage actually Most 12volt devices will fry if the input power is above 16vdc The Solaris 52 package itself says the voltage will vary with the amount of sunlight but it does not say the output will become regulated down to 12volts if attached to a device only needing 12volts No the panel cannot tell the difference and it will hit a connected device with whatever voltage is being generated up to 26vdc It can easily go as high as 26vdc in direct sun

The only way to bring down the output voltage to around 12 volts without a converter is to have two 12volt devices plugged in at the same time there are two 2 power ports on the Solaris 52 That will split the voltage nicely to about 12 volts per port but it cuts the amps in half also

Sometimes you want to have all the amps powering a single 12volt battery

That must be what other users are doing they must be using both power ports simultaneously to get 12volts with half the amps because otherwise there would be a lot of damaged devices out there and some very irate customers I would not want to be a customer service person for Brunton because the manual for this does not sufficiently warn users what can happen

I will soon be receiving a proper 24vdc to 12vdc converter and then I ll be returning Brunton s Solar Controller because it doesn t do voltage regulation/conversion for currents as high as what the Solaris 52 will put out The Brunton Solar Controller will be damaged by the Solaris 52 in full sunlight while recharging a big 12volt battery

The package for the Solar Controller says to ONLY use them with 12volt solar panels It is mainly designed to prevent over charging with respect to amps of big 12volt batteries like the ones in RV s and cabins and boats

The manual for the Brunton SOLO 15 lithium battery says you can definitely connect a Solaris 26 not a Solaris 52 solar panel to it It doesn t mention Solaris 52 at all

Bottom line It s a mighty powerful portable solar panel but the 12volt output is NOT regulated either as an open current or when powering devices To use it safely in full sun you must either be powering two 12volt devices at once or you must use a 24vdc to 12vdc converter to keep it from hurting some of your gadgets

I am really surprised that the manual for the Solaris 52 does not provide adequate guidance in that respect It wouldn t be so hard to do One more paragraph would do it guys



>> Lightweight Worth the Hefty Cost
Imagine being able to take electricity anywhere you go so long as you have sunlight This device might seem a bit costly but you definitely get what you pay for It will power most laptops most high powered electronic devices and most battery chargers You can even use it to charge your car or boat s battery Just plug any 12v device into it or hook up its jumper cables What you ll need to use it as something similar to a standard household outlet is another device called the Solo 15 which is is a lithium battery pack that comes with an included AC/DC inverter All together all of this equipment should weigh less than 10 pounds

To figure out whether this device will be enough to run your laptop with a positive net charge calculate the wattage of your laptop My laptop is an old Dell Inspiron 1100 which runs off 20 volts 4 5 Amps So the formula to calculate wattage Volts x Amps Watts tells me that my laptop requires 90 watts That means that I won t get enough energy out of this to keep my laptop running all day In order to do that I d need two sets of solar panels to connect together However since I m still getting a charge I can use this to slow the discharging of my laptop battery and extend my overall playtime However once powered off this would be enough to charge it Newer laptops are more energy efficient so this may be just enough or more than enough power for you

You d be surprised what you can accomplish with this I ve read online about a woman who lives off the grid and powers her fridge with this

All in all this is the top of the line when it comes to foldable solar array panels meant for personal travel purposes A steal at this price

Friday, October 22, 2010

Shop online for Spinner Pro Bike

Band : Star Trac
Product Features :
- High quality indoor Spinning cycling bike designed for home use
- 43 pound flywheel micro adjustable seat and handlebar post
- No Slip Grip handlebars with dual water bottle holders
- Measures 20 1 x 40 x 51 6 inches W x H x D 5 year frame warranty

Spinner Pro Bike
>> Good Bike HORRIBLE Noise
This bike is great for home but the noise the fly wheel makes is ridiculous And this is a replacement bike So even though I m pleased with the bike itself the noise drives me mad and I would recommend looking around before settling on this bike
>> spinner pro bike
awesome spinning bike I use it everyday it s just like the ones in the gym great buy

Cheap price on Perimeter Wire Free Wifi Dog Fence order it now

Band : PERIMETER TECH
Product Features :
- Perimeter wireless wifi fence The ONLY dog fence that is wireless
- Only Wire Free uses the latest digitally encoded WiFi signal technology used in advanced wireless communications
- Wire Free Smart Station and Pet Link collar are both connected by Transceivers
- Limited lifetime warranty

Perimeter Wire Free Wifi Dog Fence
>> Danger Don t Buy
First I have a BS in electrical engineering and work as an engineer I work with wireless networks all day That said I could not get this to work I see the problem They are saving battery power by updating the dog location as a function of distance from the base This means if your dog knows how to run he can get in the road and run over by a truck before the system alarms If you have a 20 acre ranch and want to keep doggy near the house Maybe this is ok But that is it
>> horrible product
This is a horrible product Can t go an entire day without having to reset unit Constantly loses signal from collar and has to be reset every time loses signal Great idea poor delivery
>> Base Station Failed After 1 Month
Issues with constant beeping and lost signal while the unit was operational for the first month we used it One day the screen went blank We tried pushing the reset button and unplugging the unit Nothing Will request refund from Perimeter All this for the low cost of 350 DO NOT BUY THIS OVERPRICED GARBAGE

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Cheapest price for Teeter Hang Ups Dex II Decompression and Extension Machine is the best

Band : Teeter Hang Ups
Product Features :
- Forward rotating user controlled inversion machine for stretching and strengthening
- Puts body in fixed 90/90 degree position to flatten lumbar curve and separate vertebrae
- Sturdy lap support and adjustable leg supports washable padded vinyl mat
- Traction handles for stretching lower back lower handles for user controlled rotation
- 300 pound capacity measures 28 x 58 x 45 inches W x H x D 5 year warranty

Teeter Hang Ups Dex II Decompression and Extension Machine
>> Teeter Dex roman chair
This is an alternative to a roman chair that I was looking for to reduce stress on my knees I just had surgery on my left one I ve used a traditional roman chair for years to work on my back as well as to sit on and do sit ups The leverage on this chair is on the upper leg so the knee is unstressed and it works for both sit ups and the traditional back up My ideal roman chair permits adjustment of the angle for back ups this does not permitting only a horizontal back up The decompression hang is ok and at least a bonus The quality of construction is very good Don t go swinging around on it because it can tip but with normal use its very stable There are cheaper roman chairs but the price for what this is is fair enough I d highly recommend this for someone who wants the benefits of a roman chair without the stress on the knees and/or wants a simple decompression hang Best for someone with a least a modicum of fitness

>> Low back relief
I have a herniate disc at L5/S1 and this version of the teeter hang up has helped me so much My sciatica down my leg has almost disappeared 1 month after using it The first few times I used the machine it was uncomfortable for my head because of the pressure but I have learned to go slower and it is much more comfortable now It has taken me about a month to learn to relax my muscles so there is a learning curve for sure The quality of the machine is excellent Very sturdy Overall this is an excellent product
>> Recommend with Caviat
Plus Serves double duty as a roman table as well as a decompression machine

Negative The pads start to hurt the back side of your knees after hanging for a while

All in all a good purchase I recommend

Croozer 525 Double Child Bicycle Trailer Red/Silver/Grey for sale

Band : Croozer Designs

Croozer 525 Double Child Bicycle Trailer Red/Silver/Grey
>> Great trailer and stroller
We bought this for walking and biking It s extremely lightweight folds down flat no tools needed to go from trailer to stroller GREAT storage space pulls like it s not there pushes easily and I love the two bucket seats Compared to the Schwinn Joyrider it has a side support bars acting as a roll cage and a sturdy bumper to protect the wheels and cart The bumper protecting the wheels from getting hooked on anything also steered me away from the Burley not the mention the price

Only problems
the handle bar is kind of difficult to get on and off
holes in the frame didn t really line up during assembly horrible instructions and illustrations as well
it does not fit through even handicap entrances Easy to take a wheel off and on to fit through but difficult to maneuver through doorway without a wheel
bike tips over when children try to get in and out of the trailer not sure it s any different with other trailers though
wish the cover had a zipper closure and a chest clip on the harness straps

All in all I m happy with my purchase and we use it daily



>> Best bike trailer
We looked high and low for the perfect bike trailer We planned on spending 150 originally but couldn t find anything safe and comfortable for that price We ended up looking at the croozer 525 schwinn joyrider and a barely used Chariot Cougar Well in my opinion the croozer beats all hands down First the joyrider seems completely unsafe withut any side or top roll bars for protection the cougar was nice but my children found the seat uncomfortable not enough leg room and overall a small tight cabin In the ended we ended up with the Croozer 525 and couldn t be happier I am 100 pounds and find it easy to pull the bucket style seat are great it has lots of storage is easy to convert to a stroller and seems very safe Most importantly my kids husband and I all love it It is so fun and perfect I would highly recommned to anyone We looked 535 and if I had extra money I would have bought it because it does have slighly more head room but we didn t need jogging wheel so couldn t justify extra price

By the way are kids are 5 2 and 5 months The 5 year old is 42 inches and has about 2 3 inches of growth before hitting top I figure she can get one more summer of use out of it Because of bucket seats 5 month old can also ride I just wish there were 3 seats
>> Not the same wheels as advertised on Amazon or Croozer Site
I m giving it two stars more because of the inconvenience and annoyance then anything I would give it a 4 5 for functionality and quality from what I ve seen My neighbor has the Kidarooz version of this trailer and we REALLY liked it It seemed to be a really great trailer and I have to say the I liked the flat black wheels Well I just received the trailer yesterday and it didn t come with the wheels shown on the Croozer site or on Amazon which while remedial really bugged When your paying about 400 00 for an item you want to get what you think your getting based on what you ve read on the product and the images provided and this was NOT the case I ve emailed Croozer to see if they can provide the black wheels I thought I was getting so we ll see what happens Otherwise I may be returning it based on principle

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Body Max XEL6700 Electromagnetic Elliptical Trainer is the best

Band : Body Max
Product Features :
- Low impact elliptical trainer with electromagnetic resistance system
- Poly V belt drive delivers whisper quiet operation and 500 watts of resistance
- Six workout programs and 16 resistance levels 18 inch stride length
- Pulse monitor built into handle grips advanced LED display tracks progress
- Water bottle holder measures 70 x 65 x 31 inches W x H x D 10 year frame warranty

Body Max XEL6700 Electromagnetic Elliptical Trainer
>> I LOVE this elliptical
This is really a great elliptical for the price It was easy to assemble mine came with instructions and it s very quiet when using It s got an 18 stride and adjustable resistance which were the most important to me when I was shopping around I took a few weeks to research which elliptical would be the best buy for my money and I am happy to report that I made the right choice
>> terrible units I ve had 2
I received one of these after reading the limited positive reviews and seeing the savings from the list price I received the first one and noticed immediately that the frame of the unit was cracked I set it up anyway because I figured it would work just fine and within a few days the heartrate monitor stopped functioning and a bad solder point in the strider cropped up Amazon s customer service was as usual outstanding and they shipped out another one The second one was damaged in shipping and had broken plastic everywhere inside the box and on top of that the pedals were put on backwards and because of the way it s assembled there was nothing I could do

Amazon has been great throughout the experience but I have now switched and ordered another model it might not seem like huge issues but when you re in a small town home and you have two big broken ellipticals to return it becomes a big deal I would recommend a more well known brand
>> Warranty information in Amazon description is incorrect
I purchased this trainer for 350 when it was a lighting deal UPS dropped shipped the elliptical on my doorstep with no need for anyone to be home at the time of delivery which is good because I work and am not able to be home The box was quite large and weighed in the neighborhood of 130 pounds The packaging was poor but mine arrived with no visible damage The elliptical was fairly easy to put together some portions that are shown in the instructions are actually assembled at the factory Overall it seems to be a fairly sturdy piece of equipment with a suggested maximum weight capacity of 250 pounds Of course it s not as smooth as some of the higher end models but for the price it appears to be a good deal

My only real complaint so far is that the Amazon description indicates a 10 year frame warranty while the instructions indicate a 3 year frame warranty

Also it seems that some of these are shipped without instructions I have gone ahead and scanned the instructions I received and they can be found at