Kat Walk VR Treadmill
The Kat Walk VR treadmill may make you run or walk in place, but it isn’t exactly like the workout equipment it’s named after, it’s in many ways better. Kat Walk has been praised as one of the most true-to-life VR systems on the market due to its tangle-free headset and accessories, and frictionless 360-degree walking platform. The machine stands upright and strong, but only takes up 2 square meters or 21 square feet of overall space. It’s compatible with the HTC VIVE, is easily hooked up to your home or business PC, and can be used for game play by almost anyone.
Get a Workout on Your Level
If you’re bored with running laps on a treadmill and staring at talking heads on a TV, out the window, or at a white wall during your workouts, the Kat Walk platform is a refreshing escape from a boring gym routine. Did you have a bad day and want to crush things? Get into the Kat Walk and become a Kaiju monster that destroys an entire city. Do you have a competitive spirit? Join other like-minded players in a shoot out. The platform’s realistic visuals and immersive sounds will be a lot to take in at first, as you’ll be busy walking around and learning how to use the equipment. Be warned now, time will become an afterthought.
Gamers and Experienced Gym Goers
PC and console gamers, as well as athletes and avid exercisers with good hand-eye coordination and balance, will easily transition into VR game play. What’s great about this system is that it also doubles as a casual to challenging work out. You’re free to quickly stroll, walk, run, jump, crouch, kick, punch, and sit, but this is not a machine that will allow you to do burpees, crunches, wall stands, flips, or anything involving extreme up and down, or left and right movements.
Everything a player uses is isolated to the walking dish, the waist and thigh security straps, game controller, and computer. No heavy weights needed! If you’re looking for an intense sweat session or a muscle building exercise, you may want to look elsewhere. But if you’re looking for something exciting and cutting-edge to supplement an exercise routine, this is a challenging and entertaining way to do so.
New to Infrequent Exercisers
If you’re looking for a casual way to burn calories and make exercise less torturous, the Kat Walk VR system is an exciting workout buddy. This system may look intimidating, but it’s quite the opposite when you’re fully in it. When you experience it yourself, you’ll see how it could motivate anyone who feels like they’ve turned into a couch potato or are too busy to get a workout in. With all the bursts of physical movement towards objectives and goals, players are able to boost their heart rate and get their steps in, all while playing a game.
If you think there’s not enough time in the day for a workout — you’re wrong. All it takes is 30 minutes a day to keep yourself healthy. Virtual reality has been shown to influence how quickly users perceive time, making sessions pass by faster than expected. This time warp is caused by the gaming experience keeping your senses at full attention. This means, instead of dwelling on the time and effort you’re putting into the game, you’ll be more consumed with the activities, objectives, and leveling up.
Positives
- The Kat Walk system keeps you fully secure and balanced with an internal stabilizing system, as well as thick belt and thigh straps that will keep you lifted off the ground if you fall or misstep
- No gates or guard rails to get in your way
- It’s built with a strong steel frame that will hold up to 220 pounds and can support heights between 4’’11 and 6’’3
- Currently, there are 11 games available for play, including first person shooter games (Lop Nur Zombie), building games (Vivecraft or VR for Minecraft), competitive team-based games (Desert Range), and multiplayer games (Radial Force)
- It’s an effective way for users looking for an effective and low-impact activity that’s also motivating to play
- Will work with PC’s and Steam VR
Drawbacks
- Users have experienced unsteadiness in their walk or an imbalanced feeling during initial uses
- The round platform you walk on is slippery, even with the special Kat shoes
- Your walking stride may feel shorter or quicker than usual
- Kat Walk should create cardio-based games developed for users that want a fitness focused experience
- The weight limit and one-size-fits-all belt size prevents users who are overweight from benefitting from it
- People who are prone to dizziness, seizures, anxiety, or other health issues may want to opt out of this activity
- It’s fully compatible with the HTC VIVE equipment but not optimized for other VR headsets
- Price can be out of budget for some — costing $599 for the machine, $62 for the boots, $29 to $249 for the sensors, $42 for the gun accessory, and $599 for the HTC VIVE headset and controller