  | I have heard a lot of people talking about standing desks and treadmill desks lately. I hate that I have a job that requires me to sit for most of the day, so I decided I would give a treadmill shelf a try. I figured it would be a good way to get some extra walking in while still getting some work done. I ordered the "SurfShelf Treadmill Desk: Laptop and iPad Holder" which, according to the description, can hold a laptop, iPad or DVD player. It can be attached to a treadmill, stationary bike or elliptical machine. Since I already own a treadmill, it was the most cost effective option at around $40. Because I have only used it for a treadmill and with a laptop, that is what I will focus on in my review. |
The shelf comes with three straps. Two of the straps are used to attach the shelf to the machine and the third straps is used to secure your laptop or DVD player to the shelf. The straps are long enough so that you can securely attach the shelf to the machine. I have a large, older model treadmill and there was plenty of extra strap space to use if I needed it. The strap that attaches the laptop to the shelf has Velcro and does a good job of securing your laptop once you get it tightly fitted.
The shelf was easy to set-up (If I can do it I am pretty sure anyone can). The instructions provide a few different suggestions on how to attach the shelf to different machines based on the design and size of the machine. I found that none of the suggestions worked for me, but I still managed to get the shelf on and to attach it securely. You may have to try a few different positions before you find the one that works best for you. I am short (a little under 5'4"), so the recommended placement of the shelf (at the top of the machine) did not work for me. I would have had the laptop keypad at nose level, and I have yet to learn how to type with my snout. Luckily I was able to find a way to attach the shelf so that I could still type without getting snot on the keyboard, and it was very sturdy.
The shelf was easy to set-up (If I can do it I am pretty sure anyone can). The instructions provide a few different suggestions on how to attach the shelf to different machines based on the design and size of the machine. I found that none of the suggestions worked for me, but I still managed to get the shelf on and to attach it securely. You may have to try a few different positions before you find the one that works best for you. I am short (a little under 5'4"), so the recommended placement of the shelf (at the top of the machine) did not work for me. I would have had the laptop keypad at nose level, and I have yet to learn how to type with my snout. Luckily I was able to find a way to attach the shelf so that I could still type without getting snot on the keyboard, and it was very sturdy.
Depending on how your machine is designed and how tall you are, your laptop screen could block the treadmill control screen. I have a huge laptop so I was expecting this to be a possibility before ordering the shelf. This isn't a huge problem for me because I place the closed laptop on the shelf, reach my hand behind the clear shelf back and set the treadmill speed and incline I want, and then open the laptop screen up and start typing. Not a deal breaker for me by any means. I actually prefer to not see the treadmill screen because then I think things like "ARE YOU KIDDING ME, IT"S ONLY BEEN 15 MINUTES?!?!". This way I can focus my attention on something else besides that stupid timer that just taunts me.
So all in all, I think the treadmill shelf is a good option for someone who already owns a treadmill and wants to be able to use a laptop or DVD player while getting in a little exercise. Most of us can use a little extra walking in our day, so why not multi-task and get some work done or watch a movie at the same time? Some of the actual treadmill desks can cost close to $500, so even though this SurfShelf isn't perfect, it is within my budget and I am giving it the thumbs up!
So all in all, I think the treadmill shelf is a good option for someone who already owns a treadmill and wants to be able to use a laptop or DVD player while getting in a little exercise. Most of us can use a little extra walking in our day, so why not multi-task and get some work done or watch a movie at the same time? Some of the actual treadmill desks can cost close to $500, so even though this SurfShelf isn't perfect, it is within my budget and I am giving it the thumbs up!
RSS Feed
