Customer Reviews

SurfShelf Treadmill Desk and Laptop Holder

5 star:		(60)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Let me start out by saying that I LOVE my Surfshelf because I HATE walking on my treadmill, but health requires that I do. I used to listen to music, but I was just BORED. Now, I watch movies and shows with the help of my Surfshelf, and the 45 minutes just whizzes by like never before. I've had it for about two months now, and would hate to live without it. However, I only gave it 4 stars because I feel everyone should know about the cons involved. Here they are, in my opinion:

1) The cost. It's too pricey for what you get, but I still would buy it again. So, I guess that point is debatable. It's basically a plastic tray with a velcro strap and a couple of nylon belts, but it does the job of holding your laptop VERY securely, which was very important to me. (**It's April 2010 now, and I came back to edit this portion of my review because I found out that the price I originally paid for the SurfShelf has been lowered by $20. I consider that to be a fair price and good value, and I wanted my review to reflect the change. I've had my SS for a year now, and still love it!)

2) Set up. The original set up took about 10 minutes, and was fairly simple. However, I absolutely would NEVER recommend this to someone who wanted to take it to a gym everyday. You'd have to lug the pieces with you, and spend 10 minutes or more getting it ready to accept your laptop, and that would be way too much for me. I leave mine set up on my treadmill, and then setting my laptop up on it is a one minute process every morning. Very do-able.

3) Maybe this is just me, because I'm not as young as I used to be (I'm 55), but I cannot do ANYTHING on my treadmill but WATCH something when I'm walking on it. I can't type, I can't use the mouse, and I have to step on the side rails to do anything but turn the volume up or down. So, I start whatever show or movie I'm going to watch before I actually begin walking. Again, this could be an age thing, so maybe you younger folk can get your business done on your laptop while moving, but I sure couldn't.

4) One last con for me is that I can't see my digital read out through my laptop when it's on the Surfshelf. I have to peer way to the side to see around it, and even then it's tough to make out the read outs. This isn't a big deal to me, as I set a speed and incline shortly after beginning and don't really need to see it during my workout, but that may be a problem for some people, so it's worth mentioning.

5) The Surfshelf comes with an In-Gym subscription, which I found to NOT be very user-friendly while walking. Again, this could be just me. Others may love that feature. It's a website with short videos of news, entertainment, etc., that you are supposed to be able to use your arrow keys to navigate around. It didn't work well for me, but you can check it out for yourself at in-[...].

The pros of the Surfshelf are its simplicity in setting it up, the ability (for me) to just leave it up because it's in my home, and the best pro of all, my workouts are no longer boring. Again, the end of the boring workout makes it, for me, worth all the cons I mentioned above.

The Surfshelf is well worth the price if you have access to your own treadmill, and the ability to watch lots of movies or TV shows on your laptop (I use the $8.99 a month Netflix plan and a Roku box ($99), which gives me full access to all of Netflix "Watch Instantly" movies and shows, and Amazon instant purchases. I also occasionally use iTunes purchases and regular DVD's). I still spend far less than a gym membership would cost.

All in all, I highly recommend the Surfshelf.

I've read about some fitness gurus stating that "exercise should be pure and zenlike, not marred by distractions." Let me tell you, walking on a treadmill for a long period of time is boring and far from zen-like. I know that I love to use my laptop because, like the inventor, our tech jobs have invaded our home space. The pay is great but you can't sit at your desk (at home and work) for 12 hours a day and expect to stay in shape. This device allows you to have both. I'm not in the best shape (which is why this is a Christmas present) and I can go up to level 2 while fully using the laptop, and up to normal running speed when watching videos.

I've been in gyms off and on for the past 15 years of my life. It gets REALLY boring and there aren't enough mp3's out there to provide variety. I've changed my workout, changed my song list, watched the gym televisions with headline news, read articles in magazines I would normally not pick up, and spent the entire workout flipping pages on a book or holding it open to actually read the book. Magazines are boring and books usually don't work very well on the treadmill (and I've never mastered the small text/high movement aspect of running-reading).

When I am using the SurfShelf, I DO NOT FEEL LIKE I AM EXERCISING. I feel like I am having fun! I have a skinny little toddler and he does not have an exercise routine, he moves because it is fun to move and he stays naturally skinny. Why do we as adults have to make working out so painful and boring when we can get a low-impact workout surfing the web for an hour and have a great time with it? Think of all the teens who use instant messenger! OMG! Why not use instant messenger while walking? I'm sure we could get a few World of Warcraft guys out there to get into it!

And what about when my boss tells me that I need to log on from home for an entire evening after sitting at my desk for 8 hours? This is a reality for a LOT of people in my line of work where the line blurs between private time and office time. Many of us have home offices or bring our laptops (money makers) to the couch to continue working in the evening. Why not work on it while walking very slowly? I mean 1.0 is very slow on the treadmill, I've seen supermarket conveyor belts with more speed. At 1.0 you could get in a few miles over the course of several hours. I worked on a project where THREE of our engineers had heart attacks within a six month period. I have a very clear vision as to where this lifestyle leads and if I do not start taking care of my health, I will be that person being taken to the hospital in an ambulance.

This provides an alternative to folks who are on the internet for necessity or for entertainment.

You don't have to give up your productivity or enjoyment to get a little movement in your life...you can have both!

I have a Precor EFX 5.19 elliptical. We had some troubles installing the SurfShelf at first because the directions that come with the product are different than the ones on the product's website -- follow the directions on the website (www.surfshelf.com) they're the correct ones. --- this is the only reason for the 4/5 stars.

Once the product is installed -- and I highly recommend contacting the company if you are having troubles since they are prompt and helpful -- it does exactly what it says it will do.

I really, really like the product for lite surfing and watching DVDs. I'm liberated from having to watch the same shows as my 2.5 yo daughter during my workouts. Typing is a little klutzy (it can be done, but it's awkward). But too much typing cuts into how hard I'm paying attention to my workout anyways, so I don't mind.

The Surf Shelf it is a exercise equipment attachment that allows the user to safely use their laptop while working out. It is very versatile because it can be attached to a treadmill, a stationary bike, a stairmaster, or a elliptical machine. I purchased specifically for my treadmill.

Basically, it's a plastic shelf made of a sturdy 100% polycarbonate, "the same stuff used to make bullet-proof glass", designed to hold up to 15 pounds. It comes in two pieces with three straps (two 6" and one 5" with Velcro) and a bevy of instructions to help you attach it to your machine. One to two straps are used to attach it to the machine while the Velcro is used to secure the laptop in place on the shelf.

Other features:

* Air vents to keep laptop cool
* See through panels to see console
* Adjustable angle
* Easy to remove and carry

It took longer to set up than I expected (about 20 plus minutes) but I have no doubt I could move it to another with no problem.

The Surf Shelf is designed to fit most machines "past and present" and while it does fit my machine, which is about eight years old, the essential controls are blocked. The instructions offered a work-around for this but my machine has an awkward console design. But I managed to develop my own work-around that I don't find overly inconvenient compared to the benefit of having this attachment.

It was surprisingly easy to walk and Twitter or check email or read an email book or watch a movie. Doing tasks is definitely easier during the warm up phase but I had no problem doing tasks like typing short messages and reading while moving a bit faster. I was expecting the shelf to bounce around a little but it hardly moved at all. Surf Shelf is also partnered with In-Gym.com to provide free video entertainment and news while working out.

Service wise I was totally impressed at how quickly my Surf Shelf was delivered and they were really quick to respond to questions via email or phone. I absolutely love my Surf Shelf and plan to get in many more hours of surfing and walking. Reviewed by M. E. Wood.

Works perfectly. I use it on my Sole Treadmill with a Macbook Air and feel very safe with it. Customer service was also superb. My first order was lost by USPS and when I contacted SurfShelf they sent out a new one immediately.

This is a simple product that hooks your laptop to your cardio equipment. It works. If you want to make a lifestyle change -- to fit in more exercise without sacrificing your computer-based hobbies -- this is an excellent product to try.

The SurfShelf fits my NordicTrack Commercial 1500 as though it were made especially for it -- and it does look versatile enough that I believe it would fit on a wide variety of other machines. It is easy and quick to install. It has ample strength. It holds the laptop secure and steady. After over 100 miles of use, it has not scratched my treadmill's display, I have never worried about my laptop's safety, and the SurfShelf shows no signs of wear.

Functionally, the SurfShelf has done all it promised. I have been able to write long lengths of text (tens of thousands of words) while walking at about 2.5 miles per hour. If I wanted, I feel like I could use the laptop for most other things (like games, videos, e-mail, reading blogs) without being limited at this speed. The laptop has been secure at higher speeds; I just can't type if I walk any faster.

I got used to typing while walking after a few miles. Now I simply forget I'm walking within the first few minutes of my exercise. I often cover 2-4 miles without thinking about it.

Three small negatives:

(1) I have doubts if it is a good product for use at a gym: Most gyms limit the amount of time you can spend on cardio equipment. If you can't spend much time on the equipment, what would be the point of having this?

(2) The shelf does block the digital display on my treadmill -- plus the built-in fan. Whatever kind of equipment you have, it is going to block something. I consider it a small sacrifice for the huge benefits.

(3) It's weird to jog with the shelf in place. Even though it doesn't actually stick out that far, when I'm moving fast, somehow it feels like it juts into my personal space. This isn't too a big deal, though. It takes me about 30 seconds to get the shelf off of my treadmill when I want to run.

The SurfShelf is one of the most simple, useful things I have bought this year. For the materials that went into it, I think it's priced a bit high -- but for its usefulness, I got my money's worth in the first month.

Thanks to the SurfShelf I can watch movies & tv on my laptop while using our elliptical trainer. 2 things learned - set the shelf at an upwards angle as the weight of the laptop will push it down - and make sure you have the strap on very very tight.

Unfortunately the Surf Shelf is too wide to fit between the handlebars of my Diamondback 960sr recumbent bycycle [This was a 2009 model purchased 11/09]...

{I looked...the 2010 model #1000-1100 etc may work with Surf Shelf}.

If I had carefully perused every page at Surf Shelf I would have found a page [under 'How It Works'] titled 'Will Not Fit.'
[...]

-- and found the dimensions needed and then hopefully I'd have taken the time to measure. [Surf Shelf fits most tho!].

I did talk with the Randy Fenton the owner [he called me back the next day after I left a VM] and he confirmed it did not work with my machine. He offered to refund the $ [or I could do it via Amazon where I bought it.].

I recommend the product because the owner stands behind it.

I have been waiting for a product like this for so long! I have used my surfshelf almost every day since I got it. It is perfect for my home gym. I have a LifeFitness upright bike, but the surfshelf design/setup is flexible enough to fit almost any piece of equipment. My workouts fly by now, whether I'm catching up on email, or my favorite online content. This product is an essential addition to any home gym!

For many treadmills, like mine, this maybe a very unsafe product.

Carefully look at the 2nd picture. Notice how the plate, resting directly on the treadmill, covers the buttons of the treadmill. On my treadmill, this plate covers the start, pause, and stop buttons. For me to pause my treadmill, I must:

1. Lift my laptop...while walking.
2. Lift the SurfShelf plate...while walking.
3. Press the Pause button...while holding my laptop and SurfShelf plate and walking. :(

Please don't buy this product if most of your buttons will be covered. The plate, resting on the treadmill buttons, is 7" in height and 9" in width.

Another problem is that there is no way to use a mouse. I contacted the manufacturer. There is no SurfShelf accessory that can be purchased for using mouses. Unless you're very comfortable using the touchpad mouse, it will be difficult to do things like surf the web or email when using your laptop with this product.

This product is only good if:

1. You will only watch DVD's and/or Netflix.
2. Don't need to extensively use a mouse.
3. Don't ever need to get off of the treadmill to answer nature's call, check the laundry, etc.