I Finally Got a Walking Pad Under Desk Treadmill and Here is my Honest Review.

Curious about the Walking Pad Under Desk treadmill craze? Are they worth it? What is a walking pad? Here’s everything you need to know about the one I got!

Squeezing in exercise now that I’m working full time again ( even though its from home) has not been easy. Since I can’t run for the foreseeable future, I’ve been trying to get in more low impact exercise like riding on my Peloton Bike and walking to get in my 10K steps a day.

I heard about a Under desk treadmill /walking pad about a year ago on a viral TikTok post.

But it wasn’t until I started working full time again, and was tied to my desk for 8 hours that I realized that I needed SOMETHING that would help me keep moving and that the Walking pad would fit right into my current lifestyle.

So What Is A Walking Pad?

The Walking Pad is a version of a treadmill. Most of them don’t go as fast as a regular treadmill or have an incline. They are designed to be compact enough that they can be folded up and/or tucked away under a bed or couch. OR you can use one like me and turn a standing desk into a treadmill desk.

The main difference between the two is that walking pads generally have a lower maximum speed than a treadmill and meant to be stowed away when not in use.

Which Walking Pad did I get?

I researched this for months, but in the end, decided to get the UMAY Walking Pad 512 Under Desk Treadmill from Amazon.

The exact one that the TikTok girls love and use.

How I am fitting the Walking Pad into My Day:

Now that I’ve had my walking pad for a bit and have experimented with what works, I use my walking pad in two ways:

Either I walk first thing in the morning at a brink pace for an hour( which usually results in about 8k steps). When i do this, it counts as my cardio for the day.

Or, I will walk leisurely in two 30-minute increments during the day while working. If I walk during my work day, I am simply trying to get in steps. I walk 30 minutes at the beginning of my day and 30 minutes after lunch. Which usually nets about 6k steps since I am walking slower.

Pros and Cons of the Walking Pad

Ok lets get to the meat of it and talk about what I do and don’t like about my walking pad.

Pros

10k a day? No problem

I get in close to or over 10K steps a day consistently while using the walking pad. Before I got it, the only days I got in 10k steps were the days I got to the gym at 5am :2-3 days a week. Otherwise, I was lucky if I hit 5K.

I don’t have to worry about the weather.

Late summer and early fall, I had gotten into the habit of walking in the evening after dinner. Because it was the only time that I could fit the walk in. But as the time and the weather changed, walking after work was no longer an option. Now, I can walk anytime: first thing in the morning, during work, lunch break, after work…and the weather and the lack of light has no bearing on my walk.

It’s Easy to Move.

I’m not going to lie and say it’s lightweight. But its not heavy either. I will say that I move it several times a day across my carpeted office floor to my desk then back again to my closet and don’t have a problem due to the wheels on the walking pad. Because it truly is very functional and compact.

It’s a Good Value.

When I thought about the price of the Walking Pad ( $296) vs say the Peloton Treadmill( $2700) , it was an easy choice.

And because I use it at least 6 out of 7 days a week, I think it’s already proven it’s value.

The Speed Capabilities

My Walking Pad goes up to 3.6. Which if I’m honest, with my short legs, feels more like a 3.8-4 on a traditional treadmill. So I can speed walk, but not run.

Which is fine because that’s what I want this for.

Cons

I only have two!

It’s Not Exactly Quiet

Ok, it’s not that it’s loud. In fact, if you are walking at a low speed, you can barely hear it. But if you get it up to high speeds and say step off? Yes, you hear it. lol . It’s not quiet enough for say…a meeting. But since I really don’t think it’s appropriate to walk during a business meeting( for MYSELF), and I close my door when using it, it’s not a huge problem.

I Wish it Could Incline

When I go to the gym, I do tend to do a hike from the Peloton app or some version of the viral 12-3-30. Both of which require an incline.

While there are a few walking pads out there with incline capabilities, mine is not one of them.

You Won’t Be Running on This One.

Like I said above, the speed maxes out at 3.6. For me and my short legs, it can be a light trot or jog if I try, but for most, this will not give a runner a good run. I don’t think it’s sturdy enough and again, there just isn’t enough speed.

Closing thoughts

So would I recommend the walking pad/desk tread?

ABSOLUTELY .

This is one of the best things that I’ve done for my health this year besides being consistent with meal planning.

I was having a hard time adjusting to being stationary all day after going back to work but even after a couple of weeks, I can tell the difference. Which is why I decided to go ahead and write this review.

So if getting more steps in is one of your goals for 2023, this is a purchase you won’t regret.

Questions?