FYC walking pad review: Folding under-desk treadmill

This review is brought to you by my desire to not turn into the most annoying person in the world: I am in love with the walking pad I splurged on on Prime Day and, like a newlywed in the throes of marital bliss, I want literally everyone else in the world to know this joy.

So, in an effort to avoid alienating everyone I know by shouting, “I LOVE MY WALKING PAD YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE WALKING PAD LIFESTYLE” at them, here I will tell you about my walking pad and why it’s inspired such passion for the walking pad lifestyle.

The FYC walking pad is lightweight, easy to store and set up and, best of all, it comes in pink! It’s completely changed the way I exercise at home — so much so that I now look forward to using it every single day.

I decided to buy a walking pad after seeing them on Instagram. I was influenced (yes, I sure was), and I have no regrets!

Surely you have seen the walking pad girlies, as they call themselves and as I now, regrettably, have come to think of myself: They’ve got standing desk setups with velvet chairs on casters that can be rolled quickly away when it’s time to take to the pad. When they take to the pad, they walk while they work, getting those crucial steps in while they go about their work-from-home day. Then, when they’ve walked enough, they simply unplug the machine and roll it back to its storage space.

As someone who has worked from home for over a decade, I’ve avoided at-home exercise in favor of the gym — quite simply because going to the gym got me out of the house every day. Naturally, that took a left turn in 2020, but once I was able to, I returned to my work-from-home/workout-at-the-gym routine. Unfortunately, that changed after I tore my ACL and faced many months of physical therapy to recover the use of my right knee. The injury, and the resulting anxiety that came along with the recovery process, changed my relationship to the gym. I needed to consider alternatives, and the walking pad felt like an obvious solution.

While I loved the look of the sleek walking pads that were just that — a pad — because of my mobility and anxiety issues, a handle was a nonnegotiable feature for me. So, from a starting place of the Umay walking pad I kept seeing on Insta, which had the looks, functionality and ease of storage I wanted, I sought out similar models that had a handle attachment.

Walking pads all have the same basic functionality — a belt on a frame on which one walks, jogs or runs — but within the category, there are a number of features to consider when picking the model that’s right for you. Here are the factors I considered, and some of the models I looked at before deciding that the FYC walking pad was the one for me.

Size and storage: One of the things walking pads have going for them that other comparable pieces of home exercise equipment don’t is that they are slim and easy to store. Some models, like WalkingPad’s folding treadmill, even fold in half for more space-saving. When deciding on a walking pad, look at the dimensions as well as the weight to determine its ease of storage.

Capacity: If you are tall or heavyset, you will need to check the product specs to ensure the walking pad can accommodate your size. To avoid accidentally stepping off the belt, tall people will want a longer belt to account for the length of their stride. The Rhythm Fun walking pad has a 47-inch belt and a 300-pound weight capacity, compared to the FYC model, with its 41-inch long belt and 265-pound weight capacity.

Ease of assembly: I did not want to fool with any sort of assembly! Many walking pads are essentially ready to go right out of the box. Simply unpack it, apply a small amount of silicone lubricant (included) to the space between the belt and the frame and you’re ready to walk. (Models with handles will require the barest of assembly: The handle, which is packed separately, just needs to be screwed into the base and no tools are required. If you can change a lightbulb, you can set up the handle no problem.)

Handles and work surfaces: A handle was a must-have for me, which limited my choices to a degree. But, if you’re looking to use a walking pad in concert with a standing desk (i.e., without a safety rail) the field is wide open, including walking pads with built-in standing desks, like the Goplus 3-in-1.

Incline: Most walking pads do not have an adjustable incline the way traditional treadmills do, but walking pads that incline are available. However, a drawback to the incline functionality is that it makes the machines heavier and bulkier.

Cost: Walking pads are typically in the $200 to $500 range, and price fluctuations are common. I purchased the (pink) FYC walking pad for $309.99; as of this writing it is $399, although the white model is available for $314. Chelsea Stone, our very own deals editor and an absolute genius, told me to pick out a few walking pads I like, drop them in my Amazon cart and wait. It was amazing advice that allowed me to monitor the ever-fluctuating prices of these things and pull the trigger when I felt like I was getting a deal.

Color: Most walking pads are either black or white, sometimes gray. Fairly standard exercise equipment colors, really. But you are not limited to such an uninspired palette! Walking pads in colors like blue, green, red and, yes, pink are easy enough to find.

Yes.

I’ll level and tell you I felt very silly for even considering spending 30 extra dollars for the pink colorway. I felt even sillier after I slept on it and decided, “Yep, I need the pink one. And I’m going to spend 30 extra dollars to have it. This is who I am.”

I felt much less silly when the thing arrived, because the pink colorway absolutely delights me! At the time of purchase, I would absolutely not have considered spending $100 extra for the pink, but now that I have it, to be honest, an extra $100 would be worth it — that’s how much of a positive difference the color of this thing makes to me. Most people will not feel that way! But if you are a person for whom aesthetics are important, it is my recommendation that you allow yourself to spend a little extra on a walking pad just because of the way it looks.