Vmax Trio 2

Vmax Fitness Trio 2 Review

Vmax Fitness released the TRIO 2 in May 2016, the successor to the TRIO that has been around for a good 8+ years. Over the years, there weren’t too many revisions of the Trio and other similar looking machines like the Vibratrim VT400, Triflex, or Vibrapro iSmart. These are the first generation dual vibration machines that used a full metal frame from top to bottom. Previously, most machines had plastic upright columns, single motor driver and were very light (less than 100 lbs) and did not appeared well made. The Trio and other metal machines changed all that with their introduction of a full metal frame machine driven by two motors. Fast forward to today, and we still get the same units from Vibratrim, Triflex, and Vibrapro, without much revision to the look, style, and even the functions of the unit. Today we’ll take a look at the newly revised TRIO 2, a major refresh which distinguishes itself from the dated first generation machines: TRIO, Vibratrim VT400, Triflex, and the Vibrapro iSmart. Some of these newer features include a completely revamped LED display, digital touch screen controls, a detachable remote control, aluminum column, and a more powerful motors (800 watts Oscillation and 400 watt Spiral) that drive the dual vibrations.

Frame and Body Design

The platform of the TRIO 2 remains the same as the TRIO at the same 27″ by 20″ size. There is a 1″ bezel all around the platform that slopes down a little that shrinks the usable standing space on the platform slightly. The platform is a single piece and has two separate rubber gel pads mounted on top. The gel pad is like a dipped, textured, rubber material that is soft to the touch and is fairly comfortable when standing with bare feet. Two nylon strap notches stick out from the edge of the platform and these are used for attaching the hand strap attachments (non-stretchy, nylon style) that come with the machine. The straps helps you to do upper body exercise without getting down onto the platform with your hands and upper body. However, I do recommend doing that if you are able to since that will load (in terms of G-force) your body the most and will be significantly better for muscle conditioning. The mounting bracket on the back of the TRIO 2 differs from the TRIO and you won’t be able to interchange the base units. A major change to the mechanics of the Trio 2 is the larger and stronger motors. The new TRIO 2 is a 1200 watt system, with a 800 watt motor driving the oscillation vibration, and a 400 watt motor driving the spiral vibration. The maximum weight capacity remains the same at 400 lbs but now the machine handles heavier users easier.

The column on the TRIO 2 is completely changed and redesigned. It is much thinner and lighter and is made of aluminum instead of the traditional powder-coated steel. The lighter weight makes the vibration machine significantly easier to assemble and reduces the chances of the column shaking excessively when operating the machine at the higher speeds. The older machines have a heavier column (50 lbs versus 35 lbs) and when shaking at the higher frequencies, tend to shake uncontrollable and makes reading the control panel display impossible. There is also a lot more handle bar holding spots in the TRIO 2. Where the old vibration machines have two brackets for the holding on, the Trio 2 has the top angled and sloped towards you so you can rest your entire arm or hand, and follows through to the mid-section of the machine, allowing users to hold onto it while sitting on the platform. The handlebars are a night and day difference in terms of the support and ergonomics compared to the older machines and is much more practical and useful. The handlebars are treated with a dipped, rubber type of compound (similar to the rubber pad that is on the platform, but different texture) and should not rip or tear. The texture of the handle bars is very pleasant and is not slippery even if you have sweaty hands.

Control Panel Design

The Vmax Trio 2 has a completely redesigned control panel and the function and features has gone through a much needed overhaul. It uses a newer LED display that is very modern and crisp. There are 5 sets of numbers that are displayed in the LED display. The oscillation and spiral vibration speeds, the current mode the machine is set at, the new calorie counter, and the time display. There is a giant heart in the middle and we haven’t quite figured out why or what that is used for. The machine is controlled by 2 rows of digital touch screen buttons. The top row is used only for the MP3 player function and you can increase or decrease the volume, play or pause, and skip to the next track or the previous track. To activate that row, all you need to do is stick a USB key containing mp3 music files into the right side of the machine and you can listen to your exercise music during your workout. The two speakers are mounted on the left and right side of the remote control. It appears the exercise programming feature has been removed and replaced by the MP3 function instead.

The bottom row of the digital touch buttons are the main controls. From left to right, oscillation speed up, speed down, 1 minute time increase, Start/Stop, program mode, spiral speed up and speed down. The machine can be set to run from 1 minute to 20 minutes. Pressing the time button, you will increase the timer by 1 minute and once it hits 20 minutes, pressing it again will cycle it back to 1 minute. The Start/Stop does not actually pause the machine nor allow you to resume from where you stopped despite the icon / picture showing the “pause”. Pressing it starts the machine and if you start, it will cycle through the whole thing again from the start, either if you are in the manual (88) mode or one of the exercise routines. Holding down on the speed controls for the different vibrations works very well and this new feature is definitely a welcome addition. In the previous machines, the speed doesn’t increase or decrease as fast and adjusting the speed is sometimes a chore. The machine comes with 9 exercise programs from P1 to P9 and each one uses a higher maximum speed. You can slowly work your way up from P1 all the way through P9 once your body gets stronger and you are comfortable with the higher speeds. The programs are set to run for 15 minutes and automatically changes speeds for you so you don’t have to fiddle around with the speed setting. You can simply set it and forget it 15 minutes while doing various exercises and poses. The new control panel is still fairly easy to get fingerprints and oil on, so keep a towel close by to wipe it down after use.

You really have to see the display panel touch screen as it is beautifully made.  The text display is sharp and clean.  There is no more mechanical push buttons to press, the touch screen “buttons” are very sensitive and responsive.  If you want to increase the speed rapidly, simply press and hold the speed up/down button and the speed will change quickly, a big improvement and time saver from the Trio 1 machine.  We have the opportunity to try both the Trio 1 and the Trio 2 side by side and the usability, practicality, and performance has all been improved in the Trio 2 machine.

A new removable remote control comes with the Vmax Trio 2 and is magnetically held in a socket in the middle of the control panel. The remote pretty much allows you full access to the main controls of the machine (you can’t operate the music controls from the remote). With the remote, you can easily adjust the speeds on either vibration, the mode, and even the timer setting. It is very convenient for users that are changing between different poses and postures and you don’t need to stand in front of the control panel anymore to adjust the settings appropriate for your workout. We tried using the remote from about 10 feet away and machine receives our commands with no issues nor interference. You can also clip the remote control to your shirt or pants while you are working out so you don’t have to hold onto anything!  This remote is also great for fitness trainers to remotely adjust speed for their clients.

Final Thoughts

The new Vmax Trio 2 is a very nice refresh on the dated, older generation Trio, Vibratrim VT400, Vibrapro iSmart, and Triflex. The newer motors make the machine stronger and longer lasting. The redesign of the control panel makes it easier for the user to operate the machine and the column change attempts to eliminate the column shaking problem when placed on certain flooring. One thing we would like changed was the area where the heart shape was. That space could have been used as a real heart rate monitor of sorts but at this moment, it doesn’t appear that it is used for anything other than to fill out a empty space. Otherwise, the Trio2 gets good marks for overall design, the new feature set, and the new motors of the system. The Trio 2 is set to replace the now discontinued Trio and it is easy to recommend going with the newer machines if you are debating between the Vibratrim VT400, Triflex or Trio. The similar pricing between these units and the fact that the Trio 2 is practically a brand new design makes it stand out when compared to the older generation machines.