8ft Powerslide Slide Board Lateral Exercise Trainer (Large Booties)

I returned this product after 3 weeks and, like the previous buyer, I was charged about $50.00 too. The quality is not worth it. The slide does not stay on the ground properly. It is rolled when you receive it and for some reason I could never unroll it so that it remained flat. There was a permanent curl at the end and it would end up rolling at each end automatically! This was dangerous because I nearly fell several times trying to slide and the curved ends were not secure. The company should put the rubber backing on the entire product not just the end. Anyway, save your time and money and research other products because you will be charged for shipping and restocking too...if returned.

I purchased this item...set it up...tried it out...probably didn't get 25 strides in before the end part kept coming off...it appears the threaded parts in the screw rubbed away so the screw would not stay put and thus, it will not work. I spent more time opening and repackaging the product, than I did sliding on it.

I've tried slide boards before in my training classes and this seemed like a cheaper version. Did not feel sturdy at all.

The worst part is that I lose $50 AND I have nothing to show for it. I lose $20 shipping here, $20 restocking fee, and then I lose at least $10 to ship it back to them because the customer service said I have to ship it back myself. Now that's kind of lame.

The guy on the phone was shocked and he said I was the first person to return this product. If that's the case, and you stand by your product's performance, you should at least offer to cover the shipping charges and and even wave the restocking fee.

Just be cautious when getting this product. I would wait until Target has it. Then if it breaks, at least you can take it back to Target.

I had a Reebok slide board for years and finally wore it out. I bought this as a replacement. I have mixed feelings about this board.

pros - a great work out. It's easy to get my heart beat rate up, much easier than my exercise bike. It's kind of fun once you get the hang of it. I have the adjustable bumper set to about 6' distance which works well for me right now. It can be rolled up and stored in a closet, which is great since I live in a small condo. It's also pretty quiet compared to, say a NordicTrack ski machine.

cons - it walks all over my carpet, does not stay still. I have to readjust it every few minutes (which doesn't seem to affect my heatrate anyways). I think it has to do with the slipperiness of the surface. I've tried cleaning it with limited success. New booties really improved things (they don't seem to last long), but I haven't tried Pledge. I have noticed that the slicker the surface the less it walks. Hopefully Pledge will do the trick.

I found the strap to keep it rolled up to be useless, I removed it and used my own. Overall I like using a slide board for general aerobic exercise, but I wish this model stayed put. Then again my old one had the same problem. Maybe it's inherent in the design.

edit: Well, after a year of semi-regular use, the bumpers began to crack. I ordered new ones, but those didn't hold up long either. Pledge definitely helped the side to side motion, but I wonder if bumpers just can't stand up to the extra force. They just aren't securely attached to the ends of the surface, and the plastic is lightweight, not too solid. I eventually threw the whole thing away and bought another model. I would no longer recommend this and unfortunately cannot change my rating.

Didn't realize it but I purchased a board from this same company 15yrs ago when it was called PowerStride and the only people using them back then were hockey players. Since then they've come into favor with many fitness professionals (books by Mike Boyle and Vern Gambetta). I purchased a new one since I wore the bumpers out on the old one and got tired of trying to glue them back on.
This model seems improved. It is lighter but doesn't move when using. The slight ramps help you get into the proper position for the push off. I did use Pledge furniture wax spray to make the surface more slippery and it works well. It is very fast.
It is a very good lateral aerobic workout. Works muscles most people never think about. Particularly good for basketball and tennis players to condition lateral movement. Great just for general fitness. Great bang for the buck compared to expensive machines. You do need to have some semblance of coordination to use but it comes quick. Most people probably have more trouble learning to use a Nordic Trak. Would not recommend for very senior people who might fall but for the general population (particularly athletes looking to cross train) I would highly recommend it.
Also, I am very impressed with the manufacturer. I received the board in less than a week. The day after I placed the order on Amazon I received an email from the company thanking me and attaching directions and tips for use. It comes with a 30-day money back guarantee so it's hard to go wrong with this purchase.

I agree with the earlier reviewer that it takes awhile to get the sliding technique down. However, I'm not much of a skater, and I got the hang of it after about 10 minutes, and have gotten even better since. My 11-year-old son likes it as well. I'm up to 35 minutes on the thing. I'm hoping that it will make each of us better skaters if it ever gets cold enough to form ice this winter. It's already noticeably improved my tennis quickness.

I disagree with that earlier reviewer's contention that one could self-manufacture this device for $20. No, it's not as good as the professional slide board that I first used at the gym (which gave me the idea to look for one for home) and that costs $600 and would probably last 50 years. But it's not bad for $135.

I bought the 10' model. The 8' model is plenty big enough, unless you're Mario Lemieux or Eric Heiden.