Last week in Treadmill Desks I – The Problem I tried to convince you that if you spend time in a virtual world like SL, or otherwise spend a decent amount of work or play time in front of a flat-screen, it might be a good idea to spend that time on a Treadmill Desk.

In my case, a new, low-end treadmill from Amazon cost me half what I paid for a high-end 3D graphics card back in Jan 2011, and now 4 years later I’ve already had to replace the graphics card while the “cheap” treadmill is still working just fine. An nVidia GeForce card can make your VR experience richer, but what could be richer than having that and better experiences for years longer because your online time was also time when your body was moving instead of sedentary?

Building a Treadmill Desk

There are high, mid, and low priced treadmill desk options. If you’ve got an employer who’s in it for the long haul, the “expensive” desks might be realistic options. If you’re “playing” at home with a tight budget, the low-priced options can be quite low cost. In my case, it was certainly worth half the price of a graphics card for something that I’m convinced can add years to my life.

Quick Summary

Before diving in to the details, here’s a few scenarios:

€€€€ – If you’ve got an employer who’s in it for the long hall, any of these solutions, all of the integrated systems, and even the most expensive treadmill desk that I know of, the Steelcase Walkstation, at about US$4,499, are realistic options. Your employer is investing in higher productivity, lower sickness and other health issues, and quality office furniture that should last a long time.

€€€ – If your employer didn’t cash in with venture capital, or if you’re doing well and want to set up a treadmill desk at home, any of these integrated solutions should work. A system like the Rebel Desk is a fantastic solution at about US$1,250.

You can also just buy a way to put your laptop or monitor on your treadmill. If you don’t already own a treadmill, you could buy any model you wanted, including low cost units at places like Amazon, or used ones at places like eBay or Craigslist.

€€ – You can add a large and cozy work surface to your treadmill with a Trek Desk for about US$499.

€ – A still awesome, and very budget friendly solution is the SurfShelf at about US$39. Tricia Meyer and others have DIY solutions for even less than the cost of a SurfShelf.

I know some gamers buy expensive rigs, and others have to get by on very limited budgets. Even on a tight budget, a euro or two in the piggy bank from time to time and you should be able to pick up a used treadmill and a SurfShelf before too long.

Vanessa’s Solution

In January 2011 I wanted to build a new workstation. I already had a nice drawing table, and, coincidentally, I wasn’t really drawing with a pencil anymore, so the table was looking for a new job. I decided to mount a big monitor on the wall behind the table, and slide a low-cost treadmill in front of it. The monitor’s on a swivel arm and behind the desk is a nice couch where you could have a meal or make out while watching a DVD. The treadmill was about €250 on Amazon. It was about the lowest cost model and it’s worked out well. You probably don’t have a drawing table just lying around like I did. Or even if you do it might not go up as high as my Bieffe monocolumn table does. A better model for most people might be Sherry Pagoto who’s put 2 treadmill desks together, a large one for home and a compact one for her office.

Sherry Pagoto’s Solutions

Sherry Pagoto’s covered the “low” and “medium” cost solutions nicely. At her home she took her existing treadmill and laptop and bought a medium priced Trek Desk. The Trek Desk is a large work surface that goes over your treadmill and supports your laptop or other monitor.

In her office Pagoto didn’t have room for a big Trek Desk so she used laptop and treadmill with the world’s cheapest and easiest solution, the Surf Shelf. It’s a simple device that lets you mount your laptop to a treadmill. When Ama Ree and I hung out at Crap Mariner’s treehouse last week, he had used a VR Surf Shelf to mount his laptop to his treadmill. It’s a very cool VR solution, but again, while a VR treadmill desk is fun, an RL treadmill desk gives you a healthier, longer life.

SurfShelf

Tricia Meyer

Tricia Meyer spent even less than a Surf Shelf by attaching a simple wooden shelf to her treadmill:

DIY

Klorm gives us a detailed How to for a treadmill desk similar to Tricia Meyer’s:

Krytos Gaming

Gamer Krytos shares his DIY treadmill desk that relives back pain for him:

Fully Integrated Desks

Note that Cali Lewis and Jordan Keyes both talk about burning calories and losing weight. That’s pretty cool for many of us, but I want to emphasize that this is an optional bonus of a Treadmill Desk. If you watched the Earnesto Ramirez Ignite San Diego Your Chair is Killing You video that I posted last week, then you’ll recall that whether or not you want to lose weight, sitting is part of a sedentary lifestyle that will shorten your life! Like Jordan, I’ve increased my treadmill walking speed over time, but again, that’s not essential. When Cali Lewis shows you how slow and easy 0.4 miles/hour is, that’s still enough to give you that needed circulation and a longer life!

Building a Treadmill Desk

Surf Shelf €

• Freewell SurfShelf

DIY €

• Tricia Meyer How to build a treadmill desk

Trek Desk €€

• Sherry Pagoto: The Healthy Workaholic – her treadmill desks for home and office
• Sherry Pagoto: Trek Desk Review: A Great Way to Reduce Sitting Time – her original Trek Desk review
• TrekDesk.com

Integrated Treadmill Desks €€€

• RebelDesk.com
• Cali Lewis / GeekBeat.tv Rebel Desk
• Chee Gates / FitStudio NordicTrack Desk Treadmill review
• Next Desk.com
• LifeSpan Treadmill Desks
• TreadDesk.com

Steelcase €€€€

• Steelcase Walkstation

Want One?

So there’s some different styles and choices for building a treadmill desk. Ranging all the way from € to €€€€! I’m definitely no expert on Treadmill Desks. I’ve only put together one, and only ever used one. But if you’re interested in building a treadmill desk, from the SurfShelf all the way to Steelcase, or anywhere in between, definitely give a shout if I can help in any way or answer any questions.

Got One?

If you do have, or get, a treadmill desk, please leave a comment below and let me know how it’s working for you? Like it? Love it? Hate it? Praise? Complaints? LMK! If you know of other desks or accessories that I haven’t listed, please leave links also.

Walk for health
Walk to be immersed in the city
Walk for life
Walk,

Vaneeesa Blaylock

Virtual Performance Artist, retired, turned Virtual Coffee Shop proprietor, now also retired. Pretty much just a pensioner these days.