Lifeline Power wheel II Review

The Lifeline Power wheel II is an exercise device for strengthening the core and toning abdominal muscles. The newer Power Wheel design is a variation on the classic ab wheel featuring some additions and changes and a higher price tag. Is the quality of the power wheel worthy of the extra cost or is this just a ploy to over-charge people for an ab Wheel? Here’s a rundown of what you get:

What is the Power Wheel II?

If you’re not familiar with ab wheels (you should be; they’re great core tools) they consist of a wheel or often two with handles on the sides. You push the wheel across the floor away from you forcing you to support yourself on an unstable object using your core strength. If you understand that description, good. If you don’t, it’s one of these:

These devices are one of the best ways to work the core. What the power wheel II does is it uses a design with a much taller and thinner wheel that causes the user to support themselves higher off of the ground on a less stable surface. This means that you have to work harder to stabilize yourself, thus getting a harder workout. The most notable addition to the Power Wheel II is that along with the tradition handles there are foot holds so that you can strap your feet in to the wheel to do motions using more of your lower abs like pikes and other exercises from a plank position or even from a laying down position. This was the main selling point for me because of the variety, however, the foot strap method is also the one I've used the least with the Power Wheel II.  

The Good and the Bad

As you can see in the above picture, the Power Wheel II looks a lot different from traditional ab wheels. the price is a lot different too. wheels like the one in the first picture can be found for as little as $10 while the Power wheel II runs about $50. If you're just starting out getting an ab wheel, it might be best to get a basic cheaper one. a simple wheel will give you a great exercise. If you don't mind spending the extra, however, the Power Wheel is a very solid product. The foot straps are a great innovation, but they're annoying to put on and use, so many people probably won't utilize them much. The handles are very comfortable and a definite improvement on the cheap plastic handles of some wheels. It should also be noted that the Power Wheel earns points for having a sturdy design. When using something that is meant to support your body weight, it's important that it is durable and not going to fall apart. Also, the smoothness with which it rolls is rather impressive and makes for a good experience with your workout. 

Overall / Final Rating

The $50 price tag may seem a little steep for an ab wheel, but Lifeline's Power Wheel is not the only one in this price range and it is a really solid product. The hand grips are great, the foot straps could probably be designed better, the functionality is superb. Overall I have to give the Power Wheel II a 9 out of 10.

   

See Also: Abdominator review