NordicTrack AirGlide 16 Elliptical

Overview: The AirGlide 16 elliptical is one of the newest releases from NordicTrack, a front drive model with incline and decline capability, up to 26 resistance levels and a larger, pivoting touch screen display that you can adjust to the perfect angle for on and off machine workouts.

Let’s look at some of the best features…

Large Tilting Touch Screen

Just like the base model in this series, the NordicTrack AirGlide 14i, the AirGlide 16 has a tilting touchscreen display, which as we mention above gives you the ability to choose the perfect viewing angle whether you are on the elliptical or off doing resistance training, yoga or any of the other iFIT workouts. This is a great feature that previous models did not have. You also won’t find that on most competitors.

iFIT Workout Capability

One of the biggest draws of all NordicTrack cardio equipment (treadmills, ellipticals, rowers and bikes) is iFIT, which in a nutshell is an immersive, interactive training program with an endless library of workouts geared towards all fitness levels, as well as custom Google maps for virtual training worldwide, workout syncing, tracking and tons of other great features. It does require a monthly or yearly membership but it’s well worth it for all you are getting. One of the newest features of iFIT is the streaming capability so you can watch your favorite shows, videos and listen to music apps. They had this capability many years ago but just recently brought it back, possibly due to the fact that some of their main competitors offer streaming on their cardio machines.

Incline & Decline Capability

Believe it or not incline and decline capability are still rare on home ellipticals, but they really do expand your capability when working out. Incline and decline allow you to target different muscle groups that flat training, and make things much more challenging for you. The NordicTrack AirGlide 16 gives you 15% incline and 5% decline, something you just don’t find anywhere else.

Comfort Features

On top of the 26 different resistance levels to choose from, the endless workouts and touch screen display we mentioned above, NordicTrack throws in a lot of extras to make your workouts more enjoyable. This includes oversized pedals, AutoBreeze fan, water bottle holders and USB-C charging ports, among others.

NordicTrack AirGlide 16 Test Drive

It certainly looks great, but the most important part of any elliptical or other cardio machine is whether or not it performs well. As the AirGlide 16 is very similar to the AirGlide 14i, we were confident that we would like it just as much, but every now and then a newer model has a feature or lacks a previous feature that takes away from the experience. Fortunately this was not the case with the AirGlide 16.

Overall the AirGlide 16 looks just like its little sister, modern and sleek with a large touch screen display. This one is even bigger at 16″ vs 14″ and it looks much larger if you put them side by side. The tilting capability is a real game changer, as people complained over the years that the fixed console doesn’t quite sit at the perfect angle for viewing. Now you can tilt it so it’s where you need it to be. And this is cool because iFIT, which we will get into shortly, includes a ton of non-elliptical workouts, so you’ll want to be able to see the touch screen well when you’re off the machine if you plan to do those workouts. So having the ability to move the screen around is key.

In case you’re not familiar with iFIT, it’s the interactive training found on NordicTrack & ProForm ellipticals, treadmills, bikes and rowing machines. You can choose any kind of workout you like, whether you’re just getting started or have been working out for decades. There’s something for every level and you can choose the trainer and destination that you like, virtually training anywhere in the world you desire. All of your stats are there, and the elliptical will automatically adjust the resistance level and incline/decline to match the workout that you choose, so you don’t have to do it manually…another very convenient feature.

So the workouts are great and diverse, but what sets the AirGlide 16 apart from other ellipticals is its incline and decline capability. You can definitely find incline to some degree but decline is still very rare. Having the ability to literally go uphill and downhill on an elliptical is a unique experience and really works the legs in a different way. It’s also a great cardio twist. It’s very easy to adjust the incline and the decline, as well as the 26 different resistance levels.

The AirGlide 16 also has a longer 19″ adjustable stride, as opposed to 17.5″-18.5″ on the NordicTrack AirGlide 14i, giving you a little more freedom of movement. And the name AirGlide is appropriate because it really does feel like you are gliding on air, with total freedom of movement.

It does take some time to learn iFIT and all of its features, but once you’re familiar with it you’ll love all it has to offer. You can even stream Netflix or YouTube while you train to pass the time. Transitioning from one resistance level to the next or one incline level to the next all happens at the touch of a button so it couldn’t be easier. The machine is very comfortable and easy to use as well.

All in all, we like the new AirGlide 16 very much, and its a great choice for the home gym.

Conclusion

The NordicTrack AirGlide 16 is a great addition to the series, improving upon the popular AirGlide 14i with a larger screen, longer stride and updated touches and capabilities.

This new front drive model gives you both incline and decline capability, lots of resistance levels, comfort features and an ever growing library of workouts via iFIT and streaming capability.

Check out this new elliptical if you’re in the market for a solid home machine with tons of features without the huge price tag.