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Review: Brookstone uSurf Wave-Action Exerciser

Tearing up gnarly waves is totally our passion at the Gadget Lab-psyche! Truth is, we’re merely beach bums angling for surfer babes, so the idea of an in-home surfing trainer had us totally stoked. The OSIM uSurf is a fitness gadget designed to simulate the motion of surfing. And it does. Sort of. If you […]
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Rating:

4/10

WIRED
Sturdy construction. Motion feels vaguely like surfing, and can be an entertaining party game (warning from manual: Do not drink and ride the uSurf). Doubtlessly works calves, and possibly improves balance.
TIRED
What exercise? Maximum recommended usage barely results in a workout-you burn more calories just taking the kajillion-pound thing out of the box. Useless instruction manual reads like a lawyers liability document. Included upper-body tension cords seem like an ill-conceived afterthought.

Tearing up gnarly waves is totally our passion at the Gadget Lab-psyche! Truth is, we're merely beach bums angling for surfer babes, so the idea of an in-home surfing trainer had us totally stoked. The OSIM uSurf is a fitness gadget designed to simulate the motion of surfing. And it does. Sort of. If you close your eyes and snort a line of sea salt, the rumble-shake-jitter of the 36"x14" unit is almost reminiscent of riding crumbly whitewater. To be fair, after 15 minutes we could feel the uSurf working our calves, but OSIM's promise of a surfer's body and sense of balance is, well, a pipe dream.