Article: Why I Went Portable: Living With a Foldable Reformer in a Small Space
Why I Went Portable: Living With a Foldable Reformer in a Small Space
When I was choosing my own reformer, I did not have a spare room to give it. I had a corner of a living space and a strong wish not to have a large machine on show all day. That is why I went portable, and honestly, a foldable reformer turned out to be the best decision I made. Here is what living with one is really like.
In this article
Why I chose portable over fixed
I chose a portable, foldable reformer over a fixed studio frame for one honest reason, my space had to stay flexible. A fixed reformer is wonderful if it can live set up permanently, but mine could not. A folding reformer lets me train fully and then hand the room straight back, which for my home was the only version that would ever actually get used.
How little space it actually needs
People are surprised by how little room it needs. In use, allow about two metres of length and a bit of space around the ends. When folded, it stands upright on its wheels and takes up barely more than a slim cupboard, tucked against a wall or rolled out of sight. My living room is a living room again in under a minute.
The folding is the part that matters
The folding is the whole point, and how easy it is decides whether you actually use the machine. Ours folds down and stands on its wheels with nothing to dismantle, so there is no chore standing between me and a session. If folding away were fiddly, the reformer would quietly become furniture. Because it is this simple, it never does. If you want the detail, I wrote a whole piece on setting one up and folding it away.
It gives up nothing in performance
The worry everyone has is that portable means compromised. It does not. The folding lives in the frame and has nothing to do with how the carriage glides or how solid it feels. The same German made springs, wheels and materials run across the range, foldable and fixed alike. I go deeper in is a foldable reformer as good as a studio reformer, but the short version is that during a session you feel no difference at all.
Who a portable reformer suits
A portable reformer suits anyone in an apartment, a shared room, or simply anyone who does not want a machine on display all day. If that is you, do not let space talk you out of a reformer, a foldable one is built for exactly this. Browse them together in the foldable reformer range.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a portable reformer?
A portable, foldable reformer is a full size machine that folds down and stands upright on its wheels, so it can be moved and stored easily rather than living set up all the time.
Does a foldable reformer perform as well as a fixed one?
Yes. The folding sits in the frame and does not affect the glide or stability. The springs, wheels and materials are the same across the range, so it feels the same during a session.
How much space does a foldable reformer need?
About two metres of length in use, and when folded it stands upright on its wheels and takes up little more than a slim cupboard against a wall.
Is a foldable reformer easy to move?
Yes. It stands on its wheels when folded, so you roll it into place or against a wall in seconds, with no lifting or dismantling.
Explore the Foldable Range
Full size performance that folds away when you are done, with free Australia wide delivery and a five year warranty on every machine.
Explore the Foldable Range
Written by Ayrah Yuso
I'm part of the FitBoutique team and have a solid passion (and love) for all things exercise related, including Reformer Pilates
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