Round 2 of Tests Confirm Superior Design

In 2004, STL International, Inc., manufacturer of the Teeter Hang Ups® brand, hired an independent and non-biased engineering firm to compare and test the seven most widely distributed inversion tables. Across all levels of evaluation, Teeter Hang Ups met or exceeded the competitors in durability and quality.

In 2006, STL contacted the same engineering firm and requested another round of testing, this time to evaluate product function and ease of use. Since its introduction to the market in 1983, the Teeter Hang Ups inversion table has been upgraded over 75 times to improve its design - but how does it actually stack up against the competitors?

The ‘Ease of Use Indicator’ chart (A) shows the results of a calculation to illustrate ease of use while in full inversion. The calculation combined several parameters to determine overall lockout stability:

Table Inertia

Inertia measures how difficult or easy it is for an inversion table to rotate on its frame and also shows how much rotational force will be needed to stop or change the rate of rotation and direction once inverted. Maximizing table inertia, within limits, maximizes the ease of use.

Total Offset of Foot Clamp and Main Pivot from the Backboard Plane

The combination of reduced main pivot offsets and substantial foot clamp offsets should be 4.25” to put the user in the optimal position for lockout in full inversion and maximize ease of use.

Backboard Angle at the Full Rotation Stop (B)

To lockout in full inversion, the user needs an inversion table that rotates past center, allowing him to hang by his ankles free from the backboard. Conversely, the user also needs to be close enough to the backboard to disengage easily from the lockout position and ascend. An approximate lockout angle of 11o maximizes ease of use.

Throughout all parameters Teeter Hang Ups outperformed its competition. The values that were calculated for each parameter fell at or close to those identified as ‘optimal for ease of use’ by the engineer. In addition, the engineer noted, “Another unique feature that added to the performance of the Teeter Hang Ups Inversion Table was its traction handles, which allows the user to independently rotate the table away from or toward the inverted position, making control of the table easier, and requiring reduced effort to get out of the locked-out position in full inversion. None of the other tables tested feature this upgrade.”

Teeter Hang Ups also performed well in the noise level (C) and stability testing.

Report published by Dynamark Engineering in July 2006.

Inversion tables tested (in alphabetical order):

Kettler
Life Gear
Staminia
Teeter Hang Ups