Climbing - the upright cross-crawl motion - is one of our most natural, innate movements. It is already “in” all of us. For many, trying this motion again for the first time (often since childhood) sparks an immediate sense of joy and motivation. This simple truth inspired all of Cactus’ designs.
Everything we concepted, from early form factor sketches to the digital UI and company branding focused on reducing any sense of intimidation that the old climber machines gave off. We wanted as many people to experience these machines as possible!
Cactus worked closely with the CLMBR founders to identify the pain points that fitness facility operators and in-home end users typically experience with traditional climbing machines. Our brand, strategy, product, digital, and user interfaces all needed to address these pain points in order to make it into production designs.
The onboard digital user interface is perhaps the centerpiece of the machines. With a novel design that emphasizes the upward, rhythmic, motion and key metrics, rich content, gamification, and beautiful visuals, the user (either in gym or home setting) gets a welcoming, truly unique, and highly motivating experience.
CLIMBR’s branding also speaks to this user-centered, optimized approach. Cactus developed the brand, combining sleek lines with topographical features and vivid, modern colors that replicate the energy of mountain climbing.
The overall result [www.clmbr.com] is a highly fun, highly functional workout that keeps users coming back for more.