4 Cutting-Edge Sports Simulators to Hone Your Skills at Home
Honing athletic skill takes constant, year-round commitment, but try telling that to inclement weather. Thankfully, as elite professionals already know, virtual practice can yield valuable results, refining biomechanics and reinforcing muscle memory along the way. Just ask those who make a living competing in sports as disparate as Formula 1, golf, soccer, and hockey, where these computer-assisted training tools can help provide a winning edge. Whether aiming to be a contender or just a better weekend warrior, you’ll find the following top-of-the-line sims will help keep you at the top of your game where it counts: in the real world.
Golfzon
TwoVision Golf Simulator
There’s no shortage of golf sims, but it was Golfzon that notched Golf Inc.’s Most Innovative Product Award. The TwoVision name comes from the second-generation high-speed cameras mounted on the ceiling and tee box that capture your swing at 400 frames per second; the CPU then offers instantly accurate feedback as you trace the ball’s flight across more than 235 courses, including bucket-list destinations such as Pebble Beach and St Andrews. Golfzon’s LED-illuminated putting guide directs you exactly where to aim, while the system’s auto-tee feature reloads your ball to speed up gameplay while sparing your back. Starting at $72,000
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Trak Racer
Alpine Racing TRX
Codeveloped with engineers from the Alpine Formula 1 team, Trak Racer’s Alpine Racing TRX was initially designed for pro drivers. Now available to the public, the training system features a 49-inch curved display, high-quality surround sound, and a brushless motor on the steering wheel with more than 18 ft lbs of torque for realistic feedback. There’s an optional motion base for an even more immersive experience, and Trak Racer’s programmers will optimize the hardware and software to fit your game preferences. (The Alpine Racing TRX includes a high-spec gaming PC and integrates easily with a number of racing titles.) Unlike many other rigs, the patented design can be adjusted easily via the seat, steering wheel, and pedals. $12,995 for setup, including display (motion base extra)
Full Swing
Sports Simulator
With their Sports model, the makers of the Full Swing Golf Simulator have turned their attention to other disciplines. With more than four cameras, an exceptionally fast sim-optimized CPU, and a twin-layer mesh screen, this sim tracks the object launched toward the screen via a variety of data points (think throwing, kicking, and swinging) across 13 sports, everything from baseball and basketball to rugby, soccer, hockey, and lacrosse—even bocce. (Golf, naturally, is a given.) Additional activities such as shooting and motorsports, from third-party game sources, can be made compatible via optional tech. Proper equipment is required for most selections, to translate improvements more directly to actual competition. Starting at $44,900
Muov
TiltBike Indoor Cycle
Muov’s TiltBike Indoor Cycle elevates stationary biking thanks to its proprietary tilting mechanism, which allows you to both steer and lean the bike during the workout, in order to replicate actual riding dynamics more closely. While Muov has developed its own app for the TiltBike, the machine is designed to work across multiple training platforms, including Peloton, Zwift, and Trainer Road. It’s also compatible with popular Xbox and PlayStation cycling games (if played through a PC and accessed via Bluetooth), allowing you to control your avatar via more realistic movements. And for families with multiple riders, Muov ensures its versatility amid a competitive pack with frames of varying sizes and configurations—all interchangeable with the base. Starting at $3,200
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