Hoist Fitness has been in the game for over 40 years and can be found in commercial gyms across the country.
This review of Hoist’s Mi6 Functional Trainer will help you decide if it will be the right addition to your home gym.
I have been using this machine in my home gym for the past 6 months, as well as at the firehouse gym. The unit at the firehouse has been used by approximately 8 firefighters per shift for the last couple of years.
Firefighters are hard on everything. The fact that the machine at the firehouse held up so great was the main reason I purchased one for my home gym.
In this review, I will go over the basics of the Mi6, the things that work, and some others that could be improved.
Short on time? Skip down to the summary.
Overview
Designed with advanced engineering, this versatile functional trainer offers a wide range of exercise options to help you achieve your fitness goals. Whether you are looking to build muscle, improve strength, or just get in a good workout, the Hoist Mi6 is an excellent choice.
What is a functional trainer anyways? A functional trainer is a piece of equipment that allows you to perform a wide range of exercises, targeting various muscle groups in your body. It typically consists of pulleys and weight stacks mounted on a frame, allowing you to perform multiple cable-based movements in one machine.
Overall the Hoist Mi6 is very solid, operates smoothly, and the included attachments offer a wide variety of exercises. The problem is that you have to pay for that quality. It’s on the higher end of pricing as far as functional trainers go.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 306-degree rotation on columns | Price |
| One-Handed pulley adjustment | Heavy if you need to move it after it’s assembled |
| Compact footprint | Square ring attachments |
| 28 pulley adjustments | |
| Tablet holder | |
| Integrated pull-up bar |
Design
The Hoist Mi6 features a sturdy frame made from high-quality steel that can support users of all fitness levels. The sleek, streamlined design hides the pulleys and hardware as well as encases the weight stack for safety and quieter operation.
There are multiple accessory racks with enough spots to hang all of the included attachments, as well as a few others you may have laying around. The built-in tablet holder is a nice option if you’re using the Hoist Strength App to guide you through a workout.
The compact “V” design allows the machine to be tucked into a corner and still have full functionality. The dimensions of the Hoist Mi6 are:
- Length – 37.75″
- Width – 54″
- Height – 83″
Just make sure you know where you want the functional trainer to sit before you assemble it. At 610.5 lbs, it’s a nightmare to move after it’s been built.
The Mi6 also has a multi-position chin-up bar attached across the top of the two columns. The bar isn’t knurled like typical barbells, but it does have a diamond pattern that very slightly helps grip.
The column design on the Mi6 really sets it apart. Both columns have 360-degree rotation allowing you to attack it from pretty much any angle. This is surprisingly nice when sharing the machine with a workout partner. It allows you to basically work on opposite sides freeing up a lot more space.
There are 28 pulley adjustment points per column which allow for both sides to be used together, or independently. The pulleys adjust with a “unique patent-pending Integrated Adjustment System.” That is Hoist’s fancy way of saying that the pulleys can easily and quickly be adjusted with one hand.
The cable ends are equipped with quick-release adapters that fit the narrow square rings on the attached accessories. I personally don’t like the quick-release adapters. They are fine if you’re only using the supplied accessories but require an adapter to use the standard spring-snap carabiner.
An accessory I use often is the rope for tricep pushdowns. I sometimes spend more time looking around the gym for the little D-ring adapter than actually exercising. If you’re not sharing your gym with anyone then this probably won’t be an issue, but I’d prefer an eyelet instead of the quick-release adapter on the cables.
Weight Stacks
The Hoist Mi6 comes standard with two – 150 lb weight stacks. The stacks are adjustable in 10 lb increments with the weight pin. For an additional $280, the Mi6 comes upgraded with two – 200 lb weight stacks.
The weight plates are equipped with industrial plastic bushings and machined to exact specs that allow for extremely smooth surprisingly quiet movement. The bushings eliminate the metal-to-metal contact and most of the sound that comes with it.
After 2 years of regular use at the firehouse, and virtually zero maintenance besides cleaning, the Mi6 doesn’t have any “sticky” spots throughout the entire range that the weights travel.
Hoist uses “Split Weight Cabling” which delivers 50% resistance to the pulleys. Almost all functional trainers use pulleys and mechanical advantage to get varying resistance at the handle. Hoist uses a 2:1 pulley ratio, meaning when the stack is set to 100 lbs, it feels like you’re moving 50 lbs.
Attachments
There are a few attachments that come standard with the purchase of the Mi6. They are:
- Two – Adjustable strap handles
- One – Dual attachment long strap for weight-assisted pull-ups
- One – Dual attachment long bar enables the use of both pulleys simultaneously
- One – Padded ankle/thigh strap for leg exercises
- One – Ultra light aluminum short curl bar for bicep curls, tricep press-downs, and rows.
Pretty much any accessory handle will work with the Mi6 as long as you purchase a carabiner adapter from Hoist. Unfortunately, the adapter is necessary to make the most out of this machine. The adapter allows you to use the tricep rope and a variety of handles and bars.
Warranty
Hoist has a pretty awesome warranty for their residential equipment. The warranty breaks down as follows:
- Body/Frame: Lifetime Warranty for the lifetime of the product and applies to defects from the manufacturer only
- Structural Moving Parts: 10 Years, applies to defects from the manufacturer only
- Finish/Paint, Cables, Upholstery, and Accessories: 10 Years, applies to defects from the manufacturer only
The warranty fits right in the middle of some of the comparable competitor brands. For comparison, Body-Solid offers a lifetime warranty on all the parts of the machine, and Titan Fitness offers a 1-year warranty on the complete machine.
Alternatives
The price of the Mi6 is probably its biggest downfall. You’re getting commercial quality equipment for the money, but not everyone wants to shell out commercial quantity money. Here is a list of a few machines that functionally are comparable, but come with a cheaper price tag.
BodyCraft HFT Pro Functional Trainer
The BodyCraft HFT Pro Functional Trainer covers almost all the same functions as the Mi6, but for about $800 less. Like the Mi6, the BodyCraft comes with dual 150 lb weight stacks at a 2:1 ratio. For an additional $300, you can upgrade each weight stack to 200 lbs.
BodyCraft includes the following accessories with the purchase of the functional trainer:
- Dual Contoured Single Handles
- Sports Stick
- Long Bar
- Tricep Rope
- Padded Ankle Cuff
- Chin/Push-Up Assist Strap
- Dual Heavy-Duty 21 Link Adjustment Chain Set
- Exercise Book
BodyCraft includes a lifetime warranty on the frame and parts if used in a residential gym.
Body-Solid GFT100 Functional Trainer
The GFT100 from Body-Solid is another very comparable functional trainer. It is also about $800 cheaper than the Mi6 and includes dual 160 lb weight stacks at a 2:1 ratio for that price. For an additional fee, you can upgrade to dual 210 lb or 310 lb stacks.
The following accessories are included:
- Aluminum stirrup handles
- Triceps rope
- Chin & dip belt
- Double swivel bar
Body-Solid offers a lifetime in-home warranty on the entire machine.
Titan Fitness Functional Trainer
Even cheaper than the last 2 options, Titan Fitness offers a functional trainer that has a few really nice options. The Titan trainer comes standard with dual 200 lb weight stacks at a 2:1 pull ratio. It also comes standard with the following accessories:
- Short Bar
- Long Bar
- Ankle Strap
- Dual Stirrup Handles
- Rope Handles
- Dual Single D Handles
- Double D-Handle
Titan has the worst warranty of the group with only 1-year coverage on the entire machine.
Bells of Steel Functional Trainer
Bells of Steel offers the cheapest option of the group by a considerable margin. It has fewer bells and whistles than the others listed but is still a smooth-operating, durable machine. The Bells of Steel trainer comes standard with dual 160 lb weight stacks at a 2:1 pull ratio.
The only accessories included in the price are two D-Handles.
Bells of Steel offers a limited lifetime warranty on the entire machine.
Final Thoughts
You’re not going to be disappointed with the Hoist Mi6 sitting in your home gym. It’s smooth, quiet, and comes standard with enough accessories to cover a wide range of exercises. The pulleys are easily adjusted to the 28 available spots with one hand, and the dual 160 lb weight stacks offer a challenge for beginners and seasoned vets alike.
The fact that it survives, and thrives, in the firehouse speaks volumes! If you want to find the weak spot in a piece of equipment, give it to a firefighter. The Mi6 is certainly getting put through its paces and is meeting the challenge.
If you have the money to invest in a high-quality, commercial-grade functional trainer, the Hoist Mi6 comes highly recommended.
