The blog's banner image is one of the first single-stack EStack units ever used outside of our workshop. The aesthetics will improve in the next version, but I'm personally partial to the rugged industrial look.
Don't let our silence fool you, 2025 was a huge year for EStack. Although we had plenty of social media ambition ahead of the EStack announcement video launch, we're a small team and the work that followed kept us busier than we've ever been. Unfortunately, a lot of what we're working on is tied up behind NDA's, but I'll be as transparent as possible to give you an update on the dramatic progress EStack made toward the end of 2025.
One of four EStack prototypes that I hand delivered to pilot partners in December.
EStack wasn't co-developed with partners, we designed it using the intuition we build from our experiences in the industry. At the time we launched the announcement video the project was a big gamble. The entire R&D effort was based on a hunch that digital weight needed to be packaged just right in order to unblock industry-wide adoption.
The goal was to make partnerships to build several key pieces of exercise equipment that customers could buy in home gym, performance (teams and weight room outfitting), boutique fitness, and commercial. If we were wrong about any of it - the form factor, the dial interface, the business model, it could land flat and we'd have to either scrap it or start an expensive re-engineering process.
In the weeks following the video launch, we had dozens of conversations with equipment designers and manufacturers who we either had previous relationships with, or who reached out to us after watching. By the end of November, those conversations progressed to pilots, and we moved forward with five multi-national organizations who are responsible for building our favorite equipment in almost every product category an EStack customer would want.
These five brands represent the first cohort of EStack partners, and in our opinion are the most innovative organizations in fitness. We're very proud of this group, and the people we have the good fortune of working with on this next phase of EStack. They are truly some of the most talented operators in exercise equipment and fitness.
I would love to share more about who these partners are, what products we've been discussing, and when they may be available (and at what price) but a lot of that is under NDA. What I can share is where this first cohort currently is in the pilot process, and what our goals are for 2026.
I want to keep your attention as you read this wall of text, but my my camera roll is filled with images that give hints about who our pilot partners are and what they're working on. This image taken during an on-site install is about as good as it gets. Yes, I cleared the EXIF data.
There are four EStack pilot units out in the wild at the time this email is being written. I hand delivered and installed most of these in a marathon 5-country, 8-day trip that I both thoroughly enjoyed and also won't do again any time soon. I can't count the number of times I woke up in the middle of the night dreaming about a forgotten screw or allen wrench that would sabotage an install. Luckily they all went exactly as planned, and the trip was a success. Although I did almost get arrested by customs enforcement - a story for another time.
Nearly all of them are currently at the tail end of EStack Pilot phase one, which includes a two week period of initial testing that gives them the ability to use our tech hands-on, bolted onto their equipment, so they can build conviction in specific product directions, and get consensus from their organization to move forward with a bigger pilot commitment.
My job now is to keep building in preparation for EStack Pilot phase two, when our partners introduce EStack to select customers while they build and refine integrated products. The next generation of EStack will be more compact, more performant, quicker to assemble, and much more aesthetic. This month and next will also be dedicated to durability. EStack is designed for the most demanding applications in fitness, and that ethos is manifested in very demanding testing, and close attention to ease of maintenance.
The EStack experience is only as good as its interface, and our touchscreen dial is getting a lot of love. Early pilot feedback has led to a significant redesign of what we call Mode UI, greatly simplifying use and adding a ton of functionality.
Currently Load and Concentric/Eccentric modes are fully operational. The above designs are new and will be implemented in the coming weeks. The other modes, including banded, isokinetic, and others not pictured will either be built pre-launch or shortly after launch.
Adjusting weight and trolley position on EStack needs to be at least as easy as a traditional weight stack. Walking up to EStack and changing something should be as intuitive as pulling out the pin on a stack, and putting it back in on the weight you desire. You change weight by spinning the dial. Adjust position by pressing the dial (the whole thing is a big button).
Modes shouldn't be hidden in menus, they're the whole game. Each screen is a mode and you get there with a swipe. As new modes are developed, they'll be added via over the air updates.
We're proud to say that still, now and forever, no subscription is required, and no app is needed. Exercise equipment shouldn't require a phone.
If you do choose to use the RepOne Athlete app you'll get the ability to view dozens of activity metrics, and even create and schedule EStack-enabled workout programs for your friends, or an entire roster of athletes. All for free. Yes, you can coach athletes with our full athlete management system at absolutely zero cost. You don't even need an EStack to do so.
The best part is it's already made. Our training software, StrengthOS, RepOne Athlete, and RepOne Station are on app stores now and available for download. Our free accounts are in beta, but we're taking requests. Add up to 10 athletes to your roster at no cost, or create up to two teams.
If you have a large number of athletes reach out to us for a quote, otherwise the system is completely free.
We have a lot planned in 2026 for StrengthOS, including athlete to coach payments, free program sharing, and much more.
Free program sharing is currently functional in our dev server. We're working on pushing it to production in the coming weeks.
Thank you for coming on this journey with us. If you want to support EStack, fill out the below form if you haven't done so already. Feel free to reach out to us for partnerships as well. We aren't taking new partners in cohort one, but we're happy to start conversations for the second cohort starting later this year.
Thanks,
Jordan
Co-founder & CEO @ RepOne