We asked the Fringe Fam on Reddit what you wanted to know about Project Pandora, our digital resistance portable cable machine. Boy howdy, you had questions. We spent time at the factory with our manufacturing partner, so instead of guessing, I can give you real answers.
One caveat up front: this is a prototype, and we're mid-development. Specs can change between now and launch. Let's do this.
The short answer: Project Pandora is a digital resistance unit targeting $699 to $799, with no subscription and no required app. Current spec is 110 lbs of resistance per unit, 220 lbs doubled up, regenerative charging, a user-replaceable cable and battery, and a three-year warranty target. We're pushing hard for a 2026 launch.
Price, Pairs, and Subscriptions
What's the price?
We're targeting $699 to $799 for one unit.
The design spec for this whole project has been simple: half the capability of the top units on the market, at a fraction of the cost. We want to make digital resistance affordable for regular garage gym lifters.
PK think this category follows the flat screen TV curve. Around 2006, you'd nearly fell out of your chair at a $4,000, 26-inch flat screen. Today you can grab a 65-inch at a big box store for $400. Digital resistance is headed the same direction, and we want to be the ones driving it.
Will a pair come in under $1,000?
Probably not, and we'd rather be straight with you about the math. We'll absolutely sell two-unit sets at a discount, so you can mount one on each side for flies and crossovers. At $699 to $799 per unit, a pair still lands over $1,000. We'll try to work some magic, though.
Will there be a subscription?
No. "Ever" is a long time, but I'm drawing a line in the sand: no subscription on this product. I understand why companies do it, since it's easy revenue. The whole point here is that you buy it once and it works for years, without spending another dime unless you choose to.
Portable Cable Machine Specs: Resistance, Battery, and Cable
Prototype spec snapshot (subject to change)
Spec Current target Resistance 110 lbs per unit; 220 lbs doubled with accessories Cable 13 to 14 ft Dyneema, user-replaceable Battery Regenerative charging; ~1,300 full-resistance pulls in early bench testing Unit weight Under 10 lbs Warranty 3 years (target)
What's the max resistance?
The current design spec is 110 lbs. We designed the long cable and the mounts from day one to double up to 220 lbs with accessories. Resistance won't come in under spec, and it may come in higher.
How long does the battery last?
The unit uses regenerative charging. Every time you lower the weight, the eccentric phase charges the battery, a lot like regenerative braking in an electric car.
We just green-lit a larger battery pack. In very early bench testing, it ran 1,300 pulls at full resistance before the low-battery light came on. Treat that as directional, not gospel. For most people, that's weeks of training per charge, and lighter resistance stretches it further.
We'll publish real-world numbers once production units are tested. The fear of a digital resistance unit dying mid-workout is exactly what we've been engineering against.
Can I use it while it's charging?
Yes, and the engineers confirmed it. There are sensible limits: it won't run plugged in if the battery is completely dead, and the battery management system handles charge protection.
This one flipped from "no" to "yes" during our visit. It's a good example of why everything in this post carries a prototype asterisk.
Will there be a plug-in-only version to bring the price down?
Not for version one, but it's on the roadmap. Right now we're focused on getting the battery version to market as fast as we safely can. The regenerative charging results are making that version stronger than I expected.
How long is the cable, and how often will it need replacing?
The cable runs 13 to 14 ft. It's Dyneema, the same fiber family used in climbing and sailing rigging, rated well beyond the unit's max output.
Every cable on every cable machine is a wear item. We're running lifetime testing right now, literally pulling until the machine gives up. We'll publish what we learn.
What does the unit weigh? Can I travel with it?
Yes, you can travel with it. Unit weight is still a bit in flux after the battery change, but under 10 lbs is the target.
Controls, Training Modes, and the App
Do I need an app? Can I change the weight without my phone?
You will never need your phone to train. The unit has a big dial on the side: turn it one way for more resistance, the other way for less. A big screen shows you the number.
Whether we ship an app at all is still a maybe. We're close to the do-or-die decision. If we do ship one, it will never be required.
What training modes will it have?
At launch, we're planning concentric, eccentric, and normal modes. Adaptive modes, custom resistance curves, chain simulation, and drop sets won't be in version one.
This is where "half the capability" shows up most. We're deliberately skipping edge-case modes most lifters never touch. If you want a straightforward unit that trains hard at a fraction of the price, that's what we're building.
Can two units sync for crossovers and flies?
For version one, the honest answer is this: turn both dials to the same number. If the app happens, we may be able to do better down the road.
Will it work offline? Is there an open API?
Offline forever: yes, yes, yes. An open API or SDK probably won't be in version one. I'm open to it in future versions, once we understand what you want to build, and it also depends on the app decision.
Mounting, Repairs, and Warranty
How does it mount?
We're borrowing a page from the action camera playbook: a good-enough camera paired with a legendary mounting ecosystem. We'll launch with a deep lineup of mounts and an open ecosystem.
That includes compatibility with mounts you already own, and we've got a few tricks up our sleeve there. We're also partnering with creators to design and sell their own mounts. The goal is the most mounting options in digital resistance, period.
Can I replace the cable and battery myself?
Yes on both. User-replaceable is the current design spec, and we've been engineering specifically for it.
What's the warranty?
We're targeting a three-year warranty and will confirm at launch. We want warranty to be a strength, not a fine-print gotcha.
Launch Date, Demos, and Shipping
When can I buy it?
We're trying like hell for a 2026 launch. Twenty-one years of product development has taught me something, though. Sometimes the last 5% is smooth, and sometimes it hangs you up for nine months. (Ask me about the Great Dane's Smith machine.)
So, no hard date yet. When it's ready, we won't be quiet about it.
Can I demo it in Austin?
Yes. We've got a sample at our Austin shop, the same one from Home Gym Con. It's an early, rough prototype, but come by and try it.
The prototype we have is only a month or two newer, and it's already significantly better. An even better one was being assembled while I was there. Design iterations are speeding up, which is a great sign.
Will you ship to the EU, UK, or Canada?
We'll figure it out. The unit ships far more easily than a squat rack, but lithium batteries add complexity. If you're a brand or reseller in the EU, UK, Canada, Australia, or anywhere else, reach out. We'll find a way to get these to lifters outside the US.
Is the name staying Pandora?
We don't know yet. Pandora is a development code name. It's shaped like a box, and we liked the idea of opening something that changes everything. Sometimes code names stick, sometimes they don't. Got a better one? Tell us.
Bottom Line
If you've wanted digital resistance but couldn't justify the price tag or another monthly bill, Pandora is built for you. One payment, no subscription, no required app, and parts you can replace yourself. If you need every advanced training mode on day one, version one won't be your unit, and that's a deliberate tradeoff.
We're building a portable cable machine that does the core job well, lasts for years, and costs what a garage gym lifter can actually spend. Now tell me straight: are we pointed in the right direction? That feedback steers this thing.
Want first word when Pandora is ready? Join the launch list and drop your questions or name ideas in the Reddit thread. I'll be in the comments.