How a folding reformer works
The frame is made of two halves joined by a bolted central hinge, with a folding support leg. To fold it, you release the carriage, lift the foot end and bring the two halves together; castors at both ends let one person wheel it. In use, it is a normal studio machine: ours has 237 cm of rail, 1.1 m of carriage travel and a 220 kg maximum user load.
Upright or flat: two ways to store it
| Folded | Dimensions | Floor taken |
|---|---|---|
| Upright, against a wall | 123.5 × 65 × 36.6 cm | 0.24 m² |
| Flat | 123.5 × 65 cm, 39.6 cm high | 0.80 m² |
| Unfolded, in use | 237 × 62 cm | about 1.5 m² before spacing |
Upright, six machines take 2.7 m of wall and twelve take 5.5 m. More in our reformer dimensions guide.
For a studio: when folding is worth it
Worth it if…
- you want to run mat, barre, yoga or workshops in the same room;
- you rent by the square metre and the room is empty part of the day;
- you share the space, for example in a gym, a clinic or a padel club (adding reformer to a gym).
A fixed machine is better if…
- the room is used only for reformer, all day;
- you never move the machines;
- you need them in less than about three months and the supplier holds UK stock.
What to check on any folding reformer
- The hinge: bolted, with a solid support leg in use.
- The folded footprint, and whether it stands upright or only lies flat.
- Castors at both ends, so one person can move it.
- The length of rail and carriage travel: a folding machine should not be shorter in use.
- The maximum user load and the frame warranty.
Our answers to each point are on the studio reformer page.
Questions studio owners ask
Is a folding reformer as good as a fixed one?
In use, ours is a full-length studio machine: 237 cm of rail, 1.1 m of carriage travel and a 220 kg maximum user load, with a 10-year frame warranty. The difference is what happens after class: it folds away.
How much space does a folded reformer take?
Ours stands upright on 0.24 m² (123.5 × 65 × 36.6 cm), or lies flat on 0.80 m² at 39.6 cm high.
Can one person fold it?
Yes. The two halves fold on a central hinge and the machine rolls on castors at both ends.