BASI Systems Reformer

This is the machine the rest of the BASI range is built around. A 95.3 in beech frame, a 31.2 by 27.5 in carriage that BASI rates as the longest and widest it makes, and a half tower carrying the Enhanced Pulley System.

Two things separate it from a well-made reformer at half the price. The EPS sets pulley height and width anywhere on the half tower, so rope angle is matched to the body rather than approximated. And each of the five springs works through three gear positions, each adding roughly 3 to 4 percent, which is fine enough to progress a client without changing springs mid-exercise.

It is also a platform rather than a finished product. The same frame converts to a Reformer with Tower or a Reformer Combo, takes three extension leg heights and carries four prepared F2 ports. A short-frame version at 87.4 in exists for tighter rooms.

What's Included:

• Reformer frame with carriage and foot platform
• Half tower
• Extension leg set, short
• 2 shoulder rests, 2 rubber handles, 2 neoprene handles, 2 aluminium handles
• 2 pulleys, 2 ropes, 4 stoppers, foot strap, leg strap, safety strap
• Roll down bar and push-through bar
• Springs: 3 red, 1 blue, 1 yellow
• 14 carabiners

Features

Enhanced Pulley System
Pulleys set anywhere along the height and the width of the half tower. Fixed-riser reformers force a compromise on rope angle for anyone who is not average height, and this is the feature that removes it.

Longest and widest carriage in the range
31.2 in of carriage travel on a 27.5 in width, with a full-width orthopaedic cushion. Tall practitioners feel this immediately in footwork and long spine work.

Three gear positions per spring
Fifteen effective resistance settings from five springs, each gear step worth about 3 to 4 percent. Progressions become gradual instead of stepped.

Six shoulder rest positions
Plus a footbar with five angles and a headrest with three. The adjustment range is what makes the machine usable back-to-back for very different bodies.

Converts as your needs change
Add the tower for push-through and roll down bar work, or the trapeze for full Cadillac function, on this same frame. Neither requires replacing the machine.

Short frame available
BASI builds this reformer at 87.4 in as well as 95.3 in. The short version weighs 187 lb against 197.3 lb, which is the fallback when the room simply will not take the full length.

Specifications

• Frame: 95.3 x 27.5 x 12.8 in (242 x 70 x 32.5 cm) on short legs
• With half tower and footbar: 107.3 x 28.5 x 39.4 in (272.5 x 72.5 x 100 cm)
• Carriage: 31.2 x 27.5 in (79.3 x 70 cm), 2.36 in cushion
• Weight: 197.3 lb (89.5 kg)
• Short frame version: 87.4 in (222 cm), 187 lb (85 kg)
• Frame material: Solid beech hardwood
• Track material: Aircraft-grade aluminium
• Upholstery: Orthopaedic padding, anti-slip antibacterial vinyl
• Springs: 3 red, 1 blue, 1 yellow
• Gear bar: 3 levels, roughly 3 to 4 percent per step
• Footbar: 5 angles
• Shoulder rests: 6 positions
• Headrest: 3 angles
• Pulley system: Enhanced Pulley System, height and width
• F2 ports: 4, prepared
• Wheels: Silicone transport wheels
• Extension legs: Short fitted, medium and tall sold separately
• Room guide: 10 ft length, 5 ft width
• Patent: US 10,393,163 B2

Lead time: 2 to 3 weeks in Anthracite Grey, up to 12 weeks in a custom colour.

Installation

Part-built in the crate
The frame arrives as one assembly and the loose components go on afterwards: footbar, ropes, pulleys, spring holders and the tower or trapeze structure if your configuration includes one. Ordinary hand tools, and the fixings are packed with it.

Allow the time and the second person
Two to four hours on the larger frames, one to three on a plain reformer, two people throughout. These frames weigh between roughly 150 lb and 330 lb, which is the reason rather than the difficulty of the job.

The route matters more than the room
Delivery is kerbside. Check door widths, the turn at the head of any staircase and your ceiling against the tower or trapeze height in the specification table, before the truck arrives rather than after.

Commission it before you load it
Run the carriage from end to end a few times so the wheels seat, measure both ropes against each other, and confirm the footbar and spring holders lock in every position before you work at full spring load.

Resources

• BASI Systems Reformer instruction manual (PDF). Published by BASI Systems and re-hosted here so the link keeps working.
• BASI Systems care and maintenance guide (PDF). Cleaning, inspection and the spring replacement schedule the warranty depends on.

Warranty, Shipping and Returns

BASI Systems publishes a tiered limited warranty that runs from the invoice date and covers the original purchaser only. Main wooden frames and structural wood components are covered for ten years. Steel and aluminium profiles, F2 components, springs, plastic parts and fasteners are covered for two years. Elastomer-coated parts, which means the footbar, hand bar, pedals, stoppers, handles and wheels, are covered for one year. The Pilates mat, upholstery and fabric accessories are covered for ninety days.

One condition is easy to miss and worth putting in your calendar. On spring-loaded apparatus BASI requires springs to be replaced every two years or every 3,000 hours of use, whichever arrives first, and skipping that can void the cover.

Shipping is free on orders within the United States. Large apparatus travels by freight truck and the carrier telephones ahead to agree a delivery window. Delivery is kerbside, so plan for two people and a clear route from the truck to the room. Smaller parts and accessories travel by parcel carrier, normally arriving within 7 to 10 business days once dispatched.

Inspect the crate before you sign. Any damage or missing box has to be written on the Proof of Delivery at the time of delivery, and the claim has to be raised within five business days, otherwise BASI will not accept liability. Photograph anything that looks wrong.

You have 30 days from delivery to return unused equipment in its original packaging, with no restocking fee. Refunds are issued within 7 business days of the return reaching us. Orders can be cancelled at no cost up to the point the apparatus leaves the factory.

About BASI Systems

BASI Systems manufactures the apparatus used by BASI Pilates, the teacher training organisation Rael Isacowitz founded. Because the equipment and the curriculum are developed together, the range shares one upgrade path rather than a set of dead ends. The F2 spring system ports are prepared from new on reformers, chairs, barrels, Cadillacs and spine correctors alike.

Materials do not change between price points. Beech hardwood frames, aircraft-grade aluminium for anything that slides or carries load, orthopaedic padding beneath anti-slip antibacterial vinyl. Patent US 10,393,163 B2 covers the spring positioning system, and the Wunda Chair holds an A Design Award.