Tower work in a room that will not take a studio frame. This is the 81.5 in compact reformer with a full tower fitted, which is fourteen inches shorter than BASI's studio-standard machine and still runs reformer, tower and raised mat programming.
Thirteen springs cover both stations from the first session: five on the reformer, eight on the tower, plus fourteen carabiners. The riser uses BASI's VPS pulley, which slides to any height so rope height is set to the client rather than to a fixed hole, and the push-through bar adjusts for the same reason.
Two things this frame does not have, and both are worth knowing now. There is no trapeze swing, so the Cadillac repertoire is out. And the riser is VPS rather than the patented EPS on the full-size Reformer with Tower, which means pulley height adjusts but pulley width does not.
What's Included:
- Compact reformer frame with carriage and foot platform
- Tower with push-through bar and roll down bar
- Twin mat conversion
- Handle, strap and rope set
- Reformer springs: 3 red, 1 yellow, 1 blue
- Tower springs: 2 yellow, 2 long yellow, 2 blue, 2 red
- 14 carabiners
Features
Fourteen inches shorter
81.5 in of beech frame against the 95.3 in studio standard, occupying 91.9 in by 25.2 in once the tower and footbar are fitted. That is the difference between fitting a spare bedroom and not.

Thirteen springs, both stations loaded
Five reformer springs and eight tower springs arrive with the frame, the same tower spring count as the full-size machine. Nothing essential is held back for a second order.

VPS riser pulley
Pulleys travel along the full height of the riser, so rope height fits the person on the carriage. It is the simpler of BASI's two pulley systems and, for one or two regular users, the difference rarely shows.

Raised mat included
The twin mat conversion turns the carriage into a mat platform, which adds mat programming without a second apparatus or a second piece of floor.

Four F2 ports built in
The frame takes the F2 spring system later without modification, so the upgrade path is open even on the compact.

Specifications
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Configurations: Reformer, reformer with tower, raised mat
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Frame: 81.5 x 23.6 x 12.8 in (207 x 60 x 32.5 cm)
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With tower fitted: 91.9 x 25.2 in footprint, 74.9 in high (190.2 cm)
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Carriage: 25.6 x 23.6 in (65 x 60 cm)
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Shipping weight: 253 lb (115 kg)
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Frame material: Solid beech hardwood
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Track material: Aircraft-grade aluminium
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Upholstery: Orthopaedic padding, anti-slip antibacterial vinyl
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Reformer springs: 3 red, 1 yellow, 1 blue
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Tower springs: 2 yellow, 2 long yellow, 2 blue, 2 red
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Carabiners: 14
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Pulley system: VPS riser, height adjustable
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Tower bars: Push-through bar, roll down bar
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F2 ports: 4, prepared
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Ceiling guide: 7 ft minimum, 8 ft for comfortable overhead work
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
Warranty, Shipping and Returns
Cover is set by BASI Systems and differs by component. The main wooden frame and structural woodwork run to ten years. Metal profiles and components, F2 hardware, springs, plastic parts and fasteners run to two years. Elastomer-coated parts, meaning the footbar, hand bar, pedals, stoppers, handles and wheels, run to one year. Mats, upholstered surfaces and fabric accessories run to ninety days. Everything is measured from the invoice date and applies to the original purchaser, and it does not pass on if the apparatus is sold.
Read the spring clause before you file the paperwork. On spring-loaded apparatus, BASI expects springs changed at two years or 3,000 hours of use, whichever lands first, and warns that failing to do so may void cover.
Delivery inside the United States is free. Crated apparatus travels on a freight truck and the carrier rings to fix a window with you, handing over at the kerb rather than carrying it inside, so have a second person and a measured route ready. Parcel-sized items generally arrive 7 to 10 business days from dispatch.
Sign nothing before you have looked. Damage or a missing carton has to appear on the Proof of Delivery at the moment of delivery, with the claim raised inside five business days, or the manufacturer declines liability.
Unused equipment in its original packaging can be returned for 30 days from delivery, with no restocking fee and refunds settled within 7 business days of arrival. Cancelling before the apparatus leaves the factory is free.
About BASI Systems
BASI Systems builds the apparatus used across BASI Pilates, the education body Rael Isacowitz founded. Because the two sit together, the catalogue is planned as a fleet: the same extension legs raise a reformer, a Cadillac or a raised mat and the same F2 spring system moves between a chair, a barrel and a reformer through ports that are prepared from new.
Materials do not change with the price. Beech hardwood frames, aircraft-grade aluminium for tracks and load-bearing hardware, orthopaedic padding under anti-slip antibacterial vinyl. Patent US 10,393,163 B2 covers the spring positioning system, and the Wunda Chair has an A Design Award.