KAT Walk C3 Ultra Review: A VR Treadmill You’ll Actually Use?

My last KAT Walk became a very expensive piece of furniture. So for this KAT Walk C3 Ultra review I asked one practical question: would I actually hop on this one when I want to play? After almost ten years of VR, the magic of walking around in a game has worn off for me, so this time it had to earn its spot.

KAT VR sent us the C3 Ultra and the shoes for this review. They didn’t pay us, and the opinions are ours.

Why the old one stopped getting used

A VR treadmill only works if you use it. Mine was a pain to move, took too much prep before every session, never felt like real walking, was awkward for walking backwards, and was loud. In the video I check the C3 Ultra against each of those. Some are fixed, some are better, and one hasn’t changed much.

What KAT got right this time

It comes apart. My first KAT Walk arrived in a 94 kilo box. The C3 Ultra comes in separate pieces, and I carried all of it two floors up to our studio by myself. The heaviest part is around 13 kilos. That also makes it much easier to sell later.

Less fuss before you play. The shoes tighten with a wheel, the foot sensors clip on magnetically and charge over USB-C, and the KAT Gateway settings now show up in the SteamVR menu. Once it’s set up, you’re playing in about 10 minutes. It’s still a little ritual, just a shorter one.

A built-in seat. For me this is the biggest change. When you get tired you sit down, and when you feel like moving again you walk. Even on lazy days I can sit and still play, and that’s what turned it into my dedicated VR spot.

Headset charging. The Power Edition has a 100W port at the top that keeps a standalone headset charged while you play. With something like the Steam Frame, which drains fast, I love this.

There’s more: haptics in the shoes and the base, a new mechanical lock for walking backwards, and a fitness tracker in the headset. I show how each of them holds up in the video.

What I put to the test

I mostly played Titanfall 2 with CircuitLord’s VR mod on the Steam Frame, which is about as fast a game as you can throw at a treadmill. In the video you’ll see:

• whether walking finally feels like walking, and the one posture tip that helped me most
• how the new backward walking compares with just using the joystick
• how long I lasted before I wanted that seat

What I’ll say here: it’s still a slidemill, it’s still a skill you have to learn, and it’s still loud enough that I play with headphones. If someone’s asleep when you want to play, this isn’t for you.

Size, limits and price

It takes about 1.6 square meters with the feet, roughly a quarter more than the C2. It supports people up to 130 kilos and from about 1.55 to 2 meters tall.

Prices in US dollars, including the treadmill and shoes (the Quest Adapter is sold separately):

• C3 Ultra Standard: $1,499
• C3 Ultra Power Edition (with headset charging): $1,699
• C3 Core: $999, the same price the C2 Core was. No haptic base, and the seat is an add-on.

KAT Walk C3 Ultra review verdict: who it’s for

It costs more than most VR headsets, so my test is simple: would you hop on it a few times a week, not just once a month? If yes, it’s worth it. If not, it’ll probably end up as furniture, like mine did.

It’s a device for single-player games and exploring. If you only play fast competitive multiplayer, I’d skip it. If convenience matters and budget isn’t a big issue, I’d get the Ultra Power Edition for the seat and the charging together. If this is your first treadmill, I think you’ll be blown away. If you’ve been in VR for years like me, it’ll feel like a better way to play the games you already love.

So, will this one become furniture too? It got rid of my biggest reason. Ask me again in a few months.