Helping you choose - Fitness and health.
Nordic Track is one of the premium brands of Icon Fitness, the largest manufacturers of fitness equipments in the world. Icon has other well known brands like Proform, Reebok, Weslo, Image and Healthrider in their family. Being the largest manufacturer, quality of the product is always maintained with in house R&D and quality tests.
You can refer to the treadmill buyer’s guide for tips on buying a good treadmill.
Another Treadmill which is worth mentioning would be Bowflex 7 series treadmill. Bowflex is a subsidiary of Nautilus Fitness who have been into the exercise equipment business since 1986. Nautilus also owns brands like Schwinn, Stairmaster and Trimline and they’re the second largest producer of exercise equipment in the world. Bowflex offers 3 treadmill models: the 3 series, 5 series and 7 series treadmill.
Bowflex series 7 treadmill is one of the best models by the company.
It has a powerful 3.0 CHP motor with speeds from .5 to 11 mph and inclines from 0-12% which is good enough for a variety of treadmill workouts. Walking area is 20″ x 60″. 15 programming options help the user choosing the best program according to the fitness goals. Bowflex treadmills offer Strike Zone™ deck suspension cushioning to make your workouts a little more comfortable by providing a soft landing and a firm lift of the foot.
The user weight this machine can handle is 300lbs while the machine itself weighs at around 298 lbs which makes it heavy and stable as well. Treadmill is quite easy to store thanks to cutting-edge SoftDrop™ technology. Folds up to a compact 41″ x 35″ x 66 ” size. Although it is easy to fold, and built in wheels are provided, it is a little difficult to move around because of its weight.
Other features would include a 3 speed fan and 2 bottle holders.
Warranty is as under-
Frame – 15 years
Motor – 10 years
Parts/Electronics – 2 years
Labor – 1 year
Bowflex 7 series treadmill has been rated as the best buy in its class by Consumer reports in Feb’96. How ever the treadmill could be better without the use of much plastic.
Over all, A good option to consider in its price range especially in folding treadmill category.
Pacemaster is a known for quality treadmills. Some of their machines have ranked well in recent years as they have a good 30 years of experience in the fitness industry. The products have been reviewed and well rated by the fitness experts. One of their best selling products is Pacemaster Gold Treadmill.
A 3 CHP motor does its job well and is powerful enough to give a speed range of 0.5 mph to 12 mph (adjustable in 0.1 mph increments).
Running area is a wide 20″ x 60″ which is pretty good to run with overall dimensions being: 73.5″L x 33″W x 57″H.
Belt is 2-ply Texglide stretch resistant and is rated for 10,000 miles.
Shock absorption is taken care by Tri-Flex Impact Shock Management System which is a optimal combination of frame, deck and cushions to absorb maximum impact.
The treadmill itself weighs around 205 lbs.
Warranty is as under:
Frame – Lifetime
Motor- 12 year
Parts – 5 years
Labour- 1 year
This one is a good option for anyone who has a limited space for a treadmill as it can easily fit through a standard doorframe and also compacts to a floor footprint of just 34″ by 28″. Specs are almost the same as the non folding Gold model, It has a user weight capacity of 350 lbs and the weight of the machine itself is more than the non folding version at 260 lbs making it quite stable. An treadmill that gives a good workout and is a space saver.