Precor 9.35

Bottom Line

At about $5,000, the Precor 9.35 represents a significant investment, but serious runners and expert reviewers say it stands up to the pressure. High points include a responsive 3 horsepower continuous-duty motor, solid construction, and the ability to adjust from a 15 percent incline to a 2 percent decline.

Performance

Spacious and versatile. The Precor 9.35's 22-by-56-inch belt leaves plenty of room for all but the longest-legged of runners, and its 12 mph maximum speed will challenge almost anybody. In an older article for SmartMoney.com, Olympic decathlete Bryan Clay picks this treadmill's ability to shift from 15 percent incline to a 2 percent decline as a feature well worth the extra cost. Runner's World calls the incline/decline ability an ideal training tool for hilly courses.

Both experts and owners agree that the 9.35's 3 horsepower continuous-duty motor is quiet. "It has a relatively quiet motor that responds quickly to speed and incline changes," write reviewers at Runner's World. An Amazon.com user says, "the running deck is solid and is mounted on pieces that give in slightly on impact.… It feels an awful lot better than whatever suspension system they use on some of the lower-end treadmills."

Ease of Use

Programs and performance. The Precor 9.35 comes with 11 preset programs plus two custom programs, four interval options and five heart-rate programs that automatically adjust speed and incline to keep you within your target zone. It has a handgrip heart-rate monitor, but is also compatible with wireless syncing from chest straps and other transmitters. "The heart rate monitor works well (the hand grip HR monitor - not so much)," posts a marathoner in the forums at Runner's World who has logged more than 3,000 miles on a Precor 9.35i.

Several owners praise the treadmill's ability to store personal best performances on various courses; a pacer option shows how you're doing against that recorded best. The Precor also offers a workout log feature and four user IDs, so up to four people can track their results.

Thinking of moving this 335-pound treadmill into your home on your own? "Don't. It was awful," warns one owner, who moved all the treadmill parts by himself. He completed the rest of the assembly solo, as well, although the manual recommends having a helper.

Durability

Marathoner tested. "I've maxed out how fast I can run, maxed out the incline, and it just keeps humming along without skipping a beat," reports the aforementioned marathoner posting to the Runner's World forums. He mentions hearing the occasional squeak and feeling a little drag on the belt after about 1,800 miles, which was remedied with a quick repair call.

It's no surprise, then, that the Precor 9.35 draws much expert praise for its durability. It gets an impressive score of 9.2 points out of 10 from TreadmillDoctor.com for quality and reliability.

Customer Service

Are those crickets? Not a single review mentions any need to contact Precor customer service. Several users praise this unit's bombproof construction and its more than solid warranty: lifetime coverage on the frame, 10 years for mechanical and electronic parts, and one year of labor.