Treadmills for Runners

Pricier treadmills can take more of a pounding

Experts say that if you plan to run daily on your treadmill, you should look at models starting at $2,000. Not as many of these are folding treadmills, but experts say non-folding models feel more stable and handle regular running. Reviews say over-$2,000 treadmills are usually sturdy, powerful and unlikely to break down.

The Landice L7 Cardio Trainer (*Est. $3,775) is the only treadmill to be rated "excellent" in every category in one top expert test. It has a powerful 4-horsepower motor and a stout, inch-thick running deck. A 20-by-58-inch running belt and a maximum weight capacity of 400 pounds make this a good choice for serious runners.

"This durable, no-frills running machine is built for abuse," writes Megan McMorris at Runner's World magazine. Another Runner's World magazine reviewer, Lisa Jhung, appreciates the "frills" the Landice L7 Cardio Trainer includes, such as a wireless chest strap heart monitor and a feature that allows users to program the machine to simulate an upcoming racecourse. Heart-rate programs automatically adjust the machine's speed and elevation to help you keep a steady heart rate during your workout.

Although McMorris calls the Landice L7 Cardio Trainer "complicated" and complains of small console buttons, more recent testers find this treadmill incredibly easy to use. More reviewers recommend the Landice L7 Cardio Trainer than any other over-$2,000 treadmill, although some prefer the less expensive models in Landice's L7 Series: "It boils down to which console you want," says TreadmillDoctor.com. "From the neck down, they are all the same treadmill if it is in the same series." In addition to the Cardio Trainer console, Landice also offers the Pro Sports Trainer and Pro Trainer consoles for the L7 treadmill, which are cheaper but offer fewer features. The top-of-the-line Executive Trainer console includes a computer-animated video display.

The Landice L7 Pro Trainer (*Est. $3,145) is TreadmillDoctor.com's Best Buy in the $2,500 to $3,000 range. Although it includes fewer extras than the Landice L7 Cardio Trainer, TreadmillDoctor.com says it is a great price for a Landice. It offers five built-in programs and two user-defined programs, but the heart rate monitor is optional. The Landice L7 Pro Sports Trainer (*Est. $3,500) is slightly more expensive, but it includes three more user-defined programs and a wireless chest-strap heart rate monitor. The Landice L7 Pro Sports Trainer is also praised at TreadmillDoctor.com, although they recommend spending the extra for the Landice L7 Cardio Trainer, which adds time, distance and calorie goal programs; three fitness tests (Army, firefighter and Balke protocol); two built-in heart rate programs and two user-defined heart rate programs.

Landice offers one of the longer parts warranties on the market (lifetime on the frame and all parts-and-wear items), and an unexceptional one year on in-home labor. Be aware that contributors to Epinions.com note loopholes in the warranty that might invalidate it. TreadmillDoctor.com advises shoppers to "make sure to read the restrictions and disclaimers" in the warranty.

Although experts say the Landice L7 series' 20-by-58-inch belt will be roomy enough for most runners, some tall runners may need a longer belt to really stretch out their stride. We found a couple of recommendations for the SportsArt TR32 (*Est. $3,300), which offers a 22-by-61-inch belt, and the LifeSpan Pro5 (*Est. $3,500), whose 22-by-62-inch running surface is one of the biggest available.

The SportsArt TR32 also includes a powerful 3.2-horsepower motor, a maximum speed of 12 mph and a user weight capacity of 450 pounds. In addition to the spacious running surface, serious runners will appreciate the adjustable cushioning system. The SportsArt TR32 is one of the top scorers in a recent independent test, although TreadmillDoctor.com cautions that SportsArt treadmills are harder to find since their dealer base "seems to be crumbling like a week-old cookie." A list of dealers in the United States can be found at SportsArtAmerica.com.

None of these treadmills fold up, but if you're short on space, experts have found one folding treadmill they like almost as much as the traditional non-folding workhorses. "If you want a serious treadmill that also folds up, this is the one," TreadmillDoctor.com says of the PaceMaster Gold Elite Fold-Up (*Est. $2,500). Testers at Runner's World magazine find it "smooth and stable."

The PaceMaster Gold Elite Fold-Up comes with the features you'd expect to find in this price class: a 3-horsepower motor, 60-inch running belt and 400-pound user weight limit. It also has 15 percent incline, higher than the 12 percent featured on most quality treadmills. Testers particularly like its quick-change speed and incline buttons and preset workouts that mimic real trails, including the Appalachian Trail. The PaceMaster Gold Elite Fold-Up's deck cracked during one organization's durability test, and we saw a few quality complaints at Epinions.com. TreadmillDoctor.com notes that PaceMaster now uses an inch-thick deck on all of its Gold and Platinum treadmills, "so the rare deck failures we heard about are a thing of the past." Overall, they call the PaceMaster Gold Elite Fold-Up the "most compelling foldup on the market."

Critics like the PaceMaster Gold Elite Fold-Up better than another upscale folding treadmill, the Life Fitness F3 (*Est. $2,900). Megan McMorris, at Runner's World magazine, finds the Life Fitness F3 "remarkably sturdy," but she notes that it lacks the PaceMaster's well-liked quick-change speed and incline buttons. One tester found the Life Fitness F3's 55-inch deck too short, and a user posting to Amazon.com reports a faulty heart-rate display. Although TreadmillDoctor.com calls the Life Fitness F3 "one of the most solid foldups on the market," experts there bypass the Life Fitness F3 in favor of the less expensive PaceMaster fold-up in their buyer's guide. "With the price increase this year, they aren't quite as competitive," TreadmillDoctor.com says in its review of the Life Fitness F3. "You really pay for the Life Fitness name."

It doesn't fold, but the Smooth 9.45TV (*Est. $3,000) offers a different feature: a built-in flat-screen TV. Unlike the less expensive treadmills that sport 7-inch TVs, the Smooth 9.45TV has a 15-inch TV that sprouts above the console on its own tiltable mount.

Treadmill-Ratings-Reviews.com recommends the Smooth 9.45TV as a Best Buy. Aside from a longer 60-inch running belt, the Smooth 9.45TV is similar to the TV-less Smooth 9.35HR (*Est. $2,000), which is one of the best reviewed mid-priced treadmills. Smooth also offers a TV-less version of the 9.45TV, the Smooth 9.45ST (*Est. $2,275). TreadmillDoctor.com recommends saving yourself several hundred dollars and buying a non-TV treadmill instead. "The 9.45 with a TV makes no sense for an extra $600," the review concludes. "Use the savings to buy a separate TV for the wall."

We also found good reviews for the Precor 9.31 (*Est. $4,000), a pricey commercial-quality treadmill that is somewhat let down by its relatively short 22-by-56-inch running belt -- other treadmills in this price range offer 58 to 60 inch belts, and some even extend the running surface to 61 or 62 inches. The Precor 9.31 includes a 3-horsepower motor, a maximum speed of 12 mph, and a 15 percent incline. Other features include a chest-strap heart monitor and eight workout programs. Fred Waters, at Treadmill-Ratings-Reviews.com, says the Precor 9.31 is an "excellent" treadmill, but he acknowledges the price is tough to swallow. TreadmillDoctor.com agrees, saying you'll "pay through the nose" for this treadmill and they think it's ugly. These complaints aside, the Precor 9.31 does post very high scores in an independent test.