In response to a couple of reader emails saying, “For someone called the TREADMILL Sensei, you haven’t reviewed a treadmill for a while…when are you going to get back to them?” Well, fear not, true believers, tonight I’m reviewing a new treadmill for your buying pleasure.
For this installment I want to talk about the Endurance T3 Treadmill from Body Solid. Many of you who have home gym equipment of your own are probably already familiar with the name Body Solid. They’ve been producing solid home gyms and strength equipment for more than 25 years now. Chances are, if you’ve ever bought a home gym unit, you’ve owned a piece of Body Solid equipment.
And, like a lot of companies, a few years ago Body Solid decided to move in to the realm of cardio equipment with a line of treadmills and ellipticals. The unit I’m focusing on tonight is the Endurance T3 treadmill (and the Endurance T3fi treadmill, which is the folding version of the Endurance T3).
In spite of being a leader in the home gym arena, the Endurance T3 treadmill doesn’t shine as much as its competitors at this price range. Let’s start off with the problems.
For the price, the Endurance T3 treadmill offers one of the smallest running areas out there — a tiny 50″ x 18″ deck. If you’re a serious running, or even a jogger, then the T3 treadmill comes up well short of the competition.
The motor on the Endurance T3 treadmill comes with is well built…large and cool running at low RPMs. Unfortunately, the size is a bit small for the price: a mere 2.2 horse power. Endurance tries to hide their tiny motor by also giving you the mysterious “peak” rating, but don’t be fooled. For the $1299 price tag you should be getting 2.5 horsepower or more like you’ll find in a Horizon, Fitnex, Spirit, New Balance or Sole.
Even the maximum weight capacity falls a bit short of the top rated treadmills in this class at a weak 275lbs. For a machine that boasts “robotic welded” frames, a 275 pound max capacity is a bit sad. And the 4 basic programs and lack of heart rate control found on the Endurance T3 treadmill don’t do much to shine it up all pretty like.
Now, even with all of those faults, I’d recommend the Endurance T3 Treadmill if you can find it at a lower price. At $899 or so, the the T3 Treadmill would be a killer buy. It’s welded frame really does stand up to a lot of punishment and you won’t find a lot of the “wobbles” you get in lesser built treadmills. The Endurance T3 is solidly built.
The only point where the Endurance T3 Treadmill really shines is in the warranty. Outside of the Fitnex units which come out of the same factory overseas, the Endurance units all come with the lifetime parts warranty Body Solid has become famous for over the past 2 decades. That’s right, a lifetime warranty on all parts. That alone kicks up the rating of this treadmill quite a bit. If nothing else, Endurance has a lot of faith in the T3 Treadmill.
In conclusion, the Endurance T3 Treadmill is a nice, average, mid range treadmill. The price could be lower but it redeems itself with the best warranty in the industry. For that reason alone, the Treadmill Sensei gives the T3 Treadmill by Endurance 3 Golden Buddahs out of 5.
A lifetime warranty gets the Endurance T3 3 out of 5 Gold Buddahs.
Compare the Endurance T3 Treadmill
Endurance T3 Treadmill Specifications
Transport Wheels: Yes
Horsepower: 2.2 HP
Frame Construction: Heavy gauge welded steel with powder coat finish
Shock Absorption: 6 point deck suspension system
Maximum Weight Capacity: 275 lbs.
Folding: Yes
Maximum Speed: 10 MPH
Maximum Incline: 12%
Heart Rate Monitoring: Yes, pulse grip
Heart Rate Control: No
Programs: 5
Display Type: 3 window LED display
Display Readouts: Elevation, time, distance, speed, and calories
Grade: Residential
Dimensions
Roller Size: 2″
Running Area: 18″ x 50″
Warranty
Frame Warranty: Lifetime
Motor Warranty: Lifetime
Electronics Warranty: Lifetime
Parts Warranty: Lifetime
Labor Warranty: 1 year
-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com
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