Last Updated: February 13, 2024
Woodway is one of the most unique treadmill brands on the market. Their treadmills are designed to replicate the feel of running on the trail rather than running outside on the road. The name Woodway comes from the experience of running on pine straw on a forest floor. Thus, landing on a Woodway treadmill feels soft but not bouncy. Most other running treadmills are firm or soft and bouncy. Woodway accomplishes their unique cushioning by using a rubber slat belt for their treadmills.
Woodway began in Germany, but is now a Waukesha, Wisconsin-based company. The brand has grown a lot since its 1974 start. Now, Woodway makes a wide variety of products from the commercial space to home to medical and more. This page will focus on Woodway’s treadmills for the home.
Woodway Product Line Summary
Woodway’s treadmills are very different from one another, but they are united by a few common traits. First, they all have the slat belt design that Woodway is known for. They are high-quality treadmills with multiple display options. Many of the treadmills can also be customized with even better features. They have high weight capacities. Woodway treadmills are also fairly quiet. Woodway treadmills are great for trail runners, long-distance runners, and anyone who wants to minimize the impact on their body as they train.
Curve Series Treadmills
This series began with Woodway’s notorious manual treadmill, the Woodway Curve. The other two inclusions in this series are variations on that one trustworthy treadmill. The Curve LTG is a light-commercial version of the Curve. It was designed to be more affordable for light-commercial use and the home with most of the same features as the original. The Woodway Curve Trainer and Curve LTG are less curved than the original. The less steep belt makes it easier for walkers and joggers to comfortably use it.
All three treadmills are manual, so you set the speed without limit. No electricity is required to power the treadmill. The Curve and Curve Trainer have two console options: the ProSmart Touchscreen and the Curve Standard Display (easy-to-use digital display). The Curve LTG is more compact at 5 inches shorter than the Curve and Curve Trainer. Because all three are manual treadmills, they are more challenging to run on than traditional treadmills and burn more calories.
4Front Series Treadmills
The 4Front treadmill is Woodway’s flagship motorized treadmill. This series contains it and one very impressive variation on the 4Front: the Ridge Runner. The 4Front comes standard with a 12.5 mph maximum, but can be upgraded to an 18 mph max. It has the signature cushioned slat belt design. It also has an incline range of 0 to 15%. Its weight capacity is 400 lbs for running and 800 lbs for walking. It has 4 console options: the QuickSet, the ProSmart, the Personal Trainer, and the Personal Viewing Device. The ProSmart and the Personal Viewing Device are touchscreens with access to advanced training options and third-party entertainment apps. The Ridge Runner takes the 4Front and upgrades it with an awesome -5% to 35% incline range.
Woodway 4Front
Woodway Ridge Runner
Compact Series Treadmills
The Path and Mercury Treadmills from Woodway are compact variations on the 4Front. The Path is shorter than the 4Front. It is only 59 inches long with a 52-inch running surface. The Mercury is narrower with a 30-inch width and a 17-inch running surface. For reference, the 4Front is 72 inches long and 35 inches wide with a 68” x 22” running surface. The Mercury and Path treadmills are best for walking due to their smaller sizes and have a speed limit of 11 miles per hour. Some runners may be able to train on them, but caution is advised.
Woodway Path
Woodway Mercury
Walkolution Treadmill Series
The Walkolution treadmill series are small slat belt treadmills with Beechwood side panels and Birchwood slats. They are attached to standing desks. These treadmill desks are motorless so you set your own pace as you work. The Walkolution Kybun has a unique soft surface covering the slats that is perfect for posture and balance training as well as barefoot walking. The deck is gently curved to help you turn the belt without being too steep for comfortable walking.
Woodway Walkolution
Woodway Walkolution Kybun
Other Woodway Equipment Reviews
When it comes to other equipment, Woodway tends to highlight other innovative and high-quality brands. They have also partnered with brands to make unique products. One of these products is the Rogue x Woodway Curve LTG treadmill which can be purchased from Rogue. In addition to Woodway’s collaborations, they also have an extensive offering for commercial, performance, and medical spaces. These products may not be appropriate for residential use, but they are quite impressive and unique. They demonstrate Woodway’s dedication to improving the health and performance of all.
Woodway Treadmill Reviews Bottom Line
Woodway treadmills are premium treadmills with extremely sturdy builds. The slat belt design may not be suitable for all walkers and runners, because it is not as bouncy as some users may prefer. An adjustment period may be necessary to get over the energy-sapping sensation of running on a softer surface like the Woodway rubberized slat belt. For dedicated runners, these treadmills are excellent for reducing the impact of traditional treadmill and outdoor running. Many of the treadmills have impressive speed and incline capabilities. Woodway’s manual and motorized treadmills are premium machines with a matching cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is special about Woodway treadmills?
Woodway treadmills are built with cushioned slat belts that mimic the feeling of running on a pine straw covered forest. They feel soft but not bouncy like other cushioned treadmills. Woodway treadmills are also very high quality with robust builds and impressive speed and incline capabilities. Woodway makes both manual and motorized treadmills.
Is a Woodway treadmill worth it?
Woodway treadmills are high-end. They are expensive, but they are also very well made. Many runners like their soft slat belt cushioning and durability. They have training options and performance features like faster speeds and a generous incline range, especially when upgraded from the base package. If you are looking for a firmer treadmill to mimic road running or a soft and bouncy treadmill that makes running feel a bit easier, the Woodway treadmills aren’t for you. Some runners describe running on a Woodway treadmill as harder than a traditional treadmill.
Is it harder to run on a Woodway treadmill?
Yes, many runners find it harder to run on a Woodway treadmill. The brand has attempted to recreate the feeling of running on a soft trail. This is harder, because it absorbs a lot of the energy from each step to reduce the impact on your body and does not return the energy as a bouncy surface would. The manual Woodway treadmills are harder to run on because you are moving the running belt and running up a curved surface. Studies on manual treadmills versus motorized treadmills have shown that they burn more calories during the same workout. Additionally, many runners have to run at a slower pace on a manual treadmill than they would on a motorized treadmill or outside on a paved path.
Do Woodway treadmills have a motor?
Some Woodway treadmills have a motor and some do not. Woodway makes both motorized and manual treadmills. Their Curve series treadmills are manual. The 4Front series treadmills, including the compact options, are motorized.
