Tru Grit Runner Curved Manual Treadmill Review 2024
Reviewed by TreadmillReviews.com
The Tru Grit Runner is a bargain-priced manual treadmill with 6 levels of resistance and a burly build.
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The best treadmill reviews you can trust
The Tru Grit Runner is a bargain-priced manual treadmill with 6 levels of resistance and a burly build.
Updated: February 16, 2024
Manual treadmills are pricier than motorized treadmills. They just have a lot going on between the heavy-duty belts, ball bearings, and robust steel frames. The Tru Grit Runner is a more affordable treadmill, priced below $3000. The Tru Grit Runner has multiple resistance levels so you can make your walk or run even more challenging. Our review of the Tru Grit Runner Curved Manual Treadmill compares it against the other manual treadmills we have tested to help you decide if it’s right for you.
The Tru Grit Runner claims a commercial-grade construction. While it can surely hold up to high use, the construction is not as refined as comparable treadmills we have seen. Of course, this might be a necessary tradeoff to land on its reasonable price. If you don’t get caught in the details of the construction, the Tru Grit Runner will work just as expected.
The frame is a mixture of steel and aluminum components. It weighs in at a hefty 400 lbs, which is heavier than any other manual treadmill we have reviewed. Unfortunately, it only supports a maximum user weight of 330 lbs, which is one of the lowest weight capacities. This is one area we would like to see Tru Grit improve–either decrease the weight of the machine or up the weight capacity.
The Tru Grit Runner is a manual treadmill, so it does not have a motor. You are the motor! This allows you to run as fast as you would like on the Tru Grit Runner.
I haven’t been able to test the Tru Grit Runner for myself, and Tru Grit does not supply any information on the length of the belt. So, I only know that the running surface is 18.75 inches wide. It’s a slat belt with larger gaps than most treadmills. The slats are covered in rubber and textured. I really enjoy running barefoot on manual treadmills, but the TrueForms or the AssaultRunners may be better options for this style of running.
The belt is curved to help you move it. It is steeper than manual treadmills from TrueForm and appears similar to that of the AssaultRunners. I can’t comment on how easy it is to move the belt because I have not been able to run on it myself. However, like all curved manual treadmills, it will be more difficult than motorized treadmills and outdoor running.
As we would expect, the Grit Runner does not fold. It has a larger footprint than other manual treadmills. It’s longer than most. Keep this in mind when deciding to purchase the Tru Grit manual treadmill because you will want to ensure you have plenty of room for it.
You can move the Grit Runner around if necessary, but it may not be practical for all users. The Grit Runners has two small front caster wheels and a rear grab bar. Lifting the Tru Grit Runner onto these wheels lets it roll around. Unfortunately, the plastic shrouds over the wheels prevent you from lifting the deck too high before they hit the ground. This makes it harder to roll the Grit Runner around.
Because it is a manual treadmill, the Grit Runner does not have a manual or electric incline. Yet, its curve acts kind of like an incline. You certainly won’t feel like you are running on a flat service. As you run, your position may change along the curve depending on whether you are speeding up or slowing down.
The Tru Grit Runner does not have the best range of features. It is rather simple and best for runners who want to get on and go without distractions. Manual treadmills are typically rather stripped down, but the Grit Runner is one of the most bare-bones treadmills we have seen.
The console consists of an LCD screen with three buttons. It is battery-powered, so no electricity is required for the whole treadmill. Many users have complained about the simplicity of the console because it doesn’t show a lot of metrics. You get the speed, time, distance, calories, and watts. You can only view the distance in miles, not meters or kilometers, which may be limiting for some workouts.
As for the buttons, there’s only a button to ‘Reset,’ ‘Mode,’ and ‘Set.’ You may have to spend some time with the user manual to fully understand how to program the console as necessary.
The console has a little lip to form a phone holder. If you set your phone here, you will mostly cover the console. You can’t pair the treadmill to other apps because it doesn’t have Bluetooth, so it isn’t the most useful phone holder
The Tru Grit Runner uses friction resistance to create 6 levels of intensity. The resistance levels are controlled by a lever on the right side of the machine. Not all manual treadmills have this capability. Even if they do, they may be priced much higher, like the Bells of Steel Blitz Manual Treadmill.
The Tru Grit Runner’s resistance levels and bi-directional belt give it a lot of versatility. The steep curve of the Tru Grit Runner makes it a bit easier to get the belt moving. The resistance allows you to sled push and walk backward smoothly. The highest resistance levels may not be quite as challenging as some users desire for sled pushing. For more intensity, the Tru Grit Runner Elite may be a better option.
The lightest resistance level is what you want to set the treadmill to for endurance running and trying to hit your top sprint speed. Manual treadmill training is already harder than motorized or outdoor running so you don’t necessarily need more resistance for these activities.
The Grit Runner doesn’t have any content options outside of an interval workout mode which Tru Grit doesn’t provide much information on. But, we will update this review if we find out more. The console will also need to be reset before each session to track that session’s metrics alone rather than cumulatively. This is one of the weakest areas for the Tru Grit Runner, but if you are following a training plan or just using the Grit Runner to warm-up and cool-down, you might not mind.
The Tru Grit Runner is ideal for garage gyms and residential settings where minimal features are required. Athletes who are following their own programs, want to incorporate sprints into a larger training session, and need a warm-up/cool-down cardio machine will like the Tru Grit Runner. It has 6 levels of resistance which allow you to walk, run, sprint, sled push, and more. This is a very heavy and somewhat bulky manual treadmill, so make sure you have plenty of room for it. The Tru Grit Runner provides unlimited speed and a more difficult workout than a motorized treadmill.
