Best for Home Use
Best for Serious Runners
Best for Walkers
Best for Seniors
FreeMotion Fitness Review
FreeMotion Fitness is yet another a member of the ICON Health and Fitness family. It’s also one of the snootier brands at an ICON family reunion. FreeMotion treadmills easily outperform and outlast the machines from Weslo and ICON’s other discount brands. The most luxurious FreeMotion treadmill ships with a 10” color screen that’s powered by Android (and if you pay extra ICON will through in an HDTV). The lowest end FreeMotion unit has a more traditional LED console and can be vertically folded to free up floor space. There’s variety to this brand, but all aim for a fairly fancy experience.
The Four FreeMotion treadmill models are stocked with good features. They are the 730, 790, Reflex t7.7 and Reflex t11.8. These are all high quality machines, but the Reflex series treadmills are a little overpriced. MSRPs start at $1299 and range up to nearly $8K. You’ll want to wait for a sale to pick up one of these beauties.
What We Like
- iFit Ready: All four FreeMotion Fitness treadmill models are iFit compatible. iFit brings unlimited workouts from personal trainers, online treadmill races, Google Maps trails, and other motivating options.Even if you don’t choose iFit, the treadmills still ship with a minimum of 9 preset workouts.
- Motors: FreeMotion has some of the most powerful treadmill motors on the market. The 730 has a 3.0 HP motor (which is becoming standard even for walkers) while the t11.8 boasts 5.0 horsepower! FreeMotion’s motors are virtually vibration-free and operate quietly.
- Consoles: Three of the FreeMotion treadmill consoles include luxuries like touchscreens, Android browsers, and televisions. Even the simplest model (the 730) has an attractive LED with multiple data windows.
- Inclines & Declines: The best treadmills on the market replicate outdoor terrain by tilting up and down. Compared with traditional treadmill training, incline training offers more efficient calorie burn and muscle toning. All FreeMotion Fitness treadmills tilt up to 15%, but the Reflex units also decline by up to 3%.
- Tracks: All FreeMotion treadmill tracks are at least 58” long. The Reflex series offers extra-wide tracks (22”) with additional cushioning for joint protection. Tracks are set on wide rollers and are made from durable two-ply material.
- Wireless Monitoring: All four FreeMotion machines are either Polar wireless compatible or have full wireless telemetry systems.
- Fans: A cooling fan can make a huge difference for runners. Each FreeMotion Fitness treadmill has an adjustable speed fan. On the t11.8, it’s 8” tall which is about double the height of most treadmill fans.
- Foldable: The 730 and 790 can be folded when more floor space is needed.
What We Don’t Like
- Warranties: When the FreeMotion Reflex treadmills are sold at full price, their warranty package isn’t such a bargain. Parts for the $5000 t7.7 are only protected for two years. Even the $8000 t11.8 only gets three years of parts protection. This isn’t a good sign since warranty length tends to show how confident a manufacturer is in their machines.
Our Verdict
FreeMotion’s cream-of-the-crop treadmill is the t11.8. It would be a dream to own all decked out, but it’s honestly just not worth the $8000 MSRP! Buying one of the top NordicTrack treadmills and attaching your iPad seems more sensible. The cheaper FreeMotions treadmills (the 730 and 790) are definitely worth checking out though. The 730 is quite impressive and quite affordable. The 790 is priced well too and includes 36 workout programs. FreeMotion is an impressive brand and they know it. They charge a premium for premium machines, but often those prices are a little too extreme. Anyone tempted by a FreeMotion treadmill should wait for a sale.