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Star Trac Treadmill Review
Star Trac provides cardio and strength training equipment to customers worldwide. The company primarily markets to hotels, universities and commercial gyms. Many fine establishments boast in pamphlets that their fitness centers are stocked with StarTrac equipment.
This years lineup includes five treadmill models. These fall into two series and cover a range of user preferences. Follow the links for detailed treadmill reviews.
1. Star Trac E Series: The E Series of Star Trac treadmills is popular in clubs. All treadmills in this series have 5HP. They have great entertainment options, including a shake-free television!
The three choices here are the E-TRx, E-TRxi Club and E-TRxe. While the E-TRx is relatively basic, it’s clearly far superior to any cheap treadmill: It has a 5 HP motor, a 500 pound user weight capacity, an extra-wide belt, a 20% incline and fantastic cushioning. You can add some options, but it takes upgrading to the E-TRxi to get Intel Inside. The E-TRxe has an integrated 15″ TV with touchscreen.
2. Star Trac S Series: The S Series is another fitness center classic. It has fewer features overall, yet 15″ touchscreen televisions are optional on both models. Both have 15% max inclines.
The S-TRc has 5HP, making it suitable for clubs. The S-TRx has 3HP, which is enough to power the cardio training sessions for a light commercial facility or a busy household.
What We Like:
- Entertainment: Star Trac’s E Series is especially focused on entertainment. Users appreciate the smartphone compatibility, USB chargers, Intel Inside and 15″ touchscreen TVs. The LCD screen with exercise data is high-def. These treadmills also have coaxial cables and a NTSC/ATSC/QAM digital tuner or PAL/SECAM tuner.
- Maintenance-free: These machines don’t require waxing. They can be trusted to behave in an unsupervised gym.
- Motors: Star Trac commercial motors are powerful. With 5HP, they can support marathon runners and people weighing up to 500 pounds. The simplest model (the S-TRx for light commercial settings) has a respectable 3HP.
- Speed: Star Trac E Series treadmill belts can reach top speeds of 15 mph. Those in the S Series can reach 12.5 mph. For comparison, many commercial treadmills have maximum speeds of 12 mph.
- Stability: Star Trac treadmills weigh in at more than 500 pounds! They have 500-pound user weight capacities.
- Tracks: These machines have roomy and well-cushioned tracks. The belts are 60″ long and up to 21.5″ wide, so they’re large enough to accommodate almost any trainee. Cushioning is a dreamy triple-cell Neoprene and decks are reversible. Large rollers are used for track longevity.
- Workout programs: Lots of options here! For example, the E-TRxe has 18 programs with titles such as “Firefighter,” “Fitness Test” and “Constant Heart Control.” Additionally, with the E Series treadmills, users can access more than a million workout combinations by using the Star Trac Coach.
What We Don’t Like:
- Price: Star Trac treadmills are designed for heavy club use, so they’re expensive for individuals. Prices aren’t published, which is pretty standard practice for commercial fitness equipment, but $3500 or $4000 is a typical starting point. The company also sells refurbished treadmills for less.
- Warranties: Since Star Tracs can be expensive investments, we’d like to see more robust warranty packages or an option for residential buyers. A sample Star Trac treadmill warranty includes: Motor & MCB – Five years on parts and labor; other parts – two years on parts for commercial facilities, or three years for light commercial facilities that do not charge dues, and one year of labor; wear items – one year parts and labor; headphone jack, smartphone connector and USB port – 90 day parts, no labor.
- Size: Besides weighing an unwieldy 500+ pounds each, these treadmills take up lots of space. They’re 81″ to 85″ long. Some gym owners choose compact treadmills instead, aiming to fit more machines into a space.
Our Verdict:
Star Trac treadmills are great options for light commercial and commercial workout facilities. They’ve understandably become a worldwide standard and the optional TVs only add to the appeal.
Virtually 100% of a community’s treadmill workout needs could be met with these products: The incline options span from 0% to 20%, the coaching program has more than a million combinations, and the maximum speed is 15 mph! This is also a top treadmill brand in terms of cushioning for trainees with sensitive knees, and trainees can further relieve pressure by using the incline.
Do you need an E Series Star Trac in your home gym? Probably not! Most people don’t need all of the exceptional features. For instance, most walkers will rarely exceed 5 mph, so there’s little need for a machine that can reach 15 mph. The 500-pound capacity and 5 HP are also beyond the requirements of most home gym owners. The S-TRx is more reasonable, but there’s a whole lot of enticing competition at that price point.
For our top choices in residential treadmills, see our “Best Buy Picks“