At the top level, there's a lot of very serious competition for what is the actual best treadmill. And of course, there are many ideas of what is the best,best warranty, best cushioning, best content,etc.
We're not talking about the best treadmill brand, we're talking best treadmill. Highest performing, Best in class, most durable, best cushioning, these all come to play.
And as as the former Chief Product Officer of the biggest dealership in the industry, and somebody who's worked directly with companies and creating treadmills, I am pretty much difficult to please.
But recently, True fitness did something really interesting. They came out with different lines of equipment based on quality and versatility.
So suddenly, True has arguably three entrants into the category of absolute top treadmill. The Apex Treadmill, the Alpine Runner, and the Stryker. All use True's FITX (Foot Impact Transfer) cushioning system, designed to cushion on impact, then to move to a laterally stable position.
And it's interesting that this happens at the same time that a lot of other brands have realized that if Technogym can put out good looking-but-mediocre equipment with bad biomechanics and charge a fortuneortune for it, well, there's a market. I've seen the LifeFitness symbiote, The Matrix onyx line, all come out with very high-end machines recently. And one always has to look at the Woodway machines because they have some entrance in this category as well, based on sheer durability and specs. Landice, as the only other real treadmill specialist, should also get some love.

True has their new Apex treadmill, a very good looking, heavy duty belted treadmill, but it has a very long warranty and as well as great specs. With an 18° incline, Three degrees decline and 17 mph top speedthe Apex Tread can give anybody a great workout. This is a real runners machine. The step-up is only 9.25", so it fits in lower ceiling areas.
But they also have their Stryker slatted treadmill, which is the only slatted treadmill that actually has proper forward cushioning that matches running shoe technology. Most slatted treadmills just use the rubber surface on the slat for cushioning, so you end up with the same cushioning and instability on strike zone, center post, and push off. Special cushioning in the front of the Stryker machine so that it can actually cushion properly while being a slatted machine is unique.
Because that's the secret of a slatted treadmill. No belt, no deck, no friction, or a lot less friction and it does go to 25° incline, so once again this is a beautiful heavy duty machine.

The last entrant they have is the Alpine Runner, a sleek, small belted treadmill that has a -3 to 30° incline range, but the whole treadmill is 71" x39", and they do this by building the motor underneath the machine. So when somebody is space challenged, this unique machine gives you a full size running surface while at the same time tremendous incline and the only heavy commercial machine that's this small. It is a unique machine, and when safety guidelines require space behind each machine, saving a foor or so per treadmill is a big deal.

Again, there are a lot of really good brands out there. And one needs to be cognizant of change and development. But it is a pretty rare thing when a company has three well-qualified entrants to the 'Best Treadmill' conversation.

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