PUBLISHED 01/04/2006
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RUNNING IN PLACE
10 top treadmills to keep you going year-round.
By Megan McMorrisPUBLISHED 01/04/2006
Vision Fitness T9600 Premier
$2,400 / Programs: 15
For runners coming back from, say, a stress fracture, the T9600 is one treadmill not to miss. Its orthopedic belt is softer than most and its textured surface provides excellent traction. Also, testers unanimously agreed that the T9600 felt smooth underfoot, a feature usually associated with much pricier models. One more thing: It's exceptionally quiet. Testers did complain that the console was hard to figure out on the first go-round. visionfitness.com; 800-335-4348
Warranty: Lifetime frame and motor / 5 years parts and electronics / 1 year labor
Horsepower: 3.0
Belt size: 60 by 20 inches
Maximum speed/incline: 12 mph/15 percent
Programs include: Sprint 8, Muscle Toner, Speed Intervals, 5K, Fat Burner, Pacer, 4 Heart Rate, and 5 user
Heart rate interactive: yes
Editor's Note: Each treadmill features manual and random programs or the equivalent that were not included in the program count.
Our Treadmill Experts
To narrow the vast treadmill market down to these great eight, we asked the following for their picks:
Clark and Jon Stevenson, owners of TreadmillDoctor.com, a leading Web-based retailer of treadmill parts and supplies.
Gregory Florez, spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise.
Lynn Allen, former lecturer for the President's Council on Physical Fitness and consultant to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association.
