NordicTrack Commercial Treadmill Series with 1 Year iFit Subscription (Model 1750, 2950, & 2450)

I'm not a runner, but this machine has changed that. Previously I'd do my best in outdoor runs of 1-3 miles, but pace and focus would become hurdles to distance more than energy. I've also come to realize that environmental allergies are a very real thing for me (more on that later). I was committed to running, however, and after substantial research I decided this was the 2950 was the treadmill for me. Really, any of the series would have been more than fine, but maximizing the screen for nominal costs seems a no-brainer. I got a nice deal on Amazon and started my journey. Here's the *only* place things go a little sideways. The Amazon purchase included free delivery and assembly. I’m a handy person and fully capable of assembly, but times were busy and I figured it would be easier to have a pro who has potentially hundreds of assemblies under their belt knock out the job as opposed to my learning the process as I went. Bad call. The assembly window was 4 hours but the technician was gone in under 45 minutes. Everything met my initial inspection, but things loosened after my first workout and I discovered several places of missing hardware or the technician substituting in their own hardware for some odd reason. I was able to order a new installation hardware package and have a NordicTrack technician go over the unit to be sure my Amazon friend caused no damage and thankfully the episode was behind me. None of this is NordicTrack’s responsibility in any capacity – I’m just compelled to include this detail as a word of warning that your free Amazon assembly may be convenient but come at a price – be careful and be safe. On to the unit itself… I chose to spend a little more on the 2950 because of the screen size, which is great for an immersive experience when using iFit (I don’t, my wife does) or the Google Maps-based street runs (I use these every time). The system runs a skinned, trimmed down Android OS, which has some quirks but is generally pretty stable – it will crash maybe 1 time out of 50 when starting up but never within workouts. The on-screen HUD is not intrusive and shows useful information related to your pace and distance. BPM sensors are present on the handlebar or chest sensor, but I don’t use either. Brightness is great, colors are natural, zero complaints about resolution. While the screen is certainly big, it’s not overbearing – I look past it to a TV in my workout room without issue. It’s really quite perfect. My only complaint here is that there is a very quirky requirement to kill the power with a physical toggle switch after every workout to shut the unit down. There is no auto-sleep mode or time out, which I find exceedingly odd. I guess this is potentially done as a safety measure to prevent any possibility of the machine stopping when a person is in motion but it strikes me as so backwards and odd to have to cut power to an active operating system in 2020. Maybe one day they will read this and restore any of the simple screensavers already built into the Android OS. The Bluetooth is decent but won’t knock your socks off. The fans are curiously loud – it’s as though NordicTrack may have searched old RadioShack warehouses for the loudest computer fans ever made. Despite their volume they sure don’t push much air, though. The last software quirk I’m noticed is that Google Street View doesn’t necessarily abide by direction – so sometimes you may be running with traffic and others you may be running against traffic (in their lane). Likewise it may sometimes be the case that your path should take you down a hill but Google sends an incline to the treadmill. These kinds of things happen – we’re using GPS for innovative purposes and the gains well outweigh any oddities we may encounter. Plus – you can run your commute to work or to the grocery store and try to spot yourself and friends. That made my run! As for the mechanics of the unit, it is well built and feels solid in use. The incline and decline are reliable and do not feel spongy. You can set the unit to be solid or offer dampening, and I do get some spring squeak at -2 degrees with the dampening active but that’s a-ok with me. I do have the unit directly on plush carpet, so that could be a factor. The motor is audible as it lifts or declines the deck, but is not loud by any means. Plastics are well-thought in design with overlapping assembly to feel solid while providing a surface that is easy to keep clean. The tread is excellent and not at all slippery. Software and hardware together, this is a solid machine that is well designed and feels very high quality and solid when in use. None of the quirks I noted above would prevent me from recommending this unit to a close family member or even purchasing it again if I was in the market. As I began, I was not a runner before my purchase. I’d run 1-3 miles outside and get winded but not tired – I thought that was just how I was. No – I came to realize that I had environmental allergies and novice pacing. Working out inside a clean environment with a guided pace and a screen rich with information turned my occasional 1-3 into a daily 4-10 mile run (this transformation occurred in a month and a half). This treadmill has truly been a game changer for me and its quality and features are significant factors to keeping my interest. The 2950 has been my favorite Amazon purchase to date.

I keep it in my dining room. I get to visit anywhere in the world where I want to while I workout. I'm learning about new places. I get to visit these places with my own personal guide and if I so desire, I can revisit as many times as I want all while getting my workout in! I can join different challenges if I want. I love it.

Seriously, for years I put off buying a treadmill for so many reasons I lost count, but the big ones were up-front cost, space, and my fear that I'd lose interest in it -- way safer to keep a gym membership with a treadmill there, but have other options too. Enter COVID. LOL I really tried to adapt and just run/walk/hike on my own, but boredom with this dragged on alongside COVID. I looked at used treadmills to save some $$$ but just wasn't finding anything that suited. My last straw was the free iFit trial I got on my phone, just to see how I liked the style/format---figured it'd be too corny for me and that I'd struggle with virtual training (having tried it before), but turns out I liked it more than I thought I would. Global workouts (some relief for the travel-deprived) + personalities + a huge range of workout options was really working for me. OVERVIEW Have had this thing a few days now and am freakin' in love with it. I doubt I'll lose interest...even if I cancel iFit after the year trial, the freedom and flexibility I've got with this thing to run/walk anytime I'm free without being hindered by weather, time of day, personal safety, is pretty liberating. I'm just mad it took me this long to get off the fence about getting one in the first place. MODEL CHOICE As a lover of hiking, I looked seriously at NT's incline trainer, but between the primo price and the fact that the deck didn't raise, I dropped back to the Commercial 2450. I actually looked at ProForm too to save some dough since it's the same parent company as NT, but was won over by NT's larger screens and more solid consumer reviews (but would probably be just fine with a ProForm, honestly). Anyway, I don't regret not getting the incline trainer...having done the Waipio Valley hike with Johnnie Gale this morning, 15% incline is plenty...and if that's not burning your calves enough, jack up the speed, lol. FEATURES Lots of feature-talk in other reviews so I'll try not to echo too much here...but one complaint by some is that some models were shipped by Amazon without a tray for setting up a tablet in case you want to watch TV or whatnot (since the screen on the trainer won't do that). Mine has the tray, so...wasn't a problem. Fan works fine as a nice cool breeze--thinking of dabbing some essential oil on a cotton ball and taping to the back so I can get some plumeria vibes on the Hawaii training series! LOL! Deck isn't too heavy/hard to raise, but be safe and lift with the legs. The tablet on the trainer has a tilt option, but it's not great, so if you're doing the non-treadmill workouts it can be tough to see. I'd recommend downloading iFit on your phone/tablet and connecting your account there. I haven't noticed any issues between having my account on the trainer and my iPhone. Have had no issues with power/program glitches/freezes/restarts. Fingers crossed it stays that way. One part I'm still sorting out -- doing manual adjustments to speed/incline in iFit workouts. This is possible, but it does seem buggy sometimes. For example, I'll let the program control the incline, but I might want to adjust speed. If I adjust speed 5-6 times or so, the incline stops auto-adjusting, so I click "follow the trainer" mid-workout as a reset, and start my own adjustments over. This doesn't require stopping the program, and honestly, could be partly user-error. Either way, not a big deal. SHIPMENT Like many, I ordered through Amazon b/c the shipping was better than NT's site, where things were on backorder. Given some reviews, I was a little worried though, about damage during transit/delivery. I had zero issue with this, thankfully. I'm wondering if Amazon changed their shipping strategy to account for this b/c I did notice the date I picked for shipping when I ordered got pushed out a week by Amazon. As I tracked things on their site over the days, I noticed the shipment status was vague for over a week before it shipped, and the delivery date changed twice. No one actually contacted me personally via phone to confirm delivery timing/etc., so I contacted Amazon customer service via their chat function. Their agents had more info than what appeared on the site to me which helped. Once it shipped, the email updates came rolling in as to tracking/delivery status. Since they contract the delivery to another company, it wasn't clear at all how to change the delivery date if I had a conflict, but I'm sure if I contacted customer service again, that could get sorted. All told, I ordered the trainer July 31 with an Aug 5 delivery date, but got it on the 11th. If that was the price to pay for COVID and getting it without being damaged, I'll take it. ;) DELIVERY Maybe it's b/c I live in a single-story home, but the delivery driver took no issue bringing it across the threshold for me. He even helped me orient it so I had an easier time unboxing. ASSEMBLY To be clear, this really is a 2-person job. But I chose to assemble as much as I could solo, then get a friend to help with the rest. Wound up doing the whole thing myself, though I fully appreciate why this isn't the smartest idea, lol. Instructions were pretty clear to me, pieces were neatly organized, and this is one of the few things I've put together where I didn't screw up/misinterpret and have to go back several steps. Bulk aside, I've had worse issues with assembling Ikea shelves, so props to the NT folks on making this clear/easy. And kudos and thanks to those who posted tips in other reviews. Using the box as a sled for getting the deck oriented (I even kept part of the cardboard under the console half of the unit to protect my floor), and assembling in the spot you plan to use it is an absolute must, whether you're assembling yourself or not. This thing has wheels, but wheeling it down the hall to another spot in my home isn't happening. Forget the weight/bulk...based on the direction the wheels are oriented, this thing is too wide for my hallway. I could turn it 90 degrees, but then the wheels are useless so...yes, determine where you want it first, THEN build. Thinking ahead to a situation where you might move residences, one thing I'm considering is taking the entire upper frame off the unit so it can move in 2 pieces (deck + upper frame/console, b/c my main concern would be damaging walls/floors/the unit and especially the console itself). If you don't fully snap in the two plastic pieces that sit over the legs at the base (these plastic pieces are simply cosmetic, and not snapping them in makes zero difference to the look/functionality), you can raise them and access the bolts they cover to unscrew the frame/console...and this absolutely WILL take 2 people...just be sure you disconnect the wire connecting the console to the power supply on the back of the running deck, and safely secure it.

I purchased the NordicTrack commercial 2950. I have had it for almost 1 year now. I've never had any problems with the treadmill itself. I did have to contact iFit customer service for an update on my screen. They were amazing. Very nice people the update was very quick and easy that they could help me out through their customer service app on my phone through text and I never had to wait. I absolutely love this machine. Last year in 2020 I lost a total of 40 lb. This treadmill will absolutely hold your interest. The ifit program that it comes with has monthly challenges all located in different parts of the world. Currently I'm working on one in Italy and in antarctica. I love it when they hold 5K runs. Those are usually a few times a month and they send you a metal in the mail for free. They also have milestones that you meet and they send you different prizes and mail such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, gift cards to their iFit store and flags. It really is a truly amazing treadmill. It inclines and declines based on the trail that you are on. If you wear a heart rate monitor it increases and decreases based upon their targeted heart rate level they want you at. This helps maximize your fitness and weight loss. At first I was a bit skeptical as I did a lot of research before purchasing this treadmill and there were some negative reviews that makes you a bit leery. I have had none of those experiences. I would say it takes two people to put together the treadmill. My boyfriend and I did it very easily together. They also offer an app to assemble the treadmill where you can watch a video and then the paper instructions are helpful to use on the side. All of my parts were included in my box and we had no problems with injured parts. I have nothing bad to say about this treadmill, the iFit program, or any of the customer service. If you are truly wanting a game changer in your fitness this is definitely the treadmill for you. It is a bit more expensive but the size of the screen and how big the treadmill is is definitely worth it, spend the extra money and just go with the commercial 2950, you won't regret it!

I am a mid-distance runner, and I live in the rainy Pacific Northwest where outdoor running is absolutely miserable during the winter months. I used to be an Orangetheory member pre-pandemic, and was spoiled rotten by their treadmills (very cushy on the knees) after hating treadmills because I was used to crappy ones with zero deck flex. However, I don't see myself joining a gym again because 1. pandemic and people are gross, and 2. I needed a more flexible schedule and I got tired of overbooking my life to squeeze in a class at specific times. I have small kids and often run at night after they go to bed. My motivation to run at that time is not low, but my motivation to drive to the gym at that time is. We bought this treadmill as a Cyber Monday deal after agonizing over whether or not to go with a Peloton treadmill (but the aforementioned small kids and accidents scared us off). So far, the treadmill itself has met expectations and we love it. My knees are still fine without the overpriced Orangetheory treadmills, and I'm able to maintain my fitness this winter instead of sitting on my butt all winter and trying to desperately recover my fitness every spring. The treadmill is VERY heavy, you need 2-3 people to get it into the room to set up, and that's in pieces. (Some people have suggested keeping it in the box but it is way too heavy to move that way without some serious equipment or professional movers.) I would not suggest attempting stairs with it without professionals doing the work. Building was not difficult but you do need to follow the directions, and 2 people is best for attaching the screen (everything else can probably be done by one person). My husband (non-engineer but handy) did a step too early and it took me (engineer and stickler for directions) about an hour of explaining to him that was probably why not all the holes were lining up before he finally undid that step. He will still complain to this day that their tolerances are not good, but I'm 80% sure it was user error. The treadmill comes with a 1-year free iFIT membership. I love iFIT as a Peloton alternative, which was really my whole reason behind wanting a Peloton tread. I am currently doing a running series to build back up my running base, and their coaches are absolutely solid in terms of their knowledge about physical fitness (and in some cases, cultural knowledge, which was an added bonus that I wasn't expecting). I like that warm-ups and cool-downs are integrated into a workout or you can do a slightly longer pre-warm or cool-down up if you know your body well enough to design your own warm-up/cool down. With Peloton they seem to jump right in unless you pick out your warm up and cool down (and I don't like that because I want my warm-up/cool down to be customized to the actual workout I'm doing, not just a random one that I pick). However, I've had it freeze on me at least three times mid-workout, which is really frustrating because you can't restart workout where you left off, and in one case, it almost caused serious damage to my treadmill when it didn't return to zero incline and I tried to fold it up because I was done and frustrated. Fortunately I realized it wasn't folding correctly but it got jammed pretty good and took some delicate work to unstick, and a small piece did break off. This was within the first few days of owning it. iFit techncial support is slow and after several days of waiting for a response, their best suggestion was to wipe my cache. (Does this mean I lose all of my data generated so far?) We are pretty early into this (about 6 weeks) so I am unsure if I will pay to re-up the membership once our year is up. I am unsure what causes these freezes (I've seen suggestions that it's high user load or perhaps a Wifi interrruption). I am hoping this gets better, but if its the amount of users, the problem is only going to get worse because many people are jumping on the iFit bandwagon, and for good reason.