Get fit with the Vision T9450 treadmill
Written: Jan 27 '08 (Updated Jan 27 '08)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Great cushioning and deck
Sleek folding
Powerful and quiet
Nice control panel
Cons: Controls may be hard to reach
Too expensive for some
The Bottom Line: This is one of the best fold-up treadmills for a runner.
|
|
|
| blue_rsx's Full Review: Vision Fitness T9450 Folding Treadmill |
After spending several months relying on weight lifting for my exercise, I decided it was time to shake up my routine and add more cardiovascular exercises. I already own a Bowflex home gym and free weights, but I needed something for aerobic exercises.
It didn't take me long to decide that I would buy a new treadmill. After all, treadmills are one of the most popular exercise products on the market. They're easy to use, and they provide a great alternative to outdoor walking and running when outside conditions are less than idea. Living in Houston, the winters are quite mild and comfortable, but nonetheless, the sun sets early in the winter, and the treadmill removes excuses like inclement weather and a tight work schedule. Now I have no excuse!
Location
The first challenge in in deciding on a treadmill is deciding where you will place it. In my case, I have a combination workout room and home office. Due to the limited space, the only option for me is a fold-up style treadmill, since a fold-up takes considerably less floor space when not in use. If you space is not a concern, then opt for a non-folding model, because opting for a folding treadmill narrows your choices quite a bit.
Also keep in mind how motivated you will be to use the treadmill. Many professionals recommend against putting a treadmill in a basement. The reasoning is that a dark, damp basement is not going to motivate you to use the treadmill frequently to workout. It depends on the person, but it seems like good advise to me. Try and find a nice bright comfortable room in the house where you will be more likely to jump on the treadmill more often.
Shopping
There are so many brands and varieties of treadmills that shopping for one can be a very daunting experience. I typically do a good deal of research before I buy any major piece of equipment like this, and I found lots of conflicting information on the internet regarding the different brands and models.
So a word of advice -- be careful! Many of the treadmill review sites on the internet contain links or ads for the very treadmill manufacturers they review, and unlike sites like epinions, where independent users write their own reviews, many of these sites are operated secretively and provide very little data to back up their reviews, which are typically based on product features and not on actual real-world use. Outside of Consumer Reports and Runner's World for authoritative reviews and epinions for end user reviews, I found I was very skeptical of internet treadmill review sites I found.
In the end, I went to a good local fitness store that specializes in home gym equipment. I found the staff there to be very knowledgeable and helpful, and the floor equipment was functional well maintained. I would advise against buying a treadmill online unless you have tried it out first in person. Even if the treadmill is well rated, it may not be right for you, or it may get damaged during shipping. And if this happens, it's much easier to call the local store and have them pick it up or replace it.
Selecting the right model
I considered several different models of fold-up treadmills. My narrow list included the Life Fitness F3, the PaceMaster Gold Elite Fold-up, the Sole F85, and the Vision Fitness T9450. After trying several different models in person, I ended up with the Vision 9450.
I tried the Life Fitness F3 first, and I really liked the sleek look of the machine. Life Fitness is a great brand and you will often see their equipment in professional gyms. However, the F3 deck felt too stiff when I ran on it, and the treadmill and side rails were very creaky and the entire machine a bit shaky. It just didn't feel very durable to me, and while this could be because of the store setup, this experience coupled with the fact that it's the most expensive model on the list resulted in its expulsion from my list.
I also tried the Sole F85 at home for a very short time. Sole treadmills are imported from Taiwan, but they are highly regarded by many of the internet review sites whose reviews I now highly doubt. I found the Sole to be sub-par in quality, with cheap-feeling plastic components that fell off. The unit I tested had several glaring defects that rendered the machine unusable. Also of note, the Sole model also has a different fold-up mechanism that doesn't fold-up vertically. It folds diagonally, so it ends up taking almost the same amount of room space when folded as when unfolded. Lastly, Sole is primarily an internet-based brand, so it's difficult to try one out in person without buying it unless you live near a Dick's Sporting Goods store, the only brick-and-mortar store that carries the brand.
The PaceMaster brand is one of the top treadmill brands in the industry. They have been making treadmills for over 40 years, and they make them here in U.S.A. I wanted to try the PaceMaster fold-up, but my local store did not have any to try out; they only had a PaceMaster Bronze non-folding model, which wouldn't fit in my room. I also later read on some discussion boards of problems with some of their decks. The sales person encouraged me to look at the Vision fold-up as an alternative.
The Vision Fold-up
Vision Fitness is a Wisconsin-based company started in 1993 as part of the Trek Bicycle Company. Vision Fitness was later spun off as an independent company. As with the majority of treadmill manufacturers (with the exception of PaceMaster), Vision treadmills are manufactured overseas (China to be specific). While I would prefer to buy an American-made treadmill, there just aren't many options outside of the PaceMaster fold-up, which wasn't available at my local store.
The model I tried is the Vision Fitness T9450. In terms of appearances, the Vision is simple but elegant looking. There are some brands that plaster their full-color logos across the sides or belts of the treadmills, but fortunately Vision keeps a minimalist styling that isn't obnoxious looking.
Purchase and Setup
I purchased the Vision T9450 Deluxe at a local fitness store for $1899 (MSRP $2199), and they delivered it the very next day. I strongly recommend having a professional delivery team unless you have 3 or 4 strong bodies able to move the treadmill into the house. These things are very heavy!!! I learned this the hard way after trying the Sole, which I had to self-install and self-uninstall due to defects in mine. The delivery service for the Vision only cost me $90, and included complete delivery and setup, as well as a brief overview of how to use and maintain the treadmill. It only took the delivery team about 10 minutes for the complete setup.
Once the Vision is setup where you want it, there are four tabs that you press down to lock it into place. This prevents the treadmill from moving. When you want to move it again, you simply unlock the tabs to do so. This is a great feature that I think all fold-up treadmills should have. When unlocked, the Vision is a breeze to move, whereas the locking tabs make it nearly impossible to move and give it great stability.
There is also a set of adjuster knobs at the base of the treadmill for leveling the treadmill. This gives you some leeway in case your floor is not entirely level. It is recommended that you use a carpenters level to make sure the treadmill is level before using it.
Aside from the treadmill itself, the Vision includes a Polar T34 chest strap heart rate monitor. This allows you to view your heart rate on the Vision's console while working out, and it also works in conjunction with some programming to control the intensity of your workout. Also included is a thorough manual, assembly guide (which I didn't need), a water bottle, a warranty card, and several tools for use in the event that you need to adjust the belt.
The first time the Vision is installed and turned on, it will run an auto-calibration which takes about 3 minutes. Once this is done, the treadmill is ready to use.
Features
Here are the critical features I evaluated.
1. Folding
The Vision takes very minimal floor space when folded, at 31" X 33". This allows for me to keep it out of the way against the wall when not in use. In addition, it folds up vertically rather than diagonally, so it doesn't jut out into the room in the fashion or Sole and some other treadmill brands. When unfolded for use, the Vision takes up 76" x 33".
The folding mechanism on the Vision is also well-designed. It folds and unfolds very smoothly. The folding mechanism is aided by lifts, so it's very easy to lift and lower the deck. It also has a well-designed locking mechanism so it stays locked once raised or lowered. This may not sound like a big deal, but I discovered the hard way that the Sole treadmill has no locking when unfolded, which makes transporting it incredibly difficult and painful.
2. Frame
The Vision has a heavy gauge steel frame treadmill, so it feels very durable and stable. It is also silent when you step onto the rails, unlike many other fold-ups that creak or squeak when you step on them. This makes the Vision feel like a good-quality non-folding treadmill. It feels like the machine will take a beating without breaking down.
3. Control panel
Each manufacturer has their own version of a control panel. On the Vision, you have three options -- the simple, deluxe, and premier. There is a difference in price and functionality as you move up the line. Vision allows you to mix-and-match so you can pick the best combination for your needs.
I went with the deluxe console for mine. The deluxe console has a nice selection of programs to choose from, including one known as SPRINT 8, which is designed to supercharge your body by featuring short, intense sprint intervals followed by recovery intervals. It is an interesting concept and it seems to work well. I felt very energized after doing it a few times. Other programs include a fat burner, speed interval, muscle toner, 5K, pacer, heart rate training, and 5 customizable programs.
The customizable programs are great if you like to alternate your workout. You can even set a different time interval for these, so you have lots of flexibility in designing a custom workout.
The heart-rate training programs are also very interesting. You set your age, target heart rate zone, time and age, and the treadmill will adjust the intensity to maintain your heart rate target. This is great for building up your cardiovascular system.
And of course, you can always go with the manual option and chose your time, elevation, speed, etc.
On the console itself, you will see 6 LED boxes. These boxes show the distance, heart rate, time, elevation, speed, and a multi-color dot-matrix display to show the Segment Progress Bar (SPB). The SPB displays a graphical version of your elevation and speed along with a progress meter for each lap. The LEDs also have the ability to scroll to also show average pace, % heart rate, pace, calories, and average speed.
There are also manual buttons for increasing or decreasing the speed and elevation, as well as quick-jump buttons to skip directly from one speed or elevation to another without scrolling. Speed choices range from .5-10mph and elevation choices range from 0-12%.
The console itself is attractive and nicely laid out, and it includes two cup-holders (great for holding your ipod and water bottle) as well as two interactive heart-rate monitors if you decide not to use the chest strap.
The only downside to the console is related to the vertical fold-up. Because this is a vertically-folding treadmill, the console had to be placed a little farther forward than what you would find on a non-folding treadmill. So, if you have short arms, it may be difficult to reach the console or pulse monitors when you are walking or running. I haven't found this to be a problem personally, but I can see it potentially being a problem for shorter users. It would be nice if it could tilt a little forward when unfolded for easier access.
4. Deck and belt
The deck and belt are what really sold me on the Vision fold-up. As mentioned above, the Life Fitness F3 didn't feel right to me, but the Vision had a perfect feeling of stability and cushioning without too much bounce. You generally want to avoid bouncy treadmills as this can be bad for the knees.
The 9450 has a good-sized belt-area at 57"x20". This is plenty of space for tall runners such as myself. Most non-folding home models are now at 60" long, but I haven't found that I need the extra 3". Most experts seem to recommend anything 50" or above, so the Vision should be plenty long for most people.
Vision treadmills come with prewaxed decks. The 9450 deck is 1" and is single sided. The product specs show that the deck cushioning features 8 Variable-Durometer Elastomers. I guess this is a good thing.
The belt on the Vision is an orthopedic cushioned belt, which feels great for both walking and running. Some review sites warn that orthopedic belts shorten the life span of the motor, but I haven't seen any evidence of this. Many of the top treadmill manufacturers now used orthopedic belts. Additionally, Vision offers a lifetime warranty on the motor, so I doubt they would purposefully install a life-shortening belt since they would in-turn have to replace motors more frequently.
In a nutshell, the 9450 feels great for running as well as walking. It is very quite, smooth, and comfortable, with nice give but not too much bounce and no belt slippage. It's so quiet that it isn't noticeable when I use my headphones. Again, the running surface is my favorite aspect of the treadmill, and this is probably one of the most important things to get right.
5. Internals
As mentioned earlier, most internet review sites focus only on the components and features without any real-world testing. I think the sum is more than just the parts, but nonetheless there are some general statistics that differentiate treadmills. Here is a list:
Motor: The 9450 has a 2.5 hp Continuous-duty motor. Many advise that continuous-duty is better than peak-duty, and I've also read that RPMs are sometimes more important that horsepower. I don't know what the rpms are on the 9450 motor, but I can say that the motor is plenty strong for running at up to 10mph. The motor compartment is ventilated without a fan, which further leads to the quiet operation. The motor has a lifetime warranty.
There is also a separate center-mounted elevation motor that handles changes in elevation.
Rollers: This has 2.5" crowned rollers. The roller size is judged important, as the larger the roller means less revolutions, and hence a smoother and longer lasting belt. 2.5" is in the ideal range.
Weight: The 9450 weighs in at 260 lbs. The weight makes it feel stable and prevents shaking or bouncing. The maximum suggested user weight it 325 lbs. I don't know if that is walking or running, but if you're closer to the maximum, you probably should look at a commercial gym style treadmill to be safe.
6. Maintenance
The Vision deck is prewaxed and designed to be low maintenance. However, it's a good idea to do preventative maintenance. No waxing is required for the first year. After that, it is recommended to wax the deck once every 6 months, depending on use. This is pretty similar to what other treadmill models require.
The treadmill comes with tools to adjust the tension and also to center the belt. I haven't found it necessary to do these, but perhaps after years of use I may.
It's recommended to wipe and clean the console, motor cover, and side rails periodically, and also vacuum around and under the treadmill.
7. Warranty
Always check the manufacturer's warranty when buying a treadmill. If the company builds quality equipment, the warranty should reflect that.
The Vision T9450 warranty is as follows:
Frame: Lifetime
Motor: Lifetime
Electronics and parts: Five Years
Labor: One Year
Note that the warranty is void if used in a commercial environment or if resold to another owner. The warranty only applies to the original owner.
The Bad
My review is mostly positive at this point, but that doesn't mean this treadmill is perfect. There are a few things that would make the 9450 better. For example:
- Enable Heart Rate while stationary: The heart rate monitor only displays feedback when the treadmill is moving. I think it'd be nice to check my resting heart rate before starting a program, and also have it available after the program has stopped.
- Forward console: The console may be difficult for shorter people to access while using the treadmill. This is a slight trade-off for having a vertically folding and space saving treadmill, but definitely worth it for me.
- Separate User Log-ons: The Deluxe console does not have log-on IDs to allow each user to maintain his/her settings (age, weight, history). The premier console has this feature.
- Maximum Speed: The Vision 9450 goes up to 10mph. Some treadmills go as fast at 15mph. 10mph is plenty fast enough for me, but fast runners may want a treadmill with higher top speed. You'll probably have to go with a non-folding to get the fastest speeds, however, since most folding treadmill seem to max out at 10 or 12 mph.
What's missing
- Entertainment. Some treadmills come with built-in audio jacks with speakers, others have built-in LCD TVs. This may be draw to some people. These features are usually found on less expensive treadmills geared heavily towards consumers. My take is that these are low-priorities, and I would rather have the dollars I spend go towards quality core components rather than gimmicky entertainment features. I already have an ipod.
- Cooling: Some treadmills have built-in fans to cool off the user. Again, this seems kind of gimmicky to me, and a room or floor fan is going to be much more powerful. This might be valuable if the treadmill will be placed in a room with no fans or cooling, however.
Conclusion
Overall, I am very satisfied with this treadmill. It is a huge step forward when compared to home treadmills I've used in the past. It is smooth, quiet, powerful, stable, and it folds perfectly for my office. Only time will tell if reliability will be an issue, but so far so good.
If you are a really fast runner, you may need a faster non-folding treadmill, and the 9450 is going to be outside of some folks budgets at roughly $2,000. But I believe this is one of the best high-quality fold-up treadmills for the money.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
blue_rsx
|
|
Reviews written: 5
Trusted by: 0 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.