I have been wanting to buy a treadmill for sometime now, but I have been putting it off- mostly due to the cost. I have the money to get one now, so I want to get one.
I need to exercise more to lose some weight and so that I wont be such a ‘fatty’ bridesmaid at my friends wedding in mid-October. I know, I could go walk outdoors or go to a gym, but my work schedule is wonky, the weather here sucks and I don’t want to have to be taking walks at night, alone. I would take my dog, but that is a hassle since he is a dawdler (has to stop and smell everything, every 2 feet!!)
I am also recovering from a minor knee injury (fell getting into the shower- ouch) so lots of walking on hard pavement sort of hurts my knee even with cushy shoes.
I have decide that this one from Sears looks like it might be a good deal (speed variations, inclines, folds up) at just about $600 on sale.
It has pretty decent user reviews, but I have not gone to the store to actually look at the item. I have never owned a treadmill, although when I was at UNLV I would go to the gym and use the treadmills at the gym there almost every day that I could so I know I would actually use it, not just use it as an expensive clothes rack or dust collector.
Any suggestions on what to look for in a treadmill? Any other brands models that might be better for about the same price?
I too would like to get a treadmill (and park it in front of the tv - mindless entertainment, meet mindless exercise) - I plan to make my first treadmill a second-hand one. Maybe after I get a used one and figure out if I’ll use it regularly, what I need in a treadmill, and what I don’t need, maybe I’ll buy a brand new one after that, but I like the idea of buying used exercise equipment - let someone else’s impulse purchase be my sweet deal.
I’ve had some problems with my right knee since high school, and I use a Nordic Track ski machine instead of a treadmill. I’ve had it since the late 70’s and still do about an hour a day on it during inclement weather. It’s really easy on my knee, since you never even lift your feet. I’ll warn you, if you get one, the motion required is a little strange at first, but I got used to it within my first session and now it’s easy to do. (The motion, I mean. The Nordic Track is as easy or hard as you set it to be.)
It appears that this model is close to the style of mine, but it has adjustable legs in the front to allow ‘uphill’ activity. Mine doesn’t have that feature. Mine is one of the originals, when the maker was called PSI…I have the model 505. I’d say if you can find an inexpensive one on CraigsList or something, it’s a fairly simple, durable machine that you should be OK buying used.
I bought the $1000 + model last year from Sears. Paid a lot extra to have it delivered and set up, and it was WELL worth it. The thing went unused for quite a stretch during the hot summer months, but we have made good use of it this winter! I don’t kill myself running on it, just a brisk walk every day, and I have lost weight. The walk also makes me really sleepy later, but of course exercizing too close to bedtime can rev you right up!
I know there is a joke in there somewhere… but I am too tired to figure it out.
salinqmind, you got the same brand I am assuming? So you haven’t had any problems with it? How much did they charge for setup? I hear the treadmills are a bitch to put together.
3acres, I think my in-laws might have one of those NT skiers stuffed in their attic. I should ask and find out! I might be able to save myself some money. Or at least start building my own at home gym.
LVgeogeek, I THINK (can’t find the paperwork) that Sears charged something like $200 for delivery and setup. I have the NordicTrac A2105. The thing weighed a ton and it took two strong guys 20 minutes to wrestle it into place down in the basement. Another half hour to put it together (there were a zillion nuts, bolts, etc.)…My husband’s co-worker bought one and didn’t want to pay extra, so the store loaded it into the back of his car. Last I heard the treadmill is still sitting there in its box in his garage…I haven’t had any problems with it at all, other than adjusting the mat you walk on so it’s more centered on the tread. It’s under warranty.
I went out and bought the treadmill yesterday after work. I did have to drive to the Sears store on the other side of town, which resulted in about a 50 mile round trip drive, but it was the only store in town that had the darn thing in stock. Apparently it is a very popular treadmill model. I could have gotten a rain check, but I wanted to buy it now, not wait 2 weeks for it to come back into stock at the store closest to me.
We got it home, and damn, if that wasn’t the heaviest box. It was real fun getting up the stairs to the 2nd floor of our house- a tow strap was involved. My husband was pulling it up the stairs and I was pushing from behind. I had visions of the headlines… ‘wife and dog crushed in unfortunate treadmill accident’… then the image of picture on LOLcatz of a woman and dog pinned under a set up treadmill with the caption “ur doin’ it wrong”
We got it put together in about an hour and now I have a functioning treadmill. Hooray! I gave it a trial run for about 15 minutes or so (mostly to make sure it worked). I didn’t want to get too into it, as I had some other stuff that needed to be done and the get ready for bed.
I can’t wait until I get home from work and actually use it for working out!!
