Golds Gym Home Treadmills – The Downside Nobody Tells You About
Should You Buy a Gold’s Gym Treadmill?
One of the most popular treadmills today (if you go by number of internet searches) is the Golds Gym treadmill.
When you think about the Golds Gym brand of treadmill, you may automatically think of the famous Gold’s Gym of hard-bodied workout fanatics.
However, in reality, the treadmills are actually a discount line from ICON Health and Fitness – one of the largest treadmill makers in North America. They also own brands like Image, Weslo, Proform, Freemotion, Reebok and Healthrider.
These treadmills can be found in various discount chain stores in North America. You can also buy them at a discount here. While they used to be more popular (they even had a few “best buys” a few years back), right now, it looks like the brand is starting to stagnate.
ICON may be preparing to pull the plug on it, who knows – which means it may not be the best time to buy a Gold Gym treadmill.
Some Drawbacks of the Golds Gym Treadmill Lineup:
Many of the models today under the Gold’s Gym label are actually similar (if not exactly the same) to an older Proform crosswalk treadmill line that was around years ago (which has since been discontinued).
So these are older treadmills that don’t tend to have the most up-to-date consoles or workout technologies.
Also, the Golds Gym models I’ve found had notoriously poor warranties (around 90 days parts and labor) – which should be a big red flag.
Some Benefits of the Gold’s Gym Treadmill Line:
To be fair, one of the benefits of these treadmills is that – because they are a discount line – you can usually get them at $800 or below. So if you’re on a budget, they might be ok for you.
You can also find some models with a few decent features that buyers like, for example iPod docks, heart rate monitors and upper body arm bars.
So Are They A Good Value?
In my opinion Golds Gym treadmills are not good value. This is mainly due to mixed user reviews (tending towards the negative), poor warranties and older construction.
At this price point, it just makes more sense to go with a solid brand known for building good starter treadmills like Proform. Since they come out with new models (with the latest technology and upgraded) every year, you’re getting more for your money with a Proform. They also give you longer warranty coverage – for around the same price.
If you do decide to go with a Golds Gym treadmill, try to find a long warranty (or buy extra warranty coverage), because you may need to use it in the future.
Also, be aware that if you buy a Golds Gym treadmill used or secondhand, ICON will not honor the warranty on a secondary buyer. So if the treadmill breaks down after you get it in your house, you could be out a lot of money to fix it.
For comparable treadmill brands, check out Proform treadmills, Horizon or even Nordic Track Treadmills
.
