Lifespan TR1200i Folding Treadmill Review

Is the Lifespan 1200 Treadmill Worth Your Money?

 

The Lifespan 1200 treadmill is one of their more affordable starter models, coming in at an attractive price point of $999.

Lifespan is a smaller company out of Utah that doesn’t get as much press as larger brands – but they do have a great reputation overall.

The Lifespan TR1200i comes with some unique innovations you don’t often find with other brands like the safety step-off feature, the step-counter feature and the Lifespan Fitness club.

So is this the right treadmill for you? Here’s what you need to know to help you decide:

 

The Basics:

Price: $999 + Free Shipping

Motor: 2.5 HP

Incline: 15%

Speed: 0.5 – 11 MPH

Belt: 20 x 56″

Footprint: 70.25″ L x 33″ W x 55″ H

Built-In Workouts: 17

Warranty: Lifetime Frame, Motor & Deck Warranty, 3-Year Parts & 1-Year Labor Warranty

 

Benefits of the Lifespan 1200 Treadmill

 

Intelli-Guard Safety Step Feature

 This is a pretty cool safety feature that a lot of mothers with little kids will appreciate. When your foot no longer continuously strikes the belt surface for 20 seconds the treadmill belt automatically stops running.

This isn’t the same as an emergency stop key (which will stop the treadmill faster), but it’s still great if you have little ones around.

 

Step-Counting Feature

This is another feature that Lifespan treadmills offer that you don’t usually find on other brands. The treadmill automatically counts the steps you take and displays this on the console. If you’re trying to get your 5000 – 10,000 steps in a day, this is a great tool.

 

Online Tracking with Lifespan Fitness Club

There’s a USB port in the console of this treadmill. You insert your own USB device into the port and the treadmill will track your workout stats.

You can then upload them to the Lifespan Fitness club online (you get it free for a year). And from there you can track your workouts over time, set new goals and even download new workouts to your treadmill.

 

iPod Dock With Speakers

You can plug in your iPod or other mp3 device and listen to your favorite tunes through the console speakers. While fairly common on the market, this is still a popular feature that can make your workouts more enjoyable.

 

17 Built-In Workouts

You get 17 personal trainer designed workouts with this treadmill to keep you challenged. The workouts interact with the treadmill to increase/decrease your incline automatically during the workout.

 

Side Handrail Controls

You can change the speed/incline from the side handrails on the Lifespan 1200. This is a handy feature as you don’t have to reach up to the console which can often throw off your stride.

 

Drawbacks of the Lifespan 1200i Treadmill

 

USB Device Not Included

While Lifespan used to include a USB drive with the treadmill, this is no longer the case. You have to use your own. While you don’t need it to run the treadmill, if you want to put in the proper height and weight (for accurate calorie counts), you’ll need it.

 

Lifespan Fitness Club Membership

While the online fitness tracking is free for a year, you’ll eventually have to pay about $60 a year for it.

This is very similar to iFit which is found on Nordictrack and Proform models – however iFit gives you more options.

 

Simple Console

While the console is well laid out and easy to read, it does fall down a bit when compared to similarly priced units like Nordictrack and Proform consoles – which are more aesthetically pleasing.

 

 

Bottom Line?

If you’re looking for a decent, well-rated treadmill for under $1000, the Lifespan 1200 treadmill is definitely worth considering. It received several “Best Buy” awards back in 2011. However Lifespan hasn’t really updated it since then – and the newer Nordictracks and Proform models might just be passing it in terms of features.

It’s simple in design and layout, but overall it holds up quite well vs. the competition and the construction quality is good.

 

Where To Buy and Save

While the store price on this treadmill runs from $1000 – 1299 you can buy the Lifespan 1200 treadmill direct from the manufacturer here for $999. You also get Free Shipping – which will save you about $150+

Click Here to Save on the Lifespan 1200 Treadmill.