The Horizon Fitness T202-03 is a powerful folding treadmill built by one of the most respected brands in the industry. It combines flexibility with stability, and has a lot of features that will appease the average runner.
Because this treadmill is high quality, the Treadmill Doctor service is available to help you assemble or maintain it. This service isn’t available for all treadmills, so it does speak to the quality of this model.
In this review, several key aspects of the treadmill will be discussed. Namely, the design, usability, features, price and customer reviews will all be briefly explained.
Design
The Fitness T202-03 uses Horizon’s unique Feather LIGHT folding system. This is a hydraulic system that does most of the work for you, unlike many less expensive models that require brute strength to fold and unfold.
The color is a standard gray and black. Almost all treadmills are these days, as just about any kind of furniture or wallpaper looks okay with black and gray workout equipment.
The running area itself is 20 by 55 inches. This is a fairly standard size, and is both wide and long enough to accommodate the vast majority of runners. Unless you have extremely wide hips or long legs, you will feel perfectly comfortable on this size track.
Usability
All treadmills have a maximum weight limit- this particular model’s is 300 pounds. Note that even if you weigh a little more than 300 you can probably walk on the machine, but it’s recommended going with a sturdier treadmill to be on the safe side.
If you’re like most runners, you’re a fan of running in the morning. In this case, you don’t need to worry about turning on all the lights in your workout room. The LCD display has a green backlight, allowing you to see what you’re doing without turning on the bright overhead lights.
The motor itself is 2.5 HP, which is slightly larger than some of Horizon’s smaller models. The larger motor is a bit louder, but it also gives more flexibility with workouts. You can run up to 12 miles per hour, and the stronger motor also lets you incline the track to 12 percent.
Features
The Horizon Fitness T202-03 comes with a few premium features that most basic treadmills don’t offer. One user favorite is built-in surround sound speakers in the treadmill. You can hook an MP3 player up to the treadmill, making it easier to jam out than keeping earphones in the whole time.
Depending on what kind of workout you want, there are 30 different programs to choose from. Some of these programs help with weight loss, others are more focused on helping you reach a certain distance goal.
Horizon has a unique cushioning system they place on their treadmills called FLEX. The primary purpose is to help lessen the impact on your body, but it is also firm enough that you are able to run just as efficiently as you would on a sidewalk or street.
Finally, this model has a heart monitor to help keep you safe during your workout. If you start to feel extremely out of breath and you can’t catch up, slow the unit down and check your pulse with the heart rate monitor. If you’re new to running, you might be surprised how quickly your heart rate can speed up.
Price
If you shop online, expect to get a bigger discount on this unit than if you went to a local store. Depending on what website you use, you can save a few hundred dollars- even after shipping and handling costs. For example, on Amazon.com right now this treadmill is listed at $200 under retail.
For the most part, this is a mid-range treadmill. The price is the major indicator, as there are models for just a few hundred dollars, and others that cost $2,000 and up. If you want a treadmill that will last a while but won’t break the bank, the T202-03 is a good option.
Reviews
There aren’t an awful lot of reviews for this unit online, but there are enough to get a good feel for the product. For the most part, customers do seem satisfied with this treadmill.
One thing that customers seem to like is the ease of assembly. It does take a little time, but the small number of pieces makes it simple to understand and quick to put together.
Customers also love that this model is very sturdy. Even though sturdiness normally comes with extra poundage, most runners would rather have a stable, heavy treadmill than one that wobbles a lot.
The main downside about the unit is that it beeps very loudly. Customers also said that the LCD display is pretty small. Finally, the customers said that if the incline is raised above zero, it doesn’t seem to go back completely flat.
Conclusion
For a mid-upper range treadmill, the Horizon Fitness T202-03 is a good choice. It provides a lot of value for the investment, as it has a lot of bells and whistles that most runners would appreciate.
The thing to keep in mind with folding treadmills is that even though they are convenient, they are normally heavy enough that its not worth moving them every single day you run. Instead, find a good place for them to stay permanently set up. Then when you need extra space occasionally, you can take the time to fold up and store the treadmill temporarily.
If you do decide to go with this model, consider ordering it from Amazon.com. You will likely save a bit of money, especially if you’re part of Amazon’s Prime program.
