Maker of the genius “desk treadmill”, Proform is a well-known brand that’s part of the fitness conglomerate that also owns NordicTrac, iFit and Gold’s Gym. For sure a powerhouse of brand names, Icon Health and Fitness knows how to pick its partners, or subsidiaries. With Proform, there’s no exception to their preference for top brand names. Whether the current lineup of Proform products lives up to the company’s reputation in the fitness equipment industry remains to be seen…take a look below at our ProForm reviews of their most popular treadmills, and judge for yourself.
Proform certainly prides itself in the area of innovation. You can see that immediately in not only their range of products from treadmills to rowers to accessories, but also within the treadmill category itself. As mentioned earlier, they are creators of the “desk treadmill”. With an extended tray-style control panel, you can walk and work right in your office. There’s even a tablet slot. The design team at ProForm is certainly on the forefront of development. Whether the desk treadmill proves to be popular remains to be seen and would certainly be a niche item. But let’s take a look at some of the more sought-after treadmill models offered by ProForm.
Top 4 ProForm Treadmills
ProForm Pro 2000 Treadmill
This sturdy treadmill is a workhorse and excuse the expression but it’s ideal for “big boys” because the weight limit is very high (375 pounds). Be warned, however…since it’s a nice big heavy duty treadmill, it’s pretty hefty so on the day of delivery make sure someone is around to help you get it in the house. The delivered package will be roughly 370 pounds. What you get is a very substantial piece of fitness equipment, worthy of gym -level quality. With a strong 3.25 CHP motor you’re assured a nice run, but it’s not the strongest treadmill motor in the business.
The Pro 2000 does give the user the ability to run on an incline or a decline. This, notably, is something you don’t find on every treadmill on the market. In fact, the treadmills at your local gym may not even have the decline feature. This allows runners to really vary their running courses, adding up hills and down hills to the mix. While your local gym may have treadmills with the incline feature, the decline is relatively rare. This is one reason why they call this model the “Pro” 2000.
Proform Performance 1450 Treadmill
ProForm’s Performance 1450 treadmill may not have the incline/decline feature of the 2000, but it does have Google maps and integrated training courses with famous fitness expert Jillian Michaels. You also get WiFi capabilities with the 1450, which more and more home-workout customers are demanding. The one huge difference between buying the Pro 2000 a d the Performance 1450 can almost be detected in their names. With iFit live, the Performance 1450 allows users to track their progress, compete with other iFit users and access the above-mentioned professionally designed workouts by Jillian Michaels. And here we have the main reason for the price difference…you’re paying a few hundred dollars for the WiFi and iFit technologies. However, if working out “smarter” is important to you, this is the treadmill for you.
ProForm Power 995c Treadmill
With a 3.0 CHP motor, the Power 995c is ideal for walkers, but not runners who are serious and will put the treadmill to heavy use out quite often. The weaker motor does make for a slightly cheaper treadmill…you will save a few hundred dollars over a treadmill with a stronger motor. Comes with iFit and workouts by Jillan Michaels. For walkers who don’t need to shell out for a high-powered motor and who want the “smart” workout features of a modern treadmill such as iFit and WiFi capabilities, the Power 995c is a good treadmill.
Proform 505 CST Treadmill
For buyers who want a smaller treadmill, ProForm offers the 505 CST treadmill. This style is lighter both in weight and in power. The 2.5 CHP motor won’t see you through marathon training but it will suffice if you are an occasional user of the treadmill or a regular but light duty walker.
The 505 is a space-saver design, so it’s not only light in weight but also in the amount of space it takes up. The space-saving design comes in the shorter track, only 55inches rather than the more common 60″ track you see on full-size treadmills. There is a slightly lower weight capacity on this one , too: 325 pounds is the max. Doesn’t come with iFit or Google maps, either.
All in all, the ProForm 505 CST treadmill is just a little less treadmill, but with a higher price than other models reviewed here. You get:
- less power in the motor
- no iFit
- no Google maps with professional courses designed by fitness pro Jillian Michaels
- shorter track
Seems as though this model should come with a lower price tag. Strangely, the 505 CST rings up at almost $1000 more than the other models reviewed (the Pro 2000).
Our Verdict
ProForm’s strength lies in its powerful motors and its technically forward features such as Google maps, WiFi capabilities and inspiring workouts that keep some users motivated for longer. Their weakness as a company lies in the less than stellar customer service reputation they have earned themselves. They managed to do this through follow-up failures with customers who needed help with treadmills that arrived damaged. The other failure in customer service seems to be in the area of getting customers’ WiFi to function properly. If you want your ProForm treadmill to function, make sure you have someone on hand who knows about your home WiFi system. Sometimes it isn’t ProForm’s problem but it may seem like it when your WiFi won’t work or if it does, nothing else on the treadmill will work.
We like Proform for its motors but if you’re purchasing simply because of the technology, make sure you can handle issues that may come up when such a complex piece of technology doesn’t automatically function immediately out of the box. Also, be prepared to be very very patient in case something goes wrong with delivery. However, if you can manage to get a ProForm treadmill home safely and assembled with no hangups, you’ve got a pretty nice piece of home fitness equipment. The lifetime warranty on frame and motor, with 5 year warranty on parts and 2 years on labor are better than most offerings in the industry.
