NordicTrackT Series

The media could not be loaded. This review is for the 2024 NordicTrack T Series 5 Treadmill (Model No. NTL17624).I bought this on Black Friday 2024 and got this for a fantastic price w/ an Amazon Promo for $335. I was originally in the market for some kind of cardio equipment and was originally actually looking at Peloton equipment. I was debating if it was worth the money and I saw the Peloton treadmill was $2700. After doing some research, it’s really just over-hyped marketing on the technology front for what basically is a glorified giant ipad with fast processing and high money reoccurring subscriptions. Ultimately, I could not justify to myself putting a 3-4 month payment comparable to that of a entry-level BMW/Mercedes Car Model on a treadmill lol – even with the Black Friday promos et al.At the end of the day I realized I’m buying this equipment to ultimately work as a sweat machine and get some intense cardio in for myself as I’ve put some weight on since marriage and am approaching my mid 30’s and was sick of the $25 monthly planet fitness subscription I barely utilized for most the past year because the gym was on the other side of town and the excess time wasted going in and out of the gym for cardio workouts (changing clothes, shower, having to look semi-presentable in a public gym where I bump into people I know in real social life) was just eating my limited hours in a day with work & family life. I cancelled that subscription and bought this instead. It arrived a week after Black Friday. The amazon guys delivered it in my garage and I took it from there to get it to my basement. The total shipment package is about 140 lbs so having a 2nd person to help you will make life much easier. I immediately checked the parts to make sure everything came in top tier condition from A to Z and luckily, it was packaged extremely well with no horror stories to report on my end.As it gets pretty frigid and cold in New England in the winter months, I wanted a machine that I can keep in the house for quick HIIT workouts in morning before I take a shower and get my start for my workday in the office.So to the treadmill itself:-Excellent Build Quality for the $ from a Reliable Brand (Nordictrack is owned by iFit Inc. which also owns ProForm – these equipment brands were mainstays of the 90’s and 2000’s in any Dick’s sporting good stores that sold treadmills). This is my first NordicTrack treadmill but my parent’s ProForm treadmill(s) are still going strong – 20 years later (and I ultimately attribute that robust build quality/longevity to the parent company of both brands– iFit Inc.).- Relatively easy to install compared to other treadmills (I’ve assembled a much, much more complicated ProForm treadmill with all the bells and whistles in my parent’s house) and this was so easy as compared to that model. You just need to be patient – watch a couple of youtube videos – and make sure you understand each step. Also I did 95% of the installation by myself, I just needed my wife basically for the last part which is when you actually mount the console on top of the treadmill and keep it plugged in (you will want a 2nd person with you for this part especially because this is how electric power comes to the treadmill belt & console). Everything else can be done by 1 person.-2.6 HP Treadmill Rating “Engine” – this is plenty for most people. It’s not 3.0 but I found I was able to do a full run/sprint on this for a good 5 minutes with no problems and I’m a fairly big guy (over 215 lbs). It’s a nice sweet spot between 2.0 HP Treadmills (weak/only good for walking) and 3.0 HP Treadmills (where a lot of commercial treadmills start).-The Console is Super Basic, Absolutely No Frills/Gimmicks – the iFit subscription is the one thing you can get with this (it comes w/ 1 month free with this purchase), but you do not need it for the treadmill to function. It is very easy to understand and very easy to use. This would actually be a really good model for seniors in your family who hate the confusing hyper technology of today’s treadmills. This is a treadmill I’d feel safe with my grandmother using.-iPad/Phone Stand – You can easily make it as fancy or as simple as you want. I will def be using it with my iPad so I don’t feel “wanting” for anything more. All I need is access to YouTube and some headphones and I’m good to go.- Treadmill is def compact and very easy to wheel around to a different part of the room (you just need to lift the rear and basically wheel it around like a farm wheel barrow)-Keep in mind, this does not fold up. Repeat. This.does.not.fold. If you’re someone pressed for extreme space living and want to always maximize every square foot in your residence, this might not pass that test. Although its footprint as normal laid out flat is fairly compact when benchmarking to other treadmills.Bottomline: This machine will get you to sweat without having to sell your kidneys on the black market to do so. You can walk, jog, and yes use it for sprinting and it will work just fine. Most consumers will love this model.Here’s who this model this is NOT for:If you are a serious runner, like you’re one of those people that ran highschool cross country and track and you have an average speed of like 11 mph when you do a sprint and/or power run for like 10 minutes+ straight– you should probably look at higher grade models in NordicTrack’s lineup with at least a 3.0 HP+ rating.

This review is for the NordicTrack T 6.5 Si Treadmill + 1 Year iFit Membership (WORTH IT!) with the 10-inch screen.I have owned this treadmill for 5 months 1 day as of the current date/writing of this review (May 9, 2020).This is the first treadmill I have ever owned (I actually bought it as a gift to my girlfriend) and it has been awesome! She loves it too, of course.Assembly: 4/5 - The assembly was interesting, to say the least, but with the help of my girlfriend, it took us between an hour or two to finish. I'm pretty sure it was much closer to two hours. I do not think it is possible to assemble by yourself but kudos to you if you manage to get it assembled on your own. Then again, try it by yourself and you'll be so worked up from not having an extra 30 pairs of hands to help that you'll be ready to run 30 miles when it's all said and done. I personally would not recommend it, though. You, in some instances, need someone to hold the upper half of the frame while the other is screwing stuff in to anchor it all together. I mentioned the assembly was interesting earlier in the sense of how everything eventually came together so perfectly. There's always one or two small hiccups with getting a screw hole to align...maybe it is just me but that seems to always be expected when I put anything together. I do recall having a slight issue where some wires on the right-hand side needed to be tucked away. I think we were able to rig it so they stayed put so no real big issues there - they are actually run through/inside the right bar that stands vertically touching the floor. The only bar connecting the bottom of the treadmill to the top...it's maybe at a slight 20-degree angle. Anyways, those particular wires are used to connect either the speakers, monitor, or both. Either way, you have to have them. I rate the instructions and everything assembly related a 4/5 deducting one star because you need a second person. As far as how well written the instructions goes and the lack of wtf's that DIDN'T happen, much (which is good by the way), I rate that a 5/5.Quality: 5/5 - I personally think the quality of the treadmill, build materials, the built-in 10 inch screen, speakers, and any other random odds and ends to be pretty good quality. There is a lot of plastic but it all feels solid and sturdy and should last for many, many years to come.Noise: 5/5 - I think the noise is about as quiet as you can make a treadmill. Then again, if you're running in place on something suspended off the ground then there are bound to be thuds with each step...I speak from firsthand experience. The speakers get quite loud so that's good noise if you are playing music or watching some of the iFit videos which will be discussed further down but not TOO far in-depth since I want to keep my review specifically on the treadmill itself. Yes, I realize iFit is more...fit...to be in the feature section below yet here it is. :)Features: 4.5/5 - If you want some good bells and whistles without dropping three grand on a Ferrari-like treadmill this is absolutely more than enough. Especially if you're like me and have never owned a treadmill before. It is a 10-speed treadmill with 10 levels of incline that increment from being flat (0.0) all the way to (45-degree angle upwards maybe?)10.0 at 0.1 increments. The iFit membership I think is stunning! Running in another country or hillside with a trainer all while enjoying the scenery (don't wimp out on monitor size or this is less enjoyable) while getting a good workout makes using this treadmill so much more enjoyable/pleasant. I'm not sure what the little orange/yellow cushion things are called but they are there as support for your joints. When you land, from jogging or running, they squish down to reduce the impact on your knees and other joints. I thought they looked silly but now that I know how well they work and what they are for I don't think they are so funny anymore. The other features you can more easily see from viewing the posted pictures. Cupholders, how big the speakers are, buttons, other little knickknacks. I have not had to use the folding feature of the treadmill to "tuck" it away in a corner but I did enjoy playing with the feature when putting it together. I have only used it honestly like 2-3 times and from what I could tell it works well. I do like that there is a "no slam" feature where if when you are letting it down and it slips it won't come crashing down. It will catch itself and slowly lower itself down automagically safe and sound...so that's neat. I docked half a point because the heartbeat sensor(s) you put your hands on don't really work all that well. I don't expect them to be 100% perfect or accurate by any means but I found that I have to, more of than not, situate my hands jusssst the right way for it to start giving me a readout. No biggie for me personally, since I have a Fitbit watch, but for anyone out there who is curious...it doesn't work very well for me personally. You might not have any issues with yours but I do with mine. Again, no deal-breaker for me by any means.iFit Membership: 5/5 - This I am going to briefly touch on and recommend everyone visit the NordicTrack website under the iFit section. I would post a link but I don't know if Amazon filters those out or not so I'll leave it up to you to learn your way around google. There is a TON of information there if you are interested for more information. Our purchase included the 1-year free iFIt membership. I am pretty certain that alone is a $300 value. What I like about it the most is that my girlfriend and I have created our own accounts and can share the membership. This way I can track my workouts and she can track hers on our own unique accounts. Logging in and out is pretty seamless (couple touches and you're logged in). I believe once you login once it doesn't log you out automatically so it's a matter of swapping accounts based on who is about to workout. You can keep track of things such as what days we worked out on, what workout we did, for how long, calories burned, and a LOT more. The membership is honestly a really great idea though. Just make sure you have your treadmill somewhat close to your modem or router (for Internet). Like most things nowadays...the videos need to be streamed while you are viewing them. Aka, you need to be online and connected to the Internet. So be aware of your placement when deciding where to put your treadmill.I hope this review has helped anyone on the fence as to what they want for their next treadmill.Happy treading!