Gold’s Gym Stride Trainer 300 Elliptical Review

Although Icon Fitness has some really decent Gold’s Gym products on the market, the Gold’s Gym Stride Trainer 300 elliptical trainer just doesn’t make the grade.  In fact, the lack of stability and poor craftsmanship of this elliptical trainer makes the Stride Trainer 300 feel more like an adult-size toy than a real fitness machine.

The shipping weight of the Gold’s Gym Stride Trainer 300 is only 114 pounds.  Wow!  Most adults I know weigh more than that!  This machine is rated strong enough to accommodate a 250 pound user?  Oh, come on!  Who are they kidding?  I’m not sure I’d trust this elliptical trainer to hold me up without collapsing, much less expect it to give me a smooth, sturdy, comfortable workout.

The features found on the Gold’s Gym Stride Trainer 300 elliptical are pretty standard features.  Unfortunately, most of the components used in this machine are cheap and low-quality.  For the cost of this unit, though, you really shouldn’t have high expectations anyway.  Icon Fitness certainly doesn’t expect too much of the Stride Trainer 300.  They only give it a 90-day warranty.

What features are found on the Gold’s Gym Stride Trainer 300 elliptical trainer?

1. There are 8 workout programs…6 personal trainer programs and 2 heart rate programs.  (It’s nice to have a variety of workouts from which to choose.) 
2. There are 10 levels of resistance which allow the user to vary the intensity of workouts.   (Conveniently, the resistance level can be adjusted without stopping your exercise session.)
3. This model comes with a handle-mounted grip heart rate/pulse monitor.  The monitor lets you to track your heart rate so that you can stay within a certain heart rate zone during workouts. 
4. The Stride Trainer 300 has an adjustable stride that allows you to vary the way you work your muscles.  It also lets you reposition the stride for a better fit.
5. An LCD display window makes it easy to keep track of your workout progress.  The window displays time, speed, distance, calories burned, fat burned, and heart rate.
6. A target pace indicator light alerts you when you need to slow down or pick up your pace in order to achieve your workout goals.  You no longer have to rely on your own intuition.

 

No, the Stride Trainer 300 does not come with such extras as a cooling fan or a dock for your MP3 player or iPod.  Nevertheless, it is equipped with plenty of other features that can potentially help you get into shape and avoid workout boredom. 

The problem isn’t with the features that this unit lacks.  The problem is that, in order to build an elliptical trainer that can be sold as inexpensively as this one, something has to be sacrificed.  That something is quality and dependability.

Our Review – The Gold’s Gym Stride Trainer 300 Elliptical Trainer

For an elliptical trainer that costs less than $400, it is exactly what I would expect…a lightweight, flimsy, low-quality machine.  It is possible that this elliptical trainer could survive longer than its warranty.  Chances are good, however, that it will require a lot of maintenance to keep it going for any length of time. 

The GG Stride Trainer 300 is not an elliptical trainer that is intended to be subjected to a considerable amount of usage or weight.  Workouts on this machine will likely be unsteady, jerky, and noisy.  Just be aware that, should you choose to purchase this elliptical trainer, you’ll be getting what you pay for.