Life Fitness X3 Elliptical Trainer Review

The Life Fitness X3 elliptical trainers are what other ellipticals strive to be. These are quality machine that are built to last and to provide the best elliptical workout possible.

When I tested the X3 and wished I immediately wished I had an extra $2,700. I just got off a Vision Fitness elliptical. Vision builds a nice machine, but the Life Fitness X3 is in a whole another category.

The elliptical motion is about as smooth as it gets, and talk about quiet. Even when I adjusted the resistance I couldn't hear any noise.

Life Fitness is about superior engineering and design. That comes into play when you workout on the X3. The elliptical stride is long and flat, simulating a natural walk or run. The handlebars are a positioned perfectly. Some machines you feel like they are located too close or too far away. The stride is perfect. I believe it is 20"-22". There is no comparison to machines with a shorter 16"-18" stride.

Another feature we particularly liked about the Life Fitness X3 is the very simple and easy to use display and console. They designed to be intuitive, allowing you to focus on getting in shape and not programming.

You can't go wrong with the X3. This is the perfect elliptical trainer if you want the best and the most durable. The only alternatives are Precor and Octane. If you have the money, plan to use your elliptical regularly and/or have multiple users, then we can recommend the X3.

Consumer Reports Review

CR ranked the Life Fitness X3 second behind the Precor 5.19. The difference between the two machines was negligible. The X3 received an "Excellent" review for both quality and exercise range. They felt it was high-quality construction that had the feel of a commercial grade machine. They also mentioned it was extremely quiet.

It should be noted that the Precor 5.19 does not offer the upper body workout, but it does have the patented CrossRamp incline feature.

Epinions Customer X3 Reviews

All six reviewers gave the Life Fitness X3 five stars out of five. Here is a sampling of their comments:

"Smooth glide, quiet, user friendly control panel"

"Extremely Durable Excellent stride feel. Very smooth and quiet. Challenges ANY level of athlete."

"High quality, stable, easy to use"

"Smooth and Solid. Easy to use computer display"

"Great workout for upper and lower body, very little impact on knees and joints."

Prices for Life Fitness X3

X3-0 - $2,599
X3-5 - $2,999 (Includes wireless heart rate control)

*They charge $150 for shipping, which includes inside delivery and set-up. (Advertised on Life Fitness web site, May 26, 2006)

You can learn more about the Life Fitness X3 at www.LifeFitness.com.

Also see the Life Fitness X-5 Elliptical Review.