NordicTrack Elliptical Trainer Review
"Value and Innovation"
NordicTrack
Elliptical Trainers are the premium brand for Icon Fitness.
I recently went to their manufacturing facilities in Logan,
Utah where I got a tour of the operations, and met many of
their department heads. In addition to testing many of their
elliptical trainers, I learned a lot about their quality control
and customer service.
Icon Fitness dominates the budget market, offering good value
for certain models. Their fitness equipment has some of the
most innovative features in the industry. They spend considerable
money on R&D. This results in exclusive features like
the iFIT technology, StrideSelect and PowerRamp.
Note: You can buy NordicTrack Ellipticals direct from at
www.NordicTrack.com
. They offer Free Shipping on most of their ellipticals. Focus on the machines that are on sale, they are the best value.
Of all the Icon brands, NordicTrack offers the best quality.
This is reflected in the warranty, which covers parts and
labor for one year. Many of the other budget brands come with
a 90-day warranty. NordicTrack ellipticals are sold online
and through Sears. The prices range from $600 to $2,000. It
should be noted, their treadmills have received some favorable
reviews from reputable organizations like Consumer Reports.
Reasons to Consider a NordicTrack Elliptical Trainer:
Value - Icon sold 4 millions units of fitness equipment
last year. Whew! When you consider the economy of scale, that
would suggest NordicTrack can offer better value than their
competitors.
iFIT
Technology - Having been in the fitness industry for a
number of years, I believe iFIT technology is one of the most
innovative ideas to come out in awhile. It consists of a series
of workout cards (Purchased separately), that are designed
by certified personal trainers.
There are four categories of cards - weight loss, performance,
wellness and body shaping, along with three levels of intensity;
beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Each card has 24 workouts
that cover an 8-week period.
With each workout, there is an audio of a trainer who motivates
and coaches you. The trainer also recommends ways to improve
your performance with tips on posture, stride, breathing,
etc. A very cool feature that gets people moving, and considerably
cheaper than hiring a personal trainer.
PowerRamp
- Several NordicTrack elliptical trainers allow you to adjust
the incline, just like a treadmill (See NordicTrack
AudioStrider 990). The benefit of incline control is the
ability to exercise different parts of your lower body. It
is also an excellent method to crank up your cardio and burn
more calories. Currently, the only other manufacturers that
offer this feature are Precor and Octane, with machines costing
in excess of $3,000.
StrideSelect
- Another features not found on any other elliptical is an
adjustable stride. This is on the NordicTrack
SpaceSaver. It allows you change the stride to different
lengths. This offers two advantages. First, you can adjust
the stride to a length that accommodates the different heights
of different users. Second, you can adjust the stride and
like the incline, workout different parts of your lower body.
It also folds
NordicTrack Quality and Service
Quality Control - I have watch this company go through a major transition in the last couple of years. In the past their focus was selling dirt cheap ellipticals that often were not very durable. Lately, they have not only improved the quality of their budget models, they also offer some impressive models in the $1,000+ price range.
The one issue I have with NordicTrack is their warranties. They are generally 1-year coverage for parts and labor. I recommend you upgrade another year or two. The cost is very reasonable.
Customer Service - Another area that NordicTrack has made strides is their customer service. Two years ago I received numerous complaint about an unresponsive service department. Back in Aug. 2007, I went out to their corporate offices and met with the head of service, Dan Jones. He stated they were committing several million to improve the quality of their customer service. Since then, I have seen the number of complaints drop dramatically. (Considering the volume of their sales, you can expect a few!)
NordicTrack Elliptical
Trainer Reviews
Our Review
As I've mentioned, this company has gone through some dramatic improvements in the last couple of years. They not only offers some of the best value for budget elliptical trainers, they are also building some impressive mid-range models. (See Best Buy Reviews on the NordicTrack 990.).
NordicTrack excells in two areas - value and innovation. Because they are part of the largest fitness conglomerate in the world, they can offer impressive value. The economy of scale allows them to build more for less. In addition, this company is fanatical about innovation. They invest considerable amounts of resources in some of the most innovative features found on fitness equipment.
When buying a NordicTrack Elliptical Trainer, you want to check out their sales items. In my reviews I try to keep up with the latest prices, but they change regularly. When the offer an exceptional bargain I will attempt to alert you through my reviews.