Bowflex Treadmill 10 Review

Bowflex Treadmill 10 Review Summary

The Bowflex T10 is a mid-range treadmill designed with quality and technology in mind. It’s a versatile and effective fitness equipment suitable for beginners and veterans. It has a top speed of 12 mph, a Comfort Tech deck cushioning, and a 15% incline and -5% decline feature. The console is sleek, simple, and convenient with a touchscreen and switches on handrails for adjusting speed and incline. The treadmill has a built-in fan, emergency stop button, and plenty of storage space. It also has a JRNY fitness app that stores tracking data, provides virtual coaches, and allows access to streaming services. However, streaming requires a Wi-Fi connection, and subscriptions are required for the premium content.

Bowflex Treadmill 10 specifications

Material	Alloy Steel
Item Weight	320 lbs
Motor Horsepower	Undisclosed
Speed Rating	12 mph
Dimensions	85″ L x 39.6″ W x 65.3″ H
Running Path	22″ W x 60″ L
Maximum User Weight	400 lbs
Maximum Incline	-5 to 15%
Step up Height	9 inches

Performance review

The Bowflex Treadmill 10 is almost the ideal fitness equipment for the price range. Its impressive specs accommodate both beginners and running veterans. Hence, it’s a versatile long-term companion that keeps up with growing demands from you as fitness levels improve. By contrast, budget treadmills tend to reach their performance limits when used frequently, become overworked, and need replacing with something with higher specs (like this one).

The 12 mph top speed allows you to train with high intensity sprint intervals, which is an effective way to lose weight and run faster. The Comfort Tech™ deck cushioning provides a soft landing with its shock absorption acting a bit like a springboard to prevent high impact on the belt surface. This is good for your joints and help protect the components underneath the belt from excessive damage.

With soft runs we also prefer less noise. A powerful motor should operate such a capable mid-range treadmill but Bowflex refuse to share the horsepower of this model. A high-performing 4 CHP seen in the Bowflex Treadmill 22 results in noticeably less noise so this is likely closer of 2.5 – 3.0 CHP, about 0.5 short of what we would like to have seen.

The 15% incline on the Bowflex T10 is what we would expect but the -5% decline is a nice surprise usually reserved for high end treadmills. This is a massively underrated feature because you get similar benefits to incline from extra calorie burning to strengthening leg muscles such as quads, hamstrings and calves. The key difference is the downwards motion of decline feels easier and works to improve balance and coordination, which subsequently reduces risk of injury when walking or running. You can adjust incline and decline without stopping during a workout. This can take a while, 20 seconds or so, but it does help to ensure safety.

A rare addition to the Bowflex Treadmill 10 is a switch to adjust speed on the handrails. This is advantageous for a few reasons. First, the rails are more easily accessible while you’re on the move. Secondly, handrails play an important role for stability when you are getting used to exercising on a treadmill. Some people report dizziness and loss of balance so having a switch next to your hands to reduce speed quickly is a nice touch, especially if you’re heavy.

Console review

The Bowflex 10 Treadmill console is clean, simple and sleek thanks to the separation between buttons and HD touchscreen. On the left you can adjust incline and on the right speed with one press of a button. Many treadmills force you to hold down these buttons for incremental changes so this is way more convenient being able to adjust from 12 to 7 mph without disrupting your movement. One caveat is that speed increments get wider (1,2,3,5,7,9,12) so as you accelerate you actually have less control over changes in speed, which is the opposite of what you want for safety. Bigger jumps at lower speeds is preferable because there is less risk of losing control at walking pace and most people will skip 0-2 mph anyway. Though, to be fair, as a beginner this setup is more conducive to your needs.

The great thing about this treadmill is the variety of ways to adjust performance settings. The image above shows the switches on the handrails each side for speed changes but you can also see the same options on the end of the hand grips in front where you monitor heart rate. This speeds up your reaction time giving you full control to maintain a manageable pace.

There’s plenty of storage space for possessions, water and a towel. A built-in fan sits central to cool you down but similar to most treadmills with fans, the the air circulation doesn’t hold a candle to fans you can attach separately.

The emergency stop button is hard to miss and placed closest to you to help prevent an accident. Bowflex should consider an additional clip on string attachment as runners may fall behind to a distance where the console becomes difficult to reach.

The HD touchscreen is situated to be comfortable at eye level. It’s crisp and responsive, and you can access all your workouts and tracking data as we will get into now.

Technology review

JRNY fitness app built into the Bowflex 10 Treadmill is a stand out feature that separates it from competitors. It keeps tracking all in one place and stores that information to help you understand your fitness level and suggests the most relevant workout classes to make progress. You can access that data anytime from another device and even utilise a tablet to take advantage of their motion tracking, which counts your reps when done correctly. Tracking can also be shared with apps like Apple Health.

The virtual coaches are encouraging and do a great job at motivating you to push yourself. A common criticism of treadmills is the repetitiveness compared to exploring different landscapes when running outside. Having the ability to pick one of countless stunning places around the world on the app immerses you in something new to look forward to for your treadmill runs.

The 10″ HD touchscreen allows you to watch your favorite shows on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and HBO. However, like the workouts and music playlist options on the Bowflex T10 treadmill, streaming requires a W-fi connection to function. There is a free version of the JRNY membership, but you have a fraction of choices without the premium content. If you like to follow your own training plans there are more affordable treadmill alternatives that offer similar specs without subscriptions such as the Sole F80 and Xterra Fitness TRX4500. If multimedia entertainment is a top priority when buying a treadmill to keep you engaged then definitely consider the Bowflex T22 instead as the 22″ screen makes all the difference.

Given the size of this treadmill, the SoftDrop™ folding system was vital. With the flick of a switch, the deck descends slowly to ensure a safe landing that doesn’t injure you or damage the floor. As the treadmill doesn’t fully fold unless the deck is flat, it would have been nice for the treadmill to automatically adjust to 0% when stopping incline workouts. Instead, you must remember to adjust it manually when finished. Of course, if you always use incline this may actually be convenient – just not for those who fold it.

It is Bluetooth^® enabled for smart devices and heart rate monitors. However, hand grips are also readily available to monitor heart rate so you don’t have to purchase something separately. You can listen to treadmill workouts and music on your headphones without any hassle. While it’s possible to connect to a TV, there is no HDMI port to, for example, play games while working out.

Durability review

The alloy steel frame of the Bowflex 10 treadmill is sturdy and protects inside components from damage to preserve their shelf life. It is well constructed for heavy use and large persons without affecting performance but on rare occasions you may experience slipping of the belt. You will need to lubricate the belt every 3 months or every 25 hours of use, whichever comes first. As mentioned earlier, the shock absorption system reduces wear and tear on the components beneath the belt leading to a longer lifespan than many hard surface treadmills. Unfortunately, the lack of clarity on motor power makes determining the longevity difficult. A weak motor will lead to overheating and malfunctioning parts at a faster rate, which ultimately costs extra to repair and replace. At least with the Bowflex 22 you know you have the horsepower (4 HP) to truly go the distance.

Bowflex offer a substantial warranty with 15 years on the frame & motor, 5 years for mechanical parts, 1 year electronics, and 2 years labor. As a result, you are covered for any issues that arise in the foreseeable future. Despite making high quality treadmills, customer service may isn’t Bowflex’s biggest strength, which is surprisingly common in this industry, but just note that arranging repairs can take a while.

Size and storage review

This is the type of treadmill you want when you own a house and have a dedicated ground level space where it will stay for the next several years. Weighing in at 320lbs, the lack of portability makes relocating a much more time consuming or costly job hiring professionals. Make sure you find somewhere with more than 39.6″ of width and leave extra room to get around the treadmill if needed. The 85″ of length should also be clear of doorways and not have obstructions behind in the event that you fall off and accidentally bang your head on something. The 9″ step up height is quite high so the Bowflex Treadmill 10 may not be suitable for rooms with low ceilings if you are tall. Add this deck height onto your height and ensure there’s at least 1 feet between the top of your head and the ceiling to avoid bumping your head.

Folding capability doesn’t go all the way up and peaks at 70″ but that’s probably a good thing as the deck is long and it wouldn’t be practical for rooms with lower ceilings.

The 22″W x 60″L running area is more than adequate for most people big or small. With that said, if you’re over 6 feet and have long legs and running strides then a 65″ runway would give you extra assurance in case your pace falls behind the set speed. This is certainly not a deal breaker though.

Overall, you won’t be disappointed with this treadmill choice. It’s an excellent all rounder and most flaws are only minor offenders. Order from Bowflex and you have the option to pay affordable monthly instalments, free shipping, have it assembled for you, and a solid protection plan.