NordicTrack 8600 Commercial Treadmill (CTL4902) Reviewed

NordicTrack 8600 Commercial Treadmill (CTL4902) is built for commercial use. It comes with a powerful 5.0 CHP commercial-grade motor and a 20 inches wide, 60 inches long commercial-grade treadbelt. The shock absorption system called DuraSoft Compound Cushioning helps to protect the connective tissues of the user's ankles, knees and hip joints. According to the NordicTrack, the system reduces impact on the user's joints by up to 28%.

Like most treadmills today, NordicTrack 8600 Commercial has a magnetic safety key, a little device on a string that you insert into its designated spot on the console to turn the power on. The other end of the string has a clip that you clasp onto your clothes; if you trip or move dangerously far from the console, the safety key will be jerked out, stopping the treadmill. I see many people exercising without the safety key, but really, it's a good idea to wear it. You think you won't trip, but you never know.

The treadmill has two medium-sized side handles and two smaller handles up front, in front of the user, at the console. As in most machines, the small handles have built-in pulse sensors. If you want to see your pulse, you place your palms on the sensors, and the display will show you the pulse. Usually, it takes a few moments.

The 8 x 30 Club Style Navigator Console has the standard set of buttons - Start, Stop, incline and speed control. LED feedback windows shows you your speed, time, pulse (when you are touching the sensors), distance, and calories burned. Motivational Training Zones with LED lights are designed to help you track your progress. The machine's speed range is 0-12 miles per hour, the incline range is 0-15%. Both speed and incline can be increased/decreased by pressing the "Up"
and "Down" arrow buttons on the console. There are also quick speed buttons; with those, you just hit, say, the 4 MPH button, and the machine will go up to 4 miles per hour speed right away. I use the arrows and quick speed. Sometimes I want a quick switch to the desired speed, in other times I prefer the small increments.

The treadmill is iFit compatible. This means that it can use programmed workouts from iFit.com. iFit offers a variety of workouts created by personal trainers, with music that go along with the adjustments of speed & incline and a trainer's voice talking to you, explaining what's taking place as you progress through the workout. The iFit workouts come on CD's and videos, or you can connect the treadmill to a computer and run them through the Internet.

NordicTrack 8600 Commercial retails for $4,195. NordicTrack does not offer free shipping for commercial products, so if you order the machine from their website shipping will be $400.