Epic 425MX Treadmill Review

Hmm, I'm not sure...Let me explain.

Icon Health and Fitness, the industry giant that owns Epic makes a decent range of Epic treadmills that are available from a range of outlets and direct from the manufacturer.

The Epic 425MX was originally made exclusively for Costco, which sold it in their stores for around $799...which was tremendous value for what you get for your money.

After all, this is a well specified machine for runners and miles better than most offerings at this price.

But things seem to have changed somewhat.

Confused? You soon will be!

Epic 425MX Treadmill Review - What's it Like...?

You'd get a great value machine with a powerful 3.0 HP motor, generous deck and decent build quality.

However, it would appear that Costco don't sell it anymore...as of March 2007 apparently, although some stores may have some unsold machines in stock.

Now you can get an Epic treadmill for $999 on the Costco website, but look closely. Whilst it doesn't say so, it's actually the 800MX, with a 2.75 HP motor.

The Epic 425MX is essentially the same as the 1000MX, which appears to have been discontinued and which listed for $2,638 - way overpriced and frequently heavily discounted.

The good news is that you can still pick up a 425MX online, but the price has gone up - $1,499 on Icon's WorkoutWarehouse.com website.

So, is the Epic 425MX treadmill still such good value at nearly twice the Costco bargain price?

This is a reasonably well built, solid and durable option for people wanting a treadmill that will handle the rigours of long runs and interval training.

For instance, the 425MX comes equipped with a powerful, responsive and reasonably quiet 3.0 HP continuous duty motor, ideally suited for running.

The motor is capable of speeds of up to 12 mph and shows no sign of strain when pushed hard for long periods.

The 60" x 20" heavy duty, 2-ply belt should wear well, particularly when combined with the large 2.5" rollers rollers and provides a surface area that should accomodate most runners.

It's comfortable too, the cushioning absorbing enough impact to be kind to your joints whilst remaining firm enough on lift off.

The one touch feature smoothly inclines the deck to a 12% gradient without any need to interrupt your workout.

The deck on the 425MX folds up vertically and is sufficiently compact to make storage a cinch. Weighing a hefty 280lbs I'd suggest you don't plan on moving it far!

As with the 800MX, the frame on the Epic 425MX treadmill is solidly engineered as evidenced by the max user weight of 350lbs, so should be able to cope easily with the heaviest of runners.

There have been reports of the deck cracking, although whether these are isolated cases or a more common problem I couldn't say.

Selling a machine like this at the Costco price, though would suggest that corners must have been cut somewhere to turn a profit.

The back lit Clearview display console is functional and does the job, although it seems somewhat basic - tricky to program, though.

There are plenty of workout programs to choose from, including a couple that you can personalise and save.

There's also pulse grip heart rate monitors - but no wireless chest belt - and built in cooling fans.

The warranties on the Epic 425MX treadmill aren't great - though the 12 years on the motor is OK - and don't bear comparison with some of the leading mid-range brands like Sole.

Epic 425MX Treadmill Review - How Does it Rate...?

The Epic 425MX treadmill is still a decent machine, but with the price hike it's nothing like as good value and our score reflects that.

I would suspect that the Costco deal was a slick marketing ploy to re-establish the Epic brand and grab some market share and now it's back to business as usual.

The new price now fits the 425MX into the Epic range's pricing structure - who was going to buy any of the other Epic treadmills when the 425MX was so cheap at Costco?

Watch out though for future discounts as I can't see the Epic 425MX treadmill remaining at $1,499 for long given the price reductions on the other models in the range.

For the latest price and more information visit WorkoutWarehouse.com

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