Spirit Z900 Treadmill Review

Intended to handle light commercial use, the Z900 should be more than capable of dealing with the needs of even the most demanding home user.

Powerful motor, large deck, robust build quality...the Z900 would appear to tick all the boxes for the serious runner searching for a durable treadmill at a reasonable price.

So how did we rate it...?

Spirit Z900 Treadmill Review - What's it Like...?

If space is not an issue then a non-folding treadmill may be a better choice as there's no folding mechanism to go wrong and they're $100 or so cheaper.

Treadmills with a fixed deck also tend to be a little more stable, although we've not found any stability issues with Spirit fold ups in our treadmill reviews.

Ok, that's the folding issue out of the way, what about the rest of the machine?

In short, the Spirit Z900 treadmill is a fantastic piece of kit.

The Z900 has the same powerful 3.0 HP motor as the cheaper Z700, which tops out at 12 mph - probably as fast as you should really travel on a treadmill.

If more intensity is required, then the deck inclines to 15% so you can throw in a few gruelling hill runs to your workout.

The roomy 60" x 20" running surface was plenty big enough for me during our test and I can't really see most people running out of space on this deck.

Speaking of which, the Cushion Flex Deck found on most Spirit treadmills is outstanding - both forgiving underfoot and responsive, it should cosset any aching joints during those long runs.

One of the reasons for the Z900's smooth ride are the huge 3" rollers. They facilitate the travel of the 1" thick, 2 ply belt and minimise friction and any resultant 'grab' on the belt. They should also extend the belt's life, reducing any future maintenance costs.

As for the controls, the Z900 has a well laid out tri-colour dot matrix display with six windows, a 16 character message window and a heart rate graph - all your workout info at a glance.

The 10 workout programs should prove sufficient, with six preset, two user defined and two heart rate control programs.

Heart rate control is a very useful feature as it ensures that you keep your heart rate in its optimal training zone by automatically adjusting the treadmill's belt speed.

The hands free chest strap heart rate monitor complements this feature, and you also get pulse grip heart rate monitors built into the handles.

The handles also house 12 quick speed and elevation controls and 10 one touch program keys - nice and convenient when you need to make adjustments mid-workout.

If you like to work out to music as I do, then the MP3 interface and stereo speakers should come in handy.

Lastly, Spirit's warranties are amongst the best in this class with a lifetime warranty on the frame, 30 years on the motor, five years on the parts and electronics and one year on the labour.

The Z900 lists around $2,600, but our Spirit Z900 treadmill review found it discounted to $2,148 at Elite Fitness Equipment.com with free shipping within the US.

Spirit Z900 Treadmill Review - How Does it Rate...?

I found it really hard to find anything not to like about the Spirit Z900 treadmill during our review. Well designed and made, it's got pretty much everything that a serious home trainer should be looking for.

Whilst you really can't go wrong with the Z900, if you're in the market for a treadmill in the $2,000-$2,500 range and have an extra $150 to invest, then the excellent Sole TT8 is worth a look as it has a 3.5 HP motor and a 22" wide deck for not much more money.

Should the Z900 be on your shortlist? Most certainly!

For the current price and all the details on the Spirit Z900 treadmill visit Elite Fitness Equipment.com

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