1) Excellent Cushioning - These treadmills come with the REACT® absorption control technology. This cushioning system adapts to each person's weight and stride giving you the right running surface for you that's easy on the feet, ankles, knees and hips.
2) Lengthy Warranties - Treadmill warranties cover the frame for a lifetime, parts for 10 years and labor for 1 year. This is a great parts warranty as most treadmills only cover parts for 1 - 2 years.
3) Extra Spacious Belts - These treadmills offer long (57" - 60" running belts) which will be appreciated by runners and taller users.
Another great feature is that several Nautilus units have a 22" wide belt which is the widest treadmill belt we've seen and will give you a ton of space.
4) Advanced Electronics & Software - Many of the treadmills are set up to take Nautilus Fitness cartridges. These give you a more personal workout experience and additional fitness training guidance.
For example you can monitor workouts for up to 5 people. You can record your last workouts, fastest times, cumulative data, etc. You can even take a fitness assessment, and then retake it periodically to see your fitness improvement.
Nautilus treadmills are owned and manufactured Nautilus Fitness who have been in the exercise equipment business since 1986.
Nautilus also owns Schwinn, Stairmaster, Bowflex and Trimline. They're the second largest producer of exercise equipment in North America (after Icon).
Nautilus produces two lines of treadmills - the lower end Sports Series and the higher end Pro Series.
Starting around $2000 up to $4900, depending on where you buy them, these treadmills are very advanced high end machines - not for the faint of heart.
Is a Nautilus right for you? Here's a review to help you decide:
5) High Expert Reviews - Nautilus treadmill reviews have been excellent. The Nautilus Sports Series T518 was rated as one of the top treadmills for 2007 by Runner's World.
About.com also rated it 5 stars and called it "The Ultimate Runner's Treadmill"
The Nautilus T718 Pro Series also garnered a 2006 'Best Buy' from Runner's World
Weaknesses:
No real weaknesses except for the price - these may be way more than most people need.
Conclusion:
Nautilus treadmills are premium grade, luxury treadmills that offer strong construction, huge walking/running areas, strong motors and advanced electronics.
Experienced runners will love the feel of these machines and the extra spacious belts. Plus it's also nice to know they are covered by excellent warranties and have high expert reviews behind them as well.
Alternative: If you still want a commercial grade treadmill without the Nautilus price tag, you may want to check out the Sole brand first.
