Optimum Fitness Fitness News and equipment reviews
We introduce the new, and incredibly popular mid range treadmill, the NordicTrack T 6.5 S. Sitting right in the mid range price level this machine offers a great balance of price and performance that will leave you wanting more.
Who are NordicTrack?
With all the countless brands popping up all the time on the internet its good to understand the pedigree of the manufacturers these days. And if you are looking for credibility then look no further than NordicTrack. Part of one of the biggest fitness companies about NordicTrack first started making Ski training machines back in the 90’s. Since then they have become one of the biggest names in fitness. This means that you are in a safe pair of hands, with a large company supporting their equipment.
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About the NordicTrack T 6.5 S Treadmill
That’s enough of the company what about the treadmill? Well we think its a great all round machine with a good mid range price and above average features. For casual runners its perfect, with its 2.6 CHP motor pushing it effortlessly to 10MPH. If you don’t think that’s fast enough, then that would take you a marathon in 2.5 hours! There is enough power to provide a decent incline of up to 10%. For comfort then you will land each step on a wonderfully cushioned FlexSelect running belt. The FlexSelect belt is common across nearly the whole NordicTrack range, even the top end machines. This means you don’t need to splash out on high end trainers, just grab whatever you have and start running.
Console Specification
Common to all modern treadmills the T6.5 is equipped with a great looking console, some look straight out of a space station and as complex to use. This isn’t. All the buttons are clear and intuitive to use. Want max speed? Hit 10; Half Incline? Hit 5. So easy that anyone will get to grips with it effortlessly.
For some its enough to hit start and go running. If you prefer a little guidance then the NordicTrack 6.5 is equipped with 20 pre installed programs, plus the iFit software that lets you link to a premium online service.
Finally you can also link your favorite tech up, by linking your iPhone you can enjoy your favorite tunes as you run through a decent set of built in speaker.
All in all its the complete package, in for a great price.
Whats under the hood:
- Features
- Assembley
- Details
Dimensions:
Length: 73”
Width: 35.75”
Height: 67.5”
Running surface: 20”x55”
Item weight: 203 lbs
Max user weight: 300 lbs
Treadmill Assembly
While it is possible to get someone in to white glove your treadmill and assemble it, this can be expensive. Fortunately the Nordic T6.5 is not difficult to put together, the manual ( avilible here – NordicTrack T6.5 S Treadmill Manual) contains clear diagrams like this to guide you through:
You will be guided through 17 steps, that will take a couple of hours before you are up and running. Word of warning though, while there are tools provided you will find it much easier if you have a decent set of hex keys, the ones provided are not great!
- Shipping Weight: 198 pounds
- Domestic Shipping: Item can be shipped free within U.S.
- International Shipping: This item is not eligible for international shipping.
- Item model number: NTL17915
Pros and Cons of the NordicTrack T 6.5 S Treadmill
PRO: Console
We really like the intuitive console fitted to this treadmill, it has a huge number of programs built in that will push you from beginner to the limit. Naturally this covers all levels, if you are just looking for fat burn, or improve your interval training they are all there.
PRO: Running Deck
Most of the really good bits are hidden away, such as the motor and build quality, most impressive is probably the feel of the running track. As we said this is a common mat across all the NordicTrack machines, even the top end ones such as the NordicTrack Elite 5700 Treadmill there are two great advantages of this running surface:
- Its compression, its designed to take the pounding impact of hours of running, reducking joint stress and keeping you safe.
- The deck size, at an impressive 20″x 55″ its up there with far more expensive models. This huge running area gives you confidence to run hard without worrying about stepping off the surface.
- The whole deck folds up to minimize its footprint when not being used.
Con: Heart Rate Monitoring
This is an area where the NordicTrack 6.5 does not really excel, while its fitted with grip sensors they are fiddly to use while running and don’t provide continuous monitoring. If you are looking for this as an essential feature, then for a few more $$$ the Proform Pro 2000 has the capability of continuous monitoring via chest strap.
If you do plan to use the grip sensors, do make sure you remove the plastic protectors that it ships with!
What are others saying about the t 6.5 S?
Overall there are currently 293 reviews for this treadmill with an average rating of 4.
This is a snippet of what they are saying:
“We received this machine this morning. I was curious to see what type of delivery we were going to get as it was free with my prime membership, but the delivery guys even brought it downstairs for us (It weighs over 200 lbs), so I wouldn’t hesitate to use Amazon again”
“Really great treadmill. It has a cool feature where it will slowly come down on it’s own, when going from the folded position to the ready-to-use position.”
“My wife runs the Chicago Marathon every year, this is the treadmill she uses to train. We recently moved and it was very easy to disassemble and carry it to put it in the truck…”
Our Verdict on the NordicTrack T 6.5 S Treadmill:
All updated for [2018] this treadmill is a fine balance of performance and value for money. Sure you can pay more, this will give you a little more power a few more features on the console. However the fundamentals are all here, it will give a great workout the warranty on the motor is 25 years, and that will give you years of use. Its simple to use, folds away when not in use and is really comfortable to use. If it were not for the lack of chest strap support (which is a minor detail) it would be near perfect.
