Glad I spent more for a Landice
Written: Jun 13 '02 (Updated Jun 13 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Sturdy construction, extremely quiet motor, long and wide deck is great for running.
Cons: Expensive, beeps too loud for residential settings.
The Bottom Line: If you're in the market for a treadmill and money is not a factor, get the L8 now. If money is a factor, then save up and get the L8!!!
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| justinyork's Full Review: Landice L8 |
I've owned the Landice L8 executive for about 6 weeks now and am very impressed.
The L8 has a huge deck that is great for running- even tall people will have plenty of running space.
The suspension system used on Landice treadmills is better than the typical "springboard" suspension used on other treadmills. The suspension is locked in the vertical-plane meaning that the deck does not move side-to-side or back-and-forth as you run. The deck only moves up and down. This makes the Landice feel more like running outdoors and is much better for your knees and ankles.
The 3 horsepower Baldor motor is very quiet and easily handles my weight. At 240 pounds, I can plant my foot into the deck and the belt keeps moving without interruption. On many lesser treadmills (like the LifeFitness models) the belt would stop for a moment because the motor didn't have enough flywheel momentum to overcome my planted foot.
The lifetime warranty makes me feel secure that I'll be able to have my Landice repaired without cost in the future. But I don't think repairs will be frequent- this thing is very solid. When I was on the LifeFitness models, the standing-area to the side of the deck was made out of molded plastic and felt very flimsy. The landice standing area is all aluminum and feels as solid as if you were standing on the ground. Everything about the Landice seems to have been engineered with durability and quality in mind.
The "executive" variant of the L8 has all the bells and whistles you can imagine. It has a graphical LCD display in which you can monitor your progress, view your exercise history calendar, configure the treadmill, set personalized settings, etc... It has a wireless heartrate control capability to allow you to just get on the treadmill and start walking- it will automatically match the speed and incline to the desired heart rate you specify.
I have a couple of complaints. Firstly, the treadmill beeps to warn you when it is changing just about anything (speed, incline, etc...). This beep is far to loud for a residential setting. It would be appropriate for a gym but there needs to be a way to turn down the volume or disable the beeping altogether.
Also, I wish the treadmill would do a better job of remembering my most recently used settings. If I use a particular custom program, I want it to learn that and make that program easier to get to the next time I get on the treadmill.
Despite my complaints, I don't think I'd be happy with anything but the Landice. I looked at the LifeFitness models in the same price range and they struck me as cheap and flimsy. The other treadmills in the various stores weren't even worth considering as I am a big guy and use the treadmill for running (not walking).
Remember to negotiate on the price- the retail price of the L8 excutive is $5500 but you can get a much better deal if you bargain hard.
Although the L8 was expensive- I have used it nearly every day and have already lost 15 pounds. I don't think this is just a novelty that will wear off- it is just so easy to get on the treadmill and start watching TV after work.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
justinyork
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Location: Houston, TX
Reviews written: 10
Trusted by: 0 members
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