Xterra TRX2500 Treadmill Review: Includes Comparison With Schwinn 810

When you buy an Xterra Treadmill, What you’ll first notice is the lack of tech. This is a company that doesn’t make a huge effort when it comes to things like large HD screens and high-end fitness apps. What Xterra does is concentrate almost all of its efforts on the build of the treadmill. And this is exactly what you want.

You need a company that gets all the essentials right, and that’s what Xterra does best: build quality first and tech second. So, when you buy an Xterra Treadmill like the Xterra TRX2500 Treadmill, you basically get a heavy-duty treadmill at a mid-level price.

These guys have a lot of faith in their machines, which is reflected in their warranties. The TRX2500 boasts one of the best warranties I’ve come across in this price bracket, with lifetime on frame and motor, plus 1 year on parts and in-home labor, which is excellent for a sub $1k treadmill.

With its heavy-duty build and long warranty, the Xterra TRX2500 is certainly a treadmill worth considering. It has a few drawbacks, which I’ll get into later, but overall, this is an impressive machine for the price point, and today, I want to take a close look at everything it has to offer.

Also, at the end of the review, I’ll compare the TRX2500 to another best seller in this price bracket: the Schwinn 810 Treadmill, which has been a favorite of mine for years.

First, let’s take a look at the Xterra Fitness TRX2500 product specs!

Why Do We Like The Xterra TRX2500 Treadmill?

As I mentioned in the intro, I like the sturdy builds of all Xterra Treadmills. This thing weighs 207lb assembled, which is a heavy beast for the price point. Not many sub-$1000 treadmills can boast a 207lb build.

The heavy-gauge steel frame makes this treadmill feel so solid. That heavy frame really helps keep it planted on the floor, so you won’t have any trouble with it moving when exercising on it. As many users have mentioned, it feels like a proper treadmill.

Also, the extra weight is a telling sign that this treadmill has been made with high-quality parts; the heavier, the better.

Okay, it’s not commercial grade, and I don’t want you to get too carried away, but for a £900 treadmill, it’s about as close as you’re going to get.

Good Sized Running

Something else I love about this treadmill is the running belt size. When choosing a treadmill, you want to try and find a wide, large belt. If you’re used to training on commercial treadmills in gyms, the belts typically measure 22 x 60. And we’re not too far off that size with the Xterra running belt.

The Xterra running belt measures 20″ x 55″, which will allow users up to 6’2″ to jog comfortably on this treadmill. For running, the max height will be lower, somewhere around 5’11” and 6ft for a 55″ belt. This is pretty impressive for a treadmill costing under $1000.

Click to check price of Xterra TRX2500 on Amazon

Work and Strengthen Hard to Train Muscles With 10% Incline

Most good treadmills come with an incline feature. It’s always been a feature I recommend you look for when choosing a treadmill because incline running or walking brings much more to your workouts.

Even walking or running on a 5% incline is going to double calorie burn, and what is even more beneficial about hill running is that it works and tones those hard-to-rain muscles like your glutes, calves, and hamstrings. It really is a feature I feel is essential for a treadmill.

Low-cost treadmills under $500 are usually equipped with manual inclines, and when you spend more, you start to see the auto-adjustable inclines.

Auto adjust, if you can afford it, is the best type of incline feature for a treadmill as it saves you having to get off of the treadmill in the middle of a workout to adjust the incline level.

10 Level 10%  Auto-Adjust Incline

The Xterra Fitness TRX2500 has a pretty good incline feature. It’s power-adjustable and boasts 10 levels with a 10% max, more than enough for hill running at home.

What I liked about the Xterra TRX2500 incline feature is that you have two ways to adjust it: you can either use the one-touch control buttons under the LCD screen, or you have the built-in handlebar control buttons. It’s useful to have handrail controls for incline and speed, as it saves you from having to reach forward to the monitor.

Fuss-Free Basic Monitor With BlueTooth

Xterra Fitness treadmills don’t offer high-end features. Even their Flagship treadmill, the TRX4500, comes with a basic monitor, which isn’t a bad thing – if they added an HD color screen, it would cost an extra $300, which, in my opinion, is just not worth it.

Still, even though it’s basic, I quite like the TRX2500 monitor. Everything about it is easy to use.

The quick-access buttons for speed and incline are always handy and save time. There are no annoying menus to scroll through. It’s a treadmill you can jump on and get running; there’s no need to mess around with anything complicated.

The monitor tracks all your essential workout stats, such as time, distance, speed, pace, calories, program profile, pulse, and incline.

The LCD screen is backlit, so it’s nice and easy to read, and of course, you have Bluetooth, so you can connect with popular running apps like Zwift and Kinomaps, which both work great with this treadmill.

There are also 24 built-in workout programs, and let’s not forget the handlebar controls for adjusting incline and speed while running.

Overall a decent monitor, easy to use and has all you need for your cardio workouts at home. 

Dual Shock Absorbers – XtraSoft

One of the reasons many people buy a treadmill is to get away from running on hard-impact surfaces like roads. Running on high-impact surfaces is harsh on the joints, and a decent treadmill deck cushioning system can reduce that impact by a whopping 40%.

Most treadmills come with some sort of anti-shock system. A budget treadmill will use a multi-layered belt, with one layer being an anti-shock layer. This is the most basic shock system. It doesn’t really do a great deal, but it will soften some of the impact.

A treadmill like the Xterra Fitness TRX2500 is a mid-level treadmill, so we can expect something a little more impressive. Xterra uses their XtraSoft system on all their treadmills, and it is a pretty good system, you have dual rubber shock absorbers that fit between the belt and the running deck.

And you can feel the cushioning with this treadmill. It’s not too soft or hard. It’s a decent anti-shock system. It’s not adjustable, but it’s good enough, considering the price of the treadmill.

It’s certainly much better for your joints than running on roads, etc.

Soft Drop Folding System

It’s great seeing Xterra use the Soft Drop folding system on all their treadmills. This system used to be reserved only for high-end machines. Thankfully, it filtered its way down the price brackets, and we now see it featured on most well-made machines.

The reason I like this folding system so much is because the system uses hydraulics, which do all the heavy lifting for you. You press a button, and the running deck folds down gently in front of you. Folding the deck is just as easy. You can fold it with one hand.

Once folded, the TRX2500 footprint is almost halved—handy for anyone who’s tight on space.

Can I Run on The Xterra Fitness TRX2500 Treadmill?

If you want to use a treadmill for more intense cardio, such as running or training for marathons, you need to consider three things when choosing your treadmill.

The first is power. You need a powerful treadmill with a motor that can cope with moving heavy weights at a fast pace. At least 3HP if you’re over 180lb.

Also, you’ll need a large running belt. And most importantly, a sturdy well built machine.

The Xterra Fitness TRX25000 has a sturdy build. It weighs 207 pounds, so it should easily withstand running and still feel sturdy. The belt size is pretty decent, at 20 x 55, so people under 6 feet could use this treadmill for running.

Still, this treadmill’s main drawback is that it is underpowered. Its 2.25HP motor is disappointing. It’s powerful enough for walking and jogging, but for running, you need something with more power.

If you need a treadmill for running/serious training, etc, spend a little more and go for the Xterra TRX4500. It’s a very similar treadmill to the TRX2500, except it has a more powerful motor and a larger running belt. It’s a good choice if you’re on a budget and need a treadmill for running.

Will I Need a Treadmill Mat?

A lot of people buy a treadmill mat to help keep the treadmill more stable. This is normally only a problem with the cheap, lightweight treadmills, which tend to move around quite a bit on polished floors, etc.

You shouldn’t have this problem with the Xterra 2500. It’s a heavy treadmill. There’s enough weight there to keep things stable even when running at pace.

Another time you may find a treadmill mat useful is to protect your polished floor from scratches.

Lastly, a treadmill mat is always a good idea for people who live in apartments, as it helps absorb the vibrations from workouts.

I found that Sunny Health and Fitness makes the best cheap treadmill mats. I’ll leave a link below:

Sunny Health and Fitness Treadmill Mats

30 Minute Assembly

Most of this treadmill comes assembled. You’ll only have to attach the uprights and monitor. It shouldn’t take much longer than 30 minutes.

Still, this is a heavy treadmill, so it’s always a good idea to have someone help you unbox and get the main part of the treadmill in place before beginning assembly.

Once the treadmill is assembled, there are a few things you need to remember: I always lubricate a treadmill belt before first use. Yes, they’re supposed to be lubricated before they leave the factory, but you never know if they missed it or forgot, so to be on the safe side. I’d advise lubricating before first use.

Also, make sure the treadmill belt is centered and not loose. If it is loose, tighten it with an Allen key—not too tight, but tight enough that there aren’t any folds when it’s moving.

Alternative

Schwinn 810 Treadmill

Schwinn has more experience than most fitness equipment manufacturers. These guys have been making home cardio equipment since the early 70s. That’s a lot of years, so you’d think by now they’ve got pretty good at it.  And yes, they have. I have reviewed a lot of Schwinn fitness equipment over the years, and the Scwhinn badge really does mean quality.

Their 810 treadmill is a fav of mine. It’s not a commercial machine or anything like that, but for $900, it offers a lot for the price tag.

The best feature of the Scwhinn 810 treadmill is its running belt size. Like the Xterra TRX2500, it measures 20″ x 55″, which is a great size for this price range. The belt is fairly large, allowing most users to jog on this treadmill without feeling restricted.

Also, the 810 treadmill is pretty hefty, at 160lb. It’s sturdy, but doesn’t have the heavy-duty feel of the TRX2500. However, there’s enough weight that this machine doesn’t move around when jogging, nor does it feel cheap. It’s a quality treadmill from Schwinn.

As you’d expect in this price range, the monitor is basic. It doesn’t have high-end features, which, on the positive side, means it’s very easy to use.

The monitor includes a load of built-in workout programs, Bluetooth, and free access to the Schwinn fitness app, which offers some cool scenic global routes. It also has large one-touch quick-access buttons for speed and incline.

Again, the Scwhinn treadmill has a ten-level 10% auto-adjustable incline, like the TRX2500, which is great for working those glutes, claves, and hamstrings. It also has an excellent soft-drop folding system, a decent anti-shock system, and a good warranty.

Still, what lets the Schwinn treadmill down slightly is the power of the motor. Like the TRX2500, the Scwhinn motor is underpowered for a machine this size, which is disappointing. It’s not a deal killer. The 2hp motor is powerful enough for walking and jogging, but we really should be seeing 3HP motors on both of these machines.

To Sum Up

What I tend to expect from Xterra Fitness is a fuss-free, well-made treadmill that gets all the essentials right, and this is exactly what you get with the Xterra TRX2500 Treadmill. There’s nothing to shout home about, and there are no features that really stand out about this treadmill. What it delivers on are the important things, like build quality, a large running belt, and an impressive auto incline, plus the best warranty you’ll find at this price point for any treadmill.

It’s easy to use and does the job well it was designed to do. Yeah, the motor isn’t powerful enough for a serious runner, but if you’re looking for a well-made treadmill for light to medium cardio, the TRX is an excellent choice. You can’t fault it, for under $1k, there’s a lot of treadmill for the price.

Xterra TRX2500 Treadmill FAQs

What is The Weight Limit on The Xterra TRX2500 Treadmill?

The weight limit of the Xterra TRX2500 Treadmill is 300lb, which is the industry standard.

Does  The Xterra TRX2500 treadmill Include an Incline?

Yes, the Xterra TRX2500 Treadmill includes 10 levels of incline, with a maximum of 10%. The easy-access buttons on the side and below the monitor allow you to adjust the incline level. Alternatively, you can use the handrail control buttons to adjust the incline, a handy feature that prevents you from reaching forward to the monitor in the middle of your workout.

What is The Top Speed of The Xterra TRX2500 Treadmill?

The Xterra TRX2500 treadmill’s top speed is 10mph. However, this treadmill is not for serious runners, as its motor isn’t powerful enough for running.