Spirit Fitness XT185 Treadmill Review

A Solid Performer – Ideal for Walkers and Joggers

For their entry level treadmill the Spirit Fitness XT185 is a solid performer and is ideal for walkers and joggers. I use to work for a company that sold rebranded Spirit Fitness treadmills and overall they were durable and low maintenance machines.

You will find Spirit Fitness treadmill at fitness equipment speciality stores. These stores offer the benefit of buying from knowledgeable individuals. These “professional” will profile your body type and fitness goals and usually match you with the right machine. However, like any salesperson they may try to upsell you. A benefit of buying from fitness equipment speciality stores is that they service the equipment they sell. Unlike other online fitness stores that contract out to network of service people who may be unfamiliar with your machine.

Features of the Spirit Fitness XT185 Treadmill

• Folding deck with “Soft-Drop” assist — “Soft-Drop” assist lowers the deck gently to prevent damage to floors and furniture.  This is a nice feature to have in homes with small children, as it reduces the risk of injury caused by a lowering deck.
• Console Feedback — A 7.5” blue backlit LCD screen that displays nine different stats at a time.
• Cooling fans in the console — Great feature to have on any treadmill!  The fans send a cool breeze towards the user’s body, making workouts more comfortable.
• 2.75 HP continuous duty HP motor — The motor is plenty powerful to drive the machine through brisk walks and perhaps an occasional light, easy jog.  However, runners and households with multiple users would do better with a treadmill that has a more powerful motor.
• 20” x 55” walking surface — This is a smaller than average  size treadbelt…and is shorter than those found on the more expensive Spirit models.  This one is best suited for users with a shorter stride who are not too tall. The size of the treadbelt is a drawback on this model.
• 6 built-in programs — Not particularly a wide selection in comparison to comparable models.
• 2.5″ Rollers — For their entry level is these are decent size rollers. The advantage of large rollers is that they typically results in quieter performance, but more importantly, they reduce wear and tear on the motor, belt and bearings.
• 228 Lbs. Assembled Weight — This heavy weight makes the Spirit XT185 treadmill very stable with a solid feel.
• Warranty — Lifetime frame, 5 years parts and 1 year labor.

Our Review—Spirit Fitness XT185 Treadmill

I have always been a fan of Spirit treadmills. In fact they are built by the same company that builds Sole treadmills, which has received numerous “Best Buy” ratings. However, because Spirit treadmills are primarily sold through fitness equipment specialty stores you typically pay a premium. And to not compete with these stores you still pay that premium if you buy online through their web site.

For example, the online price for the Spirit Fitness XT185 treadmill is $1,399 with shipping. For $100 less you can buy the comparable Sole F65 with a 60″ long treadbelt, installed speakers and MP3 input and a 3.25 continuous duty HP motor.

If you are in need of advice and hand holding, then buying from these stores is probably a good idea.

Note: Often the online/MSRP is negotiable with the retail stores.