Gold’s Gym Treadmills are Decent Entry Level Machines

Gold’s Gym treadmills currently come in only a few models, but that may be changing in the future as the manufacturer puts more money into development of the line.

We suspect that ICON Fitness, who actually makes them, will do this because they’ve recently started selling the treadmills through Sam’s Clubs. This should increase their popularity with the buying public considerably.

Like other ICON brands such as NordicTrack and Reebok, the treadmills are licensed with the name Gold’s Gym, but otherwise have no connection with other products by that company.

We have to admit that ICON is a genius at marketing – they find fitness companies that are well-known by the public, then purchase the right to sell a line of their own treadmills under that name.

Entry-Level Treadmills

ICON makes a respectable entry-level treadmill with their Gold’s Gym model, and the prices have come down considerably. The machines are pretty well made for a beginner’s treadmill. Gold’s Gym gave a solid performance for walking or light jogging, but wouldn’t be suitable for full-on workouts.

If you like the cache of a brand name, the treadmills are okay but not spectacular. But with so little in the way of choices, it’s difficult to say what the future holds for Gold’s Gym treadmills. The next few years will tell.

Compare Gold's Gym Treadmills at Amazon

The Current Golds Gym Lineup

Per our latest Golds Gym treadmill review, there are currently 4 models being sold: the 420, 430i, 520 and 720 trainers are available in the $500-$800 price range.

It seems they have discontinued the popular Golds Gym 450 treadmill, as it is no longer available on the company site or at Amazon and other retailers.

Golds Gym 420

The base model in the series offers a 2.5 HP motor, an 18" x 50" belt, 0-10 mph speed, 16 built in workouts and a large LCD window display.

Golds Gym 430i

The step up 430i has a narrower 16" x 50" deck and a smaller profile, adding 10% incline as well as iFit Bluetooth capability for workout tracking, Google maps and personal trainer programs.

Golds Gym 520

Moving up you have the 520, with advanced AirStride Plus cushioning and EasyLift Assist, in addition to everything you get on the 430i trainer besides iFit.

Golds Gym 720

At the top of the lineup, the 720 offers a more generously sized 20" x 55" deck, multi window display, an EKG grip heart monitor and 18 workout apps, as well as a CoolAire fan.

All of the Golds Gym treadmills come with a 2.5HP motor, 0-10 mph speed, SpaceSaver design, iPod compatibility and a 300 lb. max weight capacity.

All of the models except the 720 also come with a 5 year frame and motor warranty, 90 day parts and labor.  The Golds Gym 720 trainer comes with lifetime frame, 25 year motor and 1 year parts and labor.

Which One Should You Buy?

We can't wholeheartedly recommend any of the Golds Gym treadmills, simply because they aren't very impressive.  For about the same price you get a very good entry level ProForm treadmill, which has a lot more to offer than even the top of the line Golds 720 has.

If we were to choose one though it would definitely be the 720, as it is only about $150 or so more than the base 420, and gives you an ample sized deck, better cushioning, incline, 18 workouts, heart rate monitoring and a better warranty.

Interestingly though, only the lower priced 420i has iFit Bluetooth Smart technology, which gives you access to a host of additional workouts, Google map trails and nutrition programs, among other features.  We're not sure why they wouldn't include this on the higher end models.

At any rate, opt for the 720 or the 420i if tracking your workouts is something that appeals to you.  But just keep in mind that all of the Golds Gym treadmills are entry level, ideal for light walking and maybe some jogging only.  Even the 720 is an entry level model, it's just a little better than the other three.

Golds Gym Treadmill Model Reviews

Most Popular Models

Gold's Gym Trainer 430i - a popular entry level choice with adjustable cushioning, iFit Coach and power incline capability.

Gold's Gym Trainer 720 - the most popular current model with incline, iPod plugin, space saver design and 18 workout programs.

Older Models

Gold’s Gym Trainer 480 - A budget treadmill good for a small apartment, suitable only for the lightest of walkers.

Gold’s Gym Trainer 550 - Nice cushioning, quiet operation, strong value for a low price. We are impressed by all the positive comments left by owners in reviews.

Gold’s Gym Club Trainer 690 - A few nice features but nothing outstanding other than the individual weight input to get more accurate calorie-burn calculations during the workout.

Gold’s Gym Trainer 1190 - A decent machine, but the price is a turn-off. We recommend that you don’t pay full price for it; wait until it sells for under $1000.

Gold’s Gym CrossWalk 570 - A terrific treadmill with an amazing number of features for a machine priced at just $599.

Gold’s Gym Maxx CrossWalk 650 - The Crosswalk 650 has been the best value budget machine on the market for a couple of years now.

Gold’s Gym Maxx Competitor 1080 - Rates well for quality of the motor and belt, customizable deck cushioning, noise level, smooth operation and variety of programming.

Gold’s Gym Club Interactive 890 - A decent machine offering exceptional value if you can snag one on sale for around $800. In 9 out of 10 reviews, it exceeded expectations.

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