Smooth 9.45ST Treadmill Review
In: Product Review
8 Sep 2009If you have around $2,500 to spend then you will find there are some really serious treadmills out there competing for your attention. The Smooth 9.45ST certainly lives up to Smooth’s reputation of quality, but also offers some really great features that mean you can get a lot of treadmill for your money!
Smooth are perhaps best known for the unique running surface that they use for their decks. The deck is cushioned at the front so that you don’t get that harsh jarring impact that you can experience while using some treadmills. However, further back the deck is much firmer, so that you can really get some ‘bite’ when you push yourself forward for your next stride. This is something totally unique to Smooth at the present, and you really need to try running on this surface to understand it properly. The 9.45ST also offers a hydra-suspension system that allows users to tailor how hard or soft they want the run to be. Some people may wonder how much use this actually is, but being able to have so much control over your workout really is a nice touch.
The 3 HP motor and 60 inch belt are standard on most treadmills at this price range. But the longer belt makes it a much better experience for taller runners looking to hit full stride. Unfortunately, the motor will only get you to 10 mph, meaning you may want something more expensive if you’re looking to go a little faster. What you will get are plenty of programming options to keep your busy. You get 15 levels of incline as well meaning that you can set this machine to almost any condition you could possibly want from a run.
Smooth tried to offer something else different for its runners. In order to change speeds on this model, you simply have to wave your hands. Sounds strange, right? The motion control sensors in the arms let you wave one had to go faster or wave the other hand to go slower. It might be appealing to some runners not to have to reach out for the console to change speeds, but the feature may come off a bit gimmicky to others. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of other extras on this model. It also does not fold up for space saving.
When you opt to buy the Smooth 9.4ST, you get a treadmill which keeps up with the competition in terms of extras. Where it excels is in the reliability that you get from going with the Smooth name. While the extras may not be as eye-catching as some other similarly-priced treadmills, you do end up with a machine which offers a superior running experience and a durable body. While it isn’t as fancy, it is far more important than the extras other treadmills offer.
