Echelon Treadmills Review (2024): Tried and Tested by Our Experts

The four models in Echelon’s lineup are all among the best treadmills we’ve tried and tested, but all for different reasons. From the technology-rich Stride-8s to the back-to-basics Stride-6, their treadmills share important commonalities. Along with Echelon’s commitment to building stable and durable machines, each option reaches 12% incline and 12 miles per hour, no matter if you’re staring at a built-in 22-inch HD touchscreen or your own device.

Our team of marathoners, certified personal trainers, and running coaches (like yours truly) have personally tested out over 40 treadmills and can spot a quality brand. Sticking to BarBend’s equipment testing methodology, we rated Echelon’s treads on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) across categories like footprint, portability, tech capabilities, and value. Read on to check out our full Echelon Treadmills Review and see which model might be the best fit for your budget, space, and fitness goals.

Why Should I Buy an Echelon Treadmill?  

With such a broad price range, a lot of people will be able to unlock the benefits of cardio by bringing home an Echelon treadmill. Each of their four models are designed for different users, but they share some impressive similarities. Whether you’re eyeballing the budget-friendly Stride-6 or the tech-infused Stride-8s, you’ll be able to mimic the elevation change of outdoor running with a 12% incline and top speed of 12 miles per hour. Hitting that max speed means you’ll be running at a 5-minute-mile pace, which should be plenty fast for HIIT workouts or sprint training.

If space is a concern, you may want to consider the Stride-6s-10 or Stride-6, like BarBend editorial member and certified personal trainer Kate Meier, who compares it to other treadmills she’s used over the years. “It’s a far more compact treadmill than most because of its ability to fold flat,” she says. “It could easily be tucked away in a corner or even under a bed.” With just a tap of the foot, the handrails and console gently lower to rest on top of the deck — hands-free.

While the two pricier models — Stride-4s and Stride-8s — boast super-sized screens, all four are compatible with Echelon Fit, their workout app that offers virtual on-demand and live classes. These studio sessions may seem a bit more lively on a 22” HD touchscreen, but even the 10” display on the Stride-6s-10 and the bring-you-own-device setup of the Stride-6 can bring the heat for your treadmill workouts.

Keep in mind that to get the most out of your Echelon treadmill, a Premier membership is more or less a requirement. New classes (including off-machine workouts like strength training and yoga) are constantly being added, but despite how impressed our team is with the programming, we’re not sure it’s caught up to the heavy hitters just yet. Still, it’s got a better price tag. “For $399.99 per year, this is actually on the cheaper side,” says one tester, a certified personal trainer. “It’s less than iFIT and Peloton, which are essentially the gold standard.” 

Another perk of the membership is the extended coverage that comes with it. All Echelon treads get a 1-year comprehensive warranty, plus 5 years of coverage for the motor and 10 on the frame. But with an active membership, that all-inclusive comprehensive warranty jumps up to 5 years. Take a look at why we think Echelon’s roster of tech-savvy treadmills might be a good fit for your space and your budget.

Main Takeaways

• Echelon Stride-8s Treadmill: Echelon’s priciest model boasts an immersive 22-inch touchscreen to bring Echelon Fit workouts to life. Unique, aesthetic-boosting features, like LED lights lining the running deck, can also make your runs more engaging.
• Echelon Stride-4s Treadmill: Featuring the same 22-inch display as the Stride-8s, this mid-range model combines a bit of the flash of high-end treadmills with the affordability of budget-friendly machines. It also has the highest weight capacity (325 pounds) of all four Echelon treadmills.
• Echelon Stride-6s-10 Treadmill: The Auto-Fold system on the Stride-6s-10 gently lowers the handrails and console to lay flat for optimal storage. While it’d be nice if the 10-inch screen were a tad larger, any screen on a treadmill in this price range is a plus.
• Echelon Stride-6 Treadmill: Echelon’s most affordable provides the stability of more expensive models, but also matches their incline and speed ranges. With the identical flat-folding capability of the 6s-10, you can quickly stow this Bluetooth-capable machine out of sight between workouts.

Echelon Treadmills Comparison Chart

All four Echelon treadmills share some similarities, but each one is designed with a different user in mind. See the chart below to discover how they stack up side by side.

Model	Echelon Stride-8s Treadmill	Echelon Stride-4s Treadmill	Echelon Stride-6s-10 Treadmill	Echelon Stride-6 Treadmill
Price	$2,249.99	$1,599.99	$1,399.99	$1,199.99
Dimensions	67.2” L x 33.6” W x 63.6” H	74” L x 31” W x 53” H	64.8” L x 32.4” W x 57” H	64.8” L x 32.4” W x 57” H
Max Speed	12.5mph	12.5mph	12.5mph	12.5mph
Weight Capacity	300lbs	325lbs	300lbs	300lbs
Incline Range	0-12%	0-12%	0-12%	0-12%
Display	22” HD touchscreen	22” HD touchscreen	10” HD touchscreen	N/A

Echelon Stride-8s Treadmill

Pros

Large swiveling HD touchscreen display

Powerful brushless 3.75 CHP motor

Modern conveniences like wireless device charger and LED lights

Cons

At high speeds and incline, monitor can wobble

No decline capabilities

Can’t be folded flat without minor disassembly

The cream of the Echelon treadmill crop is their flashiest model — the Stride-8s. The eye-catching 22-inch HD touchscreen matches plenty of the best high-end treadmills, creating an immersive workout experience with the Echelon Fit app. That screen is a huge part of the aesthetics that impressed our tester, a certified personal trainer. “I love how this treadmill looks and feels,” they say. “It reminds me so much of the Peloton Tread.”

As its defining feature, however, they did note one minor (OK, major) annoyance. “I swear, I tried everything to get this big, beautiful screen to stay in place, but it kept tilting down while I ran,” they say. “It’s like it’s too big or heavy to stay tilted up.” As they increased the incline, the screen became even more difficult to see. We aren’t sure if this is a common issue, but after adjusting the monitor every way we could and tightening every screw, that stubborn display just couldn’t stay up.

If it would just stay tilted up (argh!), the whole experience would probably feel much more engaging, especially with the dynamic LED lights lining the deck. “The colors actually change as you increase the speed or incline, which I thought was super cool. I wish more treadmills would do this,” they say. “Aesthetics like this can really make your runs more engaging and just more fun.”

For treads in this price range, our tester tends to be a tough critic. So while the weight capacity (300 pounds), incline range (up to 12%), and max speed (12 miles per hour) all meet industry standards, they still point out a few key omissions. “I think not including decline is a big whiff for Echelon,” they say. “Other machines around this price, like the Sole F85 and NordicTrack Commercial 1750, can decline — so for this much money, I think it should be standard.”

With the frustration of the screen and finicky trackball adjustment in the handrails — “That was a little herky jerky during treadmill incline workouts,” our tester says — the Stride-8s earns just a 3 out of 5 for its tech capabilities. It isn’t all disappointment, for its conveniences — a 4 out of 5 from our tester. “Having the wireless device charger on the console was a huge plus and I always appreciate big water bottle holders and storage compartments.” All in all, at this price, we rate the Stride-8s a 3.5 out of 5 for value.

Echelon Stride-4s Treadmill

Pros

Impressive large screen for this price range

Folds upright

Incline range and max speed allow for variety of training

Cons

Screen only compatible with Echelon Fit

No built-in programs

Lacks decline capabilities

Echelon’s mid-range treadmill, the Stride-4s, shares some characteristics with its more budget-friendly siblings — the Stride-6s-10 and Stride-6 — but matches the 22-inch HD touchscreen of the pricier Stride-8s. Like all Echelon treadmills, you’ll be able to reach up to 12% max incline and crank up the speed to 12 miles per hour, but this model’s 325-pound max user weight capacity is the highest of the group.

This max places it firmly among the best treadmills for heavy people and tops the other three in Echelon’s lineup by 25 pounds. Users of many shapes and sizes can take advantage of that incline range to simulate outdoor running or prepare for real-life courses. The Quick Adjust Wheels in the handrails also seamlessly scroll through incline and speed levels, opening up some HIIT treadmill workouts that require quick pace changes. 

In terms of durability, our tester, a certified personal trainer, notes that it remains stable throughout those ranges. “Even at the top speeds, there was almost no shaking,” they say, scoring its durability 4.5 out of 5. “The side rails are metal instead of plastic, so that’s a big positive for durability.”

“Compared to most treadmills I’ve fired up, the Stride-4s was actually pretty quiet,” our tester says. We busted out our decibel reader and measured exactly how loud it was from one foot away. Accounting for the ambient noise in our gym (38.7 decibels on that day), the Stride-4s generated 35.3 decibels at its top speed, earning it a 4 out of 5 for noise level. For reference, a soft whisper is about 30 decibels, while rainfall is around 50 decibels. This lands the Stride-4s between the NordicTrack Commercial 1750 (36.3 decibels) and the Horizon 7.0 AT (34.7 decibels).

Unlike the Stride-8s, the deck of this model does fold upright to reduce its footprint by about half. “Having the big handle on the back helped a ton when I moved it around,” our tester says, rating its portability 4.5 out of 5. “Plus there are wheels on the front and the back.” However, if you’re really crunched for space, the Stride-6s-10 and Stride-6 fold completely flat, down to just 10 inches high. We think the Stride-4s is a solid mid-range option for those who don’t want to splurge on the high-end Stride-8s, but need a bigger screen than the more affordable models from Echelon.

Echelon Stride-6s-10 Treadmill

Pros

Auto-fold system folds handrails flat against deck

Cushioned running deck

Minimal assembly

Cons

Small touchscreen display

Only compatible with Echelon Fit

No built-in programming

At $1,399.99, the Stride-6s-10 doesn’t quite fit in with the best budget treadmills we’ve tried out, but our tester, a certified personal trainer, thinks it has a lot to offer. “This isn’t an ultra-budget treadmill, but for all you’re getting, it’s definitely reasonable,” they say. This shooting of the price gap earns it a 4 out of 5 for value from our team and there are a few differentiating features compared to Echelon’s two more expensive treadmills. 

Sure, it doesn’t have the massive display of the Stride-8s and Stride-4s, but it’s the only flat-folding model that includes a screen. Our tester appreciated that inclusion, but still thinks some users may need their readers. “I do think it’s nice that there is a screen at all, but it’s a little too small, honestly. I think if you struggle reading small print, it might be tough to see,” they say. “The metrics are displayed below the screen and that’s also kind of hard to keep track of while you’re running.”

On the edges of that display are touch controls for speed and incline, but you can also use the Quick Adjust Wheels to do so. Although, our tester got a little frustrated during some interval workouts and wound up rating its adjustability 3 out of 5. “The touch controls for speed and incline were a little cumbersome to adjust while I was moving,” they explain. “For intervals, it also takes a second for it to catch up. So if you’re going from a one-minute sprint, then back to a jog, you’ll feel a bit of a delay.”

If your crowded home or apartment winced when it heard you were looking for a treadmill, the Stride-6s-10 folds completely flat, reducing its height to just 10 inches. Even the best folding treadmills typically just fold upright, so this game-changing feature helped the Stride-6s-10 earn a 4 out of 5 for footprint and portability. All it takes is a tap of the foot and the Auto-Fold system lays the handrails and console flush against the running surface, letting you slide it under a bed or even stand up against a wall.

Another benefit of its space-conscious build is its waterfall belt design. “There’s no bulky hood at the front of the deck, which could be a huge deal if you have a long stride,” our tester notes. “On some other machines, even I — at 5 feet 3 inches — step on the hoods sometimes, so I love this waterfall design.” 

Thanks to that efficient folding design, assembly only required one member of our team for about 30 minutes. “Really all we had to do was screw the handlebars into place,” they note, rating its delivery and setup 4 out of 5. 

Echelon Stride-6 Treadmill

Pros

Most affordable Echelon treadmill

Automatically folds flat for easy storage

Max speed and incline range support varied types of training

Cons

Lacks a built-in display

Less expensive treadmills with similar features are available

BarBend editorial member and certified personal trainer Kate Meier personally owns the base model of Echelon’s most affordable model. Her since-discontinued Echelon Stride-shares the same Auto-Fold design as the Stride-6 and has been her go-to tread for years, mostly for its ability to hide when she’s not using it. “I think the ability to fold completely flat is a huge feature on this treadmill,” she says. “It could easily be stashed in a corner of a home gym or even tucked under a bed.” Along with the horizontal and vertical transport wheels, its footprint and portability score a 5 out of 5 from Meier.

She also highlights the stability of Echelon’s OG treadmill. “Even at higher speeds, my older model hardly shakes,” she notes. “Then at slower speeds, it’s rock-solid.” The 300-pound weight capacity is what you’ll see on most of the best compact treadmills, but users approaching that benchmark could notice a bit more shaking when they crank up the speed or incline.

As far as its tech capabilities go, you can follow Echelon Fit workouts (with a separate Premier membership), but you’ll be providing the device. The lack of a built-in display contributes to its score of 3 out of 5 for tech capabilities, but you can connect via Bluetooth to follow those virtual on-demand classes or pump out your own tunes through the speakers. 

It also features a cooling fan, bottle holders, USB charging port, and heart rate sensors, plus the same Quick Adjust Wheels to scroll through incline, speed, and volume levels. These conveniences can make any run a bit more comfortable, so we rate this category a 4 out of 5. Overall, we like the price point and rate its value a solid 3.75 out of 5.

What to Consider Before Buying an Echelon Treadmill

Each of the treadmills in the Echelon lineup hits 12 miles per hour and can ramp up to a 12% incline, but beyond that, there are a few key differences. When you’re considering buying a treadmill from any brand, make sure that its features will support your preferred style of training, as well as your overall fitness goals. Check out a few important considerations to make as you search.

Echelon Fit Programming

All four Echelon treadmills are designed to work in conjunction with their fitness app, Echelon Fit. You can use each of them without a subscription to the app, but their functionality will be limited. When you’re deciding whether to go all in on Echelon, remember that a membership will run you an extra $39.99 per month or $399.99 annually. After using Echelon Fit for a while, our team thinks it’s a solid app — 3.75 out of 5. 

The classes are engaging and we love that they are constantly adding to the 15,000 on-demand workouts. But even though it’s roughly the same cost as iFIT or Peloton, the quality of the programming is not quite on the level of the best workout apps just yet.

Budget

One thing we love about Echelon’s treadmill lineup is its vast price range. While the Stride-6 ($1,199.99) lacks the razzle-dazzle of the Stride-8s ($2,249.99), four options across that wide of a range mean that many people will be able to find one that works with their budget. You’ll just need to decide how important the different features are for your training goals and preferences. 

Are you planning on signing up for Echelon Fit? Then you may want a decent-sized touchscreen. Is a non-foldable treadmill a non-starter for your home? Maybe go for one of the flat-folding options. Consider how much you can reasonably drop on an Echelon treadmill before you go falling in love.

Tech Capabilities

Before locking in your new Echelon treadmill, remember that they vary wildly in onboard tech. The Stride-6s-10 has a smaller touchscreen than the two pricier models — the Stride-8s and Stride-4s — while the Stride-6 has no screen at all. “Budget-friendly treadmills won’t boast the hottest new LED touchscreen display, but that doesn’t mean you should settle for nothing,” says Amanda Capritto, our expert reviewer and certified personal trainer. Consider your personal training goals when comparing the simpler tech — like LED display and Bluetooth connectivity — of more affordable models with the large touchscreens and flashy features of pricier options.

Incline and Decline Training

All four Echelon treadmills feature a solid 0 to 12% incline range, which lines up nicely with the best incline treadmills. That range opens uphill training and can allow you to better simulate the elevation changes of running outdoors. Studies have also shown that, compared to flat surfaces, walking on an incline can also burn more calories, while potentially decreasing knee and joint pain. (1) However, none of Echelon’s treadmills include decline capabilities, so keep that in mind if you want to prioritize that type of training.

Ordering and Assembling Echelon Treadmills

For all four of Echelon’s treadmills, you’ll have the option to sign up for the Echelon Premier membership that unlocks their full potential. They offer monthly or annual payment options, but you can always put it off for later or stick to using your treadmill without it. Echelon also accepts Shop Pay, Amazon Pay, PayPal, and Google Pay. 

After your treadmill arrives, you may need another set of hands to assemble it, but all of them are rather straightforward. “Even the most complicated build — the Stride-8s — took about one hour,” says our tester, a certified personal trainer.

Brand Reputation and Customer Reviews

Echelon Fitness manufactures some of the best exercise bikes, treadmills, rowers, and ellipticals that we’ve tested. In all, we’ve tried out 9 of their machines, all of which are enhanced by the Echelon Fit app. With Premier membership, you’ll gain access to thousands of live and on-demand workouts across a wide range of disciplines, like strength, HIIT, yoga, Pilates, and more. 

You can get in touch with Echelon’s customer care team at 833-937-2453 or by emailing cs@echelonfit.com. After several interactions over the years, our team rates their experience with Echelon’s customer service a 4.5 out of 5. From high-end, tech-laden cardio machines to budget-friendly options, Echelon’s equipment consistently earns high marks from our team and customer reviews online.

Places to Buy Echelon Treadmills

Echelon treadmills are available on the Echelon website and at major retailers like Best Buy. We also think they are some of the best treadmills on Amazon.

Warranties

All of Echelon’s treadmills come with a 1-year comprehensive warranty, including 5-year motor and 10-year frame coverage. If you sign up for an Echelon Premier Membership, active Premium Members get full warranty coverage for 5 years, instead of one. For more details on these warranties, check out echelonfit.com.

Final Thoughts on Echelon Treadmills

Whether you’re after the pulse-pounding, immersive experience of a high-end tread or want to just unfold your machine and go, Echelon’s treadmills span a wide range of capabilities and price points. Looking for an immersive, high-tech run? Go with the Stride-8s. Just need an affordable, reliable treadmill you can fold flat and stash under the bed? The Stride-6 is here for you. 

Whichever model you choose, you can count on a stable treadmill with 12 incline levels and that can support up to a 5-minute-mile pace. We think these well-built, steady machines can answer the bell for both the tech-savvy and tech-averse, as well as big spenders and penny pinchers. See who exactly may be a good match for these four treadmills in our comprehensive Echelon Treadmills Review.

Echelon Treadmill Reviews FAQs

References

1. Haggerty, M., Dickin, D. C., Popp, J., & Wang, H. (2014). The influence of incline walking on joint mechanics. Gait & posture, 39(4), 1017–1021.