NordicTrack Commercial 2950 Treadmill Review (2024): A Solid Machine With Room For Improvement

The best treadmills have contemporary features like a touchscreen display, Bluetooth compatibility, and subscription services to interactive workouts. We’ll dive into the offerings in this NordicTrack Commercial 2950 treadmill review, highlighting the high-end features on one of NordicTrack’s older models. 

The team here at BarBend has sprinted, ran, and walked on more than 50 treadmills from top fitness equipment brands, including eight NordicTrack treadmills, so we know a thing or two about what this brand has to offer compared to the competition. While currently only offered by third-party retailers, the 2950 continues to prove its durability, with features that should make it a great investment to any home gym.

Editor’s Note: The NordicTrack Commercial 2950 is no longer available to buy new. If you’re interested in a similar machine, check out the NordicTrack Commercial 2450 on our list of the best commercial treadmills.

Main Takeaways

• This treadmill comes with 40 pre-installed workouts and is iFIT compatible so you can stream thousands of interactive classes.
• The 2950 is equipped with a 4.25 continuous horsepower motor that provides runners top speeds of 12 miles per hour and both incline and decline gradients.
• This treadmill can be folded to save space in your home gym.

NordicTrack Commercial 2950 Treadmill Highlights

With 40 pre-loaded classes and an iFit subscription for endless running programs, the 2950 gives its users many opportunities to vary their runs. Its 4.25 CHP motor is one of the more powerful in NordicTrack’s line of treadmills and can help to support many users no matter how long or how fast they run. Plus, its cushioning system can be switched on or off with the simple turn of a lever.  

While we haven’t gotten our hands on this exact model, our team has built, tried, and tested a variety of NordicTrack treadmills in the commercial series such as the 1750, the 2450, as well as some lower tiered machines such as the EXP 10i and 14i and more high-end models like the X32i and X22i. Do we know NordicTrack treadmills? Yes. Yes, we do.

We’ve found NordicTrack treadmills to be impressively sturdy and it’s safe to say the Commercial 2950 treadmill to be no different. With a frame built from commercial grade powder-coated steel, it can withstand sweat, wear, and tear, while supporting users up to 300 pounds. Plus the EasyLift assist helps to lift and lower this foldable treadmill when you need to make room for other activities.

One of our favorite aspects of the best NordicTrack treadmills are their compatibility with iFIT programming, and here you’ll find a 22-inch HD touchscreen to stream thousands of running, walking, and hiking classes.” In addition to quality equipment, NordicTrack is also known for its integration with iFIT programming, which is some of the best interactive fitness programming available, especially for cardio,” says Amanda Capritto, our expert reviewer.  iFIT offers a wide variety of instructor-led training that can take you to scenic locations around the world. 

One thing worth noting is that in more updated NordicTrack treadmills, this touchscreen has evolved to tilt and swivel, providing a more ergonomic viewing experience while on the treadmill or the option to take iFIT classes — like core workouts, yoga, strength training, HIIT, and more — off of the machine. While the touchscreen is fixed on the 2950, your iFIT subscription will still give you access to stream off-treadmill programming from your own device.

Who Should Use / Who Shouldn’t Use The NordicTrack Commercial 2950 Treadmill

“NordicTrack is one of the most well-known brands in the treadmill game, and they’ve earned that,” says BarBend expert reviewer Amanda Capritto. “They produce some of the very best treadmills for home use, and do so at different price points with different features to satisfy most needs and budgets.” However, here are the people we think would benefit the most, and the least, from the 2950.

Recommended for:

• A house full of runners needs the best treadmill for runners. NordicTrack designed this home treadmill with commercial use in mind and the iFit subscription allows for up to five user profiles. 
• Athletes training for marathons and outdoor competitions as the option to decrease the cushioning of the belt can help the treadmill’s surface mimic different terrains.
• People who want a subscription service and like the vibe of personal training.

Not Recommended for: 

• Folks who want a more standard treadmill and don’t need to spend the extra money on high tech features.
• Runners wanting a treadmill with a higher weight capacity.

Our Experience Training With the NordicTrack Commercial 2950 Treadmill

Our testing utilizes BarBend’s equipment testing methodology, scoring areas like workout experience, ergonomics, dynamic programming, and durability on a scale of 1 (not great) to 5 (we love it!). While we haven’t spent any time on the 2950, our team of certified personal trainers, CrossFit athletes, and marathon runners have logged hundreds of miles on NordicTrack machines, so we know what this brand has to offer.

Programming

“NordicTrack is known for its integration with iFIT programming, which is some of the best interactive fitness programming available, especially for cardio,” says our expert reviewer Amanda Capritto. This programming provides you with thousands of on-demand running, walking, and hiking classes set in scenic locations and led by world-class iFIT coaches, and you can build  your own running routes with Google Maps integration. What’s more, iFIT’s AutoAdjust feature can automatically adjust your speed, incline, and decline based on your specific workout.

“iFIT is awesome,” says BarBend editorial member and certified personal trainer Kate Meier. “I was running up the side of a volcano in Hawaii, and my resistance and incline adjusted automatically, so it really felt like I was right there with my trainer.” Across the board, on all of the NordicTrack treadmills we’ve tried, iFIT has scored a 5 out of 5 for programming. 

[Related: iFIT Review]

However, an iFIT membership will cost an additional $39 a month. While purchasing a NordicTrack treadmill directly from NordicTrack often provides you with a free one-month iFIT subscription, when purchasing this treadmill from a third-party you may not be privy to this offer. What we really like about this model is that if you’re not interested in iFIT, you can still utilize the 40 built-in workouts without a subscription.

Display

The smart 22-inch screen is vibrant and crisp, and reacts to your touch. It’s easy to use and placed front and center so the runner feels even more engaged in the classes. A white bar across the top of the screen provides readouts of the runner’s metrics that include incline, vertical feet climbed, elapsed time, time remaining, calories burned, distance, ¼ mile track, lap number, speed, pace, and heart rate when paired with a heart rate monitor.

For those sweaty iFIT workouts that might make the touchscreen display a little difficult to use, runners can utilize the OneTouch controls on the side of the display or the control panel located below the speaker to adjust their incline and speed. The quick select controls on the side of the display will change the incline and speed by full levels while the control panel will help runners increase and decrease the treadmill’s incline by 0.5% increments and speed by 0.1%. The control panel also includes buttons for volume, start and stop, control of the three available fans, and an emergency key.  

Training Intensity

The NordicTrack 2950’s high quality 4.25 CHP motor is a work-horse that can power up to 12 miles per hour max speed, -3% decline, and 15% incline. This allows for sprints of up to a 5-minute-mile pace, and allows users to tackle hill running workouts or steep grade hiking. Customizations scored a 5 out of 5 on the NordicTrack 1750 which offers identical training capabilitites.

 “The 12 mile per hour max speed is above the industry standard of 10 miles per hour,” says our tester, a certified personal trainer, “And having the ability to work on an incline up to 15% and a -3 decline is way above what you’ll find on standard treadmills. In fact, most treadmills don’t have decline capabilities.” 

While the specs for speed and incline get high marks, especially with the ability to adjust with easy OneTouch controls, what brings everything together is the running belts length. “At 60 inches long, it gives me more space than the typical 55-inch belt deck length which can sometimes cut off my stride,” says our tester. “Plus, RunnersFlex cushioning feels very forgiving even when I pick up my pace.” 

RunnersFlex cushioning on the 2950 allows you to adjust how cushioned you want the deck to be, whether you’re looking to mimic more of a road-like feel or want more bend in the deck. Other NordicTrack treadmills with this cushioning system earned a 5 out of 5 for ergonomics.

What to Consider Before Buying the Commercial 2950 Treadmill

While no longer available from NordicTrack directly, the Commercial 2950 treadmill may still be on your radar due to third-party sellers and customer-to-customer resale. After testing more than 50 treadmills, here are some key considerations to noodle on before you pull the trigger on bringing the Commercial 2950 into your home.

• Available Space: NordicTrack offers some of the best folding treadmills in the game, and while the 2950 is a folding treadmill, you’ll want to “triple measure your space to make sure it will fit,” says Amanda Capritto, our expert reviewer.
• iFIT: We recommend investing in an iFIT subscription if you want to take advantage of this treadmills full functionality, so you’ll need to consider if you’re willing and able to pay for the monthly membership.
• Streaming Content: You won’t be able to stream content like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, or anything else besides iFIT programming from the 22-inch touchscreen. Consider if this limited access is suitable for your needs.
• Warranty: The manufacturer frame, parts, and labor warranty are null and void when this treadmill is purchased from a third-party re-seller, so be sure you’re willing to take that risk when investing in this equipment.
• Type of Training: If you’re unsure if a treadmill is right for you and your goals, it’s worth considering the best ellipticals, exercise bikes, and rowers before you make your decision.

NordicTrack Commercial 2950 Vs. Competitors

While discontinued, you still may be able to find the NordicTrack 2950 treadmill online from third party sellers or on other second hand shopping sites. If your search leads you to a dead-end, fear not, because we’ve got some other treadmills that we think go toe-to-toe with this treadmill. 

Ordering and Assembly

Putting together a NordicTrack treadmill is no walk in the park, and our team generally needs an extra pair of helping hands when assembling these machines. Our tester gave the similar NordicTrack 2450 a 2.5 out of 5 for delivery and setup. “I’ve built a ton of equipment before and this was still a struggle. There are a lot of parts and you definitely need two people to get the job done,” they say. “All in all, it probably took me about two hours from start to finish.” 

While NordicTrack offers a variety of delivery and white glove services (for an additional fee), since this treadmill isn’t offered by the company any more, each assembly and delivery process will be different. Keep in mind that if you’re buying this second hand, the treadmill weighs 357 pounds so you may want some help moving it — and maybe relearn how to brace for heavy lifting.

Places to Buy the NordicTrack Commercial 2950 Treadmill

You won’t find this treadmill on the NordicTrack website, however, as of this writing, it is available for purchase from fitnesssuperstore.com.

Brand Reputation and Customer Reviews

NordicTrack is well know in the fitness space for their tech-forward cardio equipment with modern conveniences such as accessory trays, water bottle holders, phone charging ports, and Bluetooth and WiFi capabilities. Customer reviews on Amazon are mixed for this machine. A 1-star review says, “when it works, it’s nice. But it doesn’t work often.” A 5-star review says, “this thing rocks. Sturdy, smooth and chock full of features.” If you’d like to speak with a NordicTrack representative, you can reach them at 1-888-308-9616.

Warranties

NordicTrack offers coverage on the frame, parts, and labor of the 2950. Usually the frame is protected with a 10-year frame warranty, two year parts, and one-year labor. However — and this is a big however — NordicTrack customer service informed us that when purchasing the 2950 from a third-party re-seller, this manufacturer warranty is null and void. 

Final Thoughts on the NordicTrack Commercial 2950 Treadmill

NordicTrack’s Commercial 2950 treadmill combines modern features and everyday functionality to serve runners whether they’re going for a quick run or want to be immersed in a walking tour across the world. While you may have to do some leg-work (get it, because it’s a treadmill) to find this treadmill from a re-seller, its tech and overall build make it a top contender amongst many of the best treadmills and will provide many runners with a long-lasting treadmill they should enjoy for a long time. 

NordicTrack Commercial 2950 FAQs