Smooth Fitness 7.35 Treadmill Review

  About Fred Waters

There are some excellent treadmills available at $1,499. However, the Smooth 7.35 is the only one that offers an industry leading lifetime motor, 7-year parts and 2-year labor warranty. Which is an obvious vote of confidence from the company.

I got a first-hand look at the Smooth 7.35 when I was at their corporate headquarters. The 7.35 is designed for runners, and it is built to withstand the abuse a running treadmill must encounter.  In the industry, there are a number of companies that sell budget treadmills and suggest you can run on them.  These machines end up having service issues and result in dissatisfied customers.

Note: The Smooth 7.35 treadmill was selling for $1,499 with shipping. A good value. Also, Smooth runs daily promotions, which vary from discounts and freebies. Go to Smooth Treadmills for the latest deal.*

With each stride, a runner impacts the surface of a treadmill at around 2.5x his body weight.  Now multiply the shock of the impact by tens of thousands of strides and you start to comprehend the pressure that a treadmill must endure. The Smooth Fitness 7.35 treadmill has the right motor, deck, rollers, and belt to handle runners.

3.0 Continuous Duty HP Motor — With a running treadmill, you need a motor that will not strain at high speeds and steep inclines. With the Smooth 7.35, you get a 3.25 continuous duty HP commercial grade motor. It comes with a lifetime warranty.  This motor should never have a service issue.

Extra Long Running Surface - The Smooth 7.35 offers a 62" running surface. That is one of the longer surfaces for a treadmill under $2,000. The extra length is ideal for taller users or individuals who want to sprint and do interval training.

Deck — With the impact of running, you need a deck thick enough to not buckle from the pressure.  Often, people who run on budget treadmills end up literally cracking the deck.  You also want a deck that has the right amount of phenolic laminate, so the treadmill belt can run fluidly over the deck.  This is one area where running treadmills will have the most wear.  The Smooth 7.35 has a thick laminate deck that will outlast most. 

Treadbelt — Like the deck, a treadbelt takes considerable abuse.  It needs to be strong enough to handle continual rotations on rollers without stretching or ripping.  Once again, the treadbelts found on Smooth treadmills are made with very durable materials and have a low maintenance service record. .

Rollers — Larger rollers have the advantage of reducing wear and tear on the treadbelt, bearings, and the motor.  The larger the roller, the less revolutions.  Although not the largest roller found on a treadmill, at 2.5", it is larger than those found on budget treadmills, and it will contribute to reduced maintenance.

Other Smooth 7.35 Features...

Speaker System — You can plug an MP3 input and control the volume through the console.   They made improvements to the sound system for 2012. It was good before, now it is better.

25 Workout Programs — You get a good variety of exercise routines, including 4 heartrate programs. The Smooth 7.35 is equipped with heartrate control and comes with the wireless chest strap.

MySmooth Virtual Fitness Trainer — Motivational technology that helps you to build fitness routines that are geared to your fitness goals. This is how it works...

1. You go online to your personal account and define your exercise profile like your level of fitness, your fitness goals, the type of exercise your prefer, what parts of your body you want to target. 
2. Based on that information you build a workout calendar.  There are specific programs you can choose from like race training, weight management, fitness development and cardio for golfers. 
3. Once you make your choice a one month workout program will be created.  Each day defines a specific cardio workout on your treadmill, and if you also want to do strength training, MySmooth will create strength programs.
4. After you are done working out on your treadmill you insert a USB drive into your treadmill and download your stats.  From there you upload  your results to your MySmooth account.  This allows you to track your stats and your progress, which motivates you in reaching your fitness goals. 

2-Speed Fan — I have a machine that does not have a fan.  Consequently, I have to place a fan on the floor and direct it towards me for any relief.  It is preferable to have a fan pointing directly at your core.

Toggle Switches on the Handrails — Rather than breaking your stride to reach for the console to make changes to your speed or incline, you have controls conveniently located on the siderails.

231 lbs. Unit Weight — This is about average weight for a treadmill in this price range. Although I am not a heavy guy, when I ran on it, it was very stable.

Our Review — Smooth Fitness 7.35 Treadmill

If you are more than a casual jogger you need a machine that is right for the job.  Smooth  has always offered a good running treadmill at a valued price - $1,500. If you spend less, you're often buying a treadmill that is neither durable nor stable enough to handle the rigors of runners. 

The Smooth 7.35 treadmill, when on sale, is one of the better values for a running treadmill.   It is rugged enough without costing a fortune.

To learn more go to www.SmoothFitness.com.