Spirit Z500 Treadmill Review

In a previous life, I was the V.P. of marketing for Smooth Fitness. Before they started manufacturing their own treadmills, they private labeled other brands, including Spirit. The one feature that stood out about the Spirit built machines were their reliability. Spirit makes a solid machine.

Since those days, Spirit has been acquired by an International corporation, and now their treadmills are made overseas, just like all the other popular brands that are out today. However, they still make a very good product. One that holds up very well under normal usage.

Note: I found the Spirit Z500 selling for $1,299 with shipping at Amazon.com, which is a real bargain in comparison to other dealers. However, this treadmill weighs a hefty 296 lbs. Be aware that the free shipping usually means to the curb. I found one customer mention getting "White Glove" shipping from Amazon, but I could not find that option.

It should be noted, their treadmills are built by the same company that makes Sole treadmills. If you've read my "Best Buy" reviews you'll notice I highly rate a couple of their models. The Spirit and Sole treadmills are very similar in design and use many of the same components.

Spirit Z500 - Value and Quality

The Spirit Z500 is one of the better values in the their line-up of treadmills. Here are the features I like.

3.0 Continuous Duty HP Motor — An adequate motor for handling joggers and moderate runners. Should not strain at high speeds of steep inclines.

58" Long Running Surface — It gives you those few extra inches over your typical 54" length deck. However, for tall runners you should look into a 60" deck.

2 3/4" Rollers — The 2 ¾" rollers are a big plus. They will extend the life of not only the rollers, but also the bearings, motor and the belt. Larger rollers make for a larger contact surface against the belt. This also reduces the noise level.

Ergonomically positioned speed and elevation controls on the handles. I like this features, which allows you to adjust the speed and incline from the handlebars, rather than having to reach forward on the console.

Our Review - Spirit Z500 Treadmill

For the money this is a good value. Not only does it have some decent features, but Spirit has a good service track record. I was talking to a salesperson at a fitness equipment specialty store in Cary , NC , and he mentioned with both the Spirit treadmills and ellipticals there are usually few problems. And that should be an important factor when purchasing a treadmill.

Customer Reviews

On Amazon the Z500 received the top rating (5 stars) from four reviewers. Comments included.

"The treadmill feels equivalent in quality to the high dollar Life Fitness treadmills at my gym."

"The treadmill is awesome."

"The treadmill is solid and feels great. It seems of comparable quality to the Precors I use at the gym."

Also check out the Sole Treadmills.