Best for Home Use
Best for Serious Runners
Best for Walkers
Best for Seniors
Star Trac E-TRxi Club Review
The Star Trac E Series features three treadmills for this year – and of these, the new E-TRxi loves entertainment the most! The E-TRxi Treadmill starts with a remarkably solid foundation: a 5HP motor, a cushy Neoprene track with 20% incline, and a no-maintenance ergonomic uniframe. Topped off with a 15″ touchscreen TV, this treadmill quickly becomes a club favorite.
Other options in the Star Trac E Series are the standard E-TRx, which has the same great basics, and the E-TRxe. The E-TRxe has fitness coaching whereas the E-TRxi has the PVS entertainment included.
What We Like:
- Maintenance-free: A true club treadmill, this unit doesn’t require lubrication or bolt tightening. The entire E-TRxe treadmill is virtually maintenance free and is meant for the unsupervised workout facility. For superior longevity it has a reversible deck and 3.5” track rollers.
- Motor: Star Trac features 5 horsepower motors, making their treadmills powerful enough for heavy club use by people of all sizes. The E-TRxe can easily accommodate users weighing up to 500 pounds.
- Speed: Can trainees attain 15 mph? If they can do it, this machine will support it. Most other club treadmills top out at 12 mph.
- Track: Extra roomy and impact-absorbent, the Neoprene track is a hit! By seriously absorbing the shock of impact, it helps people train for more time and reduces the likelihood of injury. The tread belt is 60″ long and 21.5″ wide. Most commercial treadmill tracks are a bit narrower, measuring 60″ x 20″ wide.
- Incline: Incline training was once cutting-edge but has become the norm. It’s a fantastic way to minimize joint pressure, speed up calorie burn, and enhance muscle tone. The E-TRxi can be inclined by half-point increments up to 20%.
- 15.6″ Entertainment Screen: The Star Trac PVS or personal viewing system lets each treadmill user tune in to television or access their videos and song files. Specially integrated with the treadmill, the screen keeps a steady image even during intense workouts. When people get lost in other worlds, they stay in the fitness world longer!
- Heart rate monitoring: All Star Trac treadmills for 2014 include Polar wireless telemetry and contact heart rate monitoring. A constant readout helps users ensure that they exercise at the best challenge level. The wireless monitoring can also be used with bio-responsive workout programs for exceptional cardio training.
- Workout programs: A dozen fitness tests are pre-loaded to the console. Some examples are Constant Heart Control, Dynamic Heart Control, ARMY Protocol and NAVY Protocol.
- Stability: This machine will stay put under intense workouts. It weighs 477 pounds and has a 500-pound user weight capacity.
What We Don’t Like:
- Size: Great size is both good and bad; the enormity of this fitness machine makes it stable but difficult to reposition. Besides weighing 477 pounds, this treadmill takes up lots of space. It’s 85″ long and 36″ wide. The E-TRx and S Series models are smaller, but no Star Tracs come close to being compact treadmills.
- Step–on height: The 10″ step-on could be uncomfortable for people with knee problems. Star Trac’s S Series treadmills are a bit lower (7″).
- Price: This top-of-the-line treadmill isn’t cheap. Knowing that $6000 and up is out of range for most buyers, Star Trac and other top commercial treadmill brands also sell refurbished treadmills for less. Refurbished treadmills can be good bargains although they generally have limited warranties.
- Warranties: Star Trac warranties are valid in the USA and Canada. They aren’t stingy but they aren’t generous either. Warranties for the Star Trac E-TRxi are: Motor & motor control board – Five years parts and labor; Other parts – Two years parts, one year labor (but three years for the light commercial setting that doesn’t charge dues); Wear items – One year parts and labor; Headphone jack and USB port – 90 days on parts, no labor.
Our Verdict:
The E-TRxi makes a terrific addition to a fitness club. Members will undoubtedly compete for machine time! The 15″ high-def TV perches above a spongy inclined track. A wonderfully ergonomic frame, a dozen engaging programs, and lots of other features conspire to make this treadmill a winner.
Overall, this unit brings the latest in personal entertainment to an industry-leading treadmill brand.