Life Fitness Activate Series

This Treadmill Could Be For You If:

• You want a well-built treadmill and are willing to pay for quality.
• You value an attachable television add-on which increases entertainment options.
• You value a manufacturer with multiple product lines and a history of support.
• You want a spacious running deck.
• Have room for a large treadmill.

Part of the Life Fitness family of treadmills, the Activate series brings commercial fitness center quality to the home. Priced at $4,999, it’s clear from the start the user expects durability. Built with an integrated reading rack, smartphone tray, and accessory tray, the unit also comes with an attachable television add-on in addition to the standard LED console.

What matters most to users of any level will be the 3-HP, AC motor with MagnaDrive™ motor controller driving the DX3™ and FlexDeck Shock Absorption System and Seigling E8 multi-ply polyester belt. The unit operates on 2.75-inch precision-crowned steel rollers, front and back. The running deck is industry standard 60 inches long by 20 inches wide, with 18-inch handrails, and an 8-inch step up height. For runners with a need for speed, the range spreads from 0.5 to 12 mph, with an incline potential of 15%. Speed and incline of course help determine the intensity of the workout for users of any level.

Colored Arctic Silver, the Activate treadmills also feature contact sensors on the handlebars for heart rate monitoring, as well as telemetry, and they are chest strap-compatible. Size-wise, the treadmill is a whopping 81 inches long by 32 inches wide and stands 57 inches high, a big unit relative to other home models. And it makes sense that the 325-pound machine can support a maximum user weight of 400 pounds, significantly more than its peers. With a 7-year frame warranty, the product also comes with 1-year guarantees on mechanical and labor. This makes for a real positive if the users are larger in terms of bodyweight, or if they intend to give the treadmill some hard running. However, if the homeowner is looking for a compact unit, this will not be seen in such a positive light.

Designed with the commercial fitness club in mind, the sheer size of the machine does promisesa high level of durability. Unlike other models though, the Activate treadmills don’t provide an integrated workout app, and it’s clearly it’s expected that the attached television unit would be the medium by which entertainment would be provided. The unit does offer heart rate monitoring by way of Polar® Telemetry, although an optional chest strap is required, and Lifepulse™ with DSP (Digital Signal Processing). That said, any tracking of the data would have to be done with a separate program. Considering the price of the model relative to other treadmills marketed for the home, it is a little surprising that an integrated app is not part of the package. Also missing from this machine is a headphone jack. And as with any machine this size, electrical hook-up is a consideration. The machine requires a dedicated 120 volt/20 amp circuit.

What We Like:

Life Fitness Activate Series - Key Specs:

What We Didn’t Like:

Our Verdict:

The Life Fitness Activate Series definitely brings the commercial quality home, but for the price, there are a lot of bells and whistles missing. We’re also a little surprised at the relatively short warranty offered. The attached television add-on makes sense for folks used to a commercial gym atmosphere, but most of its rivals offer integrated tablets and programs. For $4,999, this unit seems quite pricey for the market and that’s why we’re rating it an 80/100.