Xterra TR150 Review [The Insiders Look]

Space:

Space is an important consideration when deciding which treadmill is best for you. You need to know that you have available room for your treadmill to operate safely, but you also want to make sure it can be stored away neatly and easily when you need it to.

Xterra fitness did a great job making this treadmill space saving while not heavy or clunky like other treadmills.  

The folding deck design of the Xterra TR150 allows you to fold your running deck into an upright position, thereby reducing the amount of floor space your treadmill occupies when it is not in use.

Since the Xterra TR150 can fit in small spaces, it's a great fit for apartments in fact ranks as one of the best. 

Basically, it changes your treadmill from being long to being tall. This feature allows you to open up floor space so your treadmill doesn’t get in the way of your room’s primary function in between your work outs.

Built-in wheels on the deck frame allow you to easily transport your Xterra TR150 treadmill when it is in the folded position. At only 108 pounds, these wheels make it easy for you to transport your treadmill into a different room, a closet, or a discreet corner of your living space.

This portability ensures that your treadmill is accessible when you need it, and hidden when you don’t. With a smaller frame and tread belt size, the Xterra TR150 naturally takes up less space than the gigantic treadmills you usually find at gyms. 

Surprisingly, the manufacturers of the Xterra TR150 treadmill have managed to make this machine feel luxurious and spacious despite its smaller frame and tread belt sizes. When compared to more expensive machines, the 16” x 50” running deck may sound small.

If you are an average height and weight, and aren’t planning to do intense speed training on your treadmill, the smaller deck size will work perfectly for you.

Budget:

One of the primary reasons people choose to invest in a piece of personal fitness equipment is saving money. When you own an Xterra TR150 treadmill, you no longer need to pay for a monthly gym membership, giving you some extra wiggle room in your monthly budget.

Most Xtrerra fitness treadmills are less than $1,000 even the ones with the loaded features such as the TRX3500

Also, you won’t be wasting time or gas going back and forth to the gym for your work outs.

Having your treadmill accessible in your home removes excuses, saves money, and gets you results. At a price point of $300-$400, your Xterra TR150 treadmill is a bargain and it ranks as one of the best treadmills under $500 and within the budget category. 

If you consider that you’d be paying around $50 a month for a gym membership, this machine pays for itself after only 6-8 months of use. 

It offers an expansive number of features at a reasonable price point, helping you save money without sacrificing your fitness goals.

The comparison of a similar treadmill, the Weslo Cadence G 5.9 and the Xterra TR150 tend to come up when you narrow down the search to budget friendly, space saving treadmills. You can read the full comparison here. 

First of all, the Xterra TR150 treadmill has a quiet 2.25 HP motor that is designed to reduce noise and vibration. Some treadmills are so loud that they will disturb your neighbors when they’re on, even if you aren’t running on them.

That’s not the case with this machine; your neighbors will hardly notice when you have your treadmill in operation thanks to this quiet motor.

Secondly, the Xterra TR150 treadmill has wheels to assist with transporting your treadmill when you are done with your workout.

As the primary user of the treadmill, you may consider this a stellar feature because it will make moving your treadmill easier, but the wheels reduce sound, also. 

Your neighbors don’t want to hear you pushing and dragging a heavy piece of machinery around your home before and after each workout. The built-in transportation wheels will keep your neighbors and housemates happy when you need to move your treadmill around.

Lastly, the XTRASoft Cushioned Deck on the Xterra TR150 treadmill reduces the sound your body makes as you walk, jog, or run on your treadmill.

This cushioning is better for your joints and a great way to reduce your risk of injury, but the cushioning will help quiet your footsteps as you’re working out. This will make each footfall less noticeable to the people around you, whether they’re in a neighboring unit or bedroom.

Impressive Features:

Now, it’s easy to assume that when you find a budget-friendly treadmill, you’ll be sacrificing a lot of the luxuries you might find in a more expensive treadmill. 

Most Xterra Fitness treadmills come with a standard features package.

Somehow, despite the relatively inexpensive price, the manufacturers of the Xterra TR150 treadmill have managed to pack in an expansive number of notable features.

The XTRASoft Cushioned Deck make this 16”x50” running surface ultra-smooth. Although the size sounds small, people of an average height and weight should not have any problem walking, jogging, or running comfortably on this machine. 

The maximum user weight capacity for this treadmill is 250lbs. If you would like a treadmill that can withstand a little more for the weight capacity, here are a few other options. 

If you tower over 6’ or plan to do intense speed intervals or training, you may want to consider a treadmill with a longer tread belt. For the majority of fitness walkers, joggers, and runners, this 50” length will be perfectly suitable.

The cushioning on the deck makes sure that your knees, hips, ankles, feet, and lower back are comfortable during your work out.

This means you are less likely to get injured when using the Xterra TR150 treadmill than when you run outside on concrete or pavement. Check out this article about the benefits of running on a treadmill: 

"Joint Effects from Treadmill Vs. Street Running"

There are 12 preset programs, a manual program, and the 3 manual incline settings on the Xterra TR150 treadmill that bring variety to your training routine. 

The 12 preset programs will challenge you with speed and interval training. 

The manual program will allow you to customize your run using the easy, one-touch buttons for incrementally increasing/decreasing your pace. With manual incline options, you can further challenge your body.

Although this article from Live Strong shows all the ways you can benefit from incline walking workouts on a treadmill, similar boosts to your fitness can be achieved by running or jogging at an incline on your treadmill: 

"How to Increase the Intensity of Your Cardio by Walking on an Incline"

The large 5” LCD display tells you your speed, incline, time, distance, calories, and pulse (measured on the handlebars) to make sure that you are hitting your goals for every workout.

The manual incline system is a drawback but for the price, it's something that most people would overlook. 

Maxing out at 10mph, this machine boasts quick access speed buttons that allow you to adjust your pace throughout your run. With heart rate monitoring, you can further maximize your workout to help you achieve your weight loss and cardio goals more effectively.

This article from the Mayo Clinic explains more about heart rate and how you can use it to increase the results from your treadmill routine: 

"Exercise intensity: How to measure it"