Horizon Treadmill Review - Are Horizon Fitness Treadmills a Good Buy For You?

Considering a Horizon treadmill? Horizon fitness treadmills aren't as well known as some other mainstream brands like Proform or Nordic Track. However they do offer several high value, affordable options and may be worth considering.
Horizon treadmills are produced by Johnson - the 4th largest maker of fitness equipment in North America. They've been making fitness equipment for over 20 years and also produce the Vision, Johnson and Matrix brand names.
Horizon makes treadmills in the budget to mid-priced range and has a lot of models to choose from. Here's a quick review of the strengths and weaknesses of the brand to help you decide if a Horizon treadmill is right for you.
Strengths:
1) Bargain Prices - One thing that stands out about the Horizon units is that they tend to be on the low-priced side considering what you get.
Many units are priced around $1000 and under. And yet most are built much better than your standard $600 department store unit.
Perhaps this is because Horizon isn't as well known as other brands. Maybe it's because these treadmills tend to have less 'bells and whistles' than other brands. In any case, if you're looking for a bargain treadmill that still offers good value in terms of construction, Horizon is a great option.
2) Solid, Stable Feel - I recently tried out several new Horizon models and found they gave a solid, stable feel, even when you pick up the pace. The decks are strong and shake-free. While it's not a health club feel, it's still pretty strong.
3) Bright, Easy-To-Read Consoles with iPod Docks and Speakers - Most Horizon consoles have attractive, bright, easy-to-read consoles - which is great if lighting in your workout area is limited.
You can get built in fans and several of the new models also come with an mp3/iPod hookups and built in speakers. You can plug in your iPod or Mp3 and listen to your favorite music while you workout. While this is becoming a fairly standard feature in treadmills, it's still nice to have and can make your workouts a lot more enjoyable.
4) Variable Cushioning - On most of their treadmills Horizon uses a variable cushioning system. This means there are different levels of cushioning at various points in the belt.
There are high levels of cushioning where your foot hits the belt and firmer cushioning where you push off. This can lessen muscle fatigue and help you workout for longer.
Weaknesses:
While Horizon does have a good reputation for building affordable to mid-priced treadmills, this is a crowded market. There's a lot of competition - and several brands give you more bells and whistles in terms of tracking tools, fitness programs and advanced consoles (although Horizon is getting better in this area).
Also, as with most entry-level treadmills, if you're a runner or plan on frequent use of your treadmill, the lower priced Horizon units (under $1000) probably won't stand up well over the long run. Runners and frequent users need a stronger, more commercial grade treadmill that can stand up under heavier use.
Summary:
If you're considering a Horizon treadmill, the good news is that you have a lot of options to choose from. Horizon makes a wide variety of models with different looks, sizes and prices so you can most likely find a model that fits your specific needs.
These treadmills also tend to be built fairly well (especially the higher end units) and give you a lot for the money in terms of construction. One minor weakness is that they don't give you as much in terms of fitness tracking tools and workout programs that you get with other brands. And obviously if you're a runner you may want to spend a bit more and go with a mid-priced to higher end treadmill.
Overall though, if you're looking for a good budget alternative to brands like Proform, Image and Weslo (which are all made by the same company), Horizon is worth a look.