◆ Try before you buy – 1403 E. 70th St, Shreveport
Find the treadmill
that fits how
you train.
Walking, running, or climbing a 40% incline, the right treadmill depends on how you'll actually use it. Here's how to choose, and why it pays to step on a few before you buy.
Most people start shopping for a treadmill by sorting the list from lowest price to highest. It's an understandable instinct, but it's usually the wrong place to start.
A treadmill is only a good purchase if you keep using it. A cheaper machine that feels cramped, can't handle your running pace, or bores you after three weeks ends up as an expensive clothes rack. A treadmill that fits how you actually train, and that you look forward to stepping on, pays for itself in workouts. Sometimes that means spending a little more. Sometimes it means spending less than you expected because you don't need features you'll never use.
So instead of asking "what's the cheapest treadmill that will do," this guide walks through the questions that actually decide which treadmill is right for you.
How to Choose a Treadmill: Start With How You'll Use It
The best treadmill for home use looks very different for a retiree walking 30 minutes after breakfast than it does for someone training for a half marathon. Before you compare models, get honest about how the machine will fit into your week.
Walking, jogging, or serious running?
If you mostly walk, you don't need a treadmill built around top-end speed. You'll get more out of a comfortable, well-cushioned deck, easy-to-reach controls, and a good incline range. The best treadmill for walking is often the one that makes walking harder in useful ways, which we'll get to in a minute.
Runners need a different set of priorities. A stronger motor, a longer and wider running surface, and a deck that stays stable at speed all matter more once you're striding out. If you're hunting for the best treadmill for running, pay close attention to how the machine feels at your actual training pace, not just its maximum speed on paper.
How often, and by how many people?
A treadmill that gets used three times a week by one person lives a very different life than one that runs every morning and evening for a whole household. Frequent use and multiple users put more wear on the motor, belt, and deck. If several people will share it, think about the tallest person's stride, the heaviest user, and whether everyone can figure out the controls without a manual.
What's the goal?
General fitness and weight loss usually mean steady, repeatable sessions, and the biggest risk is boredom. Race training calls for structured speed work, tempo runs, and long runs, so pace accuracy and a responsive machine matter. Cardiovascular fitness can come from either running or hard incline walking.
If you're recovering from an injury or easing back into exercise, low-impact walking with incline is often a better fit than running. A cushioned deck and smooth, gradual speed and incline changes make a real difference here. It's always worth checking with your doctor or physical therapist about what's appropriate for your recovery.
Basic machine or interactive training?
Some people want to step on, press start, and watch the news. Others do much better with a trainer telling them what to do next. Neither is wrong, but be realistic about which camp you're in. If you've owned a treadmill before and stopped using it because it got boring, that's important information.
How much room do you have?
Measure the space before you fall in love with a machine. Leave clearance behind the treadmill for safety, check ceiling height (especially if you're tall or plan to use steep incline), and think about whether you need a model that folds. A treadmill for a dedicated home gym can be larger than one tucked into a spare bedroom.
Occasional use or a centerpiece of your training?
This may be the most important question of all. If the treadmill is a backup for rainy days, you can keep things simple. If you expect it to become the main way you train, invest in a machine you'll genuinely enjoy using for years. That's where spending based on fit rather than price really pays off.
Why Incline Matters More Than Most People Think
If there's one feature shoppers underrate, it's incline. Speed gets the attention, but incline is often what turns a so-so treadmill workout into a genuinely hard one.
More intensity without more speed
Walking uphill raises your heart rate and works your legs much harder than walking on flat ground at the same pace. That means you can get a demanding cardio session without running at all. For people who don't enjoy running, carry extra weight, or want to go easier on their knees and joints than a hard run allows, that's a big deal.
Real hills, indoors
Northwest Louisiana isn't exactly known for long climbs. An incline treadmill lets you train for hills you can't easily find around Shreveport and Bossier City, whether you're preparing for a hilly race, a hiking trip out west, or just want to build stronger glutes, hamstrings, and calves.
Decline is the other half of that picture. Downhill walking and running use your muscles differently, and a treadmill that can tilt below flat gives you a more realistic mix of terrain.
Variety that keeps you coming back
Doing the same flat 30-minute walk every day gets old fast. Changing the incline throughout a session, adding rolling hills, or doing a steady climb gives you new workouts without needing new equipment. That variety is a big part of what keeps people consistent.
How much incline do you need?
Many home treadmills top out around 10% to 15% incline. That's plenty for moderate hill work. If you love incline walking, want hiking-style training, or want your walking workouts to rival a run in difficulty, a treadmill with a much steeper range opens up a completely different kind of workout.
A Closer Look at the NordicTrack X24 Incline Treadmill
If incline is what excites you, the NordicTrack X24 deserves a serious look. It's built around one idea: bringing real terrain into your home gym.
Up to 40% incline, down to -6% decline
Most home treadmills stop somewhere around 12% to 15%. The X24 goes all the way to 40%. That's not a small upgrade; it changes what a treadmill workout can be.
At that kind of grade, a brisk walk becomes a true climb. You can do hiking-style training, prepare for mountain trips, or build a walking workout that pushes your heart rate as hard as many runs do, without the pounding of running. For people who want challenging hill workouts but don't love running, or who are looking for a lower-impact way to train hard, this is where the X24 really stands apart.
The -6% decline matters too. Walking or running downhill works your legs differently and makes terrain-based workouts feel more like being outside. Put the two together and you can move from a steep climb to a descent in the same session.
Built for runners as well
The X24 isn't only a walking machine. It runs from 0 to 12 MPH, fast enough for a 5-minute-mile pace, and NordicTrack's SpringFlex cushioning is designed to absorb impact while keeping the deck stable. A household with both a dedicated walker and a runner can share it comfortably.
Who the X24 is right for
The NordicTrack X24 makes the most sense for people who love incline training, want hiking-style or hill-focused workouts, prefer a demanding low-impact option to running, or thrive on guided, interactive workouts. If you mostly want a simple machine for an occasional walk, you'd likely be paying for capability you won't use. That's exactly the kind of thing worth figuring out before you buy.
◆ The built-in iFIT experience
A 24-inch screen and thousands of iFIT workouts
The X24's large 24-inch touchscreen pivots, so you can turn it toward the floor for strength or yoga sessions off the treadmill. But the real story is what plays on it. With an iFIT Pro membership, you get access to more than 10,000 trainer-led workouts, and that variety is what keeps a treadmill from turning into a clothes rack.
A look inside the iFIT app: guided hiking series, scenic treadmill walks, and studio classes.
Workouts that match your fitness level
The iFIT library runs from easy, conversational-pace walks to tough interval and tempo sessions, so a beginner and a seasoned runner in the same house both have plenty to choose from. Many workouts come as multi-part series that build from one session to the next. The Yosemite National Park Hiking Series, for example, is six workouts that move from a progressive hike into interval and tempo sessions, so you have a clear path to follow instead of guessing what to do next.
Short on time or ready to go long
Workouts vary in length, too. In that same Yosemite series, the Carlon Falls Progressive Hike runs about 35 minutes, the Tueeulala Falls Interval Hike about 48 minutes, and the Lookout Tempo just over an hour. Grab something quick before work, then save the longer session for the weekend.
Train all over the world without leaving home
Many treadmill workouts are filmed in real places, with a trainer walking or running the route alongside you. One day you might do an interval walk along Whitehaven Beach in Australia; the next, you're hiking past waterfalls in Yosemite. During many of these sessions, the X24 automatically adjusts its own speed and incline to match the terrain on screen, so when the trail climbs, so does your deck. That's where the 40% incline really comes alive.
More than treadmill workouts
The same membership also includes strength, yoga, Pilates, and mindfulness sessions, and the app tracks your time, distance, calories, and elevation over time. Pivot the screen, step off the deck, and your treadmill becomes the center of a full home workout routine.
With a compatible heart rate monitor, the X24's ActivePulse feature (also part of iFIT Pro) can adjust speed and incline automatically to keep you in your target heart rate zone, which is useful if you're training for cardiovascular fitness and want each session to land in the right effort range.
iFIT Pro membership is sold separately.
Matching Other Treadmills to Different Needs
The X24 isn't the right answer for everyone, and it isn't meant to be. Here's how a few other treadmills in the XMARK treadmill collection line up with different goals.
Want steep incline with a smaller screen?
The NordicTrack X16 Treadmill shares the X24's 40% incline and -6% decline, 0 to 12 MPH speed range, and SpringFlex cushioning, but uses a 16-inch pivoting touchscreen. If the incline range is what you're really after, it's worth trying both and deciding how much the larger display matters to you.
Building endurance or starting to run, with limited space
The NordicTrack Commercial 1250 is aimed at newer runners who want to build endurance. It reaches 12 MPH, offers a 12% incline and -3% decline, has a cushioned deck, and uses a 10-inch tilting touchscreen. The deck also folds up, which helps in a spare room or shared space.
The NordicTrack Commercial 1750 steps up to a 16-inch pivoting touchscreen and RunFlex cushioning, with the same 12 MPH top speed and 12% incline to -3% decline range. It folds and rolls away too, making it a strong all-around choice for a household that wants a versatile machine without giving up floor space.
Heavy use and a bigger screen
The FreeMotion T8 Treadmill comes from FreeMotion, a brand known for commercial gym equipment. It pairs a 24-inch HD touchscreen that pivots and tilts with a 12% incline to -3% decline range and RunFlex cushioning. Its SmartAdjust feature matches speed and incline to your iFIT workout, then fine-tunes the intensity based on the adjustments you make along the way.
Those are just a few examples. The full lineup also includes models such as the NordicTrack Commercial LE, T Series 16, Commercial 2450, and Ultra 3, plus the FreeMotion T24 Reflex. The point isn't to memorize spec sheets. It's to narrow the field to two or three machines that fit how you'll train, then compare them in person.
XMARK Treadmill Comparison
Here's every treadmill we carry side by side, from lowest to highest price. Prices were current when this guide was written, so check each product page for the latest pricing.
| Treadmill | Price | Top speed | Incline / decline | Screen | Cushioning | Folds | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordicTrack Commercial LE | $1,399 | 19 KPH (~12 MPH) | 12% / -3% | Device shelf (no built-in screen) | Cushioned deck | Yes | Budget-minded walkers and runners who stream on a tablet |
| NordicTrack T Series 16 | $1,499 | 12 MPH | 0–12% / none | 16" tilting | SelectFlex (adjustable soft/firm) | Yes | Beginners who want a built-in screen |
| NordicTrack Commercial 1250 | $1,599 | 12 MPH | 12% / -3% | 10" tilting | Cushioned deck | Yes | Newer runners building endurance |
| NordicTrack Commercial 1750 | $1,999 | 12 MPH | 12% / -3% | 16" pivoting | RunFlex | Yes | Households wanting a versatile all-rounder |
| NordicTrack Commercial 2450 | $2,499 | 14 MPH | 12% / -3% | 24" pivoting | RunFlex | Yes | Faster runners and speed work |
| NordicTrack X16 | $2,699 | 12 MPH | 40% / -6% | 16" pivoting | SpringFlex | — | Steep incline walking and hiking-style training |
| NordicTrack X24 | $2,999 | 12 MPH | 40% / -6% | 24" pivoting | SpringFlex | — | Steep incline plus the big-screen iFIT experience |
| FreeMotion T8 | $4,699 | — | 12% / -3% | 24" HD, pivots and tilts | RunFlex | — | Heavy household use, commercial-brand build |
| NordicTrack Ultra 3 | $5,000 | — | Incline and decline | 24" HD pivoting | RunFlex | — | A showpiece with wood trim, deck lighting, and premium speakers |
| FreeMotion T24 Reflex | $11,999 | — | — | — | — | — | Ask us in the showroom |
Specs only go so far, which brings us to the most useful step of all.
Buying a Treadmill Online vs. Trying One First
Shopping online is convenient, and product pages are a good way to narrow down your options. But a spec sheet can only tell you so much about a machine you might use several times a week for the next decade.
What a product page can't tell you
Two treadmills with similar numbers can feel completely different once you're on them. How the deck responds under your feet, whether the running surface feels roomy or tight at your stride length, and how steady the frame stays when you pick up the pace are all things you notice in the first minute of walking or running.
The same goes for the details that affect daily use. How loud is it? Are the speed and incline controls easy to reach mid-stride? Does the screen sit at a comfortable height for you? How smoothly does the incline move, and how does a steep grade actually feel? How much of the room does the machine really take up once it's in front of you?
And then there's the question no spec sheet can answer: do you enjoy being on it? That gut feeling is a surprisingly good predictor of whether a treadmill gets used.
Try treadmills in Shreveport and Bossier City
This is one of the biggest advantages of shopping with XMARK. If you live in the Shreveport-Bossier area, you don't have to guess. You can come to our showroom, put on your shoes, and walk or run on different treadmills side by side.
Walk at your normal pace. Try a jog if you run. Crank up the incline on the NordicTrack X24 and see what a steep climb feels like, then compare it to a model with a more traditional range. Fold a deck up if storage matters to you. Ten minutes on a few machines will tell you more than an evening of reading reviews.
Our staff isn't there to push you toward the most expensive treadmill on the floor. The goal is to understand how you plan to train, who will be using it, and how much space you have, then help you find the treadmill that makes the most sense for that. Sometimes that's a top-of-the-line incline treadmill. Sometimes it's a simpler machine that fits your room and your routine perfectly.
So, What's the Best Treadmill for You?
There isn't one best treadmill for everyone. The treadmill that's perfect for a marathon runner would be overkill for someone who walks three mornings a week, and a simple walking machine would frustrate someone who wants steep hill workouts and guided training.
The best treadmill is the one that matches your goals, your training style, your space, and the kind of workouts you'll actually want to keep doing. Price matters, but it shouldn't be the deciding factor. A treadmill you love using is worth far more than one you saved a little on and stopped using by spring.
If you're in the Shreveport-Bossier area, come see us. Try a few treadmills, ask all the questions you want, and compare models side by side before you decide. We're happy to help you sort out what you need and what you don't.
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XMARK showroom: 1403 E 70th St, Shreveport, LA 71105