A Complete Review Of The Smooth EVO FX30 Treadmill

About the Smooth EVO FX30 Folding Treadmill

- $1,799

This is one of several different treadmills offered by Smooth. Smooth Fitness is a well respected producer of quality home treadmills. Smooth Fitness has been praised by many publications, including Runner's World and Men's Health.

The EVO FX30 Folding Treadmill is an interesting treadmill in terms of some of it's features. One of the most interesting features of the EVO FX30 is the patented motion control feature (See image below). With this feature, you don't need to press any buttons to change speeds, simply wave your hand and presto, you have speed change (See image below). Very interesting.

This model offers a manual, shock-assisted option to fold the treadmill and save some space in whatever room it is located. Another interesting feature is the “swing arm technology” which is supposed to reduce impact even further.

This EVO FX30 also allows you to save up to 9 user profiles to it. This means that you can have up to 9 separate users save their information, such as age, weight, height and target heart rate and will determine the amount of calories burned in each exercise program.

Let's take a closer look at the EVO FX30 to find out if it's worth the money.

Direct Competitors:

Sole F83 ($1,799);
Spirit Fitness Z100 Treadmill ($1,899);

Size:

- 35" x 72.5";
- Weight 260 pounds; on brochure 210 pounds
- Tread belt 20" x 54"

I'm a little confused about the actual size of the Smooth EVO FX30. On the smooth website, it lists the product weight at 260 pounds and weight capacity at 350 pounds. The website fails to mention the actual dimensions of the EVO FX30. However, on the brochure, it lists the product weight at 210 pounds, weight capacity at 300 pounds and product dimensions at 35” x 72.5”. I don't know which to believe but these two sizes are quite different and will have a major impact on the feel of the treadmill.

I'm a little disappointed by the length of the tread belt. For $1,799, I'd expect to see a tread belt that's at least 55” long. Compared to the Sole F83 (22” x 58”), the Smooth EVO FX30's tread belt is a little small.

Speed/Incline Control

- 2.75 continuous motor;
- 10 MPH;
- 15% incline;
- Motion control

There is nothing too fancy with the speed, motor or incline. In fact, out of the top competitors, the EVO FX30 has the weakest motor, and has lowest speed. I don't know why Smooth would put anything but a 3.0 continuous motor in this unit. Also, the speed is 2 MPH slower than Sole Fitness' F83. If you are an avid runner, this makes all the difference in the world. All things being equal, I will always go for a stronger, continuous motor. Let's take a look at the top competitors motor, speed, and incline capabilities:

Sole F83 ($1,799);

- 3.0 continuous motor;
- 12 MPH;
- Incline 15%

Spirit Fitness Z100 Treadmill ($1,899);

- Motor 3 continuous motor;
- Speed 10 MPH;
- Incline 15%;

As you can see, the Sole F83 boasts more power and speed than both, the Smooth EVO FX30 and Spirit Fitness Z100.

There is one feature on the Smooth EVO FX30 treadmill that really caught my eye. This feature sets this treadmill apart from it's competition and is truly a genius innovation. It is the EVO Motion Control. This allows you to change the speed simply by waving or placing your hand over the sensors (Left - decrease, Right - increase, Both - stop). These sensors are located on the side rails, so there's no need for awkward leaning and focusing on the console just to change speed. This feature is only available on Smooth Fitness's EVO series of treadmills. This is a definite plus for Smooth's EVO FX30 – No other treadmill has this type of function.

There are 12 intensities of speed available on this treadmill.

The swing arm frame cushioning system is a great idea for this treadmill since it reduces the overall impact and maximizes the protection of your joints.

Display/Console  

4 window LED display
Speed
Time
Incline
Programs
Pulse
Calories
Distance

These features are all very basic and standard for the display/console on treadmills. This model doesn't need an elaborate console, though, because you can take care of the speed without even looking at the display. The pulse feature is always nice to see on a treadmill, and should always be utilized by the user to maintain optimum workout intensity.

Programs

11 Programs

- Manual - User gets to manually select Speed, Incline, and Time.
- Target Goal - This program helps you achieve a selected goal.
- Target Time - This program helps you build up to a target amount of time.
- Target Calories - This program will help you burn your target amount of calories.
- Heart Rate Control - This program is designed to work your cardiovascular system (including heart) to near maximum (about 80%-85% maximum capacity)
- 3 Custom - This allows you to save your favorite manual programs for easy instant access
- 3 Preset Time Programs - 3 programs with different amounts of time, speed, and incline.

These programs will be plenty for the home user to achieve their goals in regards to the treadmill. The only program that I would have liked to see that I didn't would be a fat burning program. But that's not a big deal because all (true) fat burning programs are designed to keep your body in a fat burning state, which means your heart rate needs to be around 65% maximum capacity.

Here is a simple equation to find your fat burning heart rate: [220 - (age) * .65].

Mine, for example, would be 220-20*.65 = 130. That means that for a 20 year old, 130 beats/min is the target heart rate for fat burning. If you want to burn a serious amount of calories, improve your aerobic capacity, AND burn more fat than even the fat burning program, stick to the heart rate control program that will keep your heart rate around 80%-85% maximum capacity (about 160-170 beats/min for a 20yr old). I suggest saving one of the custom programs as a fat burning program.

The Smooth EVO FX30's programming is pretty much the same as it's top competitors.  

Durability  

Maximum User Weight - 350lbs
Treadmill Weight - 260lbs

Again, I don't know which to believe, the web site specs on it's actual weight and user weight or the brochures. If the web site stats are correct, than the EVO FX30 is a heavy duty treadmill that can more or less, handle 250 plus pounds. On the other hand, if the actual unit weight is 210 pounds with a maximum capacity of 300 pounds, than I have my doubts about that it can handle 250 plus pounds comfortably. Make sure to check with Smooth before purchasing!

However, Smooth Fitness is generally known to provide durable treadmills.  

Heart Rate Monitor  

Contact pulse pads;
Optional wireless heart rate monitor

I really don't know why Smooth would not include a wireless chest strap. At $1,700, this feature should be standard. In fact, both the Sole F83 and Spirit Z100 both have wireless heart rate monitors. A wireless heart rate monitor allows you to monitor your heart rate without gripping the sensors on the arm rails. It also will automatically adjust the intensity of your workout depending on your heart rate goals.

There is, however, a grip pulse monitor on the handrails which will calculate your pulse while using the treadmill.

Warranty/Service  

Lifetime frame and motor;
5 Years all other parts;
1 Year labor;
Curbside Delivery (Free)
Inside Delivery - First Enclosure (Call for prices)
Delivery & Setup (Call for prices)
Return policy – 30 days

This is a pretty good warranty. As a consumer, you really can't ask for much more. Smooth products always have a good warranty and this says a lot about their products.

Let's take a look at Smooth's direct competitors warranties:

Sole F83 Warranty

- Lifetime motor;
- Lifetime frame and deck;
- 5 years part/electronics and wear items;
- 2 years labor

Spirit Fitness Z100 Warranty

- 30 years motor;
- 5 years parts;
- 1 year labor

Well, the Smooth warranty is not as good as the Sole F83's warranty but it's pretty close. Overall, a top end warranty that speaks volumes about the quality of the EVO FX30.  

Price/Cost Effectiveness  

$1799 at the Smooth Fitness Website (payments from $38/month);
Shipping free (Curbside)

At $1,799, this is a pretty solid treadmill.

However, for that price range, there are better treadmills on the market, such as the Sole F83 which has the Smooth EVO FX30 beat on just about every feature.

The one thing that the Sole F83 doesn't have, or any other treadmill in the world for that matter, is the patented motion control.

This is the selling point for the EVO FX30 and one that separates this treadmill from the rest.

I personally don't think the Smooth EVO FX30 is anything special in terms of its general features but, the motion control is simply amazing. To be able to change your speeds without having to compromise your exercise is a great feature to have. If the EVO FX30 came with a wireless heart rate monitor, this would be a great treadmill.

It would have been nice to see the wireless heart monitor included with the treadmill though, considering the price of the treadmill.

Treadmill Rating

I guess the question here is whether or not the motion sensors is important enough to make up for some of the shortcomings of the EVO FX30. I'm not saying this is a bad treadmill, but I think it could have done better with its core features. For $1,700, this treadmill should have come with at least, a 56” tread belt, a 3.0 continuous motor, and a wireless heart rate monitor.

I think the EVO FX30 is a great treadmill for those of you who are avid runners, since you don't have to compromise your exercise in order to change speeds. Personally, I'd probably go with the Sole F83 Folding Treadmill. The F83 simply has more value for the price you're paying – Sorry Smooth.

Grade

B

All the best,

Blake