Icon tread mills are manufactured by ICON Health and Fitness, the largest producer of exercise equipment in the world.
You won't necessarily find an Icon Fitness treadmill when shopping.
Icon is known for packing their treadmills (especially the Proform and Nordic Track models) with never-seen-anywhere-else workout tools.
Fitness goodies like TV's, built-in speakers, iFit Compatibility (where you can download new workouts from the internet), free workout CDs, heart rate monitors, handweights, Carb Counters, Fitness Journals and more are common in these treadmills.
Icon brand treadmills are usually economy to mid-priced units and some Icon brands cater to various sections of the market.
For example, Weslo and Image tend to target the under $500 low-economy price ranges whereas Nordic Track offers higher economy to mid-priced treadmills.
Strengths:
One main strength of these treadmills is their affordability.
Most are affordable if you're on a strict budget. And if anyone has the resources to build a better treadmill for less, it's ICON.
Another strength of Icon models is that if you want the bells and whistles like iFit compatibility (where you can download new treadmill workout programs from the Internet), built-in tv's, iPod docks with built-in speakers, workout fans and handweights, you can probably find it in an Icon treadmill.
There's also some great fitness tracking tools like fitness journals, competition racing and marathon training tools that many people like.
Weaknesses:
Even with a large company like Icon, you will get what you pay for so if you're buying a $500 treadmill, don't expect it to last long or give you the kind of proper cushioning you need.
Also, Icon warranties - depending on the brand - can be quite short.
(However the Nordic Track lineup has improved lately with lifetime frame and motor warranties)
Many store brands only offer you a 90 day warranty. This really doesn't give you much protection on your investment.
Conclusion:
You really can't make a general conclusion about Icon treadmills as a whole. There are some great models (especially in the Nordic Track series) and some questionable units (we would avoid the Image and Weslo units).
Your best bet is to review the individual brands and the individual treadmill reviews. We've provided links to various Icon brand reviews below:
Where To Buy At A Discount:
If you're looking to buy an Icon brand treadmill at a discount, you can visit the Icon Online Store.
They offer the latest closeout deals on their brands like Proform, Nordic Track, Image, Reebok, Epic and Weslo. You can also usually get free shipping and save on sales tax.
