Horizon fitness Evolve 3 elliptical vs Nordictrack 2950 treadmill

This is a comparison of the Horizon fitness Evolve 3 elliptical and the Nordictrack 2950 treadmill including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

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Overview and review Nordictrack Commercial 2950 Treadmill $2999 - $3599

This is a review of the Nordictrack commercial 2950 model which was originally posted in "Which Nordictrack treadmill to get". Follow the links for more details.

Overview Nordictrack Commercial 2950 Treadmill $2999 - $3599

The 2950 is the top-end treadmill from Nordictrack without the big %40 incline option. The main features are the massive 22-inch touchpad and the foldable Running track. The full list of features is:

22” Smart HD Touchscreen
1-Year iFit® Membership Included ($468 Value)**
Auxiliary Music Port
Two 3” Digitally-Amplified Speakers
Runners Flex™ Cushioning
Dual AutoBreeze™ Workout Fans
22” x 60” Commercial Tread Belt
4.25 CHP DurX™ Commercial Plus Motor
0 - 12 MPH Speed
0 - 15% Incline
0 - 3% Decline
OneTouch® Controls
EKG Grip Pulse
300 Lb. User Weight Capacity
2.5” Precision and Balanced Non-Flex Rollers
SpaceSaver® Design with EasyLift™ Assist
40 On-Board Workout Programs
Integrated Tray
79.5” L x 39.2” W x 66.6” H Footprint
10-Year Frame Warranty
2-Year Parts Warranty
1-Year Labor Warranty

If you have some surplus money to spend and like the good things in life this is the treadmill for you. The incline options from Nordictrack technically have more bells and whistles if you only want the best, but I think you are more than covered with what the 2950 has to offer with the added bonus that it can be folded up.

Pros of the Nordictrack 2950

The pros of the 2950 Nordictrack treadmill are:

Big screen
Good folding mechanics
Strong motor
High capacity and large belt

This machine is a great option for a high-end home gym for which the owner does not want to spare any expenses without paying for unnecessary gimmicks which will be rarely used. If you work with the elderly are anyone that needs a big touch screen you will not be disappointed with the 2950. The same goes for if you need the extra size and cushioning because you are heavy or just like comfort.

Cons of the Nordictrack 2950

The cons of the 2950:

No Start stops possible
High price
Big footprint

The Nordictrack 2950 is a great option when you have the necessary change in your pocket and space in your home or gym. Otherwise, it is a pretty bad choice. If you have to buy in bulk the price will escalate quite quickly. You also can not do Start-stop sprints that are relevant to many sports.

Alternatives to the Nordic track 2950

Alternatives to the 2950 are

The X32i is the ultimate treadmill you can get from Nordictrack. It has a 32-inch touchscreen and goes up to 40% incline. If you want everything and can pay for it go for this model. I personally think that 40% incline is overkill unless you are an extreme Trail runner who wants to be able to train all year round. If you want to burn the maximum calories per minute there are cheaper options than an incline treadmill.

The Nordictrack X22i has the same specs as the X32i. The only difference is that the screen is 22inch and you save $1000 because of that.

The true form runner is roughly in the same price range than the 2950. Rather than using an electrical motor, you propel the belt forward yourself. This is a better option when you train high performing athletes who need to do start and stop drills. Especially if you have limited space. It’s still not as good as training outdoors on the pitch, but the true from runner can be used all year round even when the pitch can not be accessed.

The Rogue echo bike is a great value for money option if your main goal is to burn as many calories as possible in a short amount of time. It is roughly priced at $700 and therefore for under most cardio equipment you can get for your home gym. In addition, it is also very space-efficient.

The Versaclimber SM is the ultimate machine for getting you to sweat and burn calories in the shortest amount of time. This machine is not for beginners and therefore has a smaller range than the rest of the cardio equipment in this comparison. The big disadvantage against the echo bike is the higher price tag. If you are super fit, rich and value your time above anything else, get this machine to burn the calories fast before you go on set or in the boardroom. If you are a mere mortal with limited finances get the Rogue echo bike to burn calories.

Summary for the 2950

The 2950 treadmill is, in my opinion, the sensible wealthy treadmill for the home gym owner or the elite/boutique sensible option for a commercial gym. Anyone who enters your gym will be impressed and it will not look cheap. In addition, you get a plethora of functionality without going overboard with the 40% incline. For everyone else, more than 3000 is a lot of money to spend on one machine. You can get up to ten squat stands for that and open an Olympic weightlifting gym. Just the plates might eat your budget up, but that is another topic.

Overview and review of the Horizon fitness Evolve 3 elliptical

This is an overview of the Horizon fitness Evolve 3 elliptical including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was first published in Which Horizon fitness elliptical to get?

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Which Horizon fitness treadmill to get?
Which Horizon fitness bike to get?
Which Horizon fitness elliptical to get?

Which Nordictrack treadmill to get?
Which Nordictrack elliptical to get?
Which Nordictrack bike to get?

Which Cardio Equipment to get from TITAN?
Which conditioning equipment to get from Rogue Fitness?

Overview of the Evolve 3 elliptical $1,199

The Horizon Evolve 3 elliptical is a commercial-sized machine that can be folded up when it is not in use. The console is one of the older generations with no integrated touchscreen. This is the middle-of-the-road elliptical from Horizon if you are interested in a big frame. The full specifications are:

Frame Type: Six Star Folding

Flywheel: 18

Stride Length: 20

Incline Range: N/A

Resistance Range: 20 Electronically adjustable

Step on height (inches): 10

Extras: Built-in Speakers, Energy Saver Mode, Passport ready, Tabet rack, Water Bottle Holder

Electrical requirements: 110 Volt / 220 Volt

Weight: 175 lbs.

Assembled dimensions: 69"x 28" x 69"

Max user weight: 300

Warranty - Frame: Lifetime

Warranty - Brake: 3 years

Warranty - Flywheel: N/A

Warranty - Parts: 3 years

Warranty - Labor: 1 year

Pros of the Evolve 3 elliptical

The pros of the Horizon Evolve 3 elliptical are:

Folding mechanism
Price
Size

The folding mechanism is the distinguishing feature of the Evolve series of Horizon ellipticals. It is easy to use and sturdy. If you are looking for an exercise machine that is big enough to take a big person doing a proper workout, but then can shrink to a smaller footprint, then the Horizon Evolve 3 will tick the boxes.

The price of $1.199 is great for how many ellipticals you are getting for the price with a proper folding mechanism. Many competitors with similar-sized ellipticals charge more in the range of $1400 to $1600. The only downside might be the console that has no Touchscreen/Tv Screen included.

This elliptical has a great frame that can take a beating. If you have no concerns about the size of your machine you will get a lot of frame for little money with this elliptical.

Cons of the Evolve 3 elliptical

The cons of the Horizon Evolve 3 elliptical are:

It is an in-between solution
Console
Other cheaper options for hard workouts

The Horizon Evolve 3 falls victim to what I would call the “in-between” trap of product design. The foldable frame makes it a suboptimal choice for commercial use as sturdy frames are better in this scenario. The size and build push it in a price range where many home buyers hesitate to pull the trigger. Walkers might be intimidated by its size while dedicated home warrior won’t take it seriously as it is an elliptical.

The console lacks a TV screen/touchscreen to browse the Internet or extent your devices to. You can plug them in via an audio link but the console is majorly used to navigate the pre-installed programs of the Horizon Evolve 3. In times of peloton and YouTube follow-along videos, this is a little being the time.

If you are someone who wants to go hardcore on your workouts and does not need any entertainment onboard there are cheaper versions of machines out there that will torture better to make gains.

Alternatives to the Evolve 3 elliptical

The Horizon Evolve 5 is the big brother of the Evolve 3. Its main distinguishing feature is the bigger flywheel which translates to a smoother ride and more mileage to be taken before needing to be serviced. I personally don’t k ow whether the extra money is worth the bigger flywheel. I would consider this when more than one person in the house will put significant mileage on the elliptical, otherwise stick with the Evolve and invest the mo way saves to get one of your old television mounted on the wall near the elliptical.

The horizon AE 7.0 is in my opinion the best value for money elliptical from Horizon fitness due to the upgraded console which is more media-ready. If you do not need your elliptical to fold up after use in your home, trade up on multimedia and even save some money with the AE 7.0. Commercial gyms might consider the Evolve line when TVs are installed already nearby or when you get a whole Horizon fleet of different machines for your cardio area.

The Nordictrack SE7i is the lowest-priced elliptical from Nordictrack currently available. If you need an elliptical fast and Horizon has no stock, this elliptical is similarly priced to the Evolve 3. Nordictrack is also a little ahead on their IFit subscription service in an industry where everyone is playing catch-up to Peloton. Horizon is further behind in this regard but catching up with new products like the AE 7.0 or GR3.

The Rogue echo bike is in my opinion the best option for cardio at home for someone who wants go hard after the calories and interval training. This machine has no extra bells and whistles but all the basics have been drilled to perfection at a competitive price for an Airbike. The copycat competitor of the Rogue echo bike is the TITAN fan bike with bigger wheels at a smaller price.

Conclusion for the Evolve 3 elliptical

The evolve 3 elliptical is in my opinion one of the weaker options in the Horizon elliptical lineup. If you want to save Money go for the EX-59. If you like the design you might as well go for the Evolve 5. The best choice for the home gym is the AE 7.0 as I don’t believe that much in the space savings of a foldable treadmill or elliptical.