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When it’s raining, too hot or humid, or you want to rack up your daily steps while you work, a treadmill is a convenient and popular choice to get some movement in. Our head of video, Andreas von Scheele, is a lifelong triathlete who tested multiple treadmills in the months leading up to this Echelon Stride review. This model (along with all Echelon treadmills, bikes, and more) is currently 15% off in the brand’s Fourth of July sale.

Walking for only 30 minutes, four times per week can reduce your risk of heart failure, depression1, and anxiety. With similar benefits, running reduces risks of all-cause mortality by 45%2. Even short stints on a treadmill for a few minutes between tasks or work-from-home breaks can improve your blood sugar and cholesterol and increase blood flow2.

Still, fitting a treadmill into even a large room can be a challenge. Most designs are bulky, not all that aesthetically pleasing, and take up valuable living space.

What’s more, treadmills can be expensive, which makes choosing one that’s high quality while still being affordable enough of a dilemma to put most people off making a decision. The Echelon Stride has gained popularity as a well-priced, durable option that’s compact and folds up easily for storage.

The Echelon Stride is a portable, foldable, compact treadmill. It was released in 2020 and is an affordable home treadmill that’s tech-enabled but has no screen. Users can link their own screened devices to access guided programming or use the basic panel for quick start and metric tracking. 

The Echelon Stride comes with eight preprogrammed workouts, a smart device holder, and (most notably) an auto-fold feature. When folded, the treadmill is a slim 10 inches wide and can be stored under the couch or against the wall.

Unfolded, the treadmill is 69.3 inches long, 31 inches wide, and 49.2 inches tall, and the belt is 55 inches long.

Safety-wise, Echelon has made some upgrades compared to previous models. In the latest iteration, there’s a metal safety bar under the deck and a safety stop lanyard on the upper console.

With a max speed of 12 miles per hour, this treadmill operates at a much faster capacity than many foldable options. The machine also has 12 incline levels, and the rubberized running deck makes high-impact training kinder on the joints.

Pros:

• Folds easily
• Compact and portable
• Reaches 12 mph and 10% incline

Cons:

• Less powerful motor than heftier designs
• Shorter belt

Coming in at $1,300, the Echelon Stride is slightly higher priced than other compact treadmills but less expensive than many of the best treadmill brands. Plus, the brand is currently running a Fourth of July sale for 15% off sitewide.

A membership to Echelon United is required to access additional interactive programming, which you will need your own device to stream. 

Three options are available for the Echelon United membership:

• $40 per month
• $400 per year
• $700 for 2 years

Echelon offers a one-year warranty on the Stride, which is below the industry standard. A three-year extended warranty is available for $150.

The treadmill has a 30-day trial period, but a $100 restocking fee applies and the treadmill must be in perfect condition to return.

Folding the Echelon Stride is easy and one of its most prominent selling features. Simply fold the console down and push a pair of red buttons located under the handlebars to flatten them. Stepping on a lever on the left side of the machine folds the rest up easily. When folded, the treadmill is very compact.

Using the treadmill is fairly straightforward, too. A simple panel on the treadmill displays and tracks your time, speed, distance, and heart rate. A Bluetooth-enabled heart rate monitor strap comes with the Echelon Stride.

One reason the Echelon Stride is more affordable than other high-end treadmill models, such as Bowflex Treadmill 10 ($2,300), is that it does not have its own touch screen. Instead, you must sync your phone or tablet with Bluetooth to use the app.

Although the app adds a ton of value, it’s not necessary for using the treadmill. Our tester skipped the app and opted to stream his own workouts from other platforms.

If you do choose to use the Echelon United app, you’ll have access to on-demand and live programming with workouts for running, strength training, and yoga, among others.

The incline and speed are simple to control by using an easily accessible button on the treadmill’s handlebar. 

If you are looking for a portable, compact treadmill with a small footprint for storage, the Echelon Stride is ideal. It’s an affordable option, especially for its quality and versatility—and especially on its current markdown.

Von Scheele says this is a great pick for people who want to get their heart rate up by walking, too. He loves the incline option because it lets you mimic the natural terrain of hills and elevation, so it feels more like you’re walking or running outdoors.

While the machine does reach up to 12 miles per hour, which is faster than most of us will go (a five-minute mile!), the 1.75-horsepower motor is not the most powerful option. This won’t be an issue for most people recreationally, but hard-core runners who plan to use it more than two to three times per week might want to look elsewhere.

Von Scheele found the running pad size to be totally comfortable for someone who is about 5’9″. But if you’re taller than 6’4″ or have longer legs, you might need a longer deck. 

Note: The max weight for this treadmill is 300 pounds, so if you are heavier or approaching this weight, it’s not the best choice for you.