Horizon Paragon 408 Treadmill Review

The Horizon Paragon 408 treadmill is a good quality, no-nonsense machine. It’s a bit like the quiet kid in class – does everything really well but doesn’t make a fuss about it so can sometimes go unnoticed next to its noisy classmates.

Okay, that’s enough of the creative writing course lesson – what about the treadmill?

It has a good sized running deck that is larger than many machines in this price bracket. The variable cushioning gives the deck a soft and comfortable feel which is important if you’re planning to spend long periods training on it.

The 2.25 HP Digital Drive motor delivers a very quiet and smooth ride which easily shifts the belt up to speeds of 12mph – more than enough for most runners. The motor is covered for life by Horizon’s guarantee which demonstrates their confidence in it!

We know a number of users with this model who have really put it through its paces and as yet no one has experienced any problems with them – a sign of a good quality build and design.

The console is very well designed and looks great without being flashy and over complex. It’s extremely easy to use, we didn’t need to consult the user manual once, with 4 backlit LCD displays, a lap track and one touch controls for a quick change if necessary.

When it comes to programmes it doesn’t have as many as some of its rivals, but the 8 it does have covers all the variation you’ll need to get fit. For instance, it has a hill run, race mode and a heart controlled programme to keep you in the fat burning zone. You can measure your heart rate with either the hand grips or with a chest strap in conjunction with the built-in polar chip.

If you’ve got a long running stride the handles are a good length that will allow you to steady yourself if you need a drink at top speed or take your pulse rate without kicking the motor cover at the front. There are also speed and incline controls on the handles so you can alter settings without interfering with your stride too much.

An almost unique feature of the Paragon 408 is that arrives in easy to handle, lightweight parts. This makes it so much easier to assemble, and if you wished, to install upstairs as its only the running deck that would require any effort to move. This may seem a small point but if the location for its use is some distance from the door it can make a big difference.

Once assembled it’s very easy to move as it has built-in transport wheels and smooth folding mechanism.

The only real negative we could find was it looks. Some of the team thought it looked a bit dull and uninspiring, whereas others felt it was quite stylish – well we know what they say about beauty. Anyway, never mind the looks feel the quality!

It comes with an excellent warranty for this price bracket, easily better than a number of its rivals. It has lifetime on the frame AND motor, plus 3 years on site parts and labour.