ProForm Power 995i Treadmill Review

With a range large enough and deep enough to cater for the needs and requirements of just about anyone wanting to exercise at home, Proform has been busy making sure it’s got a finger in every pie it can possibly lay its hands on. The result is a truly diverse choice of machines to pick from ranging from relatively inexpensive models to truly premium examples that are some of the most sophisticated models that you’ll come across in a domestic environment. We took a look at the Proform Power 995i to see what a mid-range specimen delivers in return for your investment.

Assembly is as straightforward as most other models in this price bracket and a very much standard fare for a large treadmill. You’ll need two people and around an hour to put it together though if you’re quite handy then it’s possible to complete the assembly in about half an hour. Once built, this is an imposing and impressive looking treadmill. With a footprint of 207cm x91cm (81.5″ x 36″) and a height of 169cm (66.5″) there’s no doubt that this is a full-size running machine. It’s quite an industrial-looking one too! With colour combinations of black, grey and silver with a splash of red, the Power 995i has a very business-like look about it. It’s unlikely to win any design awards but it’s not ugly and it looks chunky too which is always a reassuring thing to see in a treadmill.

That chunky look is not just for show. Give the 995i a good shake to see how solid it is and you can immediately appreciate the benefit of having an additional cross-bar run between the two main posts. Step up onto the running deck and it feels every bit like a fully-fledged ‘proper’ treadmill. With a running belt measuring 51cm x 152cm (20’’ x60’’) there’s more than ample space available for any runner regardless of their height. This oversized running area doesn’t just benefit tall or fast runners either, it’s also ideally suited to beginners who can often be a bit unsteady on their feet when starting out on a treadmill, especially during the latter stages of a run. The space afforded to the runner here propels this model firmly into the premium end of the market, despite the mid-point price tag. It’s not just the size of the running area either. With Proform’s tried and tested ProShox™ cushioning the Power 995i delivers a very comfortable run with plenty of shock-absorption to protect the joints without being overly soft (some Proform treadmills we’ve tested can be a bit on the bouncy side) making this model suitable for all but hardcore road runners that want a machine to simulate pounding a pavement. Everyone else we can think of should find this deck ideal and that really shouldn’t come as a surprise given who the manufacturer is.

It’s not just the size of the deck and the cushioning that make a treadmill good or not so good to run on. The drive motor and the belt rollers also contribute to the experience in a major way. Too small a motor, or rollers, or both and the treadmill in question is almost certainly going to make more noise when in operation. There are no such worries here however with Proform opting to fit the Power 995i with its 3.0 CHP Mach Z Commercial Plus drive unit which really makes light work of driving the belt up to the 22kph (13.7mph) maximum speed. This is plenty enough speed for all but the most serious professional competitors and combined with the 12% incline that’s available this is a model that will test even very fit runners. Proform has also opted to fit the 995i with 1.9″ diameter fully balanced rollers and this also, along with the large motor, helps to keep the overall noise levels down, especially at higher speeds. While no treadmill is silent due to the nature of a treadmill, choosing to use higher spec components does definitely help to keep the noise to a minimum.

The console display is a 6” high-contrast, nicely lit with large characters, LCD display that delivers real-time information on the current incline, pulse, speed, time, pace, calories, calories per hour, distance and vertical distance. It’s not the biggest screen so not all information can be displayed at once but the scan mode displays the workout information in a repeating cycle and it’s possible to change the units of measurement between MPH and KMH. It’s also possible to customise the scan mode too, which is a nice touch, so you can determine the cycle of information, and if you’re not too bothered and just want to run and have some basic info showing at all times it’s possible to turn the scan mode off altogether. All in all, while it’s not as impressive as a full-colour touch-screen, it works very well and does its job. And it’s important to remember the retail price here is not at the premium end of the scale. That being said, if it’s a full-colour touch-screen that you’d like, the Power 995i has a Bluetooth module that enables the connection of a tablet and it’s possible to download the iFit–Smart Cardio Equipment app. Once installed, connect the tablet to this treadmill and you get a new user interface to control the treadmill via the app and get all your training feedback delivered via the tablet. The tablet holder is positioned to ensure you get a really good view of the screen during a workout and this setup feels slick and well-oiled. In testing, everything worked exactly as expected without any problems including installing the app and getting the device connected to the treadmill.

In terms of training options there 31 onboard workouts available. Unlike many Proform treadmills in the current range which deliver all workouts in a streamed video format, the Power 995i has not abandoned classic pre-set programmes. Here there are a selection of 30 classic workouts divided into calorie, interval training, speed, and incline based to choose from and, unlike the models which offer only video streaming workouts, no internet connection is needed to use the programs here. This makes the Power 995i a model that’s bound to appeal to anyone looking for a simple, easy to use running machine. That being said, thanks to the Bluetooth connection it’s possible to connect your tablet, download the iFit app, and get access to all the goodies found in iFit meaning this model really does offer something to both camps, those that want a simple treadmill that doesn’t have to rely on an internet connection to work properly, and those looking for a more interactive experience.

For those that aren’t already familiar with iFit, the iFit service provides access to a vast library of workout videos and by signing up (there’s a 30-day subscription to iFit included in the purchase so you can check out all the features before committing to it) you’ll also get access to a myriad of other features including racing against other iFit members, dietary and sleep advice and quite a few other interesting bits of functionality.

Other features include a workout fan, Bluetooth audio function and a classic audio 3.5mm input socket, dual speakers, and a dual water bottle holder. For peace of mind, the Proform Power 995i comes with a lifetime frame warranty, 5 years warranty cover on the drive motor and 2 years parts and labour cover for all the other components.