Reebok Jet 100x Treadmill Review

One of the most instantly recognisable names in sport Reebok is a brand that people trust. Over the years they’ve produced a lot of different cardio machines that have only added to its reputation as a trustworthy brand. Like any manufacturer, it’s had its fair share of amazing successes and not so great successes but overall this brand has successfully taken on some of the biggest names in the home fitness machine space and delivered competitively priced and well-specced treadmills that hold their own. We took a look at one of its more recent offerings, the Reebok Jet 100x, to see what it’s like, here’s what we found….

Assembly of the Jet 100x is as easy as it’s possible to get without having a fully pre-assembled treadmill. All that’s needed to complete the build (if it can be called that) is to unfold the frame, lock it in place with a few bolts and washers, connect and attach the console (easy) and then attach some plastic covers – that’s it. You don’t need two people and you don’t need to be good at flat-packed furniture assembly. Putting the Jet 100x together is an absolute cinch and we can’t see it posing a problem for even the least handy of us out there.

Once built, the Jet 100x is a slim, sleek looking treadmill. Reebok has opted to keep this running machine as simple as it can be and with a footprint of just 157 x 73cm (62” x 29”), this is definitely a compact model that will fit into a lot of spaces many other treadmills most definitely won’t, making it suitable for a wide range of domestic settings. It does also fold, and when folded the already small footprint drops down further to just 98cm x 73cm (38.5″ x 29″) meaning that this particular model really doesn’t take up a lot of room. If you’re concerned about space the Jet 100x does a lot to ease that worry.

In terms of looks, Reebok has stuck to black, mainly black, and mostly black, with a splash of red and a dash of white. This choice of colour makes this already compact running machine look even slimmer. The design is very simple making it easy for this treadmill to look at home in its surroundings and pretty much wherever you care to place it, it’s going to blend in nicely without it becoming the central feature of the room.

Reebok has opted to fit a sizeable 2.0 horsepower motor that can take the belt up to a maximum speed of 18kph (11mph) which is an upgrade on the original Jet 100 (which maxed out at 10mph) and that should be enough for most users unless you happen to be an already a seasoned runner that likes to compete. Otherwise, this is plenty enough speed to make normal humans break a sweat and the motor makes pretty light work of anything that’s asked of it, even when set to the maximum incline level. The motor is as quiet in operation as there’s a right to expect and it really doesn’t seem to strain at all which is an encouraging sign in terms of longevity.

In terms of the running deck, the Jet 100x has a 43cm x 130cm (17” x 51”) running area which, while definitely slimline, is still spacious enough for most people to get a proper run, though if you’re particularly tall and well over 6ft then you may find the deck a little short. Otherwise, though this isn’t the largest running area, there is room to move around which helps to make things more comfortable when you start to get tired and naturally start to move around on the deck. There are 12 levels of incline with a maximum setting that should provide most runners with enough of a challenge for power walking and jogging. The transition between incline levels is quite quick and with the option of using the quick access keys to get to a particular level with a single push of a button, the Jet 100x lends itself well to interval training.

The cushioning under the deck is Reebok’s Air Motion cushioning technology system made from a series of rubber blocks of varying degrees of softness/stiffness. The softest blocks are at the front in the landing zone, providing maximum absorption. The stiffest blocks are towards the back of the deck so that you get maximum resistance as you launch providing you with a nice, hard surface to push off from. This setup works really well and the end result is that running on the Jet 100x is a comfortable experience that’s effective and kind to your joints.

Real-time training data including speed, time, distance, calories, incline, heart rate and steps is displayed on the multi-windowed LED display in a clear and logical way and it’s bright enough to see everything clearly even in a well lit room. The display is divided into five LED windows and this breaking up of information works better than we thought it would. Keeping bits of information separate has the effect of making it easy to focus in on one area of the display and instantly see what you’re looking for. Once you’re accustomed to which information is located in which window, it makes it very easy to take a reading instantly without having to look for it on a screen crowded with information. The central window also has a virtual running track display which is, in many ways, a throwback to a different era. That being said, we actually miss seeing running tracks on this sort of display these days so the inclusion of one here is good to see.

In terms of programmes, with 24 preset workouts, plus manual, target and custom modes there’s no shortage of things to keep you working hard here. Different training options appear in the form of manual mode, target mode (time, calories, pulse options), preset workouts, a user-defined workout and heart rate control programmes. Manual mode is a case of getting on, pressing start and starting to run. The 24 preset workouts are scalable allowing you to increase the difficulty of any of them at any moment in a session so that as your fitness improves you can stick with your favourite workout. The workouts themselves have been nicely thought through and deliver the workout they promise with various different aims such as weight loss, cardio and so on doing exactly what they claim to do. It’s nice to see that these haven’t just been cobbled together and that they’re well designed. It’s also possible to change the units of measurements from miles to kilometers and there are handpulse sensors to get a heart rate reading though it’s a bit disappointing that there is no wireless heart rate receiver. Last but not least, there’s also a body fat test mode.

Other features include a workout cooling fan which isn’t all that powerful but does work reasonably well once you’ve worked up a bit of a sweat, a dual water bottle holder (the value of which shouldn’t be understated) and speakers with a 3.5mm input for plugging in your music player.

The jet 100x is also covered by a 2-year parts and labour warranty for peace of mind.