The BowFlex Treadmill 10 is a great indoor treadmill — but it's not flawless

Running indoors is admittedly not as appealing to me as running outdoors, but anyone that lives in snowy climates knows it’s often necessary. You could spring for the gym membership, but a treadmill at home is undoubtedly more convenient.

After spending some time with the BowFlex Treadmill 10, I think it gives serious runners just about everything they need to train through the winter. And there's plenty for casual runners and walkers can enjoy, too.

The JRNY app offers versatile workouts and entertainment options to make the miles slip away. But it’s a very large and very heavy unit, so if you’re short on space in your home, you’ll need to look at other options instead.

Still, while I have a few nitpicks about the Treadmill 10, it’s undoubtedly one of the best treadmills, and a great training tool for runners and anyone looking for a gym-quality experience at home.

BowFlex Treadmill 10 review: price and availability

The BowFlex Treadmill 10 costs $1,999 and is available for purchase on BowFlex's website. If you order through the company direct, you can take advantage of free shipping and options like room of choice delivery, or even delivery and assembly. Or you can buy it through retailers like Walmart and Best Buy.

Wherever you find it, the treadmill comes with a heart rate monitor, and a two-month free trial of the JRNY app (then $19.99 a month, or $149 a year). There's a 15-year, frame-only warranty, five-year mechanical parts warranty, and a one-year warranty on the electronics and display.

BowFlex Treadmill 10 review: assembly

It took me about an hour to get the Treadmill 10 completely unboxed. There was an absolutely obscene amount of plastic and foam packaging within the large box, which I suppose is necessary to protect everything during shipping. Still, it would have been nice to see an effort made toward more eco-friendly packaging.

Once I got everything out of the box, it took me about an hour and a half to build the Treadmill 10. The directions are very good, but the build process is tedious and takes quite a long time. I did find a few of the bolt holes did not line up properly during the build process, and in one case, I was never able to get the bolt to thread in at all.

BowFlex Treadmill 10 review: design

The Treadmill 10 is big. You’ll need plenty of space to fit this large machine in your home — plan on a 4 x 8 foot space to house the unit. It does fold up, but even in the folded position, the Treadmill 10 still takes up a lot of space.

It’s also very heavy at 323 pounds, so it’s difficult to move once you’ve got it built. There are wheels, but you’ll need to tip the entire weight of the machine to get it propped up onto the wheels.

It’s ideally a two-person job, though I was able to wrestle it on my own. When you lower the platform again, you’ll benefit from a slow and soft release to ensure you don’t drop it too fast.

The treadmill running platform is cushioned to make the entire experience more comfortable. And there are handles ideal for running, and longer side extensions ideal for walking stability. You can control the speed and incline from both hand positions.

BowFlex incorporates a storage shelf below the main console of the Treadmill 10. This is a good place to store water bottles and towels, though it will be difficult to access those things while you’re running or walking.

There are also two storage cubbies on the main console, which is a better place to toss a water bottle or some food that you’ll access while running or walking.

The main console also incorporates a 10-inch touchscreen on which you can access workouts, control the treadmill, or even stream Netflix and other services (as long as you subscribe to the JRNY app; more on that in a moment). A built-in speaker allows you to listen to music or movies, or the instructions from the workout instructors.

Below that, there’s an integrated fan to cool you off during your indoor workout sessions. And, of course, a prominent stop/pause button is easily within reach, as well as an emergency cut-off switch.

BowFlex Treadmill 10 review: performance

While the footprint of the Treadmill 10 can be problematic for those short on space in their homes, it’s an absolute benefit when you’re actually running or walking on it. The spacious belt — 22 x 60 inches — makes it easy to find your ideal stride and allows a bit of forgiveness for missteps.

The cushioned platform is also wonderful. I found myself wanting to run just a bit further every time, as I felt fresher than I normally would when running on pavement. That bit of cushion is ideal for training sessions, and will likely help prevent injuries.

Similarly, the stout arm extensions give you plenty of real estate to hold on, or leverage yourself off the belt should you need to stop running suddenly. Having controls at your fingertips regardless of where you’re holding on is a great feature, too.

Despite all of that real estate in front of you, there’s no ideal place to put your phone or tablet. The only spots I found were slightly angled, which meant there was a possibility the phone or tablet could slide off. This isn’t a huge dealbreaker, unless you’re not using the JRNY app and want to stream entertainment on a tablet or phone while you work out.

BowFlex recommends purchasing a rubber mat to put underneath the treadmill if you’re using it on a carpet. I didn’t follow this advice, and found myself getting shocked occasionally from static electricity build-up.

Don’t skip this if you’ll be putting your Treadmill 10 on a carpet. It’s a small investment that will protect your treadmill and prevent you from frequent small shocks when static electricity builds up.

The Treadmill 10 includes a heart rate monitor, which is a nice touch so you can track your performance more accurately. You can also connect the treadmill to Apple Health if you prefer to track metrics that way.

Due to space constraints, I set up the Treadmill 10 in my garage, where it’s been quite cool during the winter months. So I have only tested the integrated fan once. It does push out a small breeze, which was more than enough for me in the garage.

Though I can definitely envision the fan getting overwhelmed pretty quickly in warmer temperatures. Presumably, I’d be running outside at that point, but if you’ll be using your treadmill in warm spaces, you may want to consider an external fan instead.

The 10-inch touchscreen display makes it easy to get started with workouts, or scroll through your various entertainment options. The screen is a bit small if you’re looking to really appreciate Netflix or your streaming services on long runs, but it was more than enough for my purposes. The sound quality is just okay; it’s on the tinny side, though the speaker does get decently loud.

BowFlex Treadmill 10 review: JRNY app

To get the most functionality out of your Treadmill 10, you’ll want the JRNY app. It costs $19.99 a month or $149 a year, which I find a bit frustrating. Why we need to pay a subscription fee after buying a $2,000 treadmill is beyond me, especially given the limited functionality you’ll get without the app.

Most notably, you won’t be able to stream Netflix or other streaming services without the JRNY app. And you’ll only be able to do the most basic workouts. It seems like the JRNY app should be a default inclusion here with the treadmill.

But once signed up, the app itself is pretty good and easy to use. There are a lot of workouts to choose from, and both my wife and I found them useful for fitting in intense workouts in a short amount of time. If you prefer, you can simply enter manual mode and do your own thing. But it’s great to have options.

It’s also wonderful to be able to track progress over time, and create different user profiles. My wife and I each had our own, so that makes info tracking much easier. I used the built-in radio stations, which offer a good mix of tunes.

I also tried some of the location exploration videos. These were okay, and enough of a distraction for short runs. But the real advantage of the JRNY app comes down to workouts, and the ability to stream Netflix and other entertainment options.

Should you buy the BowFlex Treadmill 10?

I’ve very much enjoyed using the BowFlex Treadmill 10, thanks to its cushioned deck and spacious running footprint. The JRNY software is decent, though I don’t like having to pay an extra fee just to stream entertainment if I’m not interested in the workouts. This feels like something that should be included as standard.

The Treadmill 10 is otherwise versatile and easy to use. It’s ideal for race training, especially if you’re interested in running on inclines. The 10-inch screen is small and the integrated fan is useful only in a limited sense, but overall the Treadmill 10 is a stoutly built unit for serious runners looking for a gym-quality experience at home.

It's great, but it's not quite as seamless as the Peloton Tread. Peloton's treadmill isn't all that different (and it doesn't fold) but the Peloton digital experience is popular for a reason — it's trainers are engaging, fun and motivational. Though you still have to buy the more expensive treadmill and pay a monthly fee on top.

However, NordicTrack’s Commercial 1750 Treadmill costs the same as the BowFlex Treadmill 10, with a cushioned desk, 12mph top speed, and -3%-12% incline. It does have a larger display (16 inches) but the iFit app, which offers a similar experience to JRNY, costs more at $39 per month.