17 of 17 people found the following review helpful.
By P. Lundberg
I got this treadmill as a warranty replacement for an older Horizon Elite 4.0T treadmill whose frame broke. Great customer service. Johnson Fitness is the parent company of AFG and also makes Horizon, Vision, Livestrong, and Matrix treadmills. Horizon has gone downmarket since I bought that one 9 years ago and AFG appears to fill Horizon's old niche in Johnson's lineup. This 3.1 is a step up from my old one, but overall very similar in design.
I was disappointed but not surprised to see that build quality has declined a bit in the past 9 years. This treadmill's frame appears to be made from thinner gauge steel and there's less of it. It also has a lower street price and slightly better features, along with better fit and finish, so I guess something had to give. To be fair, I haven't noticed any difference in feel, and the console is actually more stable on this one despite only having two supports instead of four.
The console does not display speed and distance at the same time. You have to use a button to toggle back and forth. But it does dedicate an LED for heart rate even though it doesn't support a wireless monitor. This was a poor design decision, something that the 5.1 makes up for with an additional display for pace.
It's difficult to move when folded. It's hard to tip back and maneuver because there's no good place to hold and the wheels are small.
This thing vibrates at any speed greater than about 6 MPH. Not horribly, but enough to be annoying. I'm not sure yet if this is normal or not. I'll update on that. The two imprinted "AFG" logos on the belt also appear to thump when going over the rollers. Hopefully that gets better as it breaks in.
Being a much better runner today than when I bought my original treadmill, I personally would not buy the 3.1 new. I'd buy something in the $2,000+ range, and the AFG 7.1 would be about the minimum I would consider. To give you some idea, I typically run between 9-10 MPH and weigh about 180. I have my doubts as to this holding up under that kind of use since the older one didn't. Although I guess getting 9 years out of it was pretty respectable, and the specific part that broke is different and appears to be sturdier on the 3.1.
So why 4 stars after all those complaints? Simple, it's still a great value for its price and I have no reservations recommending it over others in its class.
This has a lube-free deck/belt, which is hard to find and usually only found in treadmills costing two to three times as much. Lubing a deck can be a real pain, especially if you have to re-adjust tension and alignment. The motor is powerful and works well even at higher running speeds. Cushioning is good without being mushy. Better, in my opinion, than the $6000 LifeFitness and Precor club models I often use. Noise is about average, better than some, worse than others, with the main noise coming from the friction between the belt and deck when you're on it. The warranty is good and Johnson customer service is top notch in my experience. Well, once you get to a live person that is. Some review sites claim you need a longer deck for taller runners, but I'm 6'4" and have never had an issue with a 55" deck. I read somewhere that this deck actually measures 58" but haven't verified that.
The console features are pretty basic. The hand grip heartrate monitor works as well as any I've used, which is to say they do work but unsuitable to use when running and not overly accurate. But seeing as how you can buy a decent GPS watch with a wireless heartrate monitor for less than a step up to the 5.1, and that watch can be used outside and during other activities, I don't see a wireless monitor as a must-have feature. I personally don't really care for the built in programs, for example the peak interval program at its highest level alternates between 6 and 12 mph which is way too much of a gap. Then again, I've never been on a treadmill that had built in programs I like. Custom programming takes a bit of prior planning and thinking to set up. This has a USB port but it's only for updates, not for storing your information. The 3.1 doesn't keep track of your workouts, but really it's not that difficult to write that stuff down or manually enter it on an app. In fact it's probably easier as you can use any app you want.
Speed and elevation changes are simple with the number pad. It is a little odd though. To enter an even speed, you enter one number then set. Like "5-set" to set to 5 MPH. Or you can enter 5.1 MPH as "5-1-set". But if you enter "5-0-set" the "0" resets your entry to 0. It works fine once you realize this but can cause some frustration.
The speakers work surprisingly well, unlike most treadmill speakers they are usable although not exactly high fidelity. The console has a lot of space and soft touch surfaces that grip your phone or tablet without blocking the distance and time display or speed and incline controls, although a tablet will block the display change button that toggles the display.
With any treadmill I highly recommend buying locally. Your local dealer will give you the ability to try it out first and typically prices are the same anyway. There can be a large difference in cushioning and feel that you can only compare in person. And these things are heavy (3.1 shipping weight is 325lbs), so consider paying for inside delivery. Setup took me about an hour by myself and was pretty straightforward.
In this price range there are a lot of choices that have more features but they are not built as well. If you want a solid treadmill suitable for running with all the funtionality you really need and are on a tight budget, this is one of the best out there. One star deducted for the console display and vibration, neither of which are dealbreakers. The rest I can't complain about in a $1200 machine. Which brings me to one other note, don't be fooled by the $1699 MSRP on AFG's website, this is not a $1699 treadmill and it always sells for less than $1199 and most often at $1099. A lot of treadmill manufacturers use this tactic so I can't fault them too badly, but it is annoying.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
By fit guy 83
Although Id rather have one of the new Vision Fitness Treadmills with the virtual active feature this treadmill works very well for me. It has good deck cushioning. I would recommend this treadmill to a friend.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
By Andrew Selvadoss
The treadmill works fine and it was easy to assemble. You may have problems moving the treadmill up/down stairs. It is a great product for the price.
Product Feature
- 2.75 HP continuous-duty motor ; Speed range 0.5-12 mph
- Incline 0-15%; Specialty Folding H-Frame
- Tread belt 20 x 55? with active response? cushioning
- 10 Programs (Manual, Speed Intervals, Peak Intervals, Stamina Builder, Weight Loss, Golf Course, Foot Hills, Mountain Climb, Custom 1 & 2)
- Warranty: Lifetime frame and motor, 3 Year Parts, 1 Year Labor. User capacity 325 lbs
Product Description
The 3.1AT features a heavy-duty frame, ideal for walking, jogging or running workouts. Its 2.75 HP continuous-duty motor is powerful and ultra-quiet at all speeds, from 0.5-12 mph. It includes 10 workout programs, including 2 custom programs, so you can design your own workout and experience a wide variety of fitness routines. The 3.1AT also includes an MP3/iPod compatible port with built-in speakers for added motivation.
Product Detail
- Brand: AFG
- Model: HTM0865-01
- Released on: 2011-12-08
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 56.50" h x36.61" w x80.31" l,240.00 pounds
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