November 2011 Update

• We are no longer updating the review to this product as it is no longer part of the 2011-2012 lineup. Please visit our Best Buy Treadmill and Best Buy Elliptical pages for our current recommendations. Thank you!

Good points

• impressive specs that you usually don't find at this price (less than $900) such as a 20"X60" belt, boatloads of programs (24), 3.0HP motor it also has something called "competitor training center" which allows you race against a virtual opponent (interesting function but not absolutely necessary) motor is powerful enough to handle the belt lifetime frame and motor warranty foldable and comes with EasyDrop technology to help make unfolding easier

Bad points

• only includes 1 year parts warranty but even with a 3 year extended warranty, the treadmill is only slightly over $1000 console seems a little dinky no air fans, iFit, music speakers or other extras that you usually expect in an Icon treadmill

Comments

• Although the model name would suggest that the Proform 11.5 Competitor is better than its younger sibling, the Proform 9.0 Competitor, I really have doubts about that. Before I go on describing why the Proform 11.5 Competitor is not nearly as good of a deal as the 9.0 Competitor, you should know that this particular Proform treadmill is still a better deal than most of the models at this price. If you compare the 9.0 with the 11.5, the 11.5's main improvement is a stronger motor. As far as improvements go, that's it! You might think that an extra $50 is a good price to pay for 0.5 of a horsepower more and I would think so too if that's all there was to it. But you are actually getting a downgrade in features. First of all, the cushioning is no longer adjustable. Second of all, there's no mention of fans anywhere. Thirdly, the special warranty found on the 9.5 competitor has been replaced by the standard but boring one year parts and labor. That is why, at the time of writing when the Proform 11.5 is $50 more than the 9.5, it is not nearly as attractive of a deal. Of course, if you compare this treadmill against Proform models of previous years, you would still be impressed. But if you were to really compare the little details, the Proform 9.0 Competitor is probably the better choice.

Run, train, and compete your way to a fantastic shape by taking advantage of Proform's 11.5 Competitor Treadmill's built-in Competition Training Center. Compared to its sister model, the 9.0 Competitor, this one has a larger motor at 3.0 HP. It also has 24 Personal Trainer workout programs to choose from; the ProTech Plus Cushioning System and an EasyDRop Shock assisted folding mechanism.

Aside from the standard features like Dual-Grip EKG Heart Rate Monitor, 0-12 mph Precision QuickSpeed, and 0-12% Quick Incline; it also offers a 20" x60" Quiet Treadbelt so you can have a larger running space. Combining this feature with its Quick Incline Control, you'll have a comfortable time simulating running uphill and add both challenge andvariety to your exercise session.

The Grafixx display shows you your workout data in a clear bold and easy to read format. It allows you to display information like distance, elapsed time, and calories burned in numbers almost 1" high. This impressive treadmill has a 300 lb. weight capacity and comes with a lifetime motor and frame warranty.

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