When you get into the $2,500 range, you have some serious treadmills to contend with. So the Smooth 9.4ST cannot take on the competition without offering some great features. Although Smooth is known for their quality manufacturing, they still have some more to offer. Some things work and some things, maybe not so much. But you still end up with a high quality treadmill that gives you a lot of bang for your buck.
Smooth are perhaps best known for the unique running surface that they use for their decks. The deck is cushioned at the front so that you don’t get that harsh jarring impact that you can experience while using some treadmills. However, further back the deck is much firmer, so that you can really get some ‘bite’ when you push yourself forward for your next stride. This is something totally unique to Smooth at the present, and you really need to try running on this surface to understand it properly. The 9.45ST also offers a hydra-suspension system that allows users to tailor how hard or soft they want the run to be. Some people may wonder how much use this actually is, but being able to have so much control over your workout really is a nice touch.
With a belt size of 60 inches, this unit is great for taller people who have a longer stride length, and the 3 HP motor is capable of taking you up to 10 miles per hour. This is suitable for most people, but serious runners who wish to go faster may want to look into upgrading to a more expensive model. Having said that, the 9.45ST has plenty of profiles and programs, and with 15 incline levels it is sure to keep most runners happy.
Smooth tried to offer something else different for its runners. In order to change speeds on this model, you simply have to wave your hands. Sounds strange, right? The motion control sensors in the arms let you wave one had to go faster or wave the other hand to go slower. It might be appealing to some runners not to have to reach out for the console to change speeds, but the feature may come off a bit gimmicky to others. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of other extras on this model. It also does not fold up for space saving.
What you then get is a higher end treadmill without too many extra options. Instead, you get a sold quality and a run that you would expect from a more expensive treadmill. If you prefer fancy bells and whistles, this may not be a good treadmill for you. But if you want a running experience that you would expect to pay a lot more money for, this treadmill should definitely be on your list.
