The Horizon Fitness 7.0 AT Folding Treadmill comes with a mix of pros and cons, and, unfortunately, the negatives overshadow the strengths.
Horizon Fitness is a huge name in the fitness equipment industry, often grouped with brands like NordicTrack and ProForm. It receives a lot of favorable press, particularly from affiliate review sites.
At BigGuyTreadmillReview.com, we approach reviews differently. Unlike many sites that rely on secondhand information – basically copy and paste reviews to be blunt – our team buys, assembles, and tests the equipment ourselves.
We eagerly awaited the arrival of both the Horizon 7.0 AT and 7.8 AT treadmills to create a hands-on review for our YouTube channel, website articles and comparison chart.
Today, we’re focusing on the Horizon Fitness 7.0 AT Folding Treadmill, priced at $999. While this price point is challenging for manufacturers to deliver top-tier quality, Horizon has done reasonably well in some areas. However, a major flaw cannot be ignored.
Key Issue: Safety at Higher Inclines
During our testing of the Horizon 7.0 and 7.8 treadmills, we found that when a person weighing around 250 pounds or more used the treadmill at an incline, the belt started to speed up uncontrollably. This malfunction is similar to an escalator suddenly accelerating without stopping.
Big Guy Review team leader “Big” Mike, a 6-foot-4, 298-pounder and longtime sales associate in the fitness industry, was surprised to discover this issue during filming of our YouTube video review.
When Mike increased the incline to 6, the treadmill failed to handle his weight. The belt sped up uncontrollably, forcing him to dismount quickly to avoid injury.
“It has a runaway belt,” Big Mike said. “That shouldn’t happen! It’s actually a very dangerous flaw.”
The treadmill should have triggered a “SPEED ERROR” warning and shut down to prevent such an incident. The fact that this did not happen is inexcusable and poses a serious safety risk, especially for unsuspecting users.
Weight Capacity and Build Quality Concerns
The Horizon 7.0 treadmill is rated for a 350-pound user weight capacity, but our testing revealed it struggles with that limit, particularly at higher inclines. Additionally, out of the box, the walking belt slipped during use. While this issue could be resolved by tightening the rear rollers, such maintenance should not be required immediately. Quality control should have caught this defect before the product reached consumers.
Positive Features
Despite these serious drawbacks, the Horizon Fitness 7.0 AT does have some redeeming qualities:
- Solid Construction: For under $1,000, it offers a stable platform for walking and running.
- Well-Designed Handrails: The handrails are positioned for both functionality and comfort, a thoughtful feature often overlooked by other brands.
- Low-Profile Motor Cover: The motor cover’s design allows your feet to move freely without interference, a significant detail for users.
- FTMS Bluetooth Compatibility: Horizon avoids forcing users into subscription-based programs and allows them to connect their preferred apps.
- User-Friendly Electronics: The console is well-angled, and the buttons are easy to reach, which taller users on our team appreciated.
Conclusion
The Horizon 7.0 AT has potential as a budget-friendly treadmill. It’s sturdy, comfortable to use, and free from subscription traps. However, its inability to handle higher inclines safely is a critical flaw that cannot be overlooked. Both the 7.0 AT and 7.8 AT experienced the same runaway belt issue during our tests, highlighting a broader design problem.
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