Walk into any standard gym today and it will be almost impossible not to see a curved treadmill. They are easy to identify with their curved surface (as the name suggests) and minimalist design.
You’ve most likely seen them or heard of them, at least in prints or on the web, like the ones on our list. And probably, you’re aware of how they’re making waves in the current treadmill market and the fitness world at large.
Have you wondered why? Another industry fad?
Not at all.
Curved treadmills represent a leap in fitness technology. They are products of a function-driven market research to meet the science needed for elite performers and casual users to perform, improve, recover, and enjoy fitness training at the highest levels. For these reasons, they’ve come to stay.
At this point it might be important to understand how different curved manual treadmills are from their traditional flat deck motor-driven counterparts.
Our Top 7 Best Curved Treadmill’s
It wasn’t easy for us to find the best-curved treadmill for you.
For the most part, curved manual treadmills share the same general qualities. They have minimalist design, are self-powered & non-motorized, don’t use console controls, feature little/no accessories, don’t operate on electricity, and are very expensive. There’s really not much to differentiate them by.
Thankfully, we had to rely on our time-tested method to make the best picks for you based on distinct parameters like brand, price, reviews, rating, application, construction, size/weight measurements, accessories, and warranty.
And now that you’re armed with good knowledge of curved treadmills, it’s easier to make a more guided decision on a pick that reflects good judgment and personal taste.
Choose from among these 7 amazing curved treadmills to add to your gym collection.
Assault Fitness AirRunner
SPECS:
- Manufacturer/brand: Assault Fitness (USA made)
- Dimensions: 69.9 x 32.8 x 64 inches
- Surface width: 33” x 18”
- Weight: 280 lbs
- Weight capacity: 350 lbs (400 lbs running; 700 lbs walking)
- Digital monitor: YES – LED display
- Price: $4,249.15
- Rating: 4.5/5
- Warranty: lifetime on frame, 5 on parts & components
- Color: black
If you’re looking for a powerful and durable curved treadmill, the US-made Assault Fitness AirRunner is a smart option. It’s highly optimized for the long-term.
With a standard commercial gym size of 64” L x 36” W x 63” H and a heavy-duty weight of 350 lbs, the Assault Fitness AirRunner treadmill can easily handle any level of pressure dished out, from HIIT training to casual jogging. Feel free to express yourself to the fullest on the spacious 54” x 17” running surface.
Non-motorized, the tread belt is powered solely by your own physical application of force. This helps you build up strength, improve cardio fitness, burn calories, and improve overall athletic performance & fitness.
The deck’s swinging curve also helps you improve posture through proper running technique, which involves standing almost upright and landing on the balls of your feet.
There are no limits to the speed you can attain on this treadmill, which lets you to train as fast as your body can go. There are no power buttons, sophisticated settings, or distracting accessories—only a simple, dedicated manual unit designed to make running as natural and focused as real outdoor road experience should be. Just hop onto the deck, set your own limits mentally and go past them.
The Assault Fitness AirRunner comes with an LED monitor that tracks your workout speed, distance, and time to help you stay challenged and focused.
At $5,695, the price is slightly above average for curved treadmills (which are known to be expensive, anyway).
The warranty is outstanding, with a manufacturer backing of a lifetime on frame and 5 years on parts & components.
The Assault Fitness AirRunner treadmill is generally well-received by verified buyers on several platforms and by genuine first-hand users.
We give it a deserved 5 STARs.
2. NOHrD Sprintbok
SPECS:
- Manufacturer/brand: NOHrD / Sprintbok
- Dimensions: 70.87” L x 27.56” W x 55.12” H
- Surface width: 62.99” x 17.72”
- Weight: 353 lbs
- Weight capacity: 353 lbs
- Digital monitor: YES – 17.3” tablet
- App & Bluetooth: YES – APP / 4.0 Bluetooth sensor
- Accessories: 17-inch tablet & phone holder
- Price: $6,835 – $7,868
- Rating: 5/5
- Warranty: 5 years on frame
- Color: CHOICES VARY among ash, oak, club, cherry, walnut, and shadow
Right off the bat, NOHrD separates their gym products from other brands with their elegant trademark wooden frame design. Their treadmill, the NOHrD Sprintbok, is no different, needless to say.
NOHrD is a manufacturer of luxury gym equipments. Their amazing wood design fitness accessories can be found in some of the most expensive gyms.
It might interest you to know that the Sprintbok treadmill is an award winner of the Concours Lépine, the Oscar’s equivalent for inventors.
The first thing you will notice about the NOHrD Sprintbok is its magnificent cosmetic appeal. Overall, it has a minimalist design complimented by luxurious hardwood frame and sleek curved deck. Esthetically speaking, the Sprintbok beats every other treadmill on our list.
It comes in 6 individual color variants from which you can choose: Ash, oak, club, cherry, walnut, and shadow. The wood material, however, remains of the same quality.
Following the same technical principles of curved non-motorized treadmills, the Sprintbok is powered by you through the application of manual force to set the belt in motion. Start out slowly by continuously stepping on the upper side of the curved running surface with both legs. With enough energy generated, the belt carries you through various treadmill workout programs, styles, speeds, and intensities.
You’re your own boss on this machine; there are no built-in automatic controls over speed or intensity. This means that the machine accelerates and decelerates according to your work rate. Recruiting all your bodily resources challenges your workout to the maximum and multiplies efforts and results proportionately.
The Sprintbok treadmill measures 70.87” L x 27.56” W x 55.12” H, which is standard large size. The assembled weight and the maximum user capacity are the same at 353 lbs.
The running surface has dimensions 62.99” x 17.72, which is a great size to accommodate all running, jogging, and walking variations. The manufacturers described the surface as shock-absorbing and quiet.
There’s a large 17.3” monitor screen, preinstalled to give you performance feedback on distance, time, speed, pace, and heart rate. This allows you to assess your performance and provide for improvements where needed.
Integrated Sprintbok App works with Bluetooth to give you free access to digital fitness training classes and virtual scenery runs. This feature is meant to guide you through certain exercise programs and to inject engagement, interaction, and fun into your workout. This way, you will be able to train longer and harder without realizing it.
You have the option to choose from any of the available 6 color variants: ash, oak, club, cherry, walnut, and shadow. Fully customizable, the frame can be personalized to suit your color preference.
The NOHrD Sprintbok is the second most expensive treadmill on our list. The price tag is quite justifiable, considering its overall quality. Plus, the NOHrD Company has a lofty status as a luxury gym brand.
The Springbok comes with a 5-year manufacturer warranty.
3. IN10CT Health Runner
SPECS:
- Manufacturer/Brand: Cardio Gym LLC / IN10CT Health Runner
- Dimensions: 74.80” L x 39.37” W x 25.98” H
- Surface width: 17.16”
- Weight: 330 lbs
- Weight capacity: 400 lbs
- Digital monitor: YES – LCD display
- Price: $3,890
- Rating: 4.5/5
- Warranty: 5 years on frame, 3 years on parts/components, 1 year on labor
- Color: black + yellow
As the name suggests, the IN10CT Curved Manual Treadmill is a heavy-duty health runner suited for high “in-ten-sity” training. It has been optimized to meet the physical demands of prolonged and intense commercial gym use. Thanks to sturdy steel frame construction which offers so much toughness and durability to the structure.
At 74.8”L x 39.37” W x 25.98” H, it’s a huge treadmill, which is exactly what we expect of a machine of this category and price tag. This is accompanied by a roomy 61” x 17.16”, designed to provide you all the space you need to freestyle without restrictions.
Covering the deck is a slatted running belt with pulley track system built to prevent the belt from moving off track.
The IN10CT Health Runner weighs 330 lbs and has a user weight capacity of 400 lbs. These give us the needed assurance of a sturdy and durable construction.
To add more depth and direction to your workout, the IN10CT Treadmill uses a stylish LCD digital console to track your performance on time, distance, speed, calories burned, watt, pace, and pulse.
As with every other curved manual treadmill, the IN10CT Health Runner is non-motorized. It relies on physical energy and allows you to gather momentum yourself without being limited by dependence on speed and incline settings of conventional treadmills. As you walk or run on it, each foot strike propels the belt forward. The frequency and strength of your stride determines the speed of the moving belt and, subsequently, the intensity of your workout.
The treadmill has no electrical components, as well. This not only saves you money, but also makes it convenient to use anywhere, anytime.
The IN10CT Curved Manual Treadmill is popularly identified as the solution for therapy fitness, rehabilitation, high speed, HIIT, weight loss, and group training. This makes it a special choice for high-performance athletes and persons are serious about their physical fitness.
Interestingly, it’s on the lower side of the price scale, which is a very good opportunity to take advantage of.
The warranty is great: 5 years on frame, 3 years on parts & components, and 1 year on labor.
4. SpeedFit Speedboard Pro XL
SPECS:
- Manufacturer/brand: SpeedFit
- Dimensions: 67” L x 33” W x 72” H
- Surface width: 17” wide
- Weight: 325 lbs
- Weight capacity: 400/800 lbs (running/walking)
- Digital monitor: YES
- Price: $4,999
- Rating: 5/5
- Warranty: 10 years, 5 years on belt, 3 years on other parts
- Color: black+ silver
In a situation where all options look almost equally promising, seemingly small details can make the difference—that unique quality that marks one item distinct from the rest.
For the SpeedFit Speedboard Pro XL, there are quite a couple outstanding features.
For the records, SpeedFit holds legitimate bragging rights as the original designer and first developer of a Curved Treadmill. They hold more than 10 patents on the curved treadmill industry.
Means anything to you?
Well, as with any trailblazing achievement, this automatically gives them some edge as pioneers.
But SpeedFit aren’t one to thrive majorly on established reputation.
SpeedFit has a customer-centric approach to their manual treadmill construction. Of all the treadmills on our list, the SpeedFit Speedboard ProXL offers the most simplified operation and the best user experience. This makes it especially fond with beginners.
If you aren’t sure about how to get started on their fitness journey using a (manual) treadmill, the SpeedFit Speedboard is a great option for you to consider. It requires you to perform an initial short test of 10 minutes, after which it can recommend options from the built-in 5000 different workouts. These programs provide you reliable guidance and help you build confidence.
The SpeedFit Speedboard has dimensions 67” L x 33” W x 72” H and weighs 325 lbs, which are standard commercial measurements. With impressive weight capacities of 400 lbs for running and 800 lbs for walking, it can be described as a large and heavy-duty unit for serious fitness enthusiasts.
The 17-inch wide standard size deck features a shock-absorbing tread belt. This surface cushioning is thickened to a 3/8-inch depth to reduce impact on your joints and muffle footfall noise.
The treadmill comes with a digital monitor, which tracks your workout time, distance, speed and calories burned. It also gives you access to the already mentioned built-in 5000 personal workouts, which comes after your session in a 10 minutes test.
Rear wheels help you move the unit when necessary. However, the Speedboard Pro XL is neither a folding design treadmill nor one that will be easy to move regularly from room to room. We suggest you find a permanent space for it.
The SpeedFit Speedboard ProXL sells for $4,999, which is a mid-range price for a curved treadmill. The price is justified—beginner-friendly, great weight capacity, tracking monitor, and limitless personalized workout programs. The last two features are not always present in curved manual treadmills and should be considered bonuses.
The manufacturers’ warranty is attractive and reassuring: 10 years on frame, 5 years on belt, and 3 years on other parts.
5. SB Fitness Equipment CT400
SPECS:
- Manufacturer/brand: SB Fitness
- Dimensions: 64” L x 31” W x (unspecified) H
- Surface width: 17” wide
- Weight: 350 lbs
- Weight capacity: UNSPECIFIED
- Digital monitor: YES
- App & Bluetooth: YES (soon to be released)
- Price: $2,895
- Rating: 5/5
- Warranty: Lifetime on frame, 5 years on parts, 1 labor
- Color: black
The SB Fitness Curved Treadmill engages all of a user’s running muscles to propel the belt. By comparison, this produces a far more superior natural feel and quicker results than a flat motor-driven treadmill.
The SB Fitness is ideal for HIIT workouts, CrossFit training, running, and any other type of program that enhances athletic performance and physical conditioning.
There are no built-in controls for speed and incline, which makes it easy to do any move above or below possible preset level without restrictions.
Sprint, prowl-push, run backward, or walk—all in the same spot on a spacious 17-inch wide running surface. Don’t worry about accidentally stepping off the surface; there’s just so much room to express yourself.
And with an assembly weight of 350 lbs, the unit dares you to bring on what you’ve got. This commercial-grade treadmill is sturdy and durable enough to withstand any pressure while minimizing the strain on your joints with a special shock-absorbing and sound-cushioning deck technology.
The ergonomically designed handles have been lowered on purpose to eliminate any chances of your arms hitting the bars (which can break your flow) while you are at the peak of your workout. Some of these details can seem minute, but not until you actually begin to experience them first-hand will you realize that they can add up to or detract from a wholesome user experience.
Additionally, the handles have been well-padded to improve your grip strength and comfort at every level of your workout.
The Xtreme Monkey treadmill costs about $6000. It comes with a solid warranty, which covers the frame for a lifetime, parts/components for 5 years, and labor for 1 year.
We recommend the SB Fitness Curved Treadmill for serious workouts.
6. WOODWAY Curve
SPECS:
- Manufacturer/brand: WOODWAY/ WOODWAY Curve Trainer
- Dimensions: 70” L x 33” W x 73” H
- Surface width: 56” x 17”
- Weight: 355 lbs
- Weight capacity: 400/800 lbs (running/walking)
- Digital monitor: YES – LED display (standard); 10” HD display (optional/customizable)
- Price: $5,199
- Rating: 5/5
- Warranty: 10 years on frame & belt, 3 years on all components, 1 year on labor
- Color: black
I’m tempted to admit this would be my top pick if I was a buyer. No personal biases, we have featured the best curved treadmills on our list, but the WOODWAY Treadmill impresses me the most.
Here’s why.
First off, this treadmill is one of 3 amazing “Curve Series” of treadmills: The Curve Trainer (our model in review), the Curve XL, (popular among sports teams and in military environments), and the Curve FTG (the newest of the series).
Our model, the Curve Trainer is a compact self-propelled unit designed for fitness enthusiasts at all levels who want to boost performance and improve health.
Non-motorized and speed control-free, there are no limitations to your workout. This means you can train as fast, long, and hard as you want. Giving you sole responsibility for the intensity of your workout makes the Curve Trainer ideal for speed development and HIIT training.
The unit stands at 70” L x 33” W x 73” H, one of the largest among treadmills on our list. It comes with a 56” x 17” deck, which provides generous space for all your treadmill workouts. The deck is well-padded with a 3/8-inch thick shock-absorbing cushion, designed to help you train comfortably in longer durations.
The machine’s sturdy 355 lbs mass can hold up to 400 lbs for running and 800 lbs for walking. These are very impressive numbers, built for all user weight categories.
The customizable performance monitoring system comes with two choices: An LED display board (built-in) and a 10-inch HD touchscreen (optional). Basically, both keep track of your time, distance, speed, calories burned, and pulse.
The WOODWAY Curve’s manufacturer offering is supported with an attractive warranty: 10 years on frame & belt, 3 years on all components, and 1 year on labor.
User reviews from professional communities and casual users have been generally positive, with ratings at mostly 5-STARS.
We couldn’t agree more.
7. Technogym SkillMill
SEE AT AMAZON
SPECS:
- Manufacturer/brand: TECHNOGYM; SkillMill
- Dimensions: 75” L x 35” W x 61” H
- Running surface: 66.1” x 18.9”
- Weight: 396.8 lbs
- Weight capacity: 400/800 lbs (running/walking)
- Digital monitor: YES – 7” LCD display (backlit)
- App & Bluetooth: YES
- Accessories included: YES – phone holder and water bottle holder
- Price: $8,560
- Rating: 5/5
- Warranty: 2 years on parts & labor each (5-year extension available)
- Color: black
For openers, SkillMill’s manufacturers, TECHNOGYM, are an official fitness equipment supplier to the Olympics.
The makers also tell us that SKILLMILL™ is “…the first machine to allow everyday athletes to improve their power, speed, stamina, and agility in a single product.”
These highlight not only the treadmill’s towering prestige but also its functional versatility.
SkillMill is a non-motorized curved treadmill that uses the physical power of the user to set the belt in motion. With the unique curved surface, users can get the most intense workouts they could ever imagine on a treadmill. It supports training at all levels of experience and intensities of use.
There are no speed controls, which mean that the pace of the workout depends on you. Move further up the curved incline to increase speed and further down toward the incline behind you to decrease speed. Stop running to bring the running belt to a stop.
It features a patented Multidrive Technology which allows users to try out several combinations of speed and resistance using a simple operation lever. Just hop onto the deck and match on toward your fitness goal.
With the SkillMill’s drive system, you can add interesting variations to your routine to give a more intense workout, rounded user experience, and rewarding results.
It allows you to perfect-push traction, rotation, locomotion, flexion, squat, and sinking while protecting you from incorrect posture and potential injuries.
All these are supported by a large 75” L x 35” W x 61” H frame with a heavy-duty 396.8 lbs mass. The running and walking user weight capacities stand at 400 lbs and 800 lbs, respectively.
An intuitive 7-inch LCD backlit screen console shows the results of your workout, helping you track your time, distance, speed, calories and pulse via a featured Bluetooth® Smart.
In addition to the Bluetooth connectivity, the treadmill allows option for integrated next-level Apps, which takes your workout out of your confined space into an online world. There, you can engage in virtual tours around the globe, join live tutorial classes, or participate in community competitions with other fitness enthusiasts from around world.
Regarding accessories, the treadmill comes with one holder for your phone and another for your water bottle. With these conveniences, you can easily take calls or access treadmill apps as well as stay hydrated throughout your training session.
The SkillMill is the most expensive option on our list, but it’s safe to say it’s justified, considering that it offers more than any other listed item here.
The warranty is good but not great: 2 years on parts & labor each (5-year extension available).
We recommend this treadmill for anyone who wants more than a basic curved treadmill workout—something that offers extra convenience and supports interactive online fitness contents via apps.
Curved Treadmill Vs Traditional Flat-Deck—construction
Straight away, the curved treadmill is visually distinct from the flat deck treadmill. A curved treadmill has a characteristic minimalist design and a concave deck (U-shaped top), while the conventional treadmill is often more complex (functionally speaking) and has a level surface.
Interestingly, their unique structures have direct relationships on their mechanics in relation to you, the user, and the benefits you reap out of your workout on either treadmill type. More on these in the following categories.
Curved Treadmill Vs Traditional Flat-Deck—mechanics
Curved (manual) treadmills differ from flat motorized treadmills, in that they do not always have motors. They rely on the user’s physical efforts to get the tread belt moving, whereas, a flat-deck treadmill always comes with a motor to power the unit.
A curved treadmill relies on user-generated power to get the belt moving as you step and match on it continuously. This means that the machine is powered manually by you and you alone.
Step onto the front upper side of the machine and pull downward to propel the belt. Start out slowly, increasing the frequency of your strides to keep the belt moving at your desired tempo. The belt accelerates or decelerates according to the combined pace and intensity of you foot falls. Match further up the arc, the belt moves faster to propel you to a higher speed. Once your stride reduces, your speed drops. To stop, simply stop.
It’s a very smart mechanism. No motor, no controls—just you.
On the other hand, a traditional flat-top treadmill relies on motor and automatic controls for speed, incline, cadence, and lots of other settings that take some naturalness and intensity out of the workout.
Let’s examine how these can impact your workout.
Curved Treadmill Vs Traditional Flat-Deck—benefits
In comparison to the traditional flat treadmill, a manual curved treadmill offers the following benefits:
- Targets more muscle groups
The natural arc of this treadmill’s deck exerts pressure on the leg muscles and the posterior chain (calves, hamstrings, gluteus maximi, latissimus dorsi and erector spinae muscles), pushing them to work harder and get stronger.
- Burn more calories
More effort is required with each stride on the manual curved treadmill to keep the belt moving. As a self-powered treadmill, you have to work harder than you would on a motor-driven system (which does a significant part the job for you).
However, this is a welcoming challenge, as it facilitates tremendous caloric burn and improved body conditioning.
- More endurance boost
A strong tie-in to the preceding category, the curved treadmill’s self-powering drive system tests your cardio tank, challenging you for improved aerobic capacity, more so than a flat-deck treadmill.
Also, the treadmill has no preset speed or intensity control, which means that you can hike up your pace to any possible level without limitations. On the other hand, a conventional treadmill can be a hindrance to certain individuals who might wish to train above the built-in speed limit.
- Better running technique / posture
The concave deck encourages users to apply proper running technique. This requires you to stand taller with a straight back, pushed out your knees and foot for balance, as you land softly on the balls of your foot with each stride.
Proper running form helps improve your cardio health and running pace. It also reducing impact on your joints and helps you improve body posture.
This is in stark contrast to running on a flat surface, which will often induce an undesired forward lean that can add extra pressure to your joins or lead to inefficient run due to unbalanced frame.
- Save you on energy bills
Unlike normal treadmills, the curved models don’t operate on electricity, so the issue of accruing charges does not exist.
- Easier to use / more focused
Without too many moving parts, features, buttons/controls, and accessories, any gym equipment will be easier to use. This is the case with a curved manual treadmill which helps narrow down your focus.
Additionally, this minimalist design also accounts for easier maintenance.
Final thoughts
Reading through this review, one might be forced to wonder why curved treadmills are so expensive. As in, even curved non-motorized treadmills on the lower side of the pricing scale are more expensive than (or just about same price as) the high-end versions of traditional flat motorized treadmills. Why? And are they even worth the bother?
Let’s address these concerns.
To begin with, it’s important to keep in mind that curved non-motorized treadmills are a new trend in the market. For this reason, only a few companies produce them at the moment. These are not only manufacturers with the capital but also the best companies in the industry. This simply means that budget companies just haven’t yet entered the scene to compete.
The next reasons answer the second question: “Are they (curved manual treadmills) even worth the bother?”
YES, depending on what you’re looking to get out of your treadmill workout.
At this point, it’s important to remember how a curved deck treadmill works.
A curved manual treadmill challenges the user’s capabilities to the max, relying solely on the runner’s physical energy to power and keep the belt moving. It requires you to multiply your work rate several times and burns more body fat in a given time than a flat automatic model. This makes it an enticing option for serious runners who want more workout gains in less time.
For every benefit offered by a conventional flat treadmill, the curved manual treadmill goes multiple steps ahead. If you’re still unsure about whether a curved manual treadmill is right for you, then check out the following amazing benefits.
- Engages more muscle groups
- Uses more energy
- Burns more calories
- Free of restrictions on speed, incline, and cadence settings
- Very simple operation
- Safer to use and more environmentally friendly
- Simulates best real road experience
- Helps you run more naturally
- Saves you on electricity bills since they’re manually operated
- Requires almost no maintenance (with a minimalist design)
- Lasts much longer
- Long & effective warranties
All these said, we are convinced that the curved manual treadmill lives every inch up to the hype, and is worth the asking price.
Meanwhile, which of our 7 best curved treadmills would be your favorite pick?
Daniel Amankwah is a fitness expert for 4EvaFit Lifestyle, personal fitness coach, personal trainer, blogger, and a motivational speaker living in Acton, Massachusetts. His affection for a healthy lifestyle has penetrated through the noise in the health, fitness industry and empowers people to create sustainable prescriptions for lasting health, happiness, and confidence.
A background as a business researcher coupled with a personal passion for fitness help brings our readership a thoughtful curation fitness guide and fitness product review. His burning desire is to share his fitness experience and offer some encouragement to anyone that is working to better themselves physically through healthy eating habits and being active.
As a visionary, his vision is a world where daily acts of self-love and care are a regular part of life.
