CALIFORNIA FITNESS MALIBU 12T TREADMILL REVIEW
CALIFORNIA FITNESS MALIBU 12T TREADMILL REVIEW
OVERVIEW
Some of us accept nothing less than training like a pro at home. The Malibu 12T is specifically built for the indoor workout purist who settles for only the very best of what commercial-grade treadmills for home use have to offer.
Boasting a large touchscreen, lots of connectivity for your favorite music and online browsing, you just cannot beat the 12T’s luxurious feel that might even put some of today’s commercial-use only treadmills to shame. Plug in your smartphone, your portable mp3 player or an iPod and walk or run to your favorite tunes within seconds. Plus the 10-year parts warranty and lifetime warranty is nothing to complain about.
WHAT THE 12T IS ALL ABOUT
The Malibu 12T has been built for the serious athlete in mind, who doesn’t mind dishing out extra cash for superior materials and durability that could easily last a lifetime. The heavy-duty suspension on this thing is one of the best we’ve tested to date, while the 8 HP motor lets you sprint at speeds in excess of 25 MPH.
This is treadmill engineering redefined. The Malibu 12T is the perfect home workout companion for anyone who’s looking for an unmatched indoor running experience with a top-of-the-line commercial-grade treadmill under their feet.
The 24 inch LCD screen comes ready with Bluetooth functionality and allows you to download workout programs of your choice. Connectivity with Apple and Android phones comes standard, along with iPods and iPads. Feed unlimited user profiles and pick a Quick Start setting that best suits your training goals according to the user profile.
Malibu’s 12T luxury treadmill can make for a very nice addition to your home gym. Not only that, you can save your knees from undue stress that’s typically encountered while running outdoors – the suspension gives you more than ample cushioning, giving the feeling of walking on air.
OUR FAVORITE FEATURES
- Durability; we can’t get over how durable this thing is! After a 30+ minute session of intense running and incline walking, the treadmill barely broke a sweat. No heating issues and the belt continued to run as smooth as butter. Unbelievable!
- The 12T has one powerful son-of-a-gun motor in it! You really need to push yourself hard just to witness how robust and well-built the power unit is.
- Outstanding suspension; we barely felt any knee stress as we tested it with a 45-minute long-distance run
NOTABLE FEATURES
- Top quality commercial-level treadmill for home use
- Near-unlimited user profiles
- 10-year warranty on parts; lifetime warranty on steel frame and motor
- Compatible with smartphones including devices such as iPod and iPad
- 24 inch touchscreen allows for easy access
- Quiet but powerful 8 HP motor
- Surface absorption relieves up to 70% stress on joints
- Thick and study handrails for safety
- Easily accessible Emergency Stop button
- Can withstand user weight of up to 440 lbs
OUR LEAST FAVORITE FEATURES
- For such a large touchscreen and the price, we feel it could have had more presets or the option to modify the existing presets, rather than having to create one from scratch
- One of the most expensive treadmills on the market and with good reason. Its great value for money, but it’s simply not accessible to majority of avid indoor runners.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Don’t let the price tag hold you back – if you want to invest in a heavy-duty treadmill that’s built to last and packs a ton of features, this is one of the best you can currently get, hands down.
PROS
- Top of the line treadmill in the $6,999 price range
- Highly durable
- Superior materials and luxurious feel; truly a heavy-duty treadmill
- Smooth running surface has more than ample cushioning
- Commercial grade suspension keeps knees safe from hours of heavy pounding
- Powerful 8 HP motor
- All the extras come standard including large a touchscreen, WiFi and iPod connectivity, forged steel frame, etc
- Lifetime warranty on steel frame
CONS
- Tad pricey; appealing to only indoor running purists
- Doesn’t really look like a 7-grand treadmill;
- From a purely aesthetic standpoint, design could be more high-end and luxurious