| Pretty much everyone on the planet over the | | | | the NordicTrack machines has increased |
| age of 15 has heard of the inimitable | | | | drastically and has forced all reviewers to |
| NordicTrack Ski Machines. A wildly popular | | | | re-examine the brand. Icon has created a |
| and original machine that has been around | | | | series that hits right at the sweet spot |
| forever and continues to hold a small devoted | | | | price points (below $1000, $1500-2000, and |
| fan base much like Saab or Volvo. If you | | | | sub $3000). Brands that have previously |
| have ever tried out one of their skiers, you | | | | dominated these ranges, especially the higher |
| would not forget your first time. I remember | | | | ones, need to watch out for these new |
| the feeling that I was on ice before I wildly | | | | products that could grow to dominate them in |
| grabbed hold of the frame in order to keep | | | | their own ballparks. Icon has the best |
| myself from achieving a horizontal position | | | | distribution and most efficient manufacturing |
| on the floor. I've seen people put the skis | | | | in the industry, these two facts alone mean |
| through walls, dogs and cats start living | | | | that they can deliver far greater value than |
| together, the dawn of the | | | | the competition, and now that they have |
| apocalypse…well maybe I'm being overly | | | | turned their focus on to higher quality their |
| dramatic. It should suffice to say that | | | | brands-especially NordicTrack-could put the |
| learning to use one of their skiers is akin | | | | old guard in a world of hurt. |
| to riding a bicycle. It is not the easiest | | | | |
| thing to learn but once you learn it, you | | | | The consumers need look no further than the |
| have it for life. Towards the end of the run | | | | new NordicTrack S3000 treadmill to prove this |
| of the original NordicTrack company, they | | | | point. The machine retails for roughly $2700 |
| branched off into weight trainers, electric | | | | and delivers higher quality than brands like |
| treadmills, manual treadmills, and some | | | | Landice and Lifefitness in this price point. |
| products that we won't discuss because to do | | | | In Ellipticals NordicTrack tends to shoot |
| so would border on verbal pornography. | | | | lower in the price categories and the prices |
| | | | most of its models are between $700 and |
| The brand was bought by Icon Fitness after | | | | $1500. These are really strong market prices |
| the bankruptcy of the original NordicTrack | | | | and along with their quality improvements |
| company in 1998 and they have since moved the | | | | should put NordicTrack in a dominating |
| lineup into more mainstream sales venues such | | | | position. The only Achilles heel of the |
| as Sears. The name holds a certain level of | | | | brand remains in the area of service. Like |
| cache and Icon has taken advantage of this to | | | | many big companies, think of your local cable |
| bump up into higher pricing brackets than | | | | company, Icon does not have the |
| most of their other brands could attain. | | | | responsiveness of many of the smaller |
| Unfortunately, until a few years ago the | | | | companies. In the past, it has been a |
| price was the only thing about these machines | | | | headache dealing with Icon if you had a |
| that was high. If you had one of the | | | | problem and that fact was exacerbated by the |
| original EXP1000 machines, our sympathies are | | | | fact that their machines were not made with |
| with you. They had problems with everything | | | | the quality that they are today. Icon has |
| from the plastic parts, to electronic | | | | made a big push to improve in this area so |
| grounding problems, to failed consoles. It | | | | we'll see if the changes have had the desired |
| wasn't a pretty picture. | | | | effect. Time will tell but if they get their |
| | | | act together in service, many companies will |
| We believe the big driver of this changeover | | | | go the way of the dodo. |
| has been Johnson. The maker of the Horizon | | | | |
| brand has given the large sales venues an | | | | Check out some reviews of the NordicTrack |
| alternative and while Johnson was producing | | | | Treadmills and Ellipticals before you take a |
| higher end machines for the US market and | | | | trip to go buy a new piece of equipment and |
| moving down in price point, some of the | | | | see what you think. The most important |
| quality carried over. Not to say Johnson | | | | factor in your new treadmill or elliptical is |
| hasn't had their own missteps, but overall | | | | what you think. If it feels good, you will |
| they have been a big reason why everyone has | | | | be more likely to use it and that's the most |
| had to step up in quality, including Icon. | | | | important thing. You can have the best |
| | | | quality machine in the world but it doesn't |
| Over the past few years though the quality of | | | | do you any good if it isn't used regularly. |