Bowflex Treadmill 22 Review

Something you don’t find often, the new Bowflex Treadmill 22 gives you not only incline training capability but also decline training.

You get up to 20% incline, which is 5% more than you get on the Bowflex Treadmill 10, and down to -5% decline.

Incline and decline training allow you to not only ramp up your cardio but also target different muscle groups in your lower body that you couldn’t hit otherwise. So it adds another dimension to your routine, allowing you to walk, jog or run uphill and downhill…so it’s closer to an outdoor running experience.

As we mentioned, only NordicTrack has offered decline training up until now, and the NordicTrack Commercial X22i is a close competitor as far as overall specs.

Another new feature that Bowflex did not offer previously is a touch screen…NordicTrack has been offering them for years and now Bowflex does as well.

The T22, as you may have guessed, has a 22″ HD touchscreen, which is adjustable so you can find the ideal viewing angle. The NordicTrack X22i has a similarly sized touch screen, as does its Commercial 2950 model.

What separates the Bowflex Treadmill 22 from similar models at NordicTrack is the fact that you can access additional fitness apps on top of its own JRNY program, as well as stream Netflix, Hulu, Prime and others. NordicTrack currently does not offer that capability with its iFit program…but of course that could change as the companies are always trying to one up each other.

On the touch screen you can see your workout stats, watch shows and movies, or tap into the huge library of on-demand workouts through JRNY, which is a membership program for Bowflex users. They often offer a couple of months for free, so be on the lookout for that.

Both the Treadmill 10 and Treadmill 22 give you wireless heart rate monitoring and include a free armband that works via Bluetooth. This is another separator as similarly priced treadmills typically only come with grip heart rate, which is less accurate than wireless.

This gives you the ability to measure your heart rate effectively and ensure that you are in your ideal zone throughout your workout.

As we mentioned above, Bowflex offers their own subscription program called JRNY, which helps to keep you motivated to reach your overall fitness goals.

They are constantly adding new features and capabilities, so by the time you are reading this review they might have added even more, but here’s what you currently get.

JRNY includes workouts that adapt to your fitness level, destinations around the world to virtually train in, workout assessments, virtual coaching, on-demand classes, music playlists, tracking, sharing and rewards.

After the free trial you can choose from a monthly or a yearly membership, and the cost is usually very reasonable.

The Bowflex Treadmill 22 comes with easy folding capability, a large 22″ x 60″ runner’s deck, WiFi and Bluetooth, 400 lb. maximum user weight capacity, water bottle holder, speakers, media shelf and transport wheels.

Just like on the Bowflex Treadmill 10 and BXT8J, the 22 comes with just a 15 year warranty on the frame and motor. It’s better than most, but it would be nice to see lifetime coverage, at least on the more expensive Bowflex Treadmill 22.

You do however get 5 years on parts and 2 years on labor, which is very good and better than most of the competition, including NordicTrack.

So far the Bowflex Treadmill 22 is looking to be a big seller for the company. They finally have a treadmill that can compete well with NordicTrack’s offerings…so this might well be a game changer.

Although it isn’t cheap at just under $3,000, it might just be worth it for all that it has to offer. Just to recap, you get a huge HD touch screen, incline and decline training, unlimited JRNY workouts, large cushioned deck, streaming capability, wireless heart rate monitoring and so much more.

If you want to save a little bit, check out the Bowflex Treadmill 10 as well. That model is very similar except it has a 10″ touch screen and slightly less incline capability. Otherwise it’s got just about everything its big brother has.

You can save even more with the entry level BXYT8J, but that one lacks the touch screen and built in entertainment capability.