Nordictrack T6.5si Treadmill Review – A Good Buy for You?

February 19, 2022October 22, 2022 FitnessEquipmentGuide cheap, folding, under $1500

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The Nordictrack T6.5si treadmill is the starter model in the affordable T-Series of treadmills.

The T-series has been discontinued. However Nordictrack occasionally brings the T6.5 model back for sales or closeouts.

Sitting around the $1000 price point – and with a full-color, touch-screen console, it’s quite attractive if you’re on a budget.

And with iFit Coach, you can run trails all over the world and watch famous landmarks pass you by in the screen for some virtual-reality fun.

So is this treadmill a good choice for you? How does it stack up?

Here’s a review of what you need to know to help you decide:

Treadmill Specs:

Price: $1099 + Click to Get Free Shipping

Motor: 2.6 CHP

Incline: 0 – 10%

Belt: 20 x 55″

User Weight Capacity: 300 lbs

Footprint: 67.5” L x 36” W

Folding? Yes

Warranty: 10 Years on Frame, 2 years on parts, 1 year on labor

Nordictrack T6.5SI Treadmill Review – Key Benefits:

Full-Color, HD Console

Nordictrack used to save their full-color consoles only for their commercial-grade, ultra-expensive models. So it’s a very cool feature to find on the T6.5si treadmill.

Plus at 10 inches across, it’s actually larger than older T-series models.

There’s also one-touch speed and incline buttons on the sides for quick, on-the-fly changes.

Another nice touch?

While Nordictrack doesn’t really advertise this, there’s a small shelf under the screen where you can put your tablet or phone (if it’s not too thick).

So you can watch Youtube videos or go online with your tablet or phone as you run. Be aware however that this might cover the console screen.

Explore the World with iFit

The Nordictrack T6.5 treadmill comes iFit Coach compatible. With iFit Coach you take your treadmill online and from there you can download thousands of new video workouts.

For example, you can run famous trails all over the world – from the shores of Hawaii to the streets of Paris. As you run, you’ll watch real landmarks pass you by in your console screen for some virtual reality fun.

Don’t want to run by yourself? No worries.

You can also choose from a large selection of personal-trainer-led video workouts. The trainers will lead you through famous walking or running trails, coaching you through your workout and pointing out famous landmarks along your journey.

Want some workout variety?

Take a high-energy studio fitness class from your treadmill console. These workouts also include yoga, boot camps, HIIT training, strength training and more.

There are over 16,000 workouts in the iFit library – so you’ll never run out of new things to try!

Adjustable Cushioning

Choose your level of cushioning protection on this treadmill. Turn the cushioning up for more protection for your joints, hips, back and knees.

Or for a more road-like, firmer deck feel, turn the cushioning dampeners down.

Folding To Save Space

The treadmill folds up easily and locks into place to save you space. It’s also a shock-assisted lift to save the strain on your back.

Stay in Your Target Heart Rate Zone

The T6.5 treadmill comes with a hand-grip EKG heart rate monitor in front of the console. You can grasp this to easily get a heart rate reading as you walk.

Since Nordictrack – and several other brands – are removing the hand-grip sensors (lots of people are going to wireless monitors now), it’s nice to find on this treadmill.

Incline-Matching Technology

You get from 0 – 10% power incline on the T6.5si treadmill. You can control the incline with the push of a button from your console.

And when you’re running an iFit world trail, the treadmill will actually raise and lower to match the incline of the terrain for a more realistic training experience.

Nordictrack T6.5Si Review – Any Drawbacks?

Shorter Belt

The 55-inch belt is standard and should be fine for most people. But if you’re taller or have long legs, you might want to upgrade to a Nordictrack model with a 60-inch belt.

Incline Limits

The 10% incline is what you’d expect with a starter treadmill. But if you’re in good shape already, you might find it not high or challenging enough.

In that case it might be better to consider one of the commercial treadmills like the Commercial 1750 with up to 15% incline – or one of the incline trainers like the X22i with up to 40% incline.

Model Name Confusion

Nordictrack made several other T6.5 models that are still floating around. They have different specs than the T6.5 si treadmill. One of these models for example doesn’t have the full-color console, but only a much smaller, dual-color console.

So it can be confusing for shoppers. Make sure you know exactly which T6.5 treadmill model you’re getting before you buy (ie. check the console.)

Bottom Line?

If you’re looking for an affordable Nordictrack treadmill with some fun perks, the Nordictrack T6.5si treadmill might be worth considering.

While it’s a starter treadmill, you do still get the full-color console where you can run trails all over the world – or take classes from your home with iFit. Plus it folds up to save you space and you can stay in your target heart rate zone with the EKG heart rate sensors.

Overall it would be great for walkers. Runners might want to look at something a bit stronger like EXP10i or Commercial 1750.