LifeSpan Fitness TR800-DT5 Treadmill Desk Review

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The LifeSpan Fitness TR800-DT5 treadmill desk is an upgraded version of the TR800-DT3 under-desk treadmill, and part of the same collection that also features the top-of-the-line TR800-DT7.

Designed as a light-use treadmill (up to 3 hours per day), this is the first model with a TR800 base that also offers a professionally-styled, height adjustable workstation.

So is this the best treadmill desk for your budget and fitness goals, or does one of the TR1200 machines represent better value for money?

In this review we’ll be comparing the TR800-DT5 with other LifeSpan Fitness treadmill desks, as well as some of the most popular designs from companies such as NordicTrack, Exerpeutic, and ProForm.

Design and safety features

LifeSpan currently produce 3 types of treadmill desk – the under-desk treadmill (DT3), manual height adjustment (DT5), and electric height adjustment (DT7).

This makes the TR800-DT5 an excellent option for single-user environments, where you’re not going to be adjusting the height on a regular basis.

If more than one person will be using the treadmill desk, and one person is taller than the other, you may want to consider the TR800-DT7. LifeSpan’s DT7 series also allows you to store up to 2 desk height settings in memory, making it much quicker and more convenient to get setup.

That being said, you can still choose from a wide range of desk height settings if you buy the TR800-DT5, which provides support for users from 4’10” to 6’8″ tall.

As with the majority of their desk treadmills, LifeSpan have marked the belt to help you identify when it’s in motion. This is just one of 3 safety features provided by LifeSpan, which also includes a safety key, and their Intelli-Guard™ technology.

Intelli-Guard™ and Intelli-Step™
Although the belt can’t be powered to the same speeds as traditional treadmills (provides a 0.4 mph to 4 mph speed range), it’s still important to consider personal safety when working and walking.

Intelli-Guard™ is LifeSpan’s safety feature, which will automatically pause the belt movement if it doesn’t sense your foot fall after 20 seconds.

Intelli-Step™ works as an accurate pedometer, sensing your steps and displaying constant feedback of your total step count via the LED display on the console.

This can be a great way to increase your total step count for the day, which is one of the American Heart Association’s top recommendations for improving heart and overall health.

Many of the remaining features are the same as you’ll find on most LifeSpan desk treadmills, including the 2-ply belt, quiet motor, and deck suspension system that uses 6 independent compression shocks to reduce the impact on your joints.

This is the same technology that you’ll find on the earlier TR800-DT3, which also shares the same 2 HP continuous duty motor. That’s because both designs use the same TR800 treadmill as a base, with the difference in price attributed to the DT5 also including the adjustable desk.

The walking area remains narrower than the TR1200 and TR5000 treadmill bases, measuring 18″W x 52″L. This makes it a better option for anyone that wants to make the best use of space but still be able to switch between sitting and standing.

As for the desk, the work surface measures 29″L x 38″W, and the height can be adjusted through 16 settings in 1″ increments.

Display console features

The DT-5 treadmill desk includes a range of ergonomic design features, which help improve your physical health and improve your productivity when walking.

Although the separate console on the earlier DT3 model was lightweight and compact enough to easily move around, in our opinion having the screen in a fixed position makes viewing workout feedback much more intuitive.

Because the console is built into the edge of the desk, LifeSpan have been able to add foam-injected ergonomic arm rests, which help prevent injuries commonly associated with using a keyboard for extended periods (carpal tunnel, wrist pain, R.S.I.).

The console itself uses a combination of digital LED’s and a single screen to provide feedback for the number of steps taken, distance, workout duration, and number of calories burned.

Because it’s Bluetooth enabled, you can also wirelessly sync and track activity data using the Active Trac app and online health management program (LifeSpan Fitness Club). This provides a complete graphical overview of your workout data, and is also Apple Health and Google Fit enabled.

Compared to full spec treadmills designed for running and cardio workouts, the features might seem slightly limited. There are no speakers, cooling fan, quick-select buttons, or entertainment options. But you do still have the option to pause your workout, scroll through display readings, and input your weight for a more accurate calculation of the number of calories burned.

The desk itself has also been fitted with base levellers to compensate for any slightly uneven floors, as well as a snap cover for keeping any cables tidy and conveniently placed adjustment knobs for setting the height.

Workout programs and user profiles

If you’re thinking about buying a new treadmill for running and cardio workouts, the number of workout apps available probably features highly on your list of priorities.

But unlike the NordicTrack commercial treadmills, where you have up to 35 preset workouts and hundreds more to choose from on iFit, the LifeSpan Fitness TR800-DT5 doesn’t have any built-in programs.

It’s not because of the lower belt speed, as many of the Bowflex TreadClimbers have a similar top speed but also have a range of goal oriented workouts.

The main goal of a treadmill desk is to allow you to combine work with exercise, in a way that’s subtle enough that you can maintain productivity while still improving your personal fitness.

There’s a certain level of personalization that’s possible through entering your weight for more accurate feedback, and syncing your workout results to the active Trac app. But there are no incline options, user profiles, or many of the other high-end features you expect to find on many modern treadmills.

Ease of assembly

Although you don’t have the same convenient folding SpaceSaver design as some of the NordicTrack fitness equipment, LifeSpan still do an excellent job with pre-assembly.

The main TR800 treadmill base arrives ready to use straight out of the box, while the desk itself has been broken down and flat packed into 4 main parts – the lift frame, desktop, and the left and right base feet.

Due to the weight of the desk (110 lbs), LifeSpan recommend you have someone available to assist you with the heavy lifting, which can also prove incredibly useful when connecting the lift frame to the base feet.

With the TR800-DT5 fully assembled, all that’s left is to level the work surface using the adjustable feet, adjust the desk height, and attach the safety key. The entire process shouldn’t take much more than 30 minutes.

Each assembly step is clearly explained in the user manual, and it’s not as complex as some cardio equipment, such as ellipticals or stair climbers. But if you don’t have the time or inclination to setup the treadmill desk yourself, Amazon do offer an alternative.

Professional exercise equipment assembly is one of the latest additions to the ‘Amazon home services’ collection, which also includes categories for everything from painting and plumbing, through to appliance installation and computer repair.

You can find more information about the exercise equipment assembly service on the Amazon website.

What’s covered by the warranty?