LifeSpan Fitness TR800-DT7 Treadmill Desk Review

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The LifeSpan Fitness TR800-DT7 treadmill desk combines the entry level Tr800 treadmill with their top-of-the-line DT7 workstation, offering electric height adjustment.

However, as with the TR800-DT3 and TR800-DT5, LifeSpan have a recommended usage of no more than 3 hours of continuous use. That’s compared to 6 hours for the TR1200 models, and 10 hours for the TR5000.

But how do you know if the TR800-DT7 is the best light-use treadmill desk for your home or office, and what kind of upgrades could you expect from LifeSpan’s other top-of-the-line models (Tr1200-DT7 and TR5000-DT7).

In this review we’ll look at how effective the TR800-DT7 can be for increasing your physical activity, and how practical it is to combine walking with working.

Note: The TR800-DT7 has now been discontinued. The most affordable treadmill desk from LifeSpan to feature the electric desk height adjustment is the TR1200-DT7, which has been redesigned for 2016.

Design and safety features

With the LifeSpan Fitness treadmill desks, you’re looking at two possible areas for upgrades; the treadmill and the workstation. But because the TR800-DT7 uses the same TR800 treadmill base as the TR800-DT3 and TR800-DT5, you’re really only looking at upgrades in the desk.

This means you still have the same 2-ply tread belt, 18″W x 52″L walking surface, 2 HP high torque continuous duty motor, and 0.4-4.0 mph belt speed. It depends on how much space you have and whether you prefer to switch between walking and sitting while you work, but being 2-inches narrower than the TR1200 and TR5000 treadmills could be a useful advantage.

The strength and support of the treadmill deck is also rated the same as the other TR800 models, with a 300 lb weight capacity, 6″ step-up height, and desk suspension system with 6 variable density elastomers. These help to reduce the impact of your foot fall and limit the stress placed on your knee and ankle joints.

Although the desk height settings are the same as for the TR800-DT5, you can now switch between them electronically instead of manually. There are even 2 memory pre-sets to make it more convenient for multiple users, with a 36″ to 52″ desk height range that caters for users from 4’10” to 6’8″ tall.

The motor is also incredibly quiet, which is why LifeSpan have marked the belt to clearly show when it’s in motion. This silent motor operation and belt movement is what also helps improve focus and productivity in both home and office environments.

Unlike most treadmills designed purely for cardio workouts, the LifeSpan Fitness TR800-DT7 doesn’t offer any incline options. It’s actually surprisingly rare to find this as a feature on treadmill desks, and something we’ve only seen on a handful of models (Exerpeutic 2000 and NordicTrack Treadmill Desk).

Intelli-Step™ and Intelli-Guard™
In recent years we’ve seen an increase in the amount of technology that goes into a treadmill, not just at the console, but also inside the running deck.

For LifeSpan Fitness, this has meant introducing two new features, designed to improve the quality and safety of your workouts; Intelli-Step and Intelli-Guard. Both features are included with all LifeSpan Fitness treadmill desks.

Intelli-Step relies on a sensor to keep track of the number of steps you take, acting in a similar way to pedometers and personal fitness trackers. The count is then displayed on the console, which you can use as a form of progress tracking between sessions.

Intelli-Guard is more of a safety feature, and will automatically pause the belt if you step off the machine for more than 20 seconds. This is in addition to the safety key, which connects an item of your clothing to the console, then automatically stops the belt if the two become detached.

Display console features

As with the DT-5, the LifeSpan DT-7 desk features a display console built into the foam-injected arm rests, which help to reduce injuries associated with typing for extended periods.

This console is compact enough to stay out of the way while you work, yet still manages to provide feedback for the number of steps taken, distance walked, and number of calories burned. To conserve space, feedback is displayed on-screen one item at a time, with red LED lights used to indicate which metric the number relates to.

The desktop surface itself can support up to 180 lbs, with buttons on the console for switching between the 2 pre-set height settings. These also allow you to make manual adjustments and define new presets using the arrow buttons, which raises and lowers the desk at a rate of 38mm/second.

Unfortunately you don’t have any of the modern conveniences we’ve come to expect from pure treadmills, such as a cooling fan, speakers, and MP3 connectivity. You’re also not going to find any entertainment features, such as a touch screen, built-in web browser, or separate HDTV screen.

To improve affordability, LifeSpan have only included features that can enhance your personal fitness and increase productivity. This includes a workout data transfer via Bluetooth to your online LifeSpan Fitness Club profile.

You can track these workout results using the LifeSpan Active Trac app, which is available to download from iTunes and the Google Play store.

Workout programs and user profiles

Unlike traditional treadmills and incline trainers, treadmill desks won’t usually include a selection of workout programs. They’re designed simply as a way to combine light exercise with work and reduce the risk of health problems associated with sitting for long periods of time.

Even designs like the NordicTrack Treadmill Desk, which has a 10 mph top belt speed and 10% incline, don’t offer any preset workouts. The NordicTrack model has the added benefit of being a Spacesaver® design, where the treadmill base folds behind the desk to allow a desk chair to be rolled into its place.

Having to follow a workout that’s frequently adjusting the incline or belt speed can only have a negative impact on your concentration, which is why we don’t think a lack of preset programs is a bad thing.

The console doesn’t allow you to setup user profiles, but you can store up to 2 different desk height settings in memory, making it a better option for multi-user environments than the TR800-DT5.

Ease of assembly and maintenance

Although it may look like a complex and time consuming process, LifeSpan have done an excellent job of making the TR800-DT7 assembly quick and simple.

The treadmill arrives fully pre-assembled, while the desk assembly steps have been clearly explained in the user manual. However, due to the weight of the desk (130 lbs), they do recommend you have somebody else available to help you if possible.

Professional assembly services – Amazon and LifeSpan
An alternative to setting up the treadmill desk yourself is to purchase a professional assembly service, which is currently available through the LifeSpan Fitness website, as well as Amazon.

Both come with an additional fee, which is usually around $199 for the full ‘white glove’ package from LifeSpan (room of choice delivery, assembly, and removal of any packaging).

Amazon offer a similar service, but give you the option of searching through local companies to find the best deal, which can often be the most cost effective. You can also read reviews for most of the companies to find out more about the quality of their work.

Maintenance
For some fitness equipment, companies provide in-depth maintenance routines and lists of recommended products to use in order to keep your treadmill, elliptical, or rowing machine running smoothly.

For the LifeSpan TR800-DT7 there isn’t a specific section in the user manual for maintenance, but it’s advisable to follow the basic steps that you would for any treadmill. This includes wiping down the belt surface, cleaning under the deck to remove dust, and checking all parts and cables for wear on a regular basis.

What’s covered by the warranty?