I’ve had Echelon products in my home for years, and I have to say the company makes great machines. The 2024 treadmill lineup is brand new and among its upper-level offerings comes the Stride-4S, with all the benefits of a top-line unit but priced at $2,299. The great thing about stepping onto an Echelon treadmill is knowing it’s solid. You won’t have to worry about words like “flimsy” here with this brand. The first thing you’ll notice about the Stride-4S is the 22″ high-definition touchscreen which tilts, swivels, and rotates a full 180 degrees. That’s among the bigger screens on the market frankly, and I’m surprised to find one that large on a treadmill priced this low. In my experience, people either want big screens or they don’t. If you’re someone who likes interactive training and workout programming, then the big high-definition screen is a plus, and 22″ is hard to beat. One point to consider is the screen only works with the Echelon fitness app, priced anywhere from $11.99 to $39.99 per month depending on the package, and the treadmill does not have built-in workouts. If you opt out of the Echelon fitness app program, you can use the machine in manual mode.

In addition to the screen, as a user you’ll get the benefits of a 3.0 CHP motor, integrated heart rate sensors, an incline of 12% and max speed of 12.4 miles per hour. Read below to see what else comes with the Echelon Stride-4S.

Why You Should Trust Our Review Of The Echelon Stride-4S

At TreadmillReviews.net, we bring you comprehensive reviews of treadmills so you can decide which one is right for you. Our staff thoroughly test all the treadmills we review. We install them, walk on them, run on them, and try out all of the features. We get to know each and every treadmill we review extremely well. Our reviewers log miles on the deck. We listen and record the sound of the motor, we test and measure the incline/decline, try out all aspects of the console and try the treadmill’s features.

Every treadmill we review undergoes the same rigorous process. That way we can compare and contrast them and give you an honest review of what we think. This particular treadmill has been around for many years, and we’ve done previous reviews of the Echelon Stride-4S. So, in this review, we also compared it to the previous models.

Our reviewers are treadmill and fitness experts. Brian, the author of this review, is a competitive bodybuilder, and is a 7-time national qualifier in both men’s bodybuilding and classic physique within the NPC competitions. He has coached and been coached on cardiovascular training, HIIT, and nutrition, particularly as it pertains to weight loss for competitions. He is an expert at treadmills, has been on this treadmill, and you can trust his opinion on all of the treadmills he reviews.

In Brief

The 2024 Echelon Stride-4S is a great pick for a budget-friendly folding treadmill with lots of benefits. Priced at $2,299, it comes with a 22″ HD touchscreen that reminds me of the NordicTrack Commercial X22i, which runs $3,499 and has a much larger, non-folding frame. Measuring 74″ x 31″ x 53″ when in use, this treadmill folds up to 74″ x 31″ x 10″ when not in use. Other great features include compatibility with the Echelon fitness app, a solid 20″ x 60″ running deck, and integrated heart sensors. Equipped with a 3.0 CHP motor, the treadmill can reach speeds of 12.4 miles per hour and an incline of 12%. In my own experience using treadmills, I’ve found that adjusting the incline even as much as 5% can make a tremendous difference in your heart rate, irrespective of speeds. The 10-year frame warranty and five-year guarantee on the motor aren’t exactly top of class, but I consider that to be close to industry average.

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Echelon Stride-4S – Pros & Cons (2024) - Key Specs:

In-Depth Review of the Echelon Stride-4S

Why We Like It

The Echelon Stride-4S is a great mid-sized folding treadmill at a reasonable price. With all the features you’d expect from a higher-cost model, I’m particularly liking the large screen, solid incline and speed range. With a sturdy build and feel, the cushioned 60″ x 20″ deck gives ample room for running, jogging, or walking, for users of most heights. If you’re looking for a solid folding treadmill with a large screen you can move about the house, priced under $2,400, this might be it. Most treadmills with 22″ screens cost significantly more and come on non-folding units.

It Comes With A Fantastic 22″ High-Definition Screen

Just for the sake of comparison, the NordicTrack Commercial 1750 sports a 14″ HD touchscreen but costs closer to $2,500 and sits atop a much larger frame. The NordicTrack Commercial X22i has a 22″ screen and sports a whopping 40% incline and 6% decline, but it costs $3,499 and is too large a frame to fold. So what Echelon has done here is give you the best of both worlds, if screen size is important to you. You get a mid-size treadmill at a great price, but with it comes the screen you’d expect on a much larger model. Better yet, the screen rotates 180 degrees, tilts and pivots. In my experience, this is great because you can easily adjust it to suit your own height and vision. You can also use the screen for off-treadmill workouts with dumbbells or stretching. Now the downside…As with most treadmills equipped with large screens, this one only works with the Echelon fitness app. So no, you can’t watch Netflix on it. The machine does work without the app, but I’ve had trouble myself getting in and out of the manual mode because, much like iFit-enabled treadmills such as NordicTrack and ProForm, the company wants you to use their app.

Folding Capabilities

One of my favorite things about this model is it folds. I had a Echelon Stride-5S before here and it did not, and that was a downside. I’m a big fan of folding treadmills for all the right reasons. In my experience, they’re easier to clean and maintain in terms of changing and lubricating belts.  You’d be surprised at how many product complaints I see from consumers who simply failed to maintain their machine. You can read up on maintenance in my article on the topic here. These folding treadmills are also so much easier to move around your house or gym. Once you set a big, non-folding treadmill into position, it’s likely to stay for a long time. You’ll usually have to disassemble it to get it out the door. Once upon a time people questioned the stability of folding treadmills, but these days, some of the best selling units on the market fold.

Nice, Cushioned Deck

Another thing I like about Echelon treadmills is how great their decks feel. This Stride-4S offers a 60″ x 20″ deck which is right at the industry standard and great for walking, running, or jogging. When using the Echelon Stride-4S you won’t feel the wobble that you might on other units, and this deck is solid as a rock. This gives you plenty of confidence when striding out. With a 325-pound user weight maximum, you can rest assured it’s stable and gentle on the knees and hips thanks to the cushioning.

Great Incline/Decline Features

The Echelon Stride-4S features speed ranges up to 12.4 miles per hour and incline up to 12%, which means you can perform fast sprints, slow uphill climbs, and anything in-between. The unique handlebar controls make it easy to perform interval training where you’ll explore a fuller spectrum of the speeds here. For a more thorough leg workout, adding incline shift muscle recruitment to the glutes and hamstrings where a flatter surface focuses on the quads. Balancing out the use of antagonist muscle groups makes for a more balanced fitness regimen, and the Stride-4S offers a solid 12% range. I’ve had some of my best workouts using the incline function, and frankly, I can’t really imagine a treadmill program without some hills.

The Echelon Fitness App

I’d recommend using the Echelon fitness app if you buy this treadmill. You can, of course, use it in manual mode, but it just seems like a waste of a 22″ screen. One of the great things about using the Echelon program is the choice in pricing. At the FitPass level, you’re paying $11.99 per month and get access to unlimited on-demand classes and thousands of on-demand video workouts. The Premier plan is either $33 per month if paid annually, or $39 if done monthly. Like most training apps, this one features exercise programs in everything from running to weightlifting, yoga, and rowing. It’s also downloadable meaning you can use it with other equipment either at home or away. The Premier option includes integration with Strava, Zwift, Apple Health, and entertainment streaming with FitOS as well as gamified workouts using Echelon Worlds. Whether you like high intensity interval training (HIIT), or long, slow walks, this app package gives you plenty of diversity. In my experience, the $11.99 FitPass is one of the best deals on the market in terms of bang-for-buck.

Video provided by Echelon

Echelon Stride-4S Dimensions

The dimensions of the Echelon Stride-4S are 74″ x 31″ x 53″ when in use, and 74″ x 31″ x 10″ when folded. I’d recommend having ceilings at least 8′ high when placing this treadmill, and keep in mind you’ll need a doorway that’s wide enough to roll this through with the monitor and handlebars as well.

Echelon Stride-4S Weight

The Echelon Stride-4S weighs 176 lbs, or 80 kg.

What We Like:

• The Motor

  The Echelon Stride-4S sports a 3.0 CHP motor and reaches speeds of up to 12 mph without much fuss. This is a great sized motor for the average user, and you can read up more on treadmill motors in our article here.

• Pivot/Tilt Touchscreen

  If you’re looking for a treadmill with a large screen, you definitely want one you can adjust. At 22″ this screen is big enough that you’ll need to tilt it around to suit your own needs. I’ve used treadmills with fixed screens before and inevitably you wind up with glare and have some trouble with the touchpad when typing. This also allows you to work out on the floor with dumbbells or performing stretching while watching the trainer.

• Incline Abilities

  The Echelon Stride-4S inclines up to 12%, which helps increase your resting metabolic rate, ramp up cardiovascular conditioning level, and build muscle strength simultaneously. I’m a big fan of hill climbing and hiking workouts, and they’re just not the same without an incline.

• Great User Weight Max

  I consider the maximum user weight to be an indicator of stability, and at 325 pounds, you should be in good shape. If you really need more than that, you should consider some of teh treadmills designed specifically for larger users. But overall, this model should suit even big folks and those who want to train with weighted vest, which you can read about here.

• Tread Belt

  This 60″ x 20″ tread belt gives you plenty of space to move and it easily accommodates larger individuals. What’s more, the belt’s thickness helps to minimize the amount of noise it makes while offering better overall longevity. Also, this is a 2-ply belt which is the preferred type, as opposed to a cheaper 1-ply belt. A regularly lubricated 2-ply belt could last you 10 years depending on use.

What We Don’t Like:

• App-Dependent

  Yes, the machine will work without the Echelon fitness app, but that really seems like a lot of wasted screen. Unfortunately there are no built-in programs.

• Complicated Warranty Program

  The machine itself comes with a pretty average 10-year warranty for the frame with five years on the motor. That said, you’ll notice Echelon has a number of upgraded warranty specials that come with app membership. Be sure to check into these before purchasing.

• Paid Assembly

  The delivers will assemble in-home for an additional $299.99. I’ve assembled a lot of treadmills over the years, and if you’re not going to have the pro’s do it, I’d strongly advise having several friends around to help. It’s not rocket science, but the parts are large and unwieldly.

This Treadmill Could Be For You If:

• You want a 22″ high-definition touchscreen.
• You like working out with an interactive app.
• You want a 3.0 CHP motor that supports long distance running, interval training, and hill training.
• You want a folding treadmill.

My Final Verdict:

At its $2,299.99 sale price, the Echelon Stride-4S is a great buy, considerably cheaper than models with comparable screens. It’s a nice mid-sized unit that folds, and while not jazzed up with all the details of some costlier rivals, it’s a solid unit for sure. I’m a fan of the Echelon lineup of treadmills from past use as well as this one, and it’s also worthy of noting that company makes terrific bikes and rower too if you’re looking to outfit a home gym using the same app. Part of the new 2024 lineup, the Stride-4S was designed to answer a lot of questions asked by customers over the years, and it looks like the team has done a good job. 

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