Bowflex BXT8J Treadmill Review 2023

In-depth Review of Bowflex BXT8J Treadmill

Preprogrammed Workouts And JRNY

Although the Bowflex BXT8J doesn’t include as much tech as the higher-end treadmills from the brand, it still comes with some nice features and training options. This treadmill is a good choice if you want a more basic layout with included features that don’t require wifi, although if you want to use wifi and a training app, you can.

The BXT8J offers 26 different workout programs. These are all pretty standard and include preset speeds and incline settings for the treadmill to automatically adjust to. They’ll probably remind you of what most commercial treadmills in public gyms include. As far as metrics, the console tracks your time, speed, incline, distance, calories, heart rate, burn rate, workout profile, and fitness score. The burn rate is tied to the JRNY App which is compatible to use with the BXT8J Treadmill. It comes with a wireless heart rate chest strap to track your heart rate on the screen.

JRNY is a fitness app that comes enabled on the Bowflex Treadmill 22 and Treadmill 10. Since the BXT8J doesn’t have a touch screen, you have to use your device to stream JRNY. The app also includes fewer features than the version enabled on Bowflex’s equipment. It’s a good option if you want on-demand trainer-led workout classes to follow along with, or outdoor-filmed videos to explore different areas around the world while you use the BXT8J. You can also access JRNY Radio which features preselected playlists of songs split into different genres that you can listen to through the app. The Adaptive Workouts are also a good option because they adapt to you and your fitness level for custom training.

Console

The Bowflex BXT8J technically includes 3 LCD screens that are backlit, so they should be easy to see. This is where you can view the workout programs and keep track of your metrics.

As far as functionality, the console includes quick-adjusting buttons that are numbered for speed and incline. This way, if you want to jump to a certain speed or incline level, you can by pressing a button. There are also arrowed buttons below to adjust to more specific increments. I’m assuming you can adjust by 0.1 mph for the speed and 1 or 0.5% for the incline, but it’s impossible to know until we test the BXT8J ourselves.

The speakers are to play JRNY content through and they are front-facing. The fan is tiny, but it might actually be useful. The Treadmill 22’s tiny fan is pretty powerful, but we won’t know for sure until we use the BXT8J. It does have cupholders for your water or whatever small item you might need nearby. There is also a device rack above the LCD screens to place your phone or tablet when you want to stream content.

Overall, this console is pretty standard and should be pretty easy to use.

Construction Quality / Durability

The Bowflex BXT8J has a pretty standard, foldable design. It is rated to handle users up to 300 lbs and it weighs around 253 lbs itself, so it should be pretty sturdy and appropriate for most people. It isn’t as large and overbuilt as the premium Treadmill 22, but for a more affordable model that’s fairly compact, it has nice specs.

Frame

The steel frame supports the deck and two steel uprights connect to the floor frame and extend up to hold the console. There is also a steel crossbar mounted between the uprights which should help add stability to the treadmill as well as help hold the console still when you run. On budget-friendly treadmills, we like seeing steel crossbars.

The deck folds up using a lift assist so you don’t have to lift the entire weight of the deck or hold onto it while it’s unfolding. You can grab the back end of the deck to lift the deck to fold it. And then to unlock for unfolding, you just have to push your foot against the red part of the vertical bar under the deck when it’s folded. When pushed, the deck will lower to the floor on its own. This design is really common on folding treadmills.

There are 2 front transportation wheels, so when it’s folded you can move the BXT8J when needed. You’ll need to tip it back by grabbing the top of the back of the deck to tilt it to engage those wheels though. With its lighter weight and smaller design, we assume the BXT8J is much easier to move than the Bowflex Treadmill 22, which also folds but is challenging to move.

Motor

The motor is one spec that Bowflex tends to not include on their treadmill product descriptions. I wish they would so we could get a better idea of how powered this treadmill is. Once we get the BXT8J in our studio though, we’ll be able to more accurately access the motor size and determine its appropriate level of use. Other reviewers online say the motor is 2.5 HP. I’m guessing it might be closer to 3.0 HP since Bowflex’s other treadmills have higher-powered motors of 4.0.

At a minimum, I assume the BXT8J is good for light to moderate walking and jogging and some light running. It might be more powerful than that though, so we’ll update this review once we know more and can accurately recommend the level of use.

As far as training options, the motor goes up to 12 mph and has a 15% incline range. This is pretty standard for most treadmills of this size. It’s nice to see an entry-level model offer a great range of speed and incline though. Most people should find that the speed and incline offered are enough for lower and higher intensity workouts.

Deck

The deck size should make the Bowflex BXT8J best for most people. It is 60” long, which we’ve found supports all running stride lengths. So, most should be able to walk, jog, and run comfortably on the belt. The width is 20” which should be enough space for the majority of folks. I think this width and length is kind of the sweet spot for treadmill decks because it’s accommodating for most, yet a little more space-saving and compact than larger 22” wide decks. If you know you prefer wider decks though, you’ll want to check out other treadmills like the Bowflex Treadmill 10 and 22.

We can’t speak to how the deck cushioning feels underfoot without having tested this treadmill first. The Treadmill 22 has firm deck cushioning, so we’re assuming the BXT8J will feel similar to run on, but it’s hard to know for sure.

Warranty

Bowflex includes a standard warranty of 10 years for the frame, 3 years for mechanical parts and electronics, and 1 year for labor.