This Folding Treadmill Actually Lets You Run. It's $1,299.

Remember when a walking pad tapped out at a brisk walk?

In a one-bedroom, the under-desk pad was fine until you tried to jog. Then it complained, and any real treadmill sat there like a piece of furniture you could not hide before dinner.

WalkingPad is pitching a machine that can keep up with a run, then fold upright when you need the floor back.

What actually happened

On Nov 5, WalkingPad announced the KingSmith WalkingPad X218. It is $1,299 on walkingpad.com, down from a $1,799 list price on the site, and sold directly there rather than at Target or Best Buy.

WalkingPad says the X218 tops out at 11.5 mph, folds upright when you are done, and arrives assembled. The free KS Fit app comes with it, with no monthly membership required.

Now you can finish the run, stand it up and eat dinner where the machine was.The WellWham perspective

Our read: foldable finally means you can run

This is our take. Compact treadmills used to mean walk-only. An 11.5 mph top speed plus an upright fold is WalkingPad trying to pull the apartment runner away from a full-size gym machine that never leaves the room.

If you have ever timed a workout around roommates, a folding deck that can actually run is the whole pitch. Whether $1,299 feels cheaper than a gym membership is your math.

The reality check

It weighs about 129 pounds. You can store it upright, and you will still feel it when you roll it across the floor.

The site marks it HSA/FSA eligible, so confirm with your plan before you count on pre-tax dollars. The Nov 5 announcement omits pricing, so confirm the $1,299 price on walkingpad.com before you buy.

The close

The living room used to lose to the treadmill.

Now you can finish the run, stand it up and eat dinner where the machine was.

Disclosure: WellWham has no affiliate links in this story.

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