The Collapsible Treadmill That Fits Inside My NYC Apartment

My workout routine in the Before Times: rise at 6:30 a.m. to arrive at the gym and hit the cardio machines by 7:00 a.m.; leave the gym by 7:45 a.m. to shower back at my apartment; depart to catch the A train by 8:45 a.m.; hopefully make it to the office by 9:30 a.m. My workout routine now? Different. My apartment has morphed from a rest & readying station to my new office meets nail salon meets gym. Although I got into a pretty good home-workout groove with my Obé subscription over the past year, I couldn't help but yearn for the hard machinery. My anything but palatial NYC apartment kept me from filling the treadmill-less hole within my heart until the fateful day I discovered Treadly; a brand fulfilling my deepest fitness desires with its small-space treadmill that weighs just 77 lbs and boasts collapsible storage capabilities. After connecting with the brand directly, I was able to coordinate a sample of its Treadly 2 for testing in order to discover just how tiny-apartment-friendly this magic treadmill was. For my unfiltered and honest feedback on the full Treadly experience — including my unboxing of the thing to clocking in some miles on it along with how and where I stored it — keep on reading.

Boy, do I feel sorry for the kind FedEx man that had to deliver this to my doorstep. While 77 pounds for a motorized treadmill is very light — according to Google, these usually weigh around 200 pounds — it wasn't the easiest to unbox since I'm 5'2 and the treadmill itself was well over half my body weight. (A bonus weightlifting workout all in one!) My Treadly arrived in a giant plastic bag surrounded by styrofoam, encased in a slim cardboard box that was nested inside another sturdier cardboard shipping box. It was in perfect condition, and safely survived the trip to Brooklyn. After discarding all the trimmings, I got ready to plug it in.

As someone who has only used gym treadmills, I have to admit: I was a little nervous about running on such a relatively compact piece of equipment. (FYI, the max user weight on these is 265 lb.) Because I'm a paranoid Virgo, I actually read the instruction manual before stepping onto it. It was super easy to figure out how to lock and unlock the handrail, and once it was latched, it felt sturdy and solid. (FYI, you can also control it via a remote control if you want to leave the handrail flat.) I found a good spot for it on my rug next to my bed, plugged it into a wall outlet, strapped on my Allbirds running shoes, and hopped on.

The handrail buttons were easy to understand (start, stop, pause, speed control, and a mode switch) and the LED screen at the base of the Treadly had all the basics stats I need: speed, steps, time, and distance. While I missed being able to control incline (perhaps this will be included in future Treadly models?), it was by no means a dealbreaker for me since the space-saving design is the real MVP. (Another major perk: Being able to use it on carpeted surfaces.) I was pleasantly surprised (if not a bit shocked) at how quiet the Treadly was. The motor emitted a gentle hum, and the unit itself felt totally solid even as I reached a casual jogging pace. A word to all the speed demons out there: Treadly tops out at 5.0 MPH; this is fine for someone like me who will never run a four-minute mile and is more focused on getting regular exercise and generally staying active. Even as someone who loves working out, I'll admit that it isn't always the most fun. Out of all of Treadly's slick functionalities, I have to say — the built-in Bluetooth speaker really makes this a partay. From blasting Blink-182 to catching up on my podcasts, it's clearly built with modern workout routines in mind.

Even though I am mere weeks away from being fully vaccinated, I truthfully don't have plans to renew my gym membership anytime soon. While I initially balked at the $850 price tag (Treadly 2 is currently $100 off for a limited time with promo code TREDS-100), it's not farfetched when you consider the similar investment of something like a Peloton bike. If the future of fitness is synonymous with home workouts, then, in that sense, I think Treadly is worth every penny.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss being able to easily get a 30-minute run in as I used to at my local Blink. Plus, as someone who copes with anxiety via endorphins (and regular therapy), fitness is a really integral part of my mental wellbeing. I can already see my Treadly becoming a major part of my overall wellness routine, and it truly couldn't be more apartment-friendly — something I didn't think 99.9% of workout equipment could be. My next move? Figuring out how to mount my iPad mini for the true Karina Hoshikawa workout experience.

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