SOLVING THE SLAT-BELT RIDDLE
THE PERFORMANCE PLUS TREADMILL

At Matrix, we’re always striving to deliver a better running experience, both for the facilities that own our treadmills and for the fitness enthusiasts who use them. We knew slat-belt treadmills provided unique advantages for both owners and users, and that truth posed an interesting question:

HOW COULD WE BRING THIS LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE TO THE CARDIO FLOOR FOR MORE USERS AND OWNERS?

INTERPRETING THE FINDINGS

To find an answer, we started where we always start — by doubting old conclusions and gathering feedback from all the different people who interact with both traditional and slat-belt treadmills. The results of our team’s many visits were full of intriguing contradictions with regards to the advantages of slat-belt treadmills:

1.

While the slat-belt itself required less service than a traditional belt, the critical components of the slat-belt treadmill were extremely difficult to service due to their placement directly beneath the running surface.

2.

Though the slat-belt allowed for higher top speeds to challenge elite athletes, they were disruptive in low-noise environments like hotel or corporate fitness centers.

3.

Slat-belt treadmills available to clubs were designed with athletic facilities in mind. That meant they were intimidating, with an aesthetic and touchpoints that felt out of place in the club.

ITERATING ON OUR DISCOVERIES

With our challenges clearly defined, we set about designing a new kind of treadmill that would accentuate the advantages of the slat-belt design.

In designing a better, smarter slat-belt treadmill, our engineers crafted each slat with an aluminum core and rubberized coating to provide both shock-absorbing qualities and lasting durability.

Yet another area we knew we could improve was the overall performance of our new treadmill. Key to this was not just rearranging the motor components to the front of the treadmill but trying new kinds of components altogether.

Using a unique combination of low-friction ball bearings and our proven drive system, the Performance Plus Treadmill achieves a running experience that’s both quiet and smooth.

Checking Our Work

While we were confident in our exciting new slat-belt treadmill, no amount of confidence can replace scientifically validated testing.

20% INCLINE

Our proven drive system and bolstered lift motor push performance farther – allowing for top speeds up to 16 mph and incline up to 20%.

100,000 MILES LOW MAINTENANCE

Put together, our exclusive drive-and-belt system will last for up to 100,000 miles with minimal maintenance.

50 MILLION CYCLES

Analysis of the aluminum slats show that they should last for a staggering 50 million cycles.

6,000 HOURS / 30,000 MILES

The full slat-belt was assessed to withstand 6,000 continuous hours and 30,000 miles.

PERFORMANCE PLUS

SO MUCH MORE

The Performance Plus Treadmill is compatible with five reimagined consoles, letting facility owners create experiences that span from beautifully simple to digitally connected and rich with entertainment.

Get More with Matrix

In the end, our slat-belt design will outlast and outshine anything next to it. It’s also available to fitness facilities of all kinds, not just premium clubs and athletic training centers. Yet our new offering wouldn’t be complete without one final, critical quality — choice.

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