REVIEW – We all need to be moving more, and the DeerRun A5 Pro Smart 2 in 1 Folding Treadmill is here to help! This treadmill is designed for small spaces, supports both walking and running modes, and includes some app integrations to help you stay motivated. Let’s run it through its paces. To the review!
⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $429.99
Where to buy: DeerRun ($180 coupon on page)
What is it?
It’s a combination walking/running treadmill with a collapsible handrail, foldable/stowable design, and Bluetooth app integration (not required for use).
Tech specs
52.17″ long by 25.51 wide by 42.32″ tall (with handrail in place)
73.5 pounds
0.6 – 7.5 MPH speed (handrail must be in poistion for anything over 3.8 MPH)
43.3″ belt length, 16.5″ belt width
Design and features
The DeerRun A5 Pro Smart 2 in 1 Folding Treadmill is a compact design built for use in smaller spaces. The footprint is just over 52″ long and 25″ wide, with a handrail height of 42″.
The total height of the unit without the handrail up is about 5″ including the base, adjustable feet, and control unit.
All of your hardware, motors, power source, and LED display are contained in that control unit at the front of the device. The power cable connects at the front. You’ll also find the power button there (the bright red one), and you can see the front casters in this pic at the base. You can unplug the cord and lift the unit from the back end to scoot it around on those casters if you need to move it from place to place. Note that there is no vertical stand, but you can lean it against a wall to get it out of the center of your room.
There’s a big, bright LED panel on that control unit that displays general info during operation. This panel cycles through speed, time spent during the session, distance, and calories burned. Thanks to that big screen, this status is easy to see when you’re moving on the treadmill.
There’s an NFC pad here and matching one on the handrail. If you’re connected to the app you can tap your phone at those points to fire up a workout session.
If you’re not using the app, you have a couple of options to engage. There’s a remote control that comes with the device which you can use in walking mode (with the handrail down). This remote allows you to start a session, adjust the speed up or down, and stop the session as needed. Note that in walking mode without the handrails you are limited to a maximum speed of 3 miles per hour.
Raise the handrail into position for more strenuous work like speed walking, jogging, or running. There’s a textured device pad to keep your tablet or phone in place while you’re moving.
A magnetic safety tether is required for operation when the handrail is up. The magnet clips into the port shown below.
The clip can be attached to your shorts or your shirt. This is for your safety since the treadmill can hit maximum speeds of 7.5 mph in this mode. If that magnet pulls loose, it stops the treadmill to prevent injury.
You’ll also find a big, friendly control panel with simple buttons you can smash on the handrail. “Start” gets you going, while the + and – buttons allow for incremental adjustments to your speed (1/10 of a mile per hour). You have default jumps to 3 and 6 mph on the left. The “Start” button also has a pause feature that continues to keep your session active, while “Stop” ends the session (and all measurement) entirely.
There’s another NFC touchpoint on the handrail for app activation as well.
When switching modes, you’ll unlock those handles on either side of the treadmill to loosen up the handrail. Here you can see it in the walking position.
Opening those handles unlocks the mechanism as shown below, so you can raise it or lower it into position.
Note that the unit will go into “safe” mode and not function until you close these handles, so you don’t accidentally forget to lock them!
The build quality of the DeerRun A5 Pro Smart 2 in 1 Folding Treadmill is pretty great for this price point. The unit feels solid, planted, and stable. The console controls feel substantial, and you have multiple options for leveling and adjusting the belt as needed.
I should note that this treadmill has some limitations in terms of capacities and tolerances. The design is intended for users between 5’3″ and 6’4″ and supports up to 300 pounds of weight. The speed also maxes out at 7.5 mph.
Assembly, Installation, Setup
The DeerRun A5 Pro Smart 2 in 1 Folding Treadmill comes with excellent documentation and setup support. While you may need some help getting the beastie to its location (it weighs 75 pounds), the packing is exceptionally good. Everything is nicely sealed and padded to prevent damage in transit. Note that they also print the support contact information in big ol’ letters on the inside of the lid. I have read from other customers that their support is excellent.
The second shot below shows you the pre-assembly out of the box. You basically have to add the tablet/phone tray to the handrail and plug in the power cable to get going after you pull off all the wrappers and stickers.
Your kit includes the aforementioned tablet/phone pad, the power chord, your remote (with comes with an extra battery), some adjustment tools for leveling & adjusting the belt, and a bottle of oil for periodic greasing of the belt mechanism.
The documentation is excellent throughout. There are several big printed cards along with QR codes and support contacts throughout the package, including several QR code stickers on the treadmill to help with setting up the app.
App installation is also straightforward. You either scan the QR code in the paperwork or tap the NFC pad on the treadmill to trigger the link to download the app. Once you have the app downloaded, you tap your phone against the NFC pad to activate and pair the treadmill.
The app confirms when the treadmill is connected, and you can set up your profile and get started.
Connecting is easy enough, but I’m not a huge fan of the app itself as we’ll discuss in the Performance section below.
Performance
DeerRun A5 Pro Smart 2 in 1 Folding Treadmill has a lot going for it in terms of solid functionality and usability. The controls are simple to operate, it is relatively quiet, and belt operation is smooth. I’m also a big fan of the easy to read LED panel.
If you were thinking about using this as part of standing desk setup, the unit tilts and rolls around easily enough. Just keep in mind that the unit weighs 75 pounds and the casters are low-profile so you might struggle on thick carpet. We had no issues moving it around our basement as needed with some lightly carpeted areas and workout mats.
The treadmill is plenty stable and feels well-planted even when you’re pounding away at a rapid jog. My lumbering 5’10, 220-pound frame had no issues with the unit shaking or wobbling.
I did notice a bit of an issue with the compact size of the treadmill, especially if you’re moving at faster speeds. The travel is relatively short and the handrail can cut into that available body space, especially if you have the tablet/phone pad in the upright position. We have been setting it at an angle to help (see below), which puts the tablet/phone mount at a lower position relative to my field of vision than I’d like if I were watching something on my device while working.
My son is over 6′, and noted that this was worse for him. He also has long legs and noted that the relatively short length of the treadmill made it tougher for him to feel like he could go all-out. He reported no issues with light jogging or walking other than the lower tablet/pad position. An extender would be nice here.
It would also be nice to be able to add a water bottle holder to the package. That seems like a miss to me. I’m sure there are some options available, but it would be nice to have something in the kit for onboard hydration.
We did notice some accumulation of what looks like belt shavings after a few weeks of regular use. I’m assuming that this is stuff from the break-in period, but we’re keeping an eye on that. I have not seen any issues with wear and tear so far despite daily use.
I found myself abandoning the app pretty quickly. The NFC “tap and load” feature is neat, but the app itself is heavily driven by in-app purchases and social integration. You’re constantly hammered with invites to join events, buy options, and share with your fellow app users. It felt pretty invasive, so I skipped it in favor of just using my Apple Watch to monitor progress.
The good news is that the treadmill is perfectly functional and usable without the app. However, I would not buy it for that app integration.
Final thoughts
The DeerRun A5 Pro Smart 2 in 1 Folding Treadmill is a solid walking/jogging/running treadmill in a compact package. Usability is simple, the build is great, and the treadmill is plenty stable under pressure. Bigger folks may find the treadmill too small for longer strides and/or wider stances. I can’t recommend the app based in the invasive experience, so you may want to consider options if you want a full-featured integrated app that doesn’t require a lot of extra subscriptions and engagement.
What I like about DeerRun A5 Pro Smart 2 in 1 Folding Treadmill
- Stable, solid design
- Easy operation with user-friendly controls
- Quiet when in use
- Smooth belt operation
What needs to be improved?
- App was not difficult to connect, but aggravating to work with
- May not be ideal for taller people given limited stride length
- Could really use a water bottle holder
Price: $429.99
Where to buy: DeerRun ($180 coupon on page)
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by DeerRun. DeerRun did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
Check out these other treadmill reviews!
- UREVO Strol 2S Pro Treadmill review
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