Tru Grit Grit Runner Elite Review
Updated June 2026 with my 1-year review · First tested April 2024 · 5 videos
It's built like a commercial machine, it handles a 6'5" guy, and after six months of almost every workout it still looked brand new. My two gripes are small. It's $3,495, so it only pays off if it gets used.
Buy it if
- You're a bigger guy and home treadmills haven't held up to you.
- You want sled-style work. The resistance levels feel like pushing a sled.
- You do backward walking for your knees. Mine feel better than they have in a long time.
- You train in a garage. It's 66" × 31.5" and rolls on front wheels.
Skip it if
- You mostly walk. The resistance lever gets in a big guy's way at walking pace.
- You want a big screen and classes. The console is simple.
- $3,495 is a stretch. Only buy it if it's going to get used.
"I've used it pretty much every workout over the last six months and it looks like brand new."Me, at the 6-month mark
Photos
Pictures from the videos
Before you buy
My two gripes
The resistance lever
When I walk, my right hand swings right into it unless I adjust. It's bruised my hand. Running, it's no problem because my hands are higher. Smaller people probably won't notice. My wife doesn't. Tru Grit, put it on the outside next time.
The phone holder
It holds my iPhone and a standard Kindle fine. It won't hold a full-size iPad. On a long run, I'd want the bigger screen.
Watch the videos
Every video I've made on it
Newest on top.
Still worth it?
The long-term check-in. What a year of real use did to it.
Used almost every workout
No belt surges from 15-second sprints to 60-minute runs. Still looked new. Answers your questions about the base model and the Assault Runner.
A heavy-duty workhorse
Delivery, footprint, noise, warranty and price. I said I'd 100% recommend it, and that held.
Seven miles in
Calves on fire, wide enough for my stance, and I never felt like I'd fall off.
Unboxing & assembly
Seven steps, tools in the box. Under 30 minutes if you're not filming it. Get a helper to unload it. It ships at 335 lbs.
Questions I get
Grit Runner or Grit Runner Elite?
This is the Elite. A lot of the bad reviews online are about the base Grit Runner ($2,495). The Elite has better resistance and a bigger console that sits closer to you. I haven't tested the base model.
Grit Runner Elite vs Assault Runner?
The big difference is the variable resistance. The Elite can mimic a sled push. The Assault Runner can't.
Does the belt surge?
Not once in six months. The belt feels different when you change resistance levels, but that's the point of them.
How loud is it?
I can walk on it and still hear a YouTube video over my gym speakers without headphones. My air bike and rower are louder.
Is the distance accurate?
Running, it was right in line with my Apple Watch. Walking, they disagreed: one mile on the console, 0.75 on the watch.
Specs
| Price | $3,495 (Oct 1, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Footprint | 66" L × 31.5" W · 14.5 sq ft |
| Height | 55.5" |
| Tread width | 17.3" |
| Weight | 291 lbs (335 lbs shipped) |
| Warranty | Frame & resistance belts lifetime · Tread 5 yrs · Console 3 yrs |
| Financing | Offered by Tru Grit |
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