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The Tru Grit Runner Elite is the evolution of the original Grit Runner after taking 3 years of feedback on its strengths and weaknesses. Read our review of the Tru Grit Runner Elite Manual Treadmill to see what our experts think of these upgrades.
Updated: February 15, 2024
Tru Grit used their feedback from the original Grit Runner to come out with an even better product: the Tru Grit Runner Elite curved manual treadmill. While this treadmill isn’t as affordable and is priced more comparably to other manual treadmills on the market, it has better features. The Grit Runner Elite has 4 levels of magnetic resistance. It has a cushioned slat belt and what appears to be a gentler curve than the original Grit Runner for a more natural running stride.
In our review of the Tru Grit Runner Elite, we evaluate this new and improved machine against the bevy of quality manual treadmills already available on the market to determine where this particular machine fits in.
The Tru Grit Runner Elite has an upgraded build from the original Grit Runner. Tru Grit is a relatively new company compared to other brands in the fitness space, so it is good to see them take feedback and evolve. The Grit Runner Elite is priced higher than the Grit Runner, but it has a more solid construction.
The Tru Grit Runner has a steel frame. It also has aluminum components, such as the tread roller guides. Altogether, this metal construction is very solid and on par with other manual treadmill builds we have seen. The frame is powder-coated black. We aren’t 100% sure, but we think that Tru Grit has done away with the flimsy stickers used to create the branding along the sides of the Grit Runner Elite. If so, that’s definitely an improvement toward making this machine feel a bit more high-end.
The Tru Grit Runner Elite has substantial grip options to support all of your training needs. You can sled push, walk backward, or support yourself if you need to leave the belt. When running at full speed, you may have to lift yourself off of the deck if you can’t keep up or control the belt well enough to slow down manually. These large handles should be more than supportive enough for that.
The foot rails are textured. They look very similar to those on the AssaultRunner Pro. While I have not had a chance to check how anti-slip they are, textured foot rails are always a good feature to have on a manual treadmill, so you don’t lose your footing. Additionally, they appear wide enough to comfortably accommodate most shoe sizes.
The Tru Grit Runner Elite does not have a motor, because it is a manual treadmill. When training on the Elite, you have full control over the belt, because your feet are powering its motion. Thus, you can run as slow or as fast as you would like.
Because there is no motor, you don’t have to worry about motor noise. We have not had the chance to test the noise level of the Tru Grit Runner Elite, but in our experience, manual treadmills with someone running on them are about as loud as motorized treadmills without anyone running on them. This makes most manual treadmills a quieter option than their motorized counterparts.
The Grit Runner Elite has a slat belt. These slats are covered with polyurethane and polypropylene. This mixture may make the Grit Runner Elite a little firmer than the AssaultRunner Elite and Pro which have TPU-covered belts. However, we have not been able to confirm this with testing.
Like all manual treadmills in its class, the Tru Grit Runner Elite does not fold. It weighs 291 lbs, so it is a heavy machine. It has a rear grab bar for lifting and rolling the treadmill around. In my experience, I have been able to lift and roll around comparable manual treadmills. I wouldn’t want to move them long distances, but some users may be able to do so. I often find manual treadmills easier to move around than similarly weighted motorized treadmills.
The Tru Grit Runner Elite does not incline or decline. However, the curved front of a manual treadmill acts as an incline. It certainly provides more challenge than running on a flat surface.
There are four levels of magnetic resistance available on the Tru Grit Runner Elite. These are controlled by a lever on the side of the treadmill. The lowest level is best for endurance running. The highest level is best for sled pushing. The middle levels are perfect for resisted walking or form drills like bounding, hopping, skipping, and backward walking. If you find that the treadmill starts moving too fast, throw the lever and you’ve got yourself a handy little brake system.
Most manual treadmills are rather scarce in features because they have narrower belts. The runner or walker is also in control of the speed, so it is better for them to be focused on the activity at hand. The Tru Grit Runner Elite continues this stripped-down trend but throws in a few extras that were not seen on the more affordable model.
The console is a battery-powered LCD console, so you don’t need to plug it or the treadmill in. No electricity is required. The console is straightforward with clearly labeled buttons. All of your basic metrics are available on the screen.
One of the top ways I recommend for athletes to use manual treadmills is to replace track workouts. Manual treadmills give you the flexibility and greater potential in speed that motorized treadmills just don’t provide. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like you can switch the console to meters or kilometers instead of miles. This makes running 100m, 200m, 400m, and any other standard metric-based distance more challenging. Again, I haven’t been able to test the console for myself, so maybe there is something I’m missing. But, after much research, I haven’t come across any information suggesting that you can change the distance mode.
The console is Bluetooth and ANT+ enabled. Tru Grit states that this connectivity is for pairing with apps. I don’t know if it is possible to connect a heart rate monitor to the Grit Runner Elite, but I will update this review if I find out. If not, that’s definitely a feature we would hope to see in the future.
The Grit Runner Elite has one bottle holder attached to the side of the right upright. I’m a little worried about the awkward positioning of this bottle holder, but it is nice that Tru Grit included one. Not many manual treadmills have storage.
A combination of features makes me very interested to try the Tru Grit Runner Elite. As I’ve mentioned, one of my favorite types of workouts for manual treadmills is track workouts. On motorized treadmills, it is really hard to run fast enough to replicate running on a track. However, sometimes I feel hesitant to let my feet fly on a manual treadmill in fear that I won’t slow down fast enough. I’ve occasionally needed to hop off of the belt when things got too hard. This creates the issue of needing to start and stop my watch which adds another layer of difficulty along with the “free-wheeling” that happens when the belt is still turning but I’m not on it anymore.
The Tru Grit Runner Elite’s resistance lever acts as a brake, so this could help you slow down after harder intervals without ever needing to hop off. The other treadmill I have tested that uses resistance levels is the Bells of Steel Blitz, and this treadmill is so difficult to run on that it’s not practical for all types of track workouts. I haven’t run on the Grit Runner Elite, so I’m not sure if it is the answer to this issue or similar to the Bells of Steel. However, I am quite hopeful!
There are a few different training options on the Tru Grit Runner Elite. The buttons are clearly labeled, so setup is easy. They are target time, target distance, target calories, 10-20 intervals, 20-10 intervals, and custom intervals. Combined with whatever apps might be compatible with the console, these training options are nice. They are definitely an upgrade from the original Tru Grit Runner.
Tru Grit has demonstrated the ability to take consumer feedback and transform a good product into an even better product. While the Tru Grit Runner Elite costs more than its predecessor, it has been refined to match other manual treadmills in its category. Furthermore, it has resistance levels and a bottle holder that many competitors lack. The Tru Grit Runner Elite is for runners, walkers, sprinters, and sled pushers. Athletes of all ability levels will be challenged by this variable workout machine.
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