KingSmith WalkingPad Advances Foldable Treadmill Design With Four Space-Saving Formats
More than a decade of product development has expanded WalkingPad from a compact walking platform into a broader portfolio spanning daily walking, running, higher-speed training and powered incline workouts.
BEIJING — ( SP Tech Solutions ) — August 17, 2026 — KingSmith, the company behind the WalkingPad brand, is highlighting more than a decade of product development focused on one persistent challenge in home fitness: how to deliver useful treadmill performance without requiring a permanent, oversized footprint.
Since its founding in 2015, KingSmith has developed a portfolio of folding fitness equipment built around four structural approaches: Just Walk, Hybrid, Vertical Fold and Foldable Classic. Each format addresses a different combination of workout requirements, storage limitations and home environments.
The company’s product-development strategy began with compact walking equipment and has progressively expanded toward machines capable of running at higher speeds and, in selected models, providing powered incline training.
“Home fitness equipment has traditionally asked consumers to dedicate significant space to a single-purpose machine,” KingSmith said in describing its product-development approach. “Our objective has been to rethink that relationship by developing equipment that can deliver meaningful performance while becoming easier to store when it is not being used.”
From Walking Pad to Broader Home Fitness Portfolio
KingSmith’s development history can be viewed through four major product milestones.
The first came with the Just Walk Series, which introduced a compact folding format designed primarily for everyday walking. The company’s early WalkingPad products included the A1, followed by models such as the A1 Pro, A1 Plus and P1. The lineup later expanded into the Youth Series, including the C1 and C2.
The central concept was straightforward: create a walking surface that could fold into a smaller footprint and be moved or stored when not in use.
The company says the approach helped establish WalkingPad as a distinct category of compact walking equipment. Products such as the C2 were designed to accommodate users who wanted to integrate more movement into their homes without permanently dedicating a large area to exercise equipment.
Product testing has also highlighted the practical benefits of the format. Shape product tester Maddie B. described the WalkingPad C2 as compact, easy to set up and convenient to store, noting its ability to be folded and moved underneath a bed.
KingSmith is continuing the Just Walk concept in 2026 with WalkingCase, a new product intended to make the walking-pad format lighter, slimmer and easier to transport and store.
Hybrid Design Combines Walking and Running
The second major development was the Hybrid Series, created to address consumers who wanted more versatility than a conventional walking pad could provide.
The series combines a folding running deck with an adjustable handrail. With the handrail raised, the machine can support running-oriented use; with the handrail lowered, the equipment can function more like a walking pad.
Beginning with the R1, the Hybrid Series progressed through subsequent generations, including the R2 and R3. The current WalkingPad Hybrid collection continues to focus on combining walking, jogging and compact storage in a single machine.
The format was designed around a simple home-fitness challenge: consumers may want the ability to walk during everyday activities while also having access to a more conventional running position for dedicated workouts.
The foldable structure allows the equipment to occupy less space when stored, while the adjustable handrail adds another layer of functionality without requiring separate machines for walking and running.
KingSmith says the Hybrid Series represents an important step in its broader strategy of combining multiple fitness functions with compact storage.
Vertical Fold Design Targets Higher Running Performance
As demand for greater running capability increased, KingSmith developed another approach to the storage problem.
Introduced in 2021, the X21 used a double-folding structure designed to allow a larger running deck to be stored vertically. Rather than relying on a single folding point, the design uses two folding stages to create a more compact configuration.
The concept subsequently developed into the company’s Vertical Fold Series, which includes multiple performance configurations.
The current naming structure reflects different maximum-speed categories. The range includes the X208 at up to 8 km/h (5 mph), X210 at up to 10 km/h (6.5 mph), X212, formerly known as the X21, at up to 12 km/h (7.5 mph), X214 at up to 14 km/h (8.5 mph), X216, formerly associated with the X16 or X25 naming, at up to 16 km/h (10 mph), and X218 at up to 18 km/h (11.5 mph).
Configurations also vary in running-belt dimensions and handrail design, giving consumers options based on running goals, available space and preferred equipment configuration.
The underlying objective remains consistent across the range: provide progressively greater running capability while retaining a storage-oriented folding structure.
Foldable Classic Brings Traditional Treadmill Design Into a Compact Format
KingSmith’s fourth major development addresses consumers who prefer the structure and appearance of a traditional treadmill.
The Foldable Classic Series, initially represented by the G1 and G2, is designed to unfold into a conventional treadmill configuration while folding for storage after use.
The design broadens the company’s portfolio beyond walking pads and ultra-compact running equipment. It is intended for consumers who want a more familiar treadmill experience without committing permanently to the footprint of a conventional non-folding machine.
The series also became an important commercial milestone for KingSmith, with the company’s products entering Costco stores in the United States.
In 2026, KingSmith expanded the format with the G5i, which adds powered incline capability to the foldable treadmill platform. The model provides an 18% powered incline while retaining a folding structure designed for vertical or flat storage.
The combination addresses a longstanding challenge in home fitness: providing additional training intensity without requiring a permanently installed, gym-style treadmill.
Four Formats Designed for Different Home Fitness Needs
KingSmith’s current folding strategy can be summarized across four distinct formats.
Just Walk focuses on everyday walking and increasing daily movement through a slim, compact walking platform.
Hybrid combines walking and running functionality through a folding deck and adjustable handrail.
Vertical Fold targets users seeking greater running performance while using a double-folding structure for upright storage.
Foldable Classic provides a more traditional treadmill configuration while incorporating folding storage and, on selected models, powered incline training.
Together, the four approaches allow consumers to select equipment based on workout intensity, available space, storage preferences and desired features rather than relying on a single treadmill format.
Performance, Space and Choice Remain Central to the Strategy
Across its product development, KingSmith identifies three recurring priorities: performance, space efficiency and consumer choice.
The company’s early products concentrated on walking. Later generations introduced running functionality, higher speeds and, most recently, powered incline training.
At the same time, folding mechanisms have evolved from a compact walking deck into hybrid folding structures, double-folding running platforms and classic treadmill designs that can be stored either vertically or horizontally.
This progression reflects a broader change in how consumers use residential spaces. Home fitness equipment increasingly competes with living areas, workspaces and other household needs. Equipment that can be moved or stored after a workout can therefore provide a practical alternative to permanently installed machines.
Looking Ahead
KingSmith says its folding treadmill development will continue with an emphasis on new sizes, performance levels, incline capabilities, comfort features and smart-technology integration.
The company’s product portfolio now extends from compact walking equipment to machines designed for running and incline workouts. Rather than treating folding as a single product feature, KingSmith has developed multiple structural approaches intended to address different types of home fitness use.
From the early WalkingPad products to the four-format portfolio available today, the company’s development path reflects an ongoing effort to balance fitness performance with the realities of residential space.
As home fitness continues to evolve, the company says its objective remains centered on making walking and running equipment easier to integrate into everyday living environments — without requiring users to permanently surrender valuable floor space.
About KingSmith
KingSmith is a fitness equipment company founded in 2015 and associated with the WalkingPad brand. The company develops compact walking pads, folding treadmills and related home fitness equipment, with product designs focused on space efficiency, mobility and multiple workout applications.
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KingSmith / WalkingPad
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Website: https://www.walkingpad.com/
Media Information
This release is provided as company information regarding KingSmith’s product development and portfolio. Product specifications, availability, pricing and performance may vary by model and market. Statements regarding product history, patents, category development and market position should be independently verified where required for publication.