Our Sole F63 treadmill review takes a look at the entry level folding treadmill from Sole Fitness – is it a good choice for home use?
This model is pitched at the low-mid price range and lacks a couple of the features found on the rest of Sole’s folding treadmill range and suffers a little by comparison.
The F63 is currently selling on Sole’s website for only a few hundred bucks less than the outstanding F80 treadmill.
As such, it’s not the best choice for us in the Sole folding treadmill range based on our Sole treadmill reviews.
The F63 was previously priced at around the $1,000 mark, which made it fantastic value for money.
Currently at a shade under $1,200 it’s moved up a step in terms of the competition and just fails to cut it in our view when compared to the F80.
Sole F63 Treadmill Review – Features…
This is more than enough power for most runners and enables speeds of up to 10 mph.The entry level F63 comes with a 2.5 HP motor that provides continuous duty – in other words that’s the power delivered consistently during a workout.
To make things tougher the treadmill inclines to a 15 degree max, as do all the models in the Sole treadmill range. If running up hills is your bag then this should provide a more than adequate challenge!
You get a phenolic deck that measures 75″ long by 33″ wide. For our money, the truly outstanding Cushion Flex Whisper Deck found on the other models in the range is worth the extra few hundred bucks.
The actual running surface on the F63 is a generous – certainly at this price – 55″ long by 20″ wide.
The F63 comes with 2 1/2″ rollers, which are big when compared to similarly priced models from other manufacturers, although the 2 3/4″ rollers on the other models make for a slightly smoother ride and potentially greater durability.
There’s a very easy to read console, which we like a lot and is a blessing when you’re in the middle of a demanding workout. A quick glance at the readout tells you all you need to know.
The console displays speed, incline, time, distance covered, calories burned, pulse and pace.
Manual programming is simple and there are six pre-set programs, such as fat-burning and cardio training.
A nice feature is the incline and speed controls on the arm rests, which eliminate any awkward reaching for the console display whilst running.
Safety features include a low profile hood so there’s no chance of getting your feet trapped and a big emergency stop switch.
Most treadmills in this price range now come with cooling fans as this one does – don’t know why as they’re pretty useless, to be honest.
Whilst you get hand held pulse grips and a wireless chest strap, there’s no heart rate control on this model, which is a little disappointing.
The F63 weighs a hefty 245lbs, which makes for a stable ride.
For a heavy machine, folding is surprisingly easy and once locked into place, the deck ain’t going anywhere!
Sole F63 Treadmill Review – The Bottom Line…
Our Sole F63 treadmill review would conclude that this is very good treadmill in the $1,000-$1,500 price range, which if a few hundred dollars cheaper would offer truly outstanding value for money.
However, for a few hundred dollars more you get a little more for your money from the F80.
If your budget dictates that you can’t stretch, though, then the F63 is a great choice and we’d doubt you’ll be disappointed.