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Our Sole F83 treadmill review examines a machine suitable for the casual jogger but built for the serious runner – how does it stack up?
Sole treadmills justifiably receive rave reviews from customers and critics alike and this machine provides ample evidence as to why.
It’s a tremendous piece of kit, but falls between the excellent F80 and F85 in the folding treadmill range. Does it suffer by comparison?
Sole F83 Treadmill Review – Features…
It has a running speed of 0.5 to 12 mph, which is enough for most exercisers, including serious runners.The F83 has a beefy 3.0 HP continuous duty motor, which delivers excellent performance at high speeds with no sign of any strain.
The F83 inclines to a 15 degree max, as do all the models in the Sole treadmill range, and will give you a challenging set of hill runs if you’re looking for a more intense workout!
The deck measures 78″ long by 33″ wide with a running surface of 58″ long by 20″ wide – enough for even the longest stride.
You get the excellent Cushion Flex Whisper Deck with the F83, which is extremely smooth and comfortable to run on. Very kind to any aching joints!
The F83 comes with 2 3/4″ rollers, which are the biggest you’ll find in this price range.
The larger the rollers, the smoother the ride and the longer they and the belt will last.
Good news when it comes to the treadmill’s long term durability and the likelihood of any costly future maintenance.
Another feature that’s immediately apparent as soon as you step on this treadmill is its stabilty, which is in no small part down to the hefty 260lbs that it weighs!
The F83 gets a Tri-colour LED display with message board, which means you get a continuous display of information in three colours.
It’s an upgrade on the excellent console that the F80 comes with, but is it worth the extra cost?
Granted, it is very easy to read due to the red, green and gold colour display and with a quick glance at the readout gives you all the information you need.
As you’d expect, the console displays the essentials – speed, incline, time, distance covered, calories burned, pulse and pace.
Manual programming is simple and as with the F80 there are six pre-set programs, two workout programs that you can customise and two heart rate programs.
The F83 has incline and speed controls on the arm rests, which negate the need to reach for the console display whilst running.
The safety features found on the other models in the range are included on the F83, such as the low profile hood and a big emergency stop switch.
Heart rate monitoring is via hand held pulse grips and a wireless chest strap. You also get heart control, a useful feature with which to manage your workout intensity.
The treadmill is heavier than the F80, but folding is just as easy and once locked is very secure.
Sole’s class-leading warranty applies to the F83 – lifetime warranties on the motor, deck and frame, a five year warranty on the electronics, belt and rollers and a two year labour warranty.
Sole F83 Treadmill Review – The Bottom Line…
Our Sole F83 treadmill review leaves me in two minds about this treadmill. On one hand and taken on it’s own, it’s a great machine.
However, it’s sandwiched between the excellent F80 and F85 treadmills.
It’s not really a few hundred dollars better than the F80, and for a few hundred dollars more I’d probably stretch to the F85 with it’s bigger motor and deck.
This treadmill is a bit of a half-way house, really. Our Sole F83 treadmill review would suggest that joggers and casual runners will be fine with the F80, serious runners would be better off with the F85.
