If you’ve ever stayed in a Hilton or Omni hotel, you may well have had the opportunity to use a Sole treadmill.
Sole has a number of hotel chain partners that provide treadmills in rooms for guests to use as part of an “In Room Fitness” option.
Sole treadmills come in folding and non-folding formats, the former being particularly suited to home users with limited space.
So lets’s take a look at the range …
Sole Treadmill Review – Introduction to the Range…
The Sole treadmill range currently comprises:
In the fold-ups, the entry level F63 starts at $1,198.88 all the way up to the top of the range F85 at $2,499.00.
The non-folding treadmills start at $1,699.99 for the S73 up to $2,299.99 for the TT8.
However, Sole Treadmills have frequent sales – and these are “on sale”prices – so it’s well worth checking out Sole Treadmills for up to date prices, which are invariably well below the recommended retail price.
Essentially, both the folding and non-folding treadmill ranges share many features that are the hallmark of Sole Fitness.
Sole is a company that has in recent years rewritten the book on high quality treadmills at extremely competitive prices.
Sole treadmills are aimed at the mid-range market.
However, our Sole treadmill review would conclude that these treadmills, particularly the higher end models would give treadmills costing $3,000-$4,000 a run for their money.
It really begs the question as to why you’d pay more for a machine that will give you little extra in terms of build quality, features and performance.
Indeed, Sole treadmills, particularly the folding models have consistently picked up best buy awards in their class.
The F85 has been hailed, “One of the best Fold-ups on the planet” by the esteemed website Treadmill Doctor.
Ok, so let’s take a closer look at the features that most of the models covered in our Sole treadmill review share and that make Sole treadmills such outstanding value for money.
Sole Treadmill Review – Features…
Essentially, the four folding models are the same treadmill that share many of the signature Sole features and components, with a few additional features as you work your way up the range.
It’s the same with the three non-folding treadmills.
Cushion Flex Whisper Deck
The F63 has a very good phenolic deck, which is smooth, quiet and durable.
In the other models, Sole goes one step further as they share the outstanding Cushion Flex Whisper Deck.
All manufacturers claim that their decks are comfortable and stable, but this is one of the best decks we’ve tried.
They’re very stable and have just the right amount of give to reduce the impact of running on your feet, ankles, knees, hips and lower back. I’ve had an ongoing problem with sore knees when running and am prone to shin splints. However, I found repeated use of Sole treadmills with this deck system extremely comfortable.
The Sole website claims that the deck “was recognized by a leading university as the industry’s best, providing a 365% lower impact than walking or running on asphalt.”
I can well believe it!
The Whisper Decks also come with a lifetime warranty – wear it out and you get a new one for free. Now there’s confidence for you!
Big Rollers
2 1/2″ on the F63, but I’m particularly impressed by the 2 3/4″ rollers that Sole use on the other treadmills and the 3″ on the TT8.
You really only find these in high end models, and to have them fitted as standard on models under $3,000 is unusual.
Why are they important? Well, the larger the roller, the better the contact with the belt and the fewer times they need to revolve.
This results in a smoother ride and longer roller and belt life, which extends the life of the treadmill and cuts down on maintenance.
Belts
The running surface of the treadmill is the business end of the machine — it needs to provide a non-slip running surface and last the rigours of every day use.
Sole use a double woven, two-ply, four layer belt. This consists of a nylon-backing layer that glides over the rollers and eliminates static.
It’s overlayed with a PVC middle layer that prevents over-stretching with two durable rubber layers on top.
The result? A smooth riding belt with little slippage that should prove practically indestructible!
Warranty
Perhaps the feature that makes Sole treadmills stand out in a very competitive market is the warranty.
All four models come with a lifetime warranty on the motor, deck and frame, with five year warranties on the electronics, belt and rollers. There’s also a two years labour warranty and you get in-home service.
Which as far as our Sole treadmill review is concerned, adds up to market leading guarantees and a confidence from the manufacturer unmatched in this price range.
Sole Treadmill Review – Model Reviews…
We’ve reviewed each Sole treadmill separately to make it easier for you to compare the various models. We’ve organised each Sole treadmill review under the Folding or Non-Folding categories.
We hope you find them useful!
Folding treadmills
Sole F63 Treadmill Review
Sole F80 Treadmill Review
Sole F83 Treadmill Review
Sole F85 Treadmill Review
Non-folding treadmills
Sole S73 Treadmill Review
Sole S77 Treadmill Review
Sole TT8 Treadmill Review
We Hope that you will like our Treadmill Reviews.