Sole Treadmills Review

About Sole

Sole Fitness is a maker of affordable, quality home fitness equipment with a selection that extends from treadmills and stationary bikes to climbers, rowers, and more. The brand has landed features in publications such as  Healthline, Runner’s World, and Greatist, and has an impressive Facebook following of 46K.

Looking for a quality treadmill or elliptical machine? You may have zoned in on the right brand. To be sure, have a read through this Sole treadmills review. We’ll fill you in on essential info about the brand, look at some of its bestselling, and gauge customer feedback to help you decide if this is the right fitness fit for you. 

Overview of Sole

Founded in 2001 by Trevor Larsen and based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Sole Fitness began as a commercial-grade fitness equipment brand that provided quality exercise equipment to top-tier hotel chains like Hilton and Omni. Later, it determined to bring its equipment to individual consumers without compromising the quality its products had become known for. 

Quality is clearly something the brand takes seriously, declaring on its website that it will “never compromise [our] integrity to improve the bottom line.” Based on sales over the last five years, Sole Fitness claims to be “the fastest growing [home fitness] brand in the US and Canada” thanks to its affordable pricing for top-grade machines. 

Before we get into the technical specs of these machines, this Sole treadmills review will whet your appetite with a rundown of the brand’s pros and cons. 

Pros

• Large selection of fitness equipment, including bikes, climbers, rowers, and more
• Several models per category of equipment
• More affordable than other comparable brands, and offers range of prices to fit many budgets
• Lifetime warranty for frame and parts
• Customers report responsive customer service and quick repairs
• Buy now, pay later option with Citizens Pay
• Free continental US shipping
• Money-back guarantee

Cons

• Machines do not have high-tech features like comparable products from other brands
• Range of issues reported by customers, including difficulties with customer service, noisy machines, etc.

Sole fitness equipment is trusted in the hospitality industry for its reliability and functionality, which is especially important given the high volumes of people who move through hotels, and may not be necessarily inclined to respect the workout machines provided for their use. 

The brand makes a range of equipment, including stationary bikes, rowers, treadmills, elliptical machines, and climbers. Since this is a Sole treadmills review, we’ll be paying special attention to the brand’s treadmills and ellipticals, both of which come with a lifetime warranty for their motors and frames, as well as a money-back guarantee. 

Sole Treadmills Review

This Sole treadmills review will now survey a selection of the brand’s bestselling treadmills, inspecting their respective motors, functions, and features. You’ll read about three different models, all of which allow for a smooth, quiet stride. 

Sole F63 Treadmill Review 

You don’t need all the bells and whistles to have a great workout. An updated version of the Sole treadmills F60 model, the F63 has a 3.0 HP motor that allows you to reach speeds up to 12 mph. If you’re a walker, you might particularly appreciate the 15 incline levels, which will take you from a street-level stroll to a challenging hike. 

The Sole treadmills F63 model uses a Cushion Flex Whisper Deck, which, as per its name, makes things easier on your joints and gives you a super-quiet workout session. You can use the LCD screen to see how you’re performing, sync your favorite tunes to the Bluetooth speakers, or enjoy Netflix thanks to the tablet holder. 

Best of all? When you’re finished with your workout, you can simply fold up your machine and wheel it out of the way. Normally $1,800, you can currently get the Sole F63 Treadmill for a cool $1,000. 

Sole F80 Treadmill Review 

With its 3.5 HP motor, speeds of up to 12 mph, and 15 levels of incline, the Sole F80 takes things up a notch from the Sole treadmills F63 model. What’s the big difference? Mainly power, as well as a larger monitor. 

You’ll be able to scan through speeds at 0.5 mph at a time, allowing for greater control. The Sole treadmills F80 model has a large display screen that shows you your stats in real time and lets you adjust your speed and incline effortlessly, so no frustrating buttons that you’ll accidentally hit when sprinting). There are also armrest controls for your convenience. 

Built with a deck that lessens impact on your joints by 40% compared to road running, this treadmill helps prevent joint stress and injury. It supports up to 375 lbs. thanks to its welded steel construction and bulletproof frame. (Why bulletproof, you ask? Just because—depending on your line of work, it’s unlikely that the lead is going to start flying through your home.) 

Get in your running groove with music courtesy of the Bluetooth speakers, or slide your tablet into the handy holder to enjoy an e-book during a steady hill climb. Hop on for the long run with the Sole F80 Treadmill for $1,600, marked down from $2,800. 

Sole F85 Treadmill Review 

Capable of taking your workout from smooth and easy to fast and challenging, the Sole F85 Treadmill combines smart features with durable design. You can use the touchscreen monitor to pick from 12 custom workouts to really kick your exercise regimen up a notch. If you’re unsure where to begin, try one of the 7 fitness tests and the F85 will show you where you’re at.

The 4.0 HP motor gives you smoothly purring power up to a top speed of 12 mph, and the cushioned deck and large rollers on the belt make every stride super-quiet—none of that distracting thudding or squeaking. The F85 also has all of the handy features from the other Sole models, including Bluetooth speakers, an iPad holder, and USB-charging ability. 

Valued at $3,800, the Sole F85 Treadmill can now be yours for $2,000. 

Sole Ellipticals Review

A  low-impact, joint-friendly version of the treadmill, the elliptical machine also offers greater resistance challenges and an extended range of motion that targets your hamstrings, glutes, and calves. 

Stay tuned as this Sole treadmills review turns its attention to three of the brand’s bestselling items in this category. If stationary bikes are more your thing, the brand has a range of those on offer as well—we especially recommend checking out the Sole SB700. 

Sole E25 Elliptical Review 

Offering 20 lbs. of resistance, the Sole E25 Elliptical is a solid steel machine that can accommodate up to 350 lbs. It has all of the features you need to get a heart-pounding workout, including Bluetooth speakers and a tablet holder for motivation. 

You’ll find pulse monitors in the handles, along with a wireless chest strap to keep track of your heart rate and your intensity zone. Helpful attributes like the four rear wheels, ergonomic foot pedals, bottle holder, and a fan work to keep you comfortable as you push yourself to the max. 

Recommended for sale at $1,800, this top-notch Sole elliptical is available for $1,000. 

Sole E35 Elliptical Review 

The Sole E35 Elliptical mimics running motion, but unlike treadmills it goes easy on your joints. It also offers a full-body workout, providing resistance in the push and pull of the handles. 

Speaking of the handles, they’re equipped with a built-in heart-rate monitor to track your fitness level. The harder you push, the higher it will go, and you’ll have a maximum 24 lbs. of resistance to test yourself against. (To give you an idea of how difficult this is, most users don’t make it past 15!) 

The solid steel construction and the foot pedals provide support and security, and as with all of the brand’s ellipticals, you can choose a preset exercise program or venture out on your own workout journey. Whichever you choose, you’ll be able to sync your favorite music up to the Bluetooth speakers, or watch your favorite show thanks to the tablet holder. 

Get the Sole E35 Elliptical for $1,500, marked down from $2,800. 

Sole E95 Elliptical Review 

Sole’s most customizable elliptical, the E95 is all about giving you a varied workout. With a capacity of 400 lbs., 27 lbs. of resistance, and 20 incline levels, this machine is a great choice for people of all fitness levels. It also features what the brand calls a “worm drive,” a dial that allows you to adjust the incline of the pedals to your exact requirements. 

Ideal for the home, this sleek, ultra-quiet model is about 3’ wide and 7’ long. The built-in entertainment unit allows you to sync your tunes, charge your phone, or put a YouTube workout on your tablet. The Sole E95 Elliptical is valued at $3,400, but you can get it for a little over half the price at $1,800.

Who Is Sole For? 

Sole is for adults who want to change up their fitness experience. Gym memberships can be pricey, some costing more than $1,200 per year (that’s more than either the F63 or E25 models). Going for runs or cycles outside is great, but what about rainy days, busy streets, and the chill hand of winter? 

The brand lets you bring your workouts inside with its range of competitively priced fitness equipment, with some models costing much less than similar products on the market. Sole treadmills and ellipticals can fit homes of all types: apartments, condos, houses, lake houses, etc. 

Sole also claims that its equipment could work well in small gym settings. If your facility sees less than 20 people coming through and using the machines in a day, they’ll hold up just fine.

Comparison: Sole vs. Technogym 

Sole fitness equipment is some of the lowest priced on the market, but that’s not the only way the brand differs from its competitors. To show you what sets this brand apart, this Sole treadmills review will compare it to a comparable fitness equipment company, Technogym. 

Right off the bat when landing on Technogym’s homepage, it’s clear that these two brands are very different. Living up to its name, Technogym features futuristic-looking machines that are cleanly and sleekly designed and outfitted with large LED monitors. 

Though Technogym’s product lineup is similar to Sole’s, it’s considerably larger, offering strength machines, tools, and gear to amp up your active lifestyle. Sole’s machines are simpler, and most don’t come with a built-in monitor. 

Of course, with fancy features come higher prices. A Technogym treadmill that is equivalent to the Sole F63 Treadmill (as in, the only one that doesn’t have what looks like a mini TV attached) comes in at $2,980, compared to $1,000 for the F63. 

What makes this other brand so expensive? Put simply, the machines’ features appear to be superior to Sole’s thanks to inclusions like an adaptive running surface, one-touch ignition, wide LED display bar, and standby energy-saving function, to name a few. 

If you’re looking for something really high-tech, Technogym is a great choice. But at the end of the day, how hard you work out is up to you, not your machine. Sole treadmills offer user-friendly features, the same speed and incline abilities, and reduced impact and noise for about one-third of the price of Technogym’s machines. 

Check out our full Technogym review to learn more about this great brand.

Sole Reviews: What Do Customers Think?

We could stand around all day and talk about how a product looks, but the real key to understanding it is by reading customer feedback. And that’s precisely what we’ve done with our Sole treadmills review. Below, you’ll read a handful of the most helpful customer comments we found across the web. 

First, we headed to Treadmill Reviews to see how the Sole F80 held up to the test. It ranked at 9.8/10 stars, a rating that reflects this model’s versatility, capacity, and features. 

This site’s Sole treadmills review stated that the F80 is “roomier and more powerful” than the previous model, and that it’s “built to last” with “commercial-grade parts.” The low price is what sealed the deal for the reviewer, who felt that, overall, the treadmill had great value. 

The only issue mentioned was the treadmill’s lack of built-in programs. As the F80 has only 10 to choose from, the reviewer noted  that “shoppers might prefer treadmills with the option to download new workouts.” We can understand that, but at the end of the day, you get what you pay for, and 10 workouts are better than none. 

Next, we turned to Trustpilot to check on how the brand was perceived overall. From 999 customer reviews, Sole received a total 3.5/5-star rating. We’ve included the rating breakdown below, if you’d like to see how that final score was calculated. 

• 5 stars: 64%
• 4 stars: 15%
• 3 stars: 6%
• 2 stars: 4%
• 1 star: 11%

That’s an above-average ranking, so it looks like in general, the majority of customers were satisfied with the products they purchased. Highlights among positive reviews includer the brand’s rock-solid customer support, the machines’ “excellent quality” and “relatively simple” setup, as well as their “practically silent” operation. 

There is also a pronounced appreciation for the brand’s responsive customer service and quick follow-ups to issues—which provides a surprising contrast with what some of the negative reviews had to say. Some commenters apparently experienced “the worst customer service of all time,” as well as lengthy waits for warranty-assured repairs. 

Finally, we headed to the Better Business Bureau to see how the brand stacked up in terms of addressing customer issues. Confronted with an F rating and 71 complaints, we found that Sole received such a low score because the company did not respond to two complaints, and did not resolve one—which seems to be pretty small justification for an outright fail! 

Based on the ratings above, Sole fitness equipment seems to be pretty solid overall. It’s scored highly by users, and is built to last. The problems and issues that some customers experienced range widely in type, so in terms of major red flags, we didn’t see any that waved high enough to really warn us off. All in all, Sole appears to be reliable. 

Is Sole Worth It?

We think so. Throughout this Sole treadmills review, we were impressed by the equipment’s price, build, and customer feedback. 

When looking for a treadmill for home use, we don’t think that the features need to be out of this world for you to get a good workout, so what this brand offers is more than enough. We appreciate the range of models and especially the pricing, which makes the equipment accessible for all kinds of budgets. 

The lifetime warranty and money-back guarantee sweeten the deal, too. If you’re still on the fence, just know that if your machine doesn’t perform the way you want it to, you can get a full refund. 

Sole Promotions & Discounts 

No Sole treadmill review would be complete without info on deals, so we’ve been on the hunt for them. The big news right now is the brand’s summer sale, with all the major models marked down in the neighborhood of 40%. If there was ever a time to buy a Sole machine, now is it! 

Where To Buy Sole

If you live in the US, you can buy Sole equipment directly from soletreadmills.com or at any Dick’s Sporting Goods location. If you’re located outside of the US, reach out to one of the brand’s international dealers. 

FAQ

Who Founded Sole? 

Trevor Larsen is the founder of Sole Fitness, but in 2020 the brand was acquired by the Taiwanese firm Dyaco. This company has a number of other fitness-related partner brands under its umbrella, including Spirit Fitness and Xterra.

Where is Sole Made? 

From what this Sole treadmills review can see, the brand’s equipment is made in Taiwan. Read below to find out more. 

Where Are Sole Treadmills Manufactured? 

Sole fitness equipment is manufactured by the brand’s parent company Dyaco. An article in the Taipei Times announcing Sole’s acquisition by the Taiwanese company detailed that “Dyaco supplies products to Sole Fitness on an original design manufacturing basis and helps sell the brand’s products outside of North America.”

What is Sole’s Shipping Policy?

Sole offers free continental US shipping. Only shipping within the US is available from the brand website—international customers can get in touch with one of the brand’s licensed dealers. 

All Sole orders are typically processed in 2-4 business days, and take an additional 6 business days for delivery. The brand offers four delivery options, with varying prices:

1. Curbside: free
2. Garage: $60
3. Room of choice: $120
4. Assembly: $240

Once your order leaves the warehouse, you’ll get a shipping confirmation email with a tracking link. 

What is Sole’s Return Policy?

Sole fitness equipment comes with a money-back guarantee. If your machine isn’t up to your standards, you can return it within 30 days for a full refund. 

There are no fees of any kind required for the return. Just email [email protected] and say you’d like a refund as part of the guarantee. Customer service will issue you a Return Merchandise Authorization and refund your card in 48 hours. 

You’ll then be contacted to schedule a pickup of the equipment. Just be sure to specify which type of pickup option you need (curbside, garage, room of choice, disassembly).

How to Contact Sole

If you need any other information that wasn’t included in this Sole treadmills review, you can get in touch with the brand via:

• Email: [email protected] 
• Phone: 866-780 SOLE 
• Contact form on brand website

Sole’s customer service hours are Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm MST.

---

Looking for more at home fitness brands? Check out these other product reviews:

Peleton

Tonal

Hydrow

WaterRower