Sole F85 Treadmill Review

Hey Everyone!

Sole F85 Treadmill Review
Sole F85 Treadmill Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 for costing way too much
Price: $1999.99
Buy The Sole F85 Treadmill (2008 Model)

I know this is going to sound like a rehash of my Sole TT8 Treadmill Review, but so be it. All I can do is tell the truth and if I wanted to lie I would tell you that every Sole Treadmill deserves your hard earned dollars. That’s not the case, Sole has some excellent units, and the Sole F85 Treadmill is an excellent unit. It’s just not worth $1999.99.

First, I would like to start out by noting how similar the Sole TT8 and the Sole F85 Treadmill are. They both have a 3.5 continuous duty motor, a maximum speed of 12 MPH, and a 15% incline. Where they differ is in deck size. The Sole F85 mysteriously has a larger deck size and smaller running area than the Sole TT8. I think it’s a little fudging of the specifications on Sole’s part. Everyone does this, and I have no reason to mark it down. The Sole F85 Treadmill’s rollers are smaller, which means the treadmill won’t last quite so long, but it should still stand up to at least 7 years abuse.

The frame construction and stability are nearly identical as well. The Sole F85 Treadmill won’t wobble even at high speeds with heavy users. I believe I’ve already covered why that’s so important, so I won’t bother you about it again.

Ultimately, the Sole F85 is still not worth the money. Definitely not when there are other high quality treadmills with similar features and specifications on the market. I can’t in good faith recommend buying this treadmill to my readers. If you’re looking for a high end treadmill, say $1600 or more, I’ll post something specific treadmills and brand recommendations in a few days just for you.

No offense Sole, but the Sole F85 is simply too expensive.

Sole TT8 Treadmill Review

Hello Readers!

Sole TT8 Treadmill Review
Sole TT8 Treadmill Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5 for being matched by other treadmills that are several hundred dollars cheaper
Price: $2299.99
Buy Sole TT8 Treadmill (2008 Model)

I really would like to come on here and say that there are no differences between any of the treadmills on the market. I would like to say that they’re all the best out there and you’re going to pay 50 bucks for a commercially rated treadmill that guarantees all parts and labor for the rest of your life. Unfortunately, that is not the world we live in. There are bad treadmills out there. There are treadmills that will suck your money down a drain and you’ll never get it back. Despite an otherwise solid lineup of treadmills, the Sole TT8 Treadmill is one of those bad treadmills.

There are a couple good things about this treadmill. Sole built the TT8 Treadmill with 3” rollers. Treadmill rollers help the treadmill motor move the treadmill belt; large rollers extend the longevity of your treadmill because less stress is placed on the treadmill and keeps the treadmill motor quiet. The other thing I like is a slightly wider running area. The Sole TT8 Treadmill has 22” x 60” worth of running space, enough for long strides and workouts that don’t feel cramped.

I’m sorry, I need to correct myself. The sole TT8 Treadmill isn’t a bad treadmill. It’s a good treadmill at a really, really bad price. If this treadmill were about 500 bucks cheaper I might be able to endorse a purchase of the Sole TT8 Treadmill. Truth is, there are treadmills out there that are just as good as the Sole TT8 for hundreds of dollars cheaper. If you’re looking for a gym quality treadmill, check out Star Trac or Landice. They range from a couple hundred to a couple thousand more than the Sole TT8, but they’re excellent gym quality treadmills. I’m not going to tell you not to buy the Sole TT8, but I would highly suggest you do a little research before investing a couple thousand of your hard earned dollars in to a treadmill.

Sole F63 Treadmill Review

Sole F63 Treadmill Review
Buy The Sole F63 Treadmill Rating: 4.5 Stars out of 5 for including heart rate control for under a $1000
Price: $999.99
Sole F63 Treadmill (2008 Model)

I definitely like the Sole F63 over the Sole F80 and for good reason. The Sole F63 offers the same solid frame, a powerful 2.5 horsepower motor, and an excellent price. But a treadmill buyer should EXPECT those things from a treadmill. The Sole F63 wins me over with all the extras they throw in.

First, the Sole F63 includes built in speakers and an MP3 input for IPODs, Zunes, and everything in between. There’s only a hand full of treadmill companies out there keeping up with the times, and fortunately for Sole, they’re in the minority. Aside from the feature itself, built in IPOD support tells me Sole is a company is conscious of the needs of its’ customers. That alone makes me more confident purchasing a treadmill from Sole Fitness.

Sole did not go above and beyond in running area, it decided to stick with the rest of the treadmill manufacturer pack and offer a 20” x 55” running belt. It’s not a mark against Sole, but definitely doesn’t score any extra points. What does score extra points is the built in Heart Rate Control. As I mentioned in my Sole F80 Treadmill Review, heart rate monitoring is useful for targeting a specific heart rate, and can be helpful in reaching fitness goals faster such as weight loss and or endurance. Most companies expect people to pay at least a couple hundred bucks over a thousand for heart rate control.

Another thing I really like are the cooling fans and console. The console is bright blue LCD screen and can be read easily even while running. This important when you’re tracking your distance or heart rate! Cooling fans are quickly becoming a treadmill standard, but the Sole F63 Treadmill includes dual fans, a feature that’s few and far between.

The only thing I really don’t like about the Sole F63 Treadmill is the limited amount of programs. The Sole F63 includes six and I need at least 10 to give it my highest 5 star rating. Bottom line, you won’t be disappointed with the Sole F63, it offers heart rate monitoring at one of the lowest prices I’ve seen and I’m extremely pleased with the cooling fans and IPOD support.

Sole F80 Treadmill Review

Hey Guys!

Sole F80 Treadmill Review
Sole Treadmill Rating: 4 stars out of 5 for delivering an excellent array of features but being pricey
Price: $1499
Buy The Sole F80 Treadmill (2008 Model)


There’s an awful lot to like about the Sole F80 Treadmill it’s hard to choose where to begin so I’ll start with the basics. First, the treadmill frame is extremely stable. A shaky treadmill can be likened to driving a car down a road filled with speed bumps. The car will suffer and so will the driver. Your treadmill is going to last a lot longer if it doesn’t shake!

At higher speeds with heavier users, treadmill motors have to work ever harder to keep up with the exerciser, a harder working motor means a louder motor. The Sole F80 Treadmill is manufactured 3 full horsepower so the Sole F80’s motor won’t be stressed even during high speed workouts with heavy users.

The Sole F80 also includes heart rate control. If you’re new to the world of treadmills and ellipticals, heart rate control is a program function that can track a users heart rate and force the user to work harder to achieve a specific heart rate. Reaching targeted heart rates can help you reach fitness goals faster such as losing weight or improving cardiovascular strength. The Sole F80 is also compatible with wireless heart rate monitoring and includes a wireless chest strap. The F80 Treadmill is also compatible with many other wireless heart rate monitoring devices, check the manual for compatibility.

The Sole F80 Treadmill can reach inclines of up to 15%. Most treadmills in the same price range are limited to 12%, not too much of a deal, more diversity and options are always nice to see in any product. There’s also built in transport wheels for moving the Sole F80 around the house if you happen to have a wife who likes to rearrange the furniture for no good reason. This is a huge one, it’s compatible with IPODs and other MP3 players and has built in speakers! Sole scores huge points for including MP3 player compatibility.

There are two cons. The running area is a little small, coming in at 55” x 20”. I prefer to see treadmills in $1500 price with at least 20” x 60” running area. What sets the Sole F80 Treadmill back most is the $1500 price tag. The Horizon T84 is comparable to the Sole F80 Treadmill and sells for about $200 less. It has the same running area and like the Sole F80 features IPOD/MP3 player compatibility. It’s a much better buy in my humble opinion. You can check out this review of the Horizon T84 Treadmill.