They have been used by high end hotels like Hilton and Omni for over 20 years. A few years ago they made their treadmills available to the home market.
These are well built, commercial-grade treadmills with strong decks, a stable feel and excellent cushioning. The new models have also added more advanced club-style consoles and built-in speakers with mp3/iPod hookups.
Strengths:
#1) Commercial Grade Build & Parts
Sole uses commercial parts like industrial size motors, heavy duty flywheels (flywheels cause the motor to run cooler with less amp draw and extends the life of the motor), large 2.75" rollers, copper ground wires for each roller to reduce static, and all steel welded frames.
The tougher construction makes these treadmills ideal for runners and anyone looking for a commercial grade treadmill without the commercial price tag.
#2) CushionFlex Cushioning Reduces Joint Impact by 40% - Good treadmill cushioning is essential since poor cushioning can damage your back, hips, knees and ankles.
Sole uses CushionFlex cushioning for their treadmills (except the F63) - which is one of the best cushioning systems on the market. It's been proven by a university study to reduce impact on your joints by 40% (as compared to running on asphalt).
#3) Quiet Operation & Strong Decks - Sole's Whisper Deck is more quiet than even standard Phenolic coated decks. The deck also comes with a lifetime warranty so you never have to worry about replacing the deck. Sole will do it for you - free.
Sole decks are extremely strong and can take a pounding - another plus for runners or heavier users.
#4) Highly Stable Folding Treadmills - Many times, because of the limits of the design, folding treadmills are not as stable as non-folding units.
So you save space but sacrifice on stability.
Sole however uses a special double horseshoe folding frame on their folding units (the F-series). This frame makes their folding treadmills more stable than many non-folding treadmills. This means you can get a commercial grade folding treadmill without compromising on stability.
#5) Excellent Warranties With 2 Years on Service - Most Sole Treadmills are backed by a lifetime motor warranty, as well as a lifetime deck and frame warranty.
The motor is usually the most expensive part of the treadmill to fix so this gives you an idea of the quality of construction.
Also, Sole warranties offer 2 years on service - other brands only cover service for 1 year if you're lucky. This again tells you about the quality of the brand and can save you quite a bit of money should something go wrong with your treadmill.
#6) Scrolling Health-Club Consoles - Another commercial grade feature of Sole treadmills is the scrolling message boards on the console. These messages help guide you through your workout.
They also tell you how to use certain features of the treadmill - kind of like having an owner's manual at your fingertips.
#8) Easy To Use Website With Free Shipping - The Sole website is easy to navigate, includes everything you'd need to know about each treadmill, lets you see expert Sole treadmill reviews, read major specs and gives you detailed pictures of each model.
As an added bonus, Sole offers Free Shipping and residential delivery on every treadmill which will save you about $150 +.
Weaknesses:
It's hard to find a weakness with these treadmills. Be aware that the economy model (the F63) does not have the Cushion Flex cushioning or the lifetime deck warranty. Also, the demand is so high on these treadmills at certain times of the year that they sell out fast and you have to wait for months to get one.
Conclusion:
Sole is one of the strongest treadmill brands out there today, with commercial grade construction, excellent warranties, superior cushioning and health-club style consoles.
When you compare them to several similarly priced brands, they just give you more for the money. They're ideal for runners, frequent use or anyone who just wants a rock-solid, commercial grade treadmill for their home gym.
Where To Buy At A Discount:
You can buy Sole treadmills direct from the Manufacturer. They're currently throwing in Free Shipping and $0 Sales Tax (Utah excluded) which can save you a few hundred dollars.
