The Sole F80 treadmill combines an overall good build quality, technological innovation and quiet operation. These are a few reasons why this treadmill is a good choice for people who take their workout seriously.
PROS
- Lifetime warranty on the frame, motor and deck
- Silent motor and running deck
- The Bluetooth capability allows you to connect your smartphone or tablet. This makes it possible to use the Sole Fitness app or other fitness apps.
CONS
- Only 10 workout programs
- It's a heavy duty treadmill, which is why it's a bit bulky.
- The side railing might be too short for some people
KEY FEATURES
- The treadmill comes with a wireless chest strap to monitor your heart rate without the need to hold on to the stainless steel sensors and risk losing your focus or balance. Most treadmills don't include a wireless heart rate monitor, which means you'd have to buy an additional heart rate monitor separately just to experience a hands-free workout.
On the other hand, if you decide that a chest strap isn't for you, you still have the option of using the hand rails for heart rate monitoring.
- The F80 also has one of the more quiet motors in the industry, along with a cushion flex whisper deck that reduces noise from the belt. The combination of these features makes the F80 a relatively silent piece of exercise equipment.
- The F80 has ten workout programs including interval training, weight loss, and cardio training to keep your workouts from getting stale over time. Furthermore, the treadmill allows you to set up two user defined programs, giving you the flexibility to design your own workout program.
- The build-in speakers allow you to play your own music. Connect your MP3-player, smartphone, or tablet with the treadmill by using the included audio cable. In order for this to work, you'll have to input the audio cable into the audio input jack on the console.
REVIEW OF THE PRODUCT
Build Quality: 5/5
The warranty period gives you an idea of how confident Sole Fitness is about the construction. For the frame, motor, and running deck, Sole offers a lifetime warranty. Additionally, you'll get five years of warranty on parts and electronics and two years on labor.
Sole Fitness decided to use welded steel instead of bolts for the frame, which puts you at a much lesser risk of the frame breaking due to regular wear and tear.
Also, the CushionFlex deck has a variety of insulating layers to keep the running deck from wearing out. The welded steel frame and CushionFlex deck help to increase the lifetime of the treadmill.
Technology: 4.5/5
The on-board technology of the F80 is quite impressive and useful at the same time. The ability to connect the treadmill to your phone and play music, as well as share workout data with an app via Bluetooth, can't be understated in an exercise machine for serious users.
However, the workout variability isn't so great. The F80 doesn't have a way to add new pre-designed workouts and the ability to choose from only ten workouts might not be enough for the more serious runners. Of course, if you need more diversity, you could choose to create a custom program yourself.
Comfort: 5/5
The F80 scores well in terms of comfort because of its CushionFlex running deck technology. The deck combines several layers of cushioning to give you one of the smoother running experiences you can have on a treadmill.
Additionally, the F80 has a set of fans on its front, which can provide localized cooling, something that a standard ceiling fan probably wouldn't be able to provide.
"HOW DOES IT COMPARE?"
Sole F85
The Sole F85 is the upgraded model of the Sole F80. It comes with all of the technology that comes with the F80, but with a more powerful motor that increases the weight capacity of the F80's 375 pounds to a slightly more impressive 400 lbs.
The size of the running area is the same and it has the same number of programmable and built-in workouts. The display of the F85 is a bit larger, so it might be a better choice for you if you need things to be slightly bigger when you read, or if you weigh more than 375 pounds.
Horizon Fitness Elite T9
The Horizon Fitness Elite T9 has a higher amount of workout versatility over the F80 Treadmill. The Fitness Elite includes a workout tracking calendar on its display and allows users to select a training from 44 different workout programs.
The Fitness Elite might be worth a consideration if you are advanced in your fitness journey and want as much customization in your workouts as possible.
The F80, which has a higher user weight capacity, would be a better choice for you if you expect a higher load on the treadmill and don't need a lot of workout programs.
LifeSpan TR3000e
The LifeSpan TR3000e, like the Fitness Elite, has a larger amount of workout customization than the F80 Treadmill. You can choose from 17 preset workouts, which are useful if you desire a lot of variation during your workouts.
The running deck on the Fitness Elite is 2 inches less wide, and 4 inches less long compared to the F80 Treadmill, making the TR3000e a less favorable choice if you desire a larger running deck.