Sole F80 Treadmill Review

Many mid-range treadmills offer a few extras, but they tend to sacrifice quality to save a little on the price. Sole is trying to debunk this trend by offering a sturdy treadmill with lots of features at a price that other mid-range treadmills would have trouble matching. You can find the Sole F80 at around $1,500 if you look hard enough and for that money you get a surprising amount of goodies.If you're looking for a treadmill, you've no doubt searched a dozen reviews by now. And you would be hard-pressed to find a review of this machine that has something negative to say. As it turns out, there is good reason behind that. Primarily because of the origins of the Sole F80. It was designed as a commercial-grade product for hotel chains. They needed a treadmill that could stand up to anyone, last until the sun went out and never sacrifice quality for price. What they got was the Sole F80.The first thing to note about the Sole F80 is the warranty. The motor and deck are covered by a lifetime warranty and the major electronics are under a 5 year warranty. You also get 2 years parts and labor warranty, which you would struggle to find on any other treadmill in this price range. While the warranty is great, it's not worth a great warranty to buy a cheap product.But the Sole doesn't have a cheap feel at all. While it is fairly plain compared so some other treadmills, the extra bells and whistles are still there. You get a dock for your iPod or MP3 player, which is typically a costly extra in most treadmills. You also get their cushioned deck which reduces impact but doesn't spring back at you. Something important to note is that the F80 comes with 2 and inch rollers, which is one of the reasons it lasts so long. The big rollers don't spin as often as smaller ones and wear down less, but they still offer quiet and sustained speed.You also get some nice extras with controls on the armrests and an attractive display showing you everything you need to know about your workout. The whole package weighs over 200 pounds and is very solid, yet still comes with a folding deck for reducing space. Unfortunately, that space reduction also means that the belt is fairly short. At only 55" long it may cause some problems for runner with longer legs. But that seems like a minor complaint compared to everything else the treadmill has to offer. If you are looking for a solid mid-range treadmill at a reasonable price, the Sole F80 has a lot to offer.