Thinking about a Sole Treadmill? Wondering if they’re really a good buy for you? Sole treadmills are some of the most popular runner-friendly treadmills on the market today.
They were originally manufactured for the commercial market – hotels like Hilton and Omni. However Sole started making their treadmills available to the home market about 10 years ago.
So how do they measure up and what do they give you? Well, here’s a review of the key strengths – and drawbacks – of this treadmill brand to help you make a more informed decision.
#1. Ultra High Torque Motors with Flywheels
Sole treadmills use heavy-duty, high-torque motors with zinc-coated balanced flywheels. The flywheels help the motor to run cooler with less amp draw.
This helps to extend the life of your motor and, ultimately, your treadmill.
#2. CushionFlex Cushioning
Sole is well known for their Cushioning system. CushionFlex was shown in a study to reduce impact on your joints by up to 40% (versus road running).
This make these treadmills a great option if you’re prone to shin splints or joint pain. Runners will also like the extra cushioning protection with these treadmills.
#3. Highly Stable Folding Frame
Because of the nature of their design, folding treadmills are generally not as stable as non-folding treadmills.
However, Sole designed a unique horseshoe-folding frame especially for the hotel environment that makes their folding units just as stable as their non-folding models.
#4. Speed and Incline Control on Side Handrails
Sole treadmills are known for putting speed and incline buttons on their side handrails (as well as the console). This is handy for making on-the-fly changes without reaching up to the console (which can throw off your stride).
#5. Backlit Consoles
These treadmills come with bright blue backlit consoles, which make it easy to see your workout stats. There’s also a scrolling message board which will lead you through setting up your workout.
Also these consoles come equipped with console fans to keep you cool – and iPod docks to listen to your favorite workout music.
So those are some of the main benefits of Sole Treadmills. Are there any drawbacks?
Well, Sole treadmills have stagnated a bit. Sole has not updated their treadmills in a couple of years now. That means that other brands are starting to catch up to them – and may possibly be passing them in the near future.
You don’t get the kinds of bells and whistles with these treadmills that are becoming pretty standard with other brands. For example, most treadmill brands give you some kind of online connectivity. So you can track your workout stats, set goals etc. And Sole machines don’t offer that – yet.
But on the whole, you really can’t fault Sole for their construction – it’s top notch.
They may not give you a lot of bells and whistles but what they do give you are strong, stable decks with tough motors and excellent cushioning. Basically they are built to last a long time.