Sole F80 Vs Sole F63: Weighing In On The $500-Price Difference

Sole treadmills are known for their stable, reliable, and durable treadmills and incredible warranties regardless of price range. No wonder the Sole F63 has been reviewed as “Simply the best quality treadmill in its price range” by consumers and fitness magazines, and the Treadmill Doctor considers the Sole F83 as the “best buy winner in the $1500 range.”

While the two treadmills are targeted for different users, it’s still worth doing a Sole F80 vs Sole F63 comparison to find out which of these folding treadmills gives the better value for money.

Key Features

The Sole F80 is equipped with the more massive 3.0 HP continuous duty motor which means that the Sole F80 is designed to withstand the daily use of heavy joggers, reaching speeds of up to 11 mph. On the other hand, the Sole F63 has a top speed of 10 mph and its 2.5 motor is still powerful enough to make a dependable fitness machine for walkers and light joggers.

At 250 lbs, the Sole F80 weighs only 5 lbs heavier than the Sole F63’s 245-lb frame. The weight difference should matter little in terms of stability although the F80 is said to support a user of up to 350 pounds while the F63 is steady enough for users up to 325 pounds.

The two treadmills both come with an identical walking/running surface measuring 20 by 55 inches, ideal for most users although tall individuals may feel more comfortable with treadmills of larger and longer running areas.

Console, User Programs and Accessories

The Sole F80’s console display is of red LED readout while the F63 is built with a blue LCD display. While the F80 comes with heart rate control (wireless Polar chest strap included) and hand pulse grips, the Sole F63 only has hand pulse grips. Both treadmills come with 6 standard and 2 customizable programs, although the Sole F80 has the added benefit of 2 heart rate control programs.

The two models also come with added accessories like cooling fans and built-in speakers for your iPod, although customer reviews of the F63’s speakers and cooling fans would note that the quality of these aren’t the best. Still, given the cost of the Sole F63, having these extra features on hand is actually quite a steal.

Cost and Warranty

The regular sale price of the Sole F80 is $1,499.99 and that of the Sole F63 is $999.99. With the sizable price difference, the warranties for both machines vary a bit. Lifetime warranty is guaranteed for the F80’s frame, deck and motor, while the parts and in-home service carry 5 years and 2 years warranty respectively. The Sole F63 also carries lifetime warranties but only for the frame and motor, while the deck and parts have both 3 years warranty, and 2 years guaranty on labor.

Sole F80 vs Sole F63 – The Bottomline

There are budget treadmills and then there are mid-priced ones. There’s certainly no lack of competition in these classes but these Sole machines are some of the leading treadmills in their respective categories.

In this comparison between the Sole F80 vs the Sole F63, the bottomline is this: both treadmills would go a long way in giving users quality workouts not unlike those found in gyms and health clubs. The $500-price difference between the two is reflected in the Sole F80’s more powerful motor, better stability, heart rate control feature and matchless warranty.