Sole F85 Treadmill Review and Price Comparison

Your Sole F85 Treadmill Buying Guide
Summary of What The Experts Say

More than one expert has said that the Sole F85 treadmill is one of the main treadmills that the Hilton Hotel uses. (Sole’s website states they are the exclusive treadmill providers for Hilton Hotels, Omni Hotels, and Monaco Hotels.) Since the Hilton chain has so many hotels, it makes sense when experts say this is the top selling treadmill in Sole's lineup. Experts note the monstrous 3.5 CHP motor which is more than sufficient for running. Experts say you can expect minimal maintenance (such as lubrication) with this treadmill. Experts are quite happy with the 5 year parts and 2 year labor warranty that can also be found in the Sole F80 and F83.

Summary of What The Users Say

Of all the user comments and reviews we read, not one user expressed extreme dissatisfaction. This is not to say that there were no problems with the treadmill but just that the cons are being outweighed by the pros. Problems with this treadmill include the hand grip pulse sensors not being accurate, fans not being of much help and discrepancy regarding the true strength of the motor. On the positive end, users seem to be quite happy with the construction quality, sturdiness and how smooth it runs.

What You Should Do

If you want the best folding treadmill for your home without going up a class to commercial, the Sole F85 is about as good as it gets from Sole. This is saying quite a lot considering all of Sole's treadmills are positively reviewed by experts and echoed by users' experiences. This quality however is often bundled with prices that really detract from its attractiveness at times which brings us to the main topic of this review. Just how good a value is the Sole F85 treadmill? To answer that, we compare the F85 to its very close cousin, the Sole F83. [Click To See Rest of Review][Close Reviews]

Sole F85 vs Sole F83

If you've read our review of the Sole F83, we think that at its regular price of $1749, it is only a "Great Buy" (4.0/5.0). For the Sole F85 at $2000, we also think it's a "Good Buy" (4.0/5.0). Why did we maintain our meta score despite the F85 costing $200 more? The reason for this is because the price of $200 or so you pay more when you upgrade from the F83 to F85 is just about worth the value you get. In other words, you’re not getting a bargain but you’re also not getting ripped off. Let's find out what you get.

1. 3.5HP vs 3.0HP: Helpful especially for sprinters or heavy users but the 3.0HP motor in the F83 should be sufficient for most regular runners already. Thus, the 3.5HP is slightly overkill unless you really intend to do a lot of intense running or sprinting.

2. 60" vs 58": A longer belt is always better but 58" would fit almost all but the extremely tall users. The 2 inches extra is thus more of a luxury than a necessity.

3. F85 is 20 pounds heavier: A heavier treadmill contributes to more sturdiness but most users probably can't tell the difference.

4. F85 received slightly better quality and cushioning ratings from TMDOCTOR: This is probably the most important. A little bit more quality can result in a treadmill lasting quite a bit longer.

The upgrades themselves surely cost the manufacturer $200 but does it translate to $200 in value for you, the buyer? For me personally, the peace of mind I'm getting in investing $200 for a machine that's as good as one you find in a hotel is reassuring but this is a subjective opinion. Taking an objective look and you’ll see that you’re essentially paying for luxuries in the upgraded motor and the belt whereas the slightly better quality is not a luxury but a solid investment.

As an aside, at below $2000, a very strong competitor is the Smooth 9.25HR which we think is as good of a deal as the F85. In all honesty, the treadmill really isn't sold at below $2000 all that often so more often than not, the edge goes to the Sole F85.

Verdict: At $200 to $250 more than the F83, the Sole F85 is the best folding option available from Sole if you don’t take price into consideration. For most people, the extra $200 spent on upgrading from the Sole F83 to the Sole F85 treadmill is probably not that necessary unless you intend to do A LOT of running. In those cases, the $200 is really worth spending on as the upgraded quality, motor and belt are really nice luxuries to have for a runner. For buyers that don’t want to over exhaust themselves with research that the Hilton Corporation has already done when they needed treadmills for their hotels, just go with this one. For a non folding alternative of this treadmill, turn to the Sole S77.

After reading opinions from experts and users, we have objectively analyzed the Sole F85 Treadmill and assigned it a meta score as follows:

If the total price is $1680, you are getting a Super Bargain (5.0/5.0)
If the total price is $1830, you are getting a Great Bargain (4.5/5.0)
If the total price is $1980, you are getting a Good Bargain (4.0/5.0)
If the total price is $2130, you are getting a Small Bargain (3.5/5.0)
If the total price is $2280, it is No Bargain (3.0/5.0)
If the total price is $2430, it is Somewhat Overpriced (2.5/5.0)
If the total price is $2580, it is Greatly Overpriced (2.0/5.0)
If the total price is $2730, it is Severely Overpriced (1.5/5.0)

The current lowest price is $1979.99 which makes it a Good Bargain.

Notes:

1. This meta review was first published on October 25th, 2007.
2. For a list of resources used to construct this meta review, click here.

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