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The Sole Fitness F63 Folding Treadmill includes a range of high quality design features, designed to make your running more effective, as well as more enjoyable.
This product article takes a look at these features in more detail, as well as the workout programs, reviews, and even assembly instructions to help you decide if this is the best treadmill for your own home gym.
Design features
One of the goals behind the design of the Sole Fitness F63 is to provide the same level of build quality and features found on higher priced treadmills in the range, just at a slightly scaled down version.
This means you can often find deals where the F63 is available for under $1,000.
If you are thinking about buying a new exercise machine but worried about how much space a treadmill will take up, the Sole Fitness F63 features a folding running deck to reduce its footprint when not in use.
The patented all gear rack and pinion system uses a safety lock to secure the deck in place when it reaches the upright folded position. Simply by pulling a lever on the underside of the deck, it will then automatically lower itself to the ground, with no need for any heavy lifting.
While the amount of space the treadmill requires can be important, what matters more is your running experience when actually using the machine.
This will usually depend on 5 factors; the size of the running area, the cushioning system, power of the motor, size of the rollers, and quality of the running belt.
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Running area sizeThe 2013 model of the Sole Fitness F63 features a larger running area than most treadmills, measuring 20″ (W) x 60″ (L).The size of the running area is important for making sure you can use your full natural running stride when running at higher speeds.
Many lower priced machines will often only provide a running area of 40″ to 50″, which simply isn’t large enough for taller users.
- Cushioning systemAs anyone with years of experience running outside can tell you, the high impact nature of the exercise can start to have a negative effect on your joints.This is why Sole have designed the F63 with a cushion flex suspension system, to help reduce the impact of the run by up to 40%.
- High torque motorAll SOLE treadmills feature the heaviest duty chassis and motors in their class.With more power than the earlier F60 model, the 3.0 continuous duty HP motor keeps the running deck running smoothly up to a top speed of 12 mph.
- RollersThe increased size of the rollers (2.75-inch compared to the 2-inch of the F60 treadmill) makes for a larger contact surface against the running belt, increasing the life of both the belt and the rollers.
- BeltsThe belt for the Sole Fitness F63 is made up of woven two-ply belts with four layers. This includes two rubber layers over a middle PVC layer, with a nylon backing that rolls over the deck and rollers.The rubber provides the durability, the PVC stops the belt from over-stretching, and the nylon provides a smooth, static-free surface to glide over the deck and rollers.
Safety features
As with buying any new piece of fitness or weightlifting equipment, if you are going to be using the Sole Fitness F63 at home on your own, it’s important to know the safety features provided that will help prevent any risk of injury.
The main safety feature provided with this treadmill is the safety tether cord. This cord has an attachment at each end, with one end clipping onto an item of your clothing, and the other attaching to a magnet on the display console.
Without the magnet attached, the running belt won’t start. While there is still a red ‘stop’ button that can be pressed to stop the belt quickly, in the event of a fall the safety cord will detach from the display console. This will automatically bring the running belt to a quick stop.
Sole Fitness F63 – Features Summary
- Powered by 3.0 continuous duty HP motor
- 12 MPH maximum speed
- Up to 15% incline setting
- Ideal for home fitness use
- Rack-and-pinion gear design incline, two-ply belt, pulse grip and chest strap heart rate monitoring
- Six standard programs, two custom programs, and two heart programs
- Cooling fans and MP3-compatible sound system
- 6.5-inch LCD workout display
- 2.5-inch rollers
- 20″W x 60″L Running surface
Workout programs
Similar to the F65, the Sole Fitness F63 provides you with 10 preset workout programs to choose from, varying in speed, incline, and overall intensity.
These preset programs fall into 4 main categories; manual, preset profiles, user defined, and heart rate control.
- ManualThis is the best option to choose if you simply want to start your workout and manually adjust the speed and incline according to how you feel at the time. You’re following no preset training profile so you also have the opportunity to really add some variation to your routine.
- PresetThe 5 preset training programs are designed to provide a range of different speed and incline combinations to help prevent your body from getting used to one style of training, as well as to keep your workouts fresh and interesting.While most of the preset options are designed to mimic hill ascents and descents, program 5 has been designed as more of an interval training option.
- User definedDespite having a useful range of preset options, it can also be good to be able to setup your own custom workouts to match your specific training goals for that particular session.The Sole Fitness F63 lets you setup and store 2 of these workouts, where you can first adjust the speed of the running belt for different stages of your program, then the incline level you want to be running at through those same stages.
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Heart rate controlAs the name suggests, the heart rate controlled options will cause the speed and incline settings of the running belt to automatically adjust to keep your heart rate within a certain range.Your heart rate level during workouts has long been considered important to the goals you are trying to achieve, which is why it’s so important that the Sole Fitness F63 includes these programs.
If you want to concentrate on fat burning workouts for example, then it’s important to keep your heart rate around 70% of your maximum, whereas 80% would be optimal for strengthening your cardiovascular system.
Display console design
Although the LCD display screen is around 1 inch smaller than the screen on the higher priced F80 model, the Sole Fitness F63 display console is actually surprisingly similar.
You still have access to a range of ‘quick-select’ keys for both the speed and incline settings, with the maximum speed and incline level available.
While the cooling fans and speakers may seem like unnecessary extras, keeping yourself cool, hydrated, and motivated are 3 of the most effective ways to get more out of your workouts.
The two large recesses built into the display console are also excellent for storing either a couple of water bottles, an intra-workout supplement, or even your mp3 player if you want to listen to your favourite motivational music through the speakers.
Despite the display screen being slightly smaller than the higher priced design, this still manages to display a wide range of important workout information. This includes a virtual 1/4 mile running track to keep track of your progress, heart rate, calories burned, speed, and workout time.
Customer reviews
Even with all of the information and images provided in this product article so far, it’s still important to find out what other people who have purchased the Sole Fitness F63 think of the machine after use.
Although the reviews for this treadmill aren’t generally as highly rated as for the Sole Fitness F80 or F85, the majority are still between 3 stars and the maximum rating of 5 stars.
After reading through the current reviews, the following positives and negatives became clear:
Pros:
- Large running belt area
- Solidly built
- Powerful 3.0 CHP motor
- Easy access to the speed and incline adjustment buttons
Cons:
- Smaller monitor size compared to the F80 and F85
- Tends to be better for anyone running less than 100 miles per week
What’s included in the warranty?
This piece of SOLE equipment includes the following manufacturer’s warranties against defects in materials and workmanship:
- Frame and motor: Lifetime
- Deck and Other Components: Three years
- Labor: One year
Review Overview
Overall Review Rating
3.5 / 5
For all of its design features and workout programs, the Sole Fitness F63 Folding Treadmill represents excellent value for money.
At a similar price to the LifeSpan TR1200i but with a larger running area, larger display screen, and higher weight limit, the F63 is one of the best treadmills available for under $1,000.
The 12 MPH maximum speed and incline settings up to 15% allow you to match the workout intensity to your own level of physical fitness, whether you are beginning your first exercise program or have many years of running experience.
With its space-saving design that folds up and locks safely into place when not in use, this makes the F63 ideal for home fitness use.
Product dimensions: 33" (W) x 58" (H) x 83" (D) Running surface: 20" (W) x 60" (D) Product weight: 253 lbs User weight limit: 325 lbs
USA Home Gym gives in-depth insights into gym equipment, supplements, and fitness training methods. The motivation behind USA Home Gym is to provide you with information that goes beyond what you can find in any user manual, customer review, or other online review sites.
We go to great lengths to ensure that our reviews are completely comprehensive, usually covering everything from the design features to the warranty coverage and exercise options. This is all to help guide you towards the home gym equipment that’s best suited to your goals and budget, whilst also being the highest quality option in your chosen price range.
