Sole F63 Treadmill Review – Pros & Cons (2020)

Last Updated: January 10, 2020

The Sole F63 is our Top Treadmill under $1000. The F63 is a great treadmill for walkers and joggers. Sole consistently builds simple, quality treadmills that are lightweight but offer a high weight-capacity. While the F63 only weighs 254lbs, it will support a 325lb weight capacity — significantly higher than other treadmills in this price range. It also folds up and can be rolled out of the way when not in use.

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Treadmill Awards

The Sole F63 is a solid machine with a sturdy design and extensive warranty. We are impressed with the Sole F63’s structural quality. It has a great combination of features for an excellent price. This is why we have awarded it our Best Treadmill under $1,000.

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Who It’s For: Walkers and Joggers looking for a sturdy, yet lightweight machine that folds up

The F63 is Sole’s entry-level treadmill that is well-suited for:

• Light runners, walkers or joggers — may not be best for multiple users or heavy training
• Users with limited space — the F63 is compact and folds up easily
• Users who want simple tech and not all the extra subscription based features
• Those looking for a quality build with an affordable price-tag
• Those looking for a quiet machine with gentle cushioning
• A 8” step-up height makes it easy to step on and off

In-depth Review of the Sole F63

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Construction

Steel Frame

Sole machines are known for being sturdy and durable. Even though the F63 is Sole’s entry-level treadmill, it offers this same solid construction found on their more expensive machines. The frame is steel with powder-coated uprights and base supports. 3” side rails are textured so you won’t fall when stepping on and off the track. There is also an 18” long step up zone on each side rail with additional width and texture for support.

20” by 60” Deck

• Cushioning: The F63 features Sole’s patented cushioning which provides impact support in the deck. While this doesn’t rival the extensive cushioning found on more-expensive treadmills, it is significantly better than running outdoors. Outdoor surfaces can produce up to double a runner’s weight in impact force. Deck cushioning in the F63 mitigates this impact by transferring the shock down into the deck rather than back up through your joints and spine. I found the cushioning to be adequate for walking and light jogging. It feels a little hard while running.
• Length/Width: At 20” by 60” the Sole F63 offers good length for a folding treadmill under $1000. There is plenty of kick-back as the deck extends behind you. I’ve noticed that the motor hood sits a little high on Sole machines. It rises 4” off the deck at the highest point and is just underneath the console. I did graze the top of the hood a few times with my foot. If you stand back a little, this doesn’t happen. But in order to reach the console buttons, I need to move forward on the deck.
• Belt and Rollers: The 2-ply belt has a clean surface with just enough texture to move your foot along without grabbing your shoe. It is durable and provides a good feel underfoot.

Motor

The 3.0HP motor on the F53 is not the most powerful, but it does what it needs to. The motor regulates both speed and incline settings. I found this motor to be impressively quiet. I literally had to look under the deck to make sure it was inclining. Speed settings are regulated and consistent. There is no lag in between speed adjustments. Walking at a brisk 3.5mph, I played around with the incline a little, moving up to 10% grade and then back to 3% grade. The speed held consistent during incline adjustments. Similarly, I turned the incline all the way up to 15% and played around with different speeds, moving from 2mph up to 3.5mph and then 6mph. At each setting the motor responded smoothly.

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Console/Controls

6.5” LCD Screen

The 6.5” LCD screen is bright and easy to read with digital numbers and words. It is simple and to the point without unnecessary extras. Buttons below the screen control program, incline, and speed.

Console Layout

Console layout is one area the F63 could use some tweaking. A panel on the lower part of the console shows buttons for speed and incline. But these are somewhat randomly assigned. Speed buttons are: 2-3-4-5-7-9-12. Incline buttons are: 1-3-5-7-9-12-15. In order to find settings in between these presets, there are manual incline/speed buttons up by the screen, but not on this lower panel. Similarly, there are buttons on both handrails: right for speed and left for incline. But I accidentally grabbed the handrail buttons on more than one occasion. One other item that could be a positive or negative — the buttons on the F63 are a raised-rubber tactile button. This makes them easy to feel and press, but with use, one could get dirty or compressed down. Speed and incline preset buttons are not raised.

One Fan

There is one fan on the F63 but it too is underwhelming. It is situated at the very top of the console and vents cannot be adjusted downward. The fan blew over my head and isn’t very strong.

Tablet Holder

A tablet holder attached to the console will hold a tablet or phone via an adjustable clip. Because the F63 screen is not designed to display a video or be interactive, the tablet holder allows users to watch a program or surf the internet on their device.

Storage

The console offers good storage. There are two large pockets with a divider inside on either side of the screen. An additional storage tray is also located under the console, just above the deck. This tray is set back so it doesn’t create an obstacle when working an incline.

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Functionality

Performance

The Sole F63 is a good little machine. It runs simple programs on a streamlined machine that is well-built and folds up. Aside from a somewhat wonky console display, the overall functionality of the F63 is impressive.

0% Decline to 15% Incline

Featuring a respectable incline range, the F63 provides abundant training variables. Since it is designed for users looking for a lower-impact workout such as walking or light jogging, the incline is a valuable feature. You can increase the intensity of any workout simply by raising the deck. This allows users to stay low-impact to reduce joint discomfort or impact injuries. The incline will also strengthen posterior muscles in addition to the anterior quads dominant in running.

Pre-programmed workouts

These are simple and straight-forward. A small graph displays the workout so you know what is coming. There are two user profiles so you can customize the readout to reflect your weight and energy expenditure. Programs include: Manual, Hill, Fat Burn, Cardio, Strength, HIIT. Two heart rate programs also offer training at 60% max and 80% max. Heart rate training is a new emphasis in the fitness industry as it provides an accurate readout of how hard you are working. The included chest strap is a valuable component with these programs.

Subscription Options

Sole offers a Sole app you can download to your phone. It will keep track of your workout stats, including calorie burn, heart rates and duration. However, there is not an online subscription database you can run on the treadmill.

Noise Level

Like it’s older brother, the Sole F80, the F63 is remarkably quiet. I was surprised by how quietly the motor runs both during speed and interval adjustments. This is one area where Sole excels — even though these machines don’t feature all the extra bells and whistles, they feature quality engineering. Since the F63 sits close to the floor, that helps absorb some of the noise as well. This treadmill would work well for those who need to run quietly without disturbing roommates or neighbors.

Storage / Folding

EasyLift assist and a hydraulic release arm make folding and unfolding the F63 seamless. It can be easily folded by one person. Once it locks into a folded position, it will hold securely until unlatched with the yellow release lever. There are four wheels — two under the front uprights and two underneath the deck. You can pivot the F63 gently and roll it out of the way.

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Items of Note

The Sole F63 is built as an entry-level treadmill, so it doesn’t offer many of the tech features found on other machines. It is a quality build and it folds nicely. However, if you are looking for more advanced tech, an interactive touchscreen, or a subscription database with trainers and classes, there may be better options available. Console design is a little clunky and while some people may appreciate the tactile, raised buttons, I didn’t love them.

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