Sole SRVO Review – 2023

*TreadmillReviewGuru helps consumers find the best home fitness products. When you buy a product we recommend, we may earn a commission.

Last Updated: June 14, 2023

Sole Fitness is a manufacturer that creates really high-quality, solid fitness equipment. From their treadmills to their exercise bikes and ellipticals, all the equipment we’ve tested is very well-made and stable to use with high weight limits. Sole has now branched out from cardio equipment into strength training. New to their lineup is the SRVO Trainer. It is their version of a compact smart home gym that’s flooded the market in recent years with equipment like the Tonal and Tempo. The Sole SRVO is a strength training platform with two cables that provide up to 132 lbs of resistance each. With additional accessories and attachments, you can perform over 150 exercises on the SRVO all while rolling it under your bed when you’re done. In this review of the Sole SRVO, we go over what to expect from this new smart home gym strength training machine.

Check Best Price

Why You Should Trust Our Review Of The Sole SRVO

We test all kinds of fitness equipment here at Treadmill Review Guru. We are fortunate to get in all kinds of machines to create reviews. While we don’t have the Sole SRVO in our studio for testing yet, we’re able to compile this spec review based on our experience testing other equipment from Sole, as well as smart home gyms like the Tonal, Vitruvian Trainer+, and NordicTrack Vault. It is with this that we’ve provided you with our analysis of the SRVO to help you determine if it’s right for you.

---

---

---

In-depth Review of Sole SRVO

---

Console

The console on the Sole SRVO is a small display with a dial/button to adjust the weight and training mode. It displays which of the 3 modes you’re in (more on this in a moment), the amount of weight (per cable), and the number of reps performed.

Like other equipment from Sole, the SRVO connects to the free Sole+ App for workout tracking, guided workouts, and exercise demonstrations. Sole says there are over 150+ exercises to choose from in the app with the SRVO. I assume that connecting to the app is pretty straightforward, as it is with Sole’s treadmills. You’ll just need your phone to connect to the SRVO through Bluetooth. There is also a QR code on the side of the SRVO to connect to the YDY App for more instructor-led workout content.

One thing that is unclear is whether the Sole+ App or YDY App is required to use the SRVO. Other machines like the Vitruvian require using their training app in order to set the weight, mode, and exercise. Without a connection to the app, no weight is applied to the cables. While I really like that the SRVO has a small screen display to show your weight, adjust the weight, and start and stop your workout, I’m not sure if you need to use the app to set the SRVO up for each exercise, or not.

Either way, I like the idea of being able to look down at the screen to see how much weight I’m lifting and what rep I’m on, rather than just having to look at my phone.

Motorized Weight

The weight is motorized and adjustable to let you lift up to 264 lbs (132 lbs per cable). I’m assuming it will feel similar to other smart gyms that use digital weight. It will probably feel different to use than free weights, so keep that in mind. The SRVO also features a “smart calculation system”. One aspect of this system is the training modes which I’ll get into in a moment. I’m not sure exactly what other features the smart technology includes though. Other smart home gyms like the Tonal, act as your own personal spotter to assess if you’re struggling in a rep by lightening the weight so you can finish the rep. Lifting heavy weights can be dangerous, especially if you try lifting more than what you’re capable of, so it’s nice when smart home gyms use integrated tech to help keep you safe.

I’m unsure if that is exactly how the weight works on the SRVO, although I hope it does. 264 lbs is a lot of weight that could hurt someone who isn’t capable of lifting that much. The weight is said to be simulated, so considering the SRVO can sense things like how fast or slow you’re moving through each rep, I’m sure it has safety features built in to only allow you to lift what you’re capable of.

The weight can be adjusted in 1 lb increments which I really like. This way you’ll have a large range of weight to work with and the ability to add or subtract pounds as you need to.

Training Modes

The SRVO has 3 different training modes to choose from. These modes control how the weight is applied and distributed throughout the entire range of each rep. The standard mode is what you would expect. The same amount of weight is distributed throughout the entire range of the exercise. I anticipate that standard mode will probably be what most people prefer.

The next mode is eccentric. In this mode, the weight is applied only during the eccentric portion of the exercise. So, in a squat when you lower to the ground, you’ll feel the max weight and then the weight will lighten the last part of the exercise when you rise out of the squat. This mode seems very similar to the Vitruvian’s eccentric-only training mode.

The isokinetic mode is all about explosive power. The idea in this mode is that you want to perform quick-controlled reps to keep the weight loaded at the set max. When you slow down, the weight is lightened. It also looks like you can change this mode between fast or slow to get more resistance when you slow down and less when you speed up, too. These modes are a great way to add variety to your workouts.

Construction

Being from Sole, I assume that the SRVO has really high-quality construction. We know this brand’s treadmills to be some of the best on the market because of their solid construction, so I expect the SRVO feels durable and is built to last.

The Sole SRVO Trainer is a small floor platform that’s free-standing. What makes it appealing compared to other smart home gyms is that it’s only 5” tall. This means that it can be rolled under a bed or couch, or in a closet out of the way. The Tonal, for instance, requires being mounted to a wall, and fitness mirrors like the NordicTrack Vault or ProForm Vue stand up tall and don’t have wheels so they’re hard to move.

The SRVO has two wheels on one side and a built-in handle on the other side, so you can roll it around wherever you like. It isn’t a large platform by any means so it can probably be carried by one or two people, too. Sole didn’t include in the specs how much it weighs, but I can imagine it doesn’t weigh much more than 100 lbs or so, due to its size.

The SRVO handles up to 330 lbs. Considering this is a machine that you stand, kneel, lay, plank, and squat on, I’m glad it handles a good amount of user weight.

Frame

It is unclear exactly what the outer frame is made out of. The top of the SRVO looks like it could be made out of carbon fiber like the Vitruvian, but we don’t know for sure. The side pieces look to be plastic and the cables appear to feed into metal pieces.

Like other weight equipment like cable machines, each cable has a carabiner clip to attach the different attachments and accessories. This should make using the SRVO and setting up and swapping out the different accessories, easy.

Servomotors

The Sole SRVO most likely gets its name from the two commercial-grade servomotors that are built in. These motors work to give you resistance and up to 264 lbs of weight to pull against. The vents on the sides of the SRVO platform are there to help prevent the motors from overheating. Until we use the SRVO, I can’t speak to how the weight will feel and how much sound the SRVO will make.

Accessories

Sole claims users can perform over 150 exercises on the SRVO. With the different accessories available to purchase with the SRVO, I assume this is accurate. Things like raises, presses, squats, lunges, planks, and more look to be possible on the SRVO. The SRVO is available to buy in two different options: the Sole SRVO and the Sole SRVO Complete.

Sole SRVO

When you purchase the cheaper package which is just called the Sole SRVO, it comes with the SRVO Trainer, mat, bar, handles, ankle straps, and belt. The bar looks to be made out of metal and knurled like a barbell, although I’m not sure what it is coated in. The knurling does have marks for precise hand placement and no center knurling. There also appears to be a button to potentially adjust the weight built on the bar too, so you don’t have to bend down to adjust the weight using the dial. The two handles are also metal and knurled like traditional dumbbells.

The ankle straps are velcro, as is the belt so they should be pretty easy to adjust so you can fit them to your body. The mat also looks to fit perfectly over the SRVO platform so you don’t slip or have to worry about scratching it.

SRVO Complete

The SRVO Complete is the more expensive option and it comes with all of the accessories as the other package, as well as a rope, safety cables, and an adjustable bench.

The bench looks to be very adjustable and multi-functional. The bench appears that it can be used flat and inclined at a few different angles. A large metal piece that is collapsible, extends upright at the back of the bench. This piece seems to work like a squat rack. There are cups to hold the bar. I’m unsure if this piece allows you to do pull-down exercises though. With the nature of the cables pulling up from the floor, exercises like lat pull-downs might not be possible to perform.

Warranty

Sole includes a 1-year warranty for the SRVO and a 90-day warranty for the accessories.