Sole F65 vs. F80 Treadmill Comparison: Sole's Mid-Range Mash Up

Are you looking for a treadmill that can stay with you for life? Have your eyes landed on some Sole treadmills, but you’re unsure which one you should pick?

If you’re seeking a Sole treadmill comparison between the F65 and F80, this guide is for you.

Sole F65 vs. F80 Treadmill : A Quick Look

Both the F65 and Sole F80 are fantastic options for athletes who prefer to run at home. However, the F65 is considered more budget-friendly. Its motor is slightly weaker, which results in a reduced maximum weight limit, and it still uses the conventional LCD backlit display.

The F80 has a stronger motor and an 9" backlit LCD screen, allowing you to stream your favourite media as you run.

Sole F65 Pros:

• One of the cheaper treadmills of the Sole F family for those who want a raw running experience without the added luxuries
• It comes with a lifetime warranty on the frame and motor and two years on the components
• It has a large weight limit of up to 330 lb
• The motor is powered by WhisperQuiet Cushioning technology, allowing for a silent, smooth ride

Sole F65 Cons:

• It lacks the touchscreen found in newer models, which could be a setback for those who love to watch something as they run
• It has no decline option. The treadmill may be an affordable option compared to other Sole treadmills, but it’s still expensive enough to have such an option

Sole F80 Pros:

• A 3.5 HP engine that provides an even smoother running experience than the F65
• In addition to the lifetime warranty on the frame and motor, you also get an extra year of warranty on the components compared to the F65
• The stronger motor can hold up to 350 lb
• The console has a touchscreen that can connect to the internet and provide you with all the media you need to finish that run

Sole F80 Cons:

• The stronger engine is slightly noisier than the F65
• There’s still no decline option despite being a relatively expensive treadmill

Sole F65 vs. F80 Treadmill In-Depth Comparison

Now that you have a general idea about both folding treadmills, let’s break down their main features and see how they fare against each other.

Design and Frame

Unlike the design similarity between the F80 and its older sibling, the F85, the Sole F65 treadmill has a different overall appearance from the F80, which makes identifying it from a distance an easy task.

The F65 control panel still leans toward the runners for ease of accessibility. However, it doesn’t have that iconic Z-shape.

Add to that you also get extended handles that you can rest your hands on. The pouching game is also better in the F65 than both the F80 and F85, as you get a tray between the supporting rods where you can place your cups, phone, chargers, etc.

Motor and Noise Level

Here’s how the motor performance fares between the F65 and the F80:

F65

Sole F65 comes with a reliable 3 HP motor that can take the user to a top speed of 12 mph (20 km/h.) It can comfortably maintain that speed even if the runner weighs up to 330 lb (150 kg).

We’ve tested various treadmills throughout our many reviews, and only a handful could surpass the smoothness of Sole’s treadmills. A large contributing factor to that is the rollers. The bigger the rollers, the more contact they get with the running belt, and the better the running experience.

F65 comes with 2.36” front and back rollers, ensuring a large contact with the belt for an optimum running experience.

Also, you’ll barely hear the motor working, as the average noise resulting from the F65 ranges just around 65 dB (The number similarity is a pure coincidence).

F80

The F80’s engine is slightly stronger than the F65’s at 3.5 HP. However, it doesn’t convert the extra power into top speed. Instead, it gives more torque to the rollers for an even more stable running experience.

The extra power, paired with the same 3.36” front and back rollers, allows the F80 to support more weight of up to 350 lb (Around 160 kg). For reference, the average adult human weight is around 150 lb. In other words, two people could run on the treadmill and it’ll still function just fine!

We advise against that, of course, as it could be dangerous. This was just an elaboration.

Deck, Cushioning, and Belt

The running deck on the F65 is the same spacious 22″ x 60″ deck you’d find on the F80 and the F85 as well. Add to that, the 2-ply belt itself is soft to the touch, allowing you to run on it in your shoes, socks, or with your bare feet.

Both the F65 and the F80 feature Sole’s signature WhisperQuiet technology, allowing for a silent, smooth, and comfortable ride up to 40% smoother than treadmills of the same class. Endurance runners, anyone?

Speaking of endurance, both decks can be inclined up to 15° for that added muscle tension. However, neither variant allows for a decline of the deck. You won’t be able to try the downhill running experience on those variants.

Control Panel

Aside from the major appearance difference, the control panel is another primary distinctive feature between both models.

F65

The F65 comes with your conventional backlit LCD of 9”. It has beautiful white backlighting and can connect to your phone and speaker via Bluetooth.

Since it doesn’t need to connect to Wi-Fi, you should be able to enjoy 100% functionality of the control panel without depending on the internet.

If you feel like having a touch screen in front of you, why not place your tablet on that holder and watch something to make your workout easier?

F80

Just a few years ago, the F80 used to have a blue backlit LCD and people were wondering when it would catch up to the F85.

Now, the F80 also comes with its own touchscreen. It’s a spacious 10.1” display powered by Android and comes with your basic media apps pre-installed, like YouTube, Netflix, etc.

You also get to connect to your modem via Wi-Fi and connect to any Bluetooth-supported device, like speakers, with ease.

Portability

Let’s talk about the heavy weight of both treadmills from the beginning to get it out of the way. Because of the premium materials used in the construction of Sole treadmills, you should often expect a hefty weight.

The F65 weighs a decent 267 lb (121 kg) and the F80 is a little heavier at 319 lb (144 kg.) It’s safe to say that you can’t carry those around as is. You have to fold them first so you can get more control. Fortunately, the folding of both models is straightforward and doesn’t require any special tools.

Further, if you’re just moving the treadmill between rooms, just push it on its wheels. We were surprised at how smooth the wheels were at navigating around our studio, and we gave that a thumbs up.

Warranty

All newer models of Sole treadmills have a lifetime warranty on the frame and motor. Both the F65 and F80 are no exceptions here.

However, there are slight variations regarding other components. For example, the F65 has a 2-year warranty on electrical components compared to the 3-year warranty of the F80.

Both have a 1-year labor warranty, though, so you can rest assured that you have a quality product.

Accessories

Sole has a basic set of accessories that it adds to all the treadmills. These include cooling fans, safety plugs, sound systems, tablet holders, Bluetooth connectivity, and USB ports for charging phones.

The F65 goes the extra mile with a couple of extra pouches on the supporting arms of the treadmill.

On the other hand, the F80 comes with 10-watt wireless phone charging, something you won’t find in the F65.

Assembly

The assembly part is one of the things we didn’t fancy about Sole treadmills. The only parts that came connected were the belt and the motor. We pretty much had to assemble everything else ourselves. Even for a team of professionals, it wasn’t an easy process. We’re glad it only needs to be done once.

Final Words

The F65 and F80 are both top-quality options for those who want a good investment. You know a product is of high quality when the manufacturer gives you a lifetime warranty.

If you choose the F80, then you’ve got yourself a reliable treadmill with a built-in entertainment suite. If you’re on a budget, the only major thing you’ll miss when getting the F65 is the touchscreen display, which you can quickly compensate for if you have a tablet.

If you want a separate guide for each treadmill, be sure to check our Sole F65 and F80 reviews.