If you’re actively looking to deck out your home gym with a solid treadmill, then you’re likely aware of two facts: Treadmills are expensive, and there are more market options than bead necklaces at Mardi Gras. To best reduce your buyer’s fatigue, we’ve compiled a guide on our two favorite affordable options — the Sole F63 and Horizon 7.0 AT. Both models feature a 3.0 HP motor and built-in pulse sensors to gauge your HRV. And since they both fold, you’re able to perform additional workouts with other equipment — like kettlebells or dumbbells — on the floor.
There are even more similarities between the F63 and 7.0 AT, such as a max incline of 15 percent, a top speed of 12 miles per hour, and an integrated tablet holder to stream from your favorite apps. But there are some differences as well. For instance, the rollers on the F63 are a bit larger than the ones on the 7.0 AT. Also, the cushioning on both treadmills differs, and the F63 is about $200 more expensive. Follow along as we compare these two budget treadmills from Sole and Horizon to help you decide which one will help you best crush your cardio goals.
Sole F63 Highlights
With a $1,200 price tag, the Sole F63 is our favorite treadmill for the money. The 3.0 HP motor supports up to 325 pounds, the 2.5-inch rollers are built for long-distance running, and the steel frame makes this treadmill sturdier than a 6’5” NFL Offensive Lineman. The no-frills 6.5-inch LCD display allows you to track your heart rate, pace, and incline setting, and it also displays your burned calories. The tablet holder is perfect for those who want to have their devices on deck at all times to stream from their favorite apps or follow along to a workout program, and Bluetooth speakers mean you can ditch the earbuds during your workouts.
The Sole F63 is a high-quality, no-frills treadmill. The 3.0 HP motor can support up to 325 pounds, and the foldability is ideal for those tight on space. Sole is also discounting the F63 by $100 as part of the brand's holiday sales event.
Another key component with the F63 is that the deck folds, meaning you have room for workouts such as yoga or mobility exercises when stored. With a max incline of 15 percent, you can focus on strengthening your posterior chain, and a top speed of 12 miles per hour allows you to sprinkle in sprint workouts. The 20” x 60” running surface is spacious enough to accommodate most athletes’ strides and leaves room for a bit of weaving. There are also 10 workout programs ranging from Hill, Fat Burn, Cardio, Manual, Strength, HIIT, two custom options, and two heart rate programs, so you can avoid being complacent with your body conditioning.
Sole also uses a Cushion Flex Whisper Deck to reduce the impact on your joints by about 40 percent compared to running on pavement, according to the company. So if you have previous or existing knee injuries (or you want to avoid developing any), you’ll likely find that helpful. While it’s not the most high-tech tread on the market, we think the Sole F63 is a viable solution for those looking to add a reliable treadmill to their personal space.
Main Takeaways
- The 3.0 HP motor on the F63 provides a max incline of 15 percent, a top speed of 12 miles per hour, and supports up to 325 pounds.
- The 2.5-inch rollers will reduce the belt’s wear, potentially increasing its lifespan.
- The foldable deck allows for easy storage and creates more space for off-treadmill workouts.
Horizon 7.0 AT Highlights
With a $1,000 price tag, the 7.0 AT is another solid option for those on a tight budget. Like the F63, it also sports a 3.0 HP motor, a max incline of 15 percent, a top speed of 12 miles per hour, and a 325-pound weight capacity. However, the 2.36-inch rollers are close to being undersized for sprinters. This is because they’ll have to spin at an accelerated rate to keep up with higher speed settings. The 7.25-inch LCD display is slightly larger than the one on the F63, but it’s still pretty basic. That said, it still allows you to track your calories, distance, heart rate, incline, speed, and time.
The Horizon 7.0 AT Treadmill is a durable, low-cost option for anyone looking for a quality treadmill without overspending. It features a strong motor, a wide range of speed and incline settings, and a unique three-zone cushion system.
While there are only eight workout programs on this tread compared to the 10 that are on the F63, you still have some solid options, like 5K, Calorie, Distance Fat Burn, Hill, Climb, Manual, Target Heart Rate, and Custom. You also have a tablet holder at your disposal for streaming, and the 7.0 is Bluetooth-compatible with apps like Peloton, Zwift, and Studio. The running surface also shares the same dimensions as the F63, measuring 20” x 60”.
The three-zone cushion system on this tread is a real standout. The front of the tread is known as the “impact zone” and is the most cushioned to prevent unnecessary stress on your joints. The rear is known as the “push-off zone” and has less cushion to help you drive off your back foot, while the middle is an in-between of the two. Plus, it’s $200 cheaper than the Sole F63, so if you want to save a couple hundred dollars, you might want to lean toward the Horizon 7.0 AT.
Main Takeaways
- The $1,000 price tag is a solid value for the high-quality build of the 7.0 AT.
- The three-zone cushion system takes the stress off your joints with extra cushion at the front of the tread and provides a solid foundation to push off your back foot.
- The 3.0 HP motor offers a top speed of 12 miles per hour, a max incline of 15 percent, and supports up to 325 pounds.
What Are the Big Differences Between the Sole F63 and the Horizon 7.0 AT?
Despite these two treadmills being similar in nature, there are a few differences that we want to highlight. These include the price tag, the number of workouts programmed to each console, the cushioning, and the size of the rollers.
There’s a Price Difference
While we consider both treadmills to be budget-friendly purchases, the Horizon 7.0 AT is a little cheaper than the F63. So it’s your best bet if you want to save as much as possible.
Sole F63
With a $1,200 price tag, the Sole F63 is a solid value considering the overall high quality. Sole also allows you to finance this purchase for about $65 a month if that’s your preferred payment method.
Horizon 7.0 AT
The Horizon 7.0 AT will run you right around $1,000 on the Horizon Fitness website. While $200 may not be that big of a deal for everyone when comparing this price to the F63, that’s still money you could spend elsewhere. This is a great value in our eyes as this is also a high-quality product and can meet the needs of most athletes; plus, you can also finance the 7.0 AT for about $28 a month.
Workout Programs
Having programmed workouts on a treadmill is often a significant deciding factor for many people. While both treadmills offer a wide range of options, the Sole F63 offers more. These 10 programs consist of Manual, Hill, Fat Burn, Cardio, Strength, HIIT, two custom options, and two heart rate programs.
The 7.0 AT features 5K, Calorie, Custom, Distance, Fat Burn, Hill Climb, Manual, and Target Heart Rate. So while both offer some solid options, the F63 features 10 programs compared to the eight on the 7.0 AT. Since there are a few similar programs, we suggest you go after the tread that tailors to your specific workout goals and needs.
Cushioning
One of the main reasons people choose to run on a treadmill rather than outside is to avoid the stress that joints go through while pounding the pavement. Both of these treadmills offer some solid cushioning but in different ways.
The Sole F63 features a Cushion Flex Whisper Deck that reduces the impact on your joints by up to 40 percent throughout the running surface. The Horizon 7.0 AT has a three-zone cushion system that coincides with your body’s needs while running. The front of the tread is referred to as the “impact zone” and provides the most cushion to reduce the stress from striking the treadmill belt with your front foot. The rear of the treadmill is known as the “push-off” zone and is firm so you can drive off of your back foot, while the middle portion is a mix of the two.
While one form of cushioning may not necessarily be better than the other, we think the three-zone system on the 7.0 AT is unique and makes it stand out to us, especially considering the price tag.
Roller Size
For those who aren’t aware, the rollers of a treadmill are essential as they are designed to keep the belt turning. The larger the rollers are, the more surface area they cover, and the slower they have to spin to keep up with your speed setting. When a treadmill has smaller rollers, the running surface has more force applied to it and can reduce the lifespan of the treadmill.
The rollers on the Sole F63 are 2.5 inches, while the Horizon 7.0 AT features 2.36-inch rollers. This may not affect everyone the same, but if you plan on running frequently, you’ll likely be better off with the F63, as the rollers have a better chance of reducing the wear on the belt. However, if you’re more interested in walking for cardio and only plan on lightly jogging, then the 7.0 AT will most likely suit you just fine.
Which Treadmill Is The Better Option?
Since these two treadmills are very similar, it comes down to individual priorities when determining which is the “best.” For some athletes, it’s all about the workout programs, and if that’s the case for you, then you might want to lean toward the Sole F63 since it has two more options available.
Cushioning is another major factor, as you’re likely opting to run on a treadmill rather than pavement to avoid unnecessary stress on your joints or maybe even working through an injury. We think both of these treadmills offer some solid cushioning, but they are different. Runners may find the three-zone system on the 7.0 AT to feel more natural with their stride, but the Cushion Flex Whisper Deck on the F63 may feel more comfortable since it offers the same cushioning throughout the running surface.
Price is always a big deal with any purchase, and even though the 7.0 AT is cheaper, it’s only by about $200, which may not make that much of a difference for everyone. The rollers might be the deciding factor for dedicated runners. Since the ones on the F63 are bigger than what’s on the 7.0 AT, they’re most likely better suited for those longer runs you may want to take. At the end of the day, we don’t think you can go wrong with either treadmill as they both feature an affordable price tag and are high-quality products. However, we all have different wants and needs, so we suggest you keep the money, cushioning, workout programs, and roller size at the front of your mind to make the best decision possible.
Are The Rollers On A Treadmill That Important?
Yes. The size of the rollers is essential to the overall performance of your treadmill while running — the key word there is running. Dedicated runners who want to sprint or go for a long run will want to target a treadmill with at least 2.25-inch rollers to keep up with the demands of their workouts, but 2.5-inch and bigger are ideal. Anything smaller than 2.25 inches will cause more wear on the tread as they have to spin faster and don’t have as much grip on the belt. You can always purchase new rollers to swap out your worn-down ones, but that can be a tedious project to complete.
The lifespan of treadmill rollers really depends on your usage, but the bigger they are, the longer they’ll last. But, if you only plan on walking, you can get away with some undersized rollers you’d find on a tread that can fit under your desk. It boils down to your specific needs, but if you plan on running at high speeds or for long periods of time, you’ll likely be better off with the Sole F63 due to the 2.5-inch rollers.
Final Word
Finding the right treadmill for your personal space can be challenging — you’ll want to stay within your budget, but you also want to make sure your individual needs are met by the product you land on, whether that be a higher speed setting, strong motor, or a lot of cushioning. Luckily, both of these treadmills check off all those boxes and then some since they each feature a 3.0 HP motor, a forgiving running platform, and a top speed of 12 miles per hour.
While both of these treadmills are solid in our eyes, you still need to weigh the pros and cons of each. The F63 has more workout programs and bigger rollers, but it’s also the more expensive of the two. The 7.0 AT has a unique three-zone cushion system, but the smaller rollers may not be ideal for runners. Choosing one of these treadmills over the other may be difficult for some, but we don’t think you can go wrong with either option as long as you prioritize your individual needs.
FAQs
How much do the Sole F63 and Horizon 7.0 AT treadmills cost?
The Sole F63 is priced at around $1,200. This is a budget-friendly price tag, but the 7.0 AT is a bit cheaper and will run you around $1,000.
Does the size of the rollers on the Sole F63 make it better than the Horizon 7.0 AT?
This depends on the types of workouts you intend to do. If you’re simply looking for a way to get your steps in, then the 2.36-inch rollers on the 7.0 AT will suit you fine. However, if you’re a runner, then you’ll likely want to target the F63 since it has 2.5-inch rollers.
Can the Sole F63 and Horizon 7.0 AT fold?
Yes, both of these treadmills feature a hydraulic lift system. Just lift up on the rear of the treadmill, and the hydraulics will take care of the rest. Just push against the hydraulics with your foot to unfold the deck, and it’ll slowly return to the ground.
