Sole E95 Elliptical Trainer Review
"Backed by Industry Leading Warranty"

The Sole E95 ranks as one of the best values in the $1,500 - $2,000 price range. This may not be up to the quality of a high-end and expensive Life Fitness or Precor elliptical, but at less than half the price there are some features that match or exceed those machines.

Sole builds treadmills that are exclusively used for in-room fitness in the Hilton chains. They have an excellent reputation for building quality machines, backed with industry leading warranties.

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Note: As of 9/8/10 the Sole E95 was selling for $1,699, with shipping. Click here for the latest price at SoleFitness.com.

Further Note: The Sole E95 is available at Amazon.com with free shipping. There are also a number of customer reviews.

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I was recently at the Sole corporate headquarters and gave the E95 a test run. I talked to their VP of Sales and Marketing, and he talked about how the Sole philosophy is about giving the highest quality at the best value. They appear to have succeeded with the Sole E95.

Here is what I liked about the Sole E95 Elliptical...

• Industry leading warranty — I'm not sure how Sole does it, but they offer incredible warranties on their treadmills and elliptical. It obviously reflects their durability. On the E95 you get five years parts and 2 years labor. They have one of the best warranties period, for any elliptical, even ones selling for over $4,000.
• New! Adjustable Power Incline — Having the ability to adjust the incline of the elliptical motion takes your crosstraining workout to a whole new level. It allows you to target specific lower body muscles like glutes and quads.
• Speakers and Fan - The fan won't blow you away, and the speakers are not the greatest, but it is convenient have both located directly in front of you. You can plug in an MP3 or iPod player.
• Stable Dual Wheel Design — Most front drive elliptical trainers have single wheels that one along a rail. This can lead to a slight shifting and instability. The Sole E95 has two concave wheels that makes for a very solid motion.
• 20" elliptical stride — When I tested the Sole ellipticals I was thoroughly impressed with long, smooth elliptical stride. It was how the elliptical should feel, and was similar to Precor and Life Fitness.
• 20 resistance levels — Some ellipticals have less than 10 levels, and the resistance can be dramatic from one level to the next. Not the case when you have 20.
• Adjustable foot pedals — You can adjust the foot pedal to an exact angle with a worm screw. This can future reduce the strain to your feet and ankles.
• Includes Heart Rate Control —There are those who swear by heart rate control, and claim it optimizes their workout by letting their heart rate determine their level of exertion.
• The Sole E95 weighs a hefty 215 lbs —This heavy weight contributes to the stability and sturdiness. Important factor, especially for users that push their machines to the limit, or have a few extra pounds. You may want to inquire about inside delivery due to the weight.
• Handlebar Controls — You can control the resistance and the incline with switches on the moveable handlebars. That means you do not have to break your stride and mess with buttons on the console. A smart idea.
• Heavy 30 lb flywheel — Part of the weight of the E95 is the heavy 30 lb flywheel, which contributes to the smooth elliptical motion. It is also fairly quiet, even when you strain the machine.
• 20 character message window — Although I am not overwhelmed with the layout of the console, it still is simple to use and operate. I did like the message window that gives rolling readouts of your progress.

Fitness Source Sole E95 Elliptical Review

You can get a better machine, but not without paying considerably more money. And you won't get a better warranty. It is sweet knowing the first 2 years of service is picked up by the company. The total package of the Sole E95 is rather impressive.

Equally important is the excellent reputation Sole has for standing behind their products. I have yet to receive a complaint about their customer service, and have only received one email asking about a problem with one of their treadmill. That is a strong endorsement.

If there is a complaint it's the overall size of the E95. This elliptical is rather long and takes up considerable space, however the length further contributes to its' stability.

You can purchase the Sole E95 direct from SoleTreadmills.com and save on taxes. Limited models are also available at Dick's Sporting, but they seldom carry the E95.