Sole TT8 compared to Smooth 9.65LC

On the floor today we’ve got the Sole TT8 and the Smooth 9.65 LC.

Here today for our daily treadmill showdown we’ve got a couple alpha-males competing for their place at the top. The Sole TT8 isn’t just another Sole treadmill, it’s their best and most expensive model, priced at $2,299. And The Smooth 9.65 is the same story. This is Smooth’s top of the line unit and most expensive at $2,174 (aside from the 9.65 TV which is the exact same model except for an added built-in TV). We’ve got some heavy competition in the ring today so stand clear and enjoy the show.

Okay, let’s begin with the essentials. Smooth immediately lands the first punch with its 4 CHP motor. Not a lot of in-home treadmills are made with 4 CHP motors, so Smooth gets a good point for that one. The bigger the motor, the better. However, some people just don’t need large motors. If you’re a light and seldom runner, and don’t run for more than 10 minutes at a time, 3.0 or 3.5 CHP will be well enough for you. However, it never hurts to go the extra mile, and if you’re paying the same price for it, what the hay, might as well do it. The Sole TT8 has a quality 3.5 CHP motor which is sufficiently large and powerful enough for most runners. Just not quite as large as the Smooth. Often larger motors are louder, so that may be something you’d like to take into account when choosing a motor size.

Let’s check out the overall strength and weight capacity. It looks like the treadmills tie on specified weight limits. Both coming in a 400 lbs max. With a 400 lb weight capacity, you’ll never have problems with the deck cracking or breaking. The treadmills are both very strong, and very sturdy. Both are powder coated steel, welded frames. The welded frames help a lot to keep them from jiggling or feeling rickety over time. Unlike nuts and bolts, they won’t loosen over time. The Sole weighs a total of 300 lbs, and the Smooth weighs 325 lbs, so they’re almost the same weight, and both are a real job to get it into the house where you want.

Smooth steals another punch on the belt size. This is a close one, but smooth’s 21″x64″ belt is great for tall runners. This is one of the biggest belts you’ll find in the market. The Sole has a 22″x60″ belt, which does add an extra inch of width which is great, but overall not as impressive as the Smooth. Another thing to mention about the Sole is that this TT8 model is almost identical to the S77 except for a 2″ wider belt, and a 4ply instead of 2 ply. The S77 is about $500 less, and just 2″ inches extra width and 2ply extra is great, but not worth $500 dollars.

Both treadmills reach 12MPH, have a 15% incline, and use 3″ rollers, which is great. So let’s get to the console and the features. Something I don’t understand about either of these treadmills is that they don’t offer Ifit Live. At such a high price, I would think the companies could afford to include Ifit Live. Even the cheapest Proforms and Nordictracks offer it. Perhaps it’s not as important to others as it is to me, but from my experience, Ifit really enhances my experience with my treadmill running. It keeps track of my progress without me having to do a thing and lets me run anywhere in the world, automatically adjusting my incline according to the terrain. I don’t want to sound like an Ifit salesman, but if you’re a treadmill runner and haven’t checked out Ifit, go onto their website and see what they do. I really like it, and expect that it will continue to grow until all treadmills come with it built in. So, hopefully Smooth and Sole catch on soon.

Both offer a nice variety of built-in programs to workout to. They both have built-in MP3 Ports and Ipod Docks, with good speakers. They both have small pathetic screens if you ask me. Both are small blue backlit LED screens that display numbers for your progress. You don’t need anything more than that, but they feel out of date. With some newer treadmills having large 10″ full color touch screens that let you browse the web, these just feel podunk. They both have good Heart rate monitors, cooling fans, and water-bottle holders and other extras that make things nicer.

Finally the warranty. The moment Smooth has been waiting for. Smooth offers a full lifetime coverage on their motor, frame, parts, and electronics, as well as 2 years of labor. This is an unbeatable warranty in the industry. Nobody else offers lifetime warranty on parts and electronics. This shows the great confidence smooth has in their treadmills. However, that being said, Sole, while only offering 5 years on parts, and 2 years of in-home labor, is renowned for their exceptional customer service and willingness to help. So, while they don’t have as good of a warranty, according to reviews, they’re the best company to go to for help when you have a problem.

Here’s a little comparison table of the specs.
Weaker specs are shaded out.

Well, that about says it all. I think it’s pretty clear that the Smooth 9.65 LC is the winner here. $100 cheaper, yet still offers more makes this a good choice in this price range. Smooth is a good example of a company trying to go the extra mile in every aspect they can to make sure they’re the clear choice for customers.

Click Here to Save on the Smooth 9.65 LC
or
Click Here to Save on the Sole TT8 LC