Quick Summary
Accomplish major calorie burn without the usual strain!
The Sole SC200 Stepper combines high intensity stair climbing with the low impact normally reserved for elliptical training. This joint-friendly trainer is now mobile friendly too with Bluetooth for fitness tracking.
It carries a generous residential warranty and has a sale price of just $899 (down from $1,499).
Read about its strengths and a few possible drawbacks in our full review of the Sole Stepper below.
Our Rating
Rating: 91.1/100. The Sole SC200 Stepper is among the most joint-friendly steppers on the market. It allows fast calorie burn with its up-and-down motion, but it uses design elements of Sole’s famously smooth elliptical trainers to minimize stress on ankles, knees and hips. Two examples are narrow pedal spacing and a 2 degree inward pedal slope; both factors help align the body for low joint stress. Using the SC200 Stepper, your body will stay in full contact with the machine instead of constantly having a harsh impact as it would with real-life stair climbing or hiking. The minimized pressure lets you train for longer and with less perceived effort. The Sole Stepper has moving arm bars too for efficient whole-body exercise.
Enhancements for this year relate to the workout display and fitness management. This year’s Sole SC200 Stepper shows workout progress on a high-contrast 7.5” LCD embedded in an adjustable-angle console. Beneath the screen is a secure holder for a tablet computer. A tablet running the Sole Fitness app gives the option of syncing session data with MyFitnessPal or another fitness app. The Sole Stepper’s console and mobile app programming each give access to the same 10-item workout selection including manual mode, two user-designed workouts, two heart rate controlled workouts, and five classic cardio trainer programs named Cardio, Fat Burn, Hill, Interval and Strength.
Additional features of the Sole SC200 are a sound system for MP3 players, a cooling fan, a water bottle holder, grip pulse sensors and a wireless heart rate receiver (chest strap sold separately).
The SC200 Stepper has a three-year parts and electronics warranty for home use if purchased directly from the manufacturer.
The $899 sale price includes shipping, and the Sole Fitness website only charges sales tax in Utah and California.
Pros:
- Allows speedy calorie burn
- Low impact on joints
- High quality brand
- 7.5” display
- Option to use tablet/smartphone as monitor
- Unlimited user profiles with the Sole Fitness App
- Wireless heart rate receiver
- Grip cardio receiver
- 10 workout programs
- Can save customized programs
- Sound system for MP3 players
- Water bottle holder
- Personal cooling fan
- Steel frame with 330-pound capacity
- Quiet operation with magnetic resistance
- Compact (56” long x 18” wide)
- Competitive warranty
- Great customer service
Cons:
- Cannot download new workouts
- Pedals are not adjustable
Introduction
Sole Fitness got its start in the commercial fitness industry and has maintained high quality standards when producing equipment for home gyms. Their Sole SC200 Stepper is a top choice stair climber now priced under $1000 ($899, originally $1,499). Like other Sole fitness machines it prioritizes high quality performance and physical comfort over frills, it’s become more tech-friendly too as explained below. Most importantly the SC200 is designed for rapid calorie burn while minimizing the stress put on knees, hips and other joints. Trainees can choose from 20 levels of resistance from a 17-pound drive and can easily alternate between challenge levels in a single workout.
Workout Programs
The Sole SC200 Stepper has a 10-program menu. Choose from manual mode, five standard workouts, two heart rate controlled workouts, and two workouts that you design yourself. Program progress is shown on a 7.5” monitor with high contrast white and blue lighting, or on the user’s own mobile device running the Sole Fitness app. The data shown are RPM, time, KCal, distance, speed and pulse.
The Sole Fitness app can be used for workout setup and syncing data with other fitness apps. It can run in the background during exercise, letting other apps take center stage during exercise.
Sole SC200 Stepper Features
The SC200 Stepper has a sturdy frame. It’s made from aluminum-shrouded 34-gauge steel, and the whole machine can safely hold up to 330 pounds.
For comfort the pedals are oversized. They’re 15” long, which allows for repositioning and helps you avoid fatigue.
For heart rate control, pulse can be measured with touch sensors or a wireless chest strap. A wireless chest strap (sold separately) is recommended and especially for higher intensity training.
The SC200 has a port compatible with iPods and other MP3 players. The console has 2” speakers.
This machine demands little space, having just a 56” x 18” footprint.
Cooling fans and a water bottle holder are built into the console.
Warranty & Guarantee
The Sole SC200 Stepper warranty includes the following customer protections:
– Frame: Lifetime
– Parts: 3 Years
– Electronics: 3 Years
– Labor: 1 year
Sole Fitness provides all labor services in-home.
Conclusion
The Sole SC200 Stepper is a quality stair climber that helps torch calories while respecting your knees. Now priced at just $899 with a great warranty, it also respects your hard-earned cash. Smooth performance, small size, a great price and new tech integration help make the Sole Stepper a favorite stair climber for home gyms.