Quick Summary
The Sole ST600 Strider is a power-adjustable crosstrainer that supports low-impact elliptical stepping, walking and jogging. It has stride settings from 18 to 26 inches to let adults of all sizes stride at an everyday pace or target-tone different muscle groups. With a 27-pound drive and multigrip handlebars, it offers the high quality total body training of a commercial fitness machine but carries a long warranty for home use. Read on for a detailed ST600 Strider review.
Our Rating
Rating: 92.5/100.The ST600 is the premiere Sole Strider. Sole Striders (the ST300 and ST600) form a special class of elliptical trainer or hybrid fitness machine: With footpath settings of 18 to 26 inches, they serve well for traditional elliptical exercise and for low-impact walking/jogging. Sole Striders also have moving handlebars, so the machines are used as total body trainers. Sixteen resistance levels are available (beginner through advanced) and 12 diverse workout programs are provided.
The Sole ST600 is superior to fixed-stride ellipticals because 1) it can comfortably accommodate adults of almost any size and 2) its range of stride settings enables targeted muscle toning. The shorter settings target the thighs and calves through stepping, and the longer settings allow focus on the glutes and hamstrings through walking or jogging. The Sole ST600 is also superior to treadmills in terms of supporting joint-friendly exercise. Because the user’s feet stay in contact with the cushioned pedals, exercise is very low-impact.
Comparing the two Sole Striders, the ST600 has a few advantages. The main benefit is its power-adjustable stride. While the ST300 can also be adjusted from 18 to 26 inches, its changes are made with a lever instead of console controls. This means that a workout session with the ST600 can be more dynamic and an ST300 workout will use just one stride length. A related advantage is that because the ST600 is built without an attached lever, it’s more compact than the ST300: just 53 inches long versus 73. The ST600 also has a slightly heavier flywheel and an even heavier steel frame. It has a bit higher user weight limit at 350 pounds instead of 325.
The Sole ST600 sale price is $1999 including a lifetime frame warranty, a five-year warranty on parts and electronics and two years of free service. Sole service is provided in-home. Full price for this crosstrainer is $2999.
Pros:
- Low impact
- Compact footprint
- Power-adjustable stride
- Cushioned pedals
- Multigrip moving handlebars
- 12 programs
- 27-pound drive
- Grip and wireless pulse monitoring
- Water bottle holder
- 350-pound user weight capacity
- Five-year parts & electronics warranty
- Two years free in-home service
- Sole Fitness great reputation for product quality and customer service
Cons:
- Basic Console
- Heavy machine weight
Introduction
The Sole ST600 Strider is a unique elliptical-treadmill hybrid. With a generous stride range of 18 to 26 inches it lets adults of all heights get low-impact exercise when stepping/climbing, taking longer walking strides, or jogging. This top-of-the-line model also has moving arm bars that are molded for multiple gripping positions, helping trainees exercise in slightly different ways to target-tone different muscle groups in the upper body. Full price for this low-impact trainer is $2999, but look for a factory-direct sale price of $1999 with an excellent warranty.
Workout Programs
The Sole ST600 Strider supports multiple user profiles and has 12 preset workout programs. The programs support diverse goals such as target heart rate training, interval training, and exercise for specific calorie burn goals. Progress is shown on a 7.5” LCD with five-year warranty.
Smart Trainer Features
The main attraction of the Sole ST600 is its power-adjustable 18” to 26” stride. Easy electronic adjustments let any user comfortably step, walk and/or run during a workout.
The ST600 has a 27-pound flywheel and uses friction-free magnetic braking. Sixteen levels of resistance are available, collectively meeting the full range of ability levels. Momentum is smooth even for heavier trainees, and the ST600 can hold up to 350 pounds.
Moving handlebars with multiple grip points are included. These premium handlebars help maximize calorie burn and target-tone muscles in the arms, back, shoulders and chest.
Pulse readers are built into the handgrips, and Sole Striders are also compatible with wireless chest straps (sold separately).
A water bottle holder is built into the machine.
Warranty & Guarantee
The Sole ST600 residential warranty includes:
– Frame: Lifetime
– Parts: 5 Years
– Electronics: 5 Years
– Labor: 2 Years
Service is performed in-home.
Conclusion
The Sole ST600 Strider is recommended to a wide range of adults, regardless of size or strength, for cardio training and total-body sculpting that won’t irritate joints and ligaments. The five-year warranty on parts and electronics helps make the ST600 an excellent value at the $1999 sale price.