The Sole E95S elliptical is Sole Fitness newest addition to their product line. It’s considered to be the most versatile elliptical they offer. This is the first time I have reviewed this particular elliptical machine, and, as always, I give you a review that you can trust.
- Reviewer: Richard Johnson @richardcardio
- Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ (9/10)
- Product Reviewed: Sole E95S
- In Stock? ❤️ Check Availability (limited inventory)
The Sole E95S Elliptical Cross Trainer
The sturdy E95 Elliptical Cross Trainer has been quite a success for Sole, selling thousands across the world.
It frequently gets 5 star reviews and does indeed bring the best parts of a professional gym quality trainer right into your home.
One negative many people in the fitness community threw at the classic E95, and the commercial grade E98, was the fact it didn’t feature an adjustable stride. Stride length was set at 20 inches, perfect for most people, but a major drawback for a significant number of users. -Richard
Fast forward a few years and Sole Fitness have decided to give its customers exactly what they want by releasing a Sole E95S elliptical Cross Trainer with adjustable stride.
Update 11/11/2022: Due to high demand, and because inventory is limited, est. arrival after purchase can be longer then normal;
Enter The E95S Sole Elliptical 2022
The new E95S Cross Trainer, has everything we love about the E95.
It has the same LCD screen, built in cooling fan and the obligatory health club water bottle holder. The E95S even has built in speakers and iPod connection, perfect for bringing the health club experience home with you.
Another upgrade, although one that comes from the E95 model, is the fact the weight capacity is now 400 pounds.
This is quite a large boost and gives us a certain amount of confidence in the underlying strength and rigidity of the cross trainer.
The main difference in the E95S is that it has adjustable stride from 18″-24″, but it does not have incline so that is the downside compared to the E95. The E95 does not have adjustable stride it is set at 20″ stride length. So the decision is whether or not you want the adjustable stride or not.
The E95S does not have either the Power Incline nor the Adjustable Foot Pedals that you find on the E95. So, basically, you’re paying an extra $400 dollars (on today’s sale prices) for the Adjustable Stride function, but you lose the Power Incline and Adjustable Foot Pedals. I suppose if you are short (or really tall), the Adjustable Stride is worth the premium, but for most folks, losing the Power Incline would be a major drawdown in functionality and definitely not worth the tradeoff.
Assembly & Getting Started
The Sole E95S Cross Trainer was pretty easy to put together.
We managed a time of just over 1 hour, probably quite fast as we’re used to assembling gym equipment frequently. However, the instructions were easy to follow and even some of the less experienced members of our staff could get things up and running pretty quickly.
We would say the average user will go from boxed up, to up and running in about 2 hours flat.
The computer system is pretty easy to use and to be honest, you’ll be unlikely to use the instruction manual once the trainer is assembled; on screen instructions and menus are pretty self-explanatory.
Above all, it’s a simply trainer to get to grips with.
Daily Use
We found the older E95 very easy to use on a daily basis. In fact this elliptical trainer are so easy to use and operate it’s frequently used in physical therapy and rehab medicine.
The proprietary Sole Fitness LCD screen system is easy to setup for the first time user and as it apes traditional gym equipment, you shouldn’t find it hard to get up to speed if you’ve been using gym cross trainer equipment recently.
One thing we love is the fact the E95S Cross Trainer has an extremely quiet drive mechanism.
It runs along almost silently whilst the movement feels very smooth. The E95S elliptical also has the usual incline system, allowing you to really ramp up your exercise regime and specifically target certain areas of your body.
The handles are very smooth, allowing for a comfortable grip during your workout. They also encompass a heart rate monitor built into the handle, although you can also use the chest strap that comes with the trainer if you don’t like holding the bars.
It’s important to say that we found the heart rate monitor quite reliable and accurate on test.
Even the handle bar monitor appeared to be completely accurate, something that many elliptical trainers never quite get right.
Portability
We also liked the wheels on the front of the machine, allowing a degree of portability around the home.
The cross trainer is easily moveable both front and back which in our opinion is a must for home gym equipment.
Entertainment
The built in speakers are a real bonus on the Sole E95S too, all our iPods, Phone and MP3 players connected easily, giving a nice gym club feel to the machine.
The speakers do a fine job in the home but might feel a little drowned out with any sort of ambient noise.
One thing we did miss however, was a reading rack. It’s a shame Sole couldn’t upgrade the E95S and add this functionality too.
For many of us who tested the E95S Cross Trainer, this simple addition would have made this trainer perfect!
Getting Comfortable
The adjustable stride, although not necessary for me was used heavily by some of our female testers [randomized trial].
Women love the fact you can adjust the new E95S model exactly to your shape, something the older model was sorely lacking.
The adjustable stride is good, allowing for a greater range of muscles to be targeted with each exercise routine. However, the number of workout programs is a little small and might put off the more experienced cross trainer user.
One area that the Sole E95S elliptical (And of course the old E95 too) really shined in, was the fact the peddles and foot placement had been specially designed to minimize stress on the lower joints. This was one of the reasons the E95 has been such a huge seller, with people reporting much less stress on their lower limbs and of course less pain too. The E95S continues this tradition and we all found the E95S particularly comfortable to use during workouts.
The E95S also comes with a pretty impressive 5 year guarantee too.
Sole E95S Elliptical Review Conclusion
Both the E95 and new Sole E95S elliptical are solid machines, perfectly capable of providing a smooth workout experience for years to come.
Both are fully adjustable and customizable, with the added bonus of the stride control on the E95S whilst there’s some entertainment options. (MP3 Connectivity)
The only negatives we can throw at either machine are the lack of alternative options for entertainment. We would have loved to see a reading rack for example, although depending on your workout habits you might not be too worried about this.
We would highly recommend both the E95 and E95S. The only real decision you need to make is whether you need the additional stride adjustment. Personally I didn’t, as did many of the guys in the testing team. However, some of the women really liked the ability to adjust the stride and bring themselves a little closer to the front handles.
Our advice would be to think about how you’ve used elliptical trainers in the past and purchase the Sole E95S elliptical if you’ve a habit of adjusting the stride to get comfortable. If not, you can shave a few dollars off the price and stick with the E95.
❤️ Click through here for detailed product specification (Pictures).
Finally, make sure to check the warranty details for the Sole E95S elliptical on the official Sole Fitness website. Also, new financing option available from Citizens Pay (as low as $119/month).