Soleus Ultra Sole Watch Review

Ultramarathons aren’t just about running – they’re also about consistency: doing the small tasks on a regular basis that will prevent minor issues from becoming major problems further down the trail.  The Soleus Ultra Sole watch is made to assist you in staying consistent all day and into the night.

Soleus Ultra Sole Watch Features

• Dimensions: 1.87” diameter face, 1” wide band
• 100-hour chronograph
• 35 lap memory
• 5 interval timers
• Dual time zones
• 3 alarms
• 10 run data storage
• 15-second extended life backlight
• Scratch-resistant glass face
• Sweat proof polyurethane strap
• 100m water resistance
• Available in 4 colors
• MSRP $75

Large face diameter and number display compared to Timex Ironman on left

Soleus Ultra Sole Running Watch Review

Soleus is a Texas-based company with a fairly single-minded purpose: as their website states, “We are runners … we make great running watches.”  Their products are designed with technical simplicity and intuitive operation in mind, using lightweight materials and a variety of color options for those who are tired of basic-watch-black.

The Ultra Sole has some very runner-friendly features such as a large viewing area, digits that are big enough to easily read even when cruising on single track, and great sweat and water resistance.  The chronograph displays are convertible, so you can customize whether lap times or total time is more prominent on the screen.  There’s also a dose of runner mojo, with the words “sedentary sucks” written on the back plate.

As the name implies, there are some ultra-specific features here as well, the coolest of which is the backlight, which is very easy to read in darkness, and which has a 15-second extended life option that comes in handy when running through the night.  And then there are the timers.

Much larger profile than sleek Ironman on left

With five separate interval timers, the Soleus can help you keep track of all the timetables you need to maintain over the course of a 24-hour race.  Water every 20 minutes?  Check.  Energy gels every 45 minutes?  Covered.  Salt tabs every hour?  Solid food every 2 hours?  You won’t forget these or any other routine maintenance with so many separate reminders at your side.

Lots of plastic, not much ventilation

Although it’s designed for multi-hour use, I had some comfort issues with long trail days.  The wristband is mostly solid instead of ventilated, and gets warm in the heat of the day.  The Ultra’s overall dimensions are larger and heavier than I’d like them to be, especially in comparison to my trusty Timex sleek Ironman watch, which I’ve worn for several years including during all of my road races, triathlons and ultras.  I consider the Ironman to be the gold standard for lightweight, highly durable athletic watches, and it comes at a lower price point (typically $50-60 retail, but often available at a significant discount online) than the Ultra as well.

Good Ultra Sole

• Large, easy-to-read display
• Multiple timers
• Outstanding backlight

Bad Ultra Sole

• Larger and heavier than many running watches
• Poor ventilation underneath wristband

Bottom Line: Soleus Ultra Sole Watch

The Soleus Ultra Sole watch has nice features to make your all day/all night adventures go smoothly, but has some comfort and convenience drawbacks that prevent it from replacing my everyday Timex.

Buy Now: Available at Backcountry.com