WaterRower Club Rowing Machine in Ash Wood with S4 Monitor Review

Through the past several months I have spent a lot of time researching various rowing machines both on the Internet and by visiting various fitness equipment dealerships. I long decided that if there was one piece of fitness equipment I was going to ever buy it was a rowing machine. For years I have been working out on the well-known Concept2 in various local gyms. The Concept2 is a great fitness machine, but I wanted to see if there was something better out there, before throwing $1000+ on this machine. So, I came across the WaterRower, and boy am I glad that I did! Since I have some experience using the Concept2 (lately Model D), I can list some personal impressions about the two machines so you will have some comparison data. First of all though, let me point out that I purchased my rowing machice for home use. I am a fairly fit individual, but not an Olympic athlete. My main desire in purchasing a rowing machine was to loose / maintain weight, maintain cardiovascular fitness and relieve stress. In all of these categories, the WaterRower came through with shining colors! So, without further ado, some comparison between the WaterRower and Concept2, and then some pointers about the WaterRower itself.

Why is the WaterRower a better equipment in my opinion?

-A lot smoother rowing action than the Concept2. Not only because the patented Water Flywheel, but also because instead of a chain, the WaterRower utilizes pulleys and a high-strength strap. The strap rolls on industrial grade pulleys, and is practically silent. The Concept2's chain makes a noise as the metal chain advances over the cogs, and because of this, it also rattles. It takes away from the natural feeling of rowing.
-The Water Flywheel's sound is incredible. The swooshing water in the tank is incredibly soothing and relaxing. The whirr of the air-resistance on the Concept2 does not compare.
-This one is objective, but in my opinion the WaterRower, especially the wood series looks a lot more aesthetical than the metal construction Concept2.
-The clutch on the WaterRower is incredible. On the Concept2, there always is a very slight jerk at the beginning of a stroke, because the clutch on that machine does not engage immediately as you start applying force to the bar. On the WaterRower, the action is instantaneous. It is imperceptible, and the jerking feeling is non-existent.
-Storage: if you have limited space, the WaterRower beats anything else out there. Standing it up, it stores in as little of space as a kitchen seat. Stores in the corner neatly and looks good. The metal contraption of other rowing machines does not come close to this ease of storage. The Concept2 in particular must be folded first, before it can be reasonably stored. You won't want to do that setup every day, and you will want to use your equipment every day. With the WaterRower, the setup is 1 second. Simply flip down. That's it.
-Personally, I like the WaterRower's handle bar a lot more. It is oblong shaped, so it fits into your hand better. It is also covered in a soft touch material, that's a lot better than the hard plasticky feel of the Concept2's handle bar. Nonetheless, the shape of the bar matters more to me, and the WaterRower's bar is superior to anything else I tried.
-The WaterRower's seat is very comfortable. It glides on two rails placed about a foot apart, which lends it a lot of stability. There are vertical and horizontal bearings, 4 each, so there are 8 bearings in total. This gives the seat an incredible stability. I cannot attest to the longevity of this design, but common sense tells me that 8 bearings will lost a lot longer than 2 on the Concept2. The seat material is just the right hardness, not too soft, no too hard.
-Assembly is a snap by the way. I do not know what's involved in assembling the Concept2, but the WaterRower's setup is really easy. If you ever took anything home from Ikea, and managed to put it together, you will have a lot easier time with your WaterRower rowing machine.
-I love the performance monitor. I bought the heart rate attachment (at $50 it's a no-brainer) and the heart rate zone programs are fantastic. Great motivator. Mind you, the Concept2 also comes with a heart rate monitor and it is just as good as the WaterRower in that regard, if not better.

What's good on the Concept2:

-The Concept2 is I believe designed for the professional athlete, the pro rower. It is still considered the top choice for training athletes.
-The Concept2 is exceptionally sturdy. If it lasts in a gym for years, it will never break down in home-use.
-The Concept2's performance monitor is more feature rich when it comes to professional training. I also miss its heart rate recovery analysis feature, which the WaterRower lacks.
-The Concept2 performance monitor comes with individual memory cards, so multiple users can use the monitor and record their exercise history. WaterRower doesn't have anything like that.
-The Concept2 performance monitor can be networked, so you can easily setup races in a gym setting between several units.
-The Concept2's monitor is more legible. No arguing about it. Larger, more readable numbers. Having said that, the WaterRower's monitor still looks a lot classier to me. And I don't stare at the monitor throughout the exercise.

Bottom line, I believe that while the Concept2 is a great machine, the WaterRower is a better fit for home use. Both of these machines will challenge you unless you are a very advanced athlete. Make no mistake about it; rowing is an extremely challenging exercise when done right. Learn how to row properly to avoid injury, take more enjoyment out of the exercise and to challenge you more. Rowing done in the right form will raise your heart rate much easier than rowing done incorrectly.

I wanted to say a word or two about the WaterRower's heart rate monitor and the optional heart rate attachment. Ever before I bought the WaterRower, I already had a cheap Nike hear rate monitor that I bought at Costco for $29. Pretty much the only thing it can do is show your heart rate. And that's all I needed. The chest strap of this heart rate monitor is compatible with the WaterRower heart rate receiver. Please do yourself a favor and get the heart rate monitor. I cannot begin to tell you how much of a difference it makes! Your target heart rate is a very narrow zone. For weight loss for instance, you should train between 60% to 70% of your maximum heart rate. This is a narrow, 10 bpm range. Without a monitor, it is impossible to remain in this range consistently. At $50, plus a heart rate chest-strap (for as low as $29) you will achieve much better results and will enjoy your WaterRower a lot more. The WaterRower will emit a slow beep when you're bellow your target zone, and a fast beep when you're rowing too hard for your chosen zone. You just enjoy the rowing, and all you have to do is keep the monitor silent. That is why I don't care that the WaterRower's monitor is not as legible as the Concept2's.

That's all I can think of right now; hope you found something useful in my review. I wholeheartedly recommend this incredible exercise equipment to anyone serious enough about exercising for various goals, let it be weight-loss, cardiovascular fitness or strengthening the lower back. (Oh, yeah, forgot about my sciatica! This machine is great in exercising the lower back and strengthening the muscles so you can avoid a flare-up of lower back pain. But - learn how to row properly first!) This equipment looks great, last a lifetime (hopefully) and is an excellent all-body, no-impact workout machine. It costs a lot. More than the average. But believe me, it is worth every dollar, simply because you will want to keep on getting on it. Lastly, it is made right here in North America, and I for one am happy to support our economy, instead of the Chinese economy for once.

Happy rowing! If I find anything wrong with it, I'll come back with an update.


Product Description
Rowing has long been recognized as the perfect aerobic pursuit, with naturally smooth and flowing movements that don't tax the joints but do boost the heart rate. Now you can take your rowing experience to the next level with the commercial-quality WaterRower Club rowing machine. Using the same principles that govern the dynamics ofa boat in water, the WaterRower Club is outfitted with a "water flywheel" that consists of two paddles in an enclosed tank of water that provide smooth, quiet resistance, just like the paddles in an actual body of water. As a result, the machine has no moving parts that can wear out over time (even the recoil belt and pulleys don't require lubricating or maintaining). More significantly, the water tank and flywheel create a self-regulating resistance system that eliminates the need for a motor. As with real rowing, when you paddle faster, the increased drag provides more resistance. When you paddle slower, the resistance is less intense. The only limit to how fast you can row is your strength and your ability to overcome drag. And unlike conventional rowing machines, which tend to be jerky and jarring, the WaterRower Club is remarkably smooth and fluid.

From a fitness perspective, the WaterRower Club works 84 percent of your muscle mass, helping tone and strengthen your muscles while burning far more calories than most other aerobic machines. The exercise is also low impact, as it removes all the body weight from the ankles, knees, and hips, but still moves the limbs and joints through a full range of motion--from completely extended to completely contracted.

The WaterRower Club is outfitted with a Series 4 performance monitor that's designed to balance technical sophistication with user-friendliness. The monitor--which includes six information and programming windows, six QuickSelection buttons, and three navigation buttons--displays your workout intensity, stroke rate, heart rate, zone bar, duration, and distance. Plus, the monitor is compatible with an optional heart rate chest strap and receiver, which helps you optimize your workout and achieve your exercise objectives.

The WaterRower Club is handcrafted in solid ash and stained for color. The wood was chosen due to its marvelous engineering properties, especially its ability to absorb sound and vibration, which enhances the WaterRower's quiet performance and smooth operation. Ash, like all woods used in the construction of the WaterRower, is a premium hardwood with incredible longevity and dimensional stability. In addition, the wood is harvested from replenishable forests and is hand finished with Danish oil and urethane for protection.

Unlike its WaterRower Natural cousin, the WaterRower Club is designed for high-traffic areas, such as commercial gyms, studios, and rehabilitation clinics. Its dual black rails have been styled to prevent scuffing, while the other wood components are finished in an attractive rosewood, which is more resistant to soiling than the Natural model. Other details include four corner wheels on the rails that increase seat stability and reduce the amount of sweat buildup; a frame that flips upright for handy storage; and a weight capacity of up to 1,000 pounds. The WaterRower Club measures 84 by 21 by 22 inches (W x H x D), weighs 117 pounds (with water), and carries a one-year warranty on the frame and components (WaterRower will upgrade the warranty to five years on the frame and three years on the components with the completion of a registration form).

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