Concept2 Rower Evaluate (2023)

Concept2 created the unique rowing ergometer in 1981 as a coaching device for aggressive athletes. It shortly grew to become one of many best rowing machines for the athletic inhabitants, and because of CrossFit, it’s an much more standard coaching system than ever.

Throughout my years as a private coach, I used the Concept2 rower myself and for dozens of shoppers. Collectively, the Breaking Muscle workers additionally has a long time of expertise utilizing this rower of their residence gyms, CrossFit containers, and different industrial gyms. We’re well-equipped to offer this in-depth Concept2 rower evaluation and communicate to its key options, professionals, cons, specs, and the way it compares to different standard rowing machines.

Key Takeaways

• The Concept2 rower, now referred to as the RowErg, is similar machine because the Mannequin D (the rower with a 14-inch seat peak) and Mannequin E (the rower with a 20-inch seat peak). Concept2 modified the machine’s title in Might 2021. The Mannequin E rower has been discontinued. Nonetheless, the RowErg is on the market with both a 14-inch seat peak or a 20-inch seat peak.
• With a clear and efficient design, the Concept2 Rower is engineered for easy operation, simple upkeep, and long-lasting efficiency. This commercial-grade rowing machine incorporates a nickel-plated metal chain, aluminum entrance legs, and metal rear legs to make sure a sturdy, long-lasting construct. 
• The Concept2 Rower comes with a PM5 efficiency monitor that tracks stats equivalent to tempo, strokes per minute, estimated energy burned, and watts (energy output). The monitor additionally connects through Bluetooth to numerous apps, together with ErgData.

Concept2 Rower Execs

• The Concept2 Rower makes use of air resistance, which adjusts to your stroke price and energy. Air resistance additionally gives smoother motion in comparison with magnetic and water-based rowers. I can attest to this, as I’ve used each air and magnetic rowers. 
• The Concept2 can maintain customers as much as 500 kilos. Different manufacturers like NordicTrack, Peloton, and Hydrow can solely accommodate customers as much as 250 to 375 kilos. 
• You may shortly break down the rower utilizing the quick-release characteristic and even mount it to the wall. Concept2 doesn’t promote a mounting device for the rower, however the Rogue Fitness wall hanger is on the market for round $32.50.

Concept2 Rower Cons

• As a result of it’s an air rower, it may be loud. The tougher you row, the louder the machine turns into. It would deter those that use it of their residence fitness center and don’t need to disrupt their members of the family or roommates.
• The Concept2 RowErg prices round $990 earlier than taxes and delivery. Whereas cheaper than different rowers available on the market with numerous high-end tech options (like touchscreen displays and on-screen exercise lessons, which Concept2 doesn’t supply), it nonetheless won’t be ultimate for these in search of an ultra-budget-friendly machine.
• The Concept2 rower could be very lengthy, reaching a complete size of 96 inches (eight toes) when assembled. These with restricted exercise area at residence might have to have a look at extra compact rowing machines.

Concept2 Rower Overview

The Concept2 rower is arguably the preferred rowing machine at the moment out there that’s appropriate for each residence and industrial use. In 1981, Concept2 grew to become the primary model to create an indoor rowing machine. Since then, it has grow to be an iconic model within the health business. As a private coach who has labored in several industrial gyms equivalent to Life Time Health and Anytime Health, I can attest to the ubiquitousness of the Concept2 Rower.

In CrossFit, the Concept2 rower is likely one of the preferred cardio machines for each informal and aggressive athletes. CrossFit values the Concept2 rower as a result of it provides a whole full-body exercise, making it an efficient device for assessing general health ranges. It accommodates customers as much as 500 kilos, so it may be appropriate for people of various sizes and health ranges. Plus, its sturdy development and minimal upkeep necessities imply it may well face up to heavy use in CrossFit containers.

The Concept2 rowing machine incorporates a nickel-plated metal chain, aluminum entrance legs, and metal rear legs. Whereas its value of slightly below $1,000 locations it within the mid-range of rowing machine choices, it provides distinctive worth for its efficiency and sturdiness. It operates on air resistance, so it replicates the texture of open-water rowing and matches your depth as you row.

Who Ought to Purchase a Concept2 Rower

• This indoor rower may very well be good for many who desire a full-body exercise to check each muscular and cardiovascular endurance.
• The performance of the Concept2 rower is nice for many who are particularly into CrossFit-style coaching. Concept2 is the popular model for rowing machines within the CrossFit neighborhood.
• The Concept2 RowErg may very well be a wonderful low-impact cardio machine for many who endure from joint ache. In contrast to working, rowing doesn’t place an enormous quantity of stress on the knees, hips, and ankles.

Who Ought to Not Purchase a Concept2 Rower

• The Concept2 rower won’t be ultimate for many who are frightened about noise. That is an air resistance rower. The tougher you row, the extra air strikes across the flywheel, which makes the machine louder.
• Regardless that the Concept2 RowErg provides a 20-inch-high seat, people with extreme mobility restrictions should discover it too low.
• Utilizing this rower may very well be powerful for these with restricted area. When totally assembled, the Concept2 rower machine is 96 inches lengthy. Relying in your setup, you won’t have sufficient room to suit the erg comfortably and work out safely.

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Concept2 Rower In-Depth Evaluate

The evaluation under is predicated on insights I’ve gathered via my very own use of the Concept2 RowErg and suggestions I’ve obtained from the Breaking Muscle workers, which contains CrossFitters, licensed private trainers, and energy and conditioning coaches. We then used a proprietary scoring system to rank the machine on a scale of 1 to 5 in varied classes, equivalent to value, the standard of the supplies, monitoring capabilities, and meeting.

Worth

The Concept2 RowErg with the 14-inch seat peak prices round $990 earlier than taxes and delivery. For those who go for the 20-inch seat peak, it can value round $1,155. Whereas the worth may very well be a disadvantage for anybody on an excellent strict finances, we nonetheless gave it 4.8 stars. The general worth is excessive because of the machine’s commercial-quality development and sturdiness. Additionally, this rower machine is less expensive than different choices, just like the Peloton or Hydrow rowers, that are double the worth (or extra).

Supplies, Construct, and Building High quality

The Concept2 rower consists of aluminum entrance legs, metal rear legs, a nickel-plated metal chain, an aluminum monorail, and a chrome steel seat observe.

Because of this heavy-duty development, we rated the construct a 4.9 out of 5. Based mostly on my expertise with the Concept2 rower, it may well tackle heavy abuse. Even in industrial fitness center settings, it’s so robust it might by no means have to get replaced.

Amanda Dvorak, Breaking Muscle’s Critiques Editor who began CrossFit in 2015 and now makes use of a Concept2 rower in her storage fitness center, can attest to its sturdiness. She talked about that even after banging it on her squat rack by chance (on a number of events) whereas transferring it round her storage, she’s by no means observed a distinction in the way it seems to be or performs. The CrossFit gyms she’s skilled at beforehand additionally by no means had any main points with these rowers, regardless of them getting used six to seven instances a day for years.

Supply and Meeting

After the erg arrived at our testing facility, our workforce ranked the supply and meeting course of a 5 out of 5. There was no harm upon supply.

I’ve constructed many items of residence fitness center gear, together with the Stamina Elite rower I exploit at residence. I can actually say that one of many greatest points with all of my purchases is that it takes perpetually to construct them. The Concept2 rower, nevertheless, solely required a couple of minutes of sunshine effort from our testing workers earlier than they had been capable of hop on and begin rowing.

Amanda Dvorak, an editor on the Breaking Muscle workforce, agrees with the product testing workers’s evaluation. There was additionally no harm to her machine when she obtained it at residence, and he or she and her husband had been capable of put the erg collectively in round 10 minutes.

Efficiency

The Concept2 rower’s efficiency is strictly what you’d count on from a commercial-grade piece of apparatus. The seat slides over the monorail effortlessly, and the chain doesn’t snag should you keep it correctly by oiling it after each 50 hours of use.

Subscription Choices

It’s arduous to offer the Concept2 rower a score on subscription choices as a result of it doesn’t present any. This is likely one of the drawbacks to this system, as different merchandise just like the Peloton or Hydrow rower present subscriptions for entry to reside and on-demand lessons. All of the Concept2 provides is a PM5 monitor. As I’ll focus on under, it tracks quite a lot of data, but it surely’s not as fancy as a high-tech monitor that permits you to stream lessons.

One advantage of the shortage of subscription choices is that it may well prevent cash. The subscriptions you’ll discover on Hydrow, Peloton, or NordicTrack rowers, for instance, can value $30 or extra per thirty days. It’s an added value you must contemplate when shopping for a rowing machine.

To make up for the shortage of subscription choices, the Concept2 row erg features a system holder that may maintain your good system. You may then stream exercises from an app of your selection — however take into account that this can be an additional month-to-month value.

Ergonomics

Our workforce rated the ergonomics a 4.5 out of 5. The deal with incorporates a 10-degree bend to permit for a pure grip, and it’s lined with molded rubber to assist take in sweat. Nonetheless, it may well trigger pores and skin discomfort, particularly for brand new rowers.

Amanda Dvorak, Breaking Muscle Critiques Editor, hadn’t used a rower in over a 12 months earlier than she purchased a Concept2 erg for her residence fitness center. Regardless of already having calluses on her palms from lifting weights, her fingers blistered ceaselessly as soon as she began rowing once more.

Nonetheless, now that Amanda has been utilizing the rower not less than as soon as per week, her tailbone discomfort has lessened, and her fingers not blister. When you have related experiences whenever you first begin rowing, we expect it’s secure to say that you just’ll alter to the rower after a few months of constant use. If not, you possibly can put on exercise gloves or purchase a padded seat cushion on-line to make your rowing expertise extra nice.

Foot Pedals

The pedals accommodate a variety of foot sizes. We’ve seen customers with dimension 13 toes have the ability to use the rower comfortably. The pedals don’t pivot like they do on different rowers, such because the NordicTrack RW600. Nonetheless, they’re designed that will help you obtain a vertical shin angle for the catch part of the row (when your knees are bent, your arms are straight, and the seat is nearer to the entrance of the machine). That is particularly helpful for rowers with poor ankle mobility.

Coronary heart Fee Monitoring

I might price the guts price monitoring capabilities of this rowing machine a 4 out of 5, because it doesn’t supply a direct approach of monitoring coronary heart price. The one approach to take action is to have a suitable system to sync with utilizing ANT+ and Bluetooth, equivalent to an Apple watch or a digital chest strap.

PM5 Monitor, Show, and Stats Monitoring

Whereas the monitor might seem easy, it gives a ton of information monitoring capabilities. In comparison with the older monitor (the PM4), the PM5 gives Bluetooth connection capabilities to trace your exercises. Total, we rated the monitor itself 4.7 out of 5 stars and the show 4 out of 5.

The PM5 monitor tracks a variety of metrics together with time, tempo, distance, strokes per minute (SPM), watts, energy burned, and coronary heart price (with a suitable system).

We love its potential to save lots of all of our exercise historical past, so we will see how we’re progressing and enhancing over time. And, as talked about, it may well hook up with doubtlessly 30 completely different suitable apps. ErgData is a favourite amongst the Breaking Muscle workers as a result of it permits us to create customized exercises, program the Concept2 Workout of the Day into the machine, and extra. Nonetheless, you may also use different apps like Regatta, RowHero, and Fiit.

Regardless of the spectacular quantity of knowledge the monitor can present, the precise show is fairly primary. The monitor can also be fairly small, measuring simply seven inches diagonally. The scale pales compared to the NordicTrack RW900, for instance, which has a 22-inch monitor.

One of many redeeming qualities, although, is the backlit show, which didn’t exist on earlier iterations of the monitor. Breaking Muscle Editor Amanda Dvorak says it’s one in every of her favourite issues concerning the PM5 monitor. She trains early in the morning and hates turning on brilliant lights throughout her exercises. The backlit show makes it simpler for her to learn the display screen when she’s understanding earlier than dawn.

Included Exercises

For the included exercises, we rank this characteristic a 4.8 out of 5. The Concept2 rower comes with a number of preset exercises, equivalent to distance coaching for two,000 meters or interval coaching modes with 500 meters of labor and one minute of relaxation. The preset choices are nice for beginner rowers who might not know methods to get began or superior athletes who need to comply with structured packages.

Bluetooth Connectivity

The Concept2 rower’s PM5 monitor helps Bluetooth connectivity to suitable heart rate monitors. You can too sync exercise knowledge to Concept2’s ErgData app or dozens of different apps to trace your exercise historical past.

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Concept2 Rower Specs

When contemplating the Concept2 rower, it’s necessary to grasp the specs and options that make it stand out. From the fundamental dimensions to {the electrical} necessities, we’ll break down the important thing particulars that outline it and set it aside on the planet of rowing machines.

Rower Sort

The Concept2 rower is an air rower. The air resistance works via using the handles and the machine’s fanwheel. If you pull the deal with, the flywheel traps air inside to offer resistance. The resistance then adjusts to your stroke price and energy output.

Based mostly on our expertise, air rowers emulate the sensation of rowing on open water extra authentically than magnetic rowers. This is likely one of the many the reason why skilled rowers typically full their indoor coaching on a Concept2 erg.

Total Dimensions

The Concept2 rower is 96 inches lengthy, 24 inches huge, and both 14 or 20 inches excessive. The peak relies on whether or not you purchase the usual mannequin or the one with taller legs.

Monitor Size

The observe size, often known as the monorail size, is 54 inches. This size helps to accommodate athletes as much as 6’6.

Seat Top

The RowErg comes with a 14-inch seat peak. For those who assume this might be too low for you, you’ve the choice of buying an erg with taller legs that elevate the seat to twenty inches. Nonetheless, the taller rower modifications the price from about $990 to about $1,155.

Weight Capability

The load capability of the Concept2 rower is 500 kilos, which is effectively above different rowing machines like those from NordicTrack and Peloton. All three rower fashions from NordicTrack have a weight capability of 250 kilos, whereas the Peloton rower has a weight restrict of 300 kilos.

Resistance Ranges

The Concept2 rower provides variable resistance. The resistance relies on the forcefulness of every row. That is completely different from magnetic rowers, which offer mounted resistance ranges, and water rowers, whose resistance ranges change based mostly on how a lot water is in a water tank connected to the machine.

Concept2 rowers additionally make the most of a damper setting. The damper is an adjustment that lets you present “extra” or “much less” resistance based mostly on the supply of airflow. The damper ranges from one to 10 — one means the flywheel is totally closed, and 10 means it’s totally open. If you enhance the damper setting, you open the damper and permit extra air into the flywheel. A better damper setting leads to a quicker deceleration of the flywheel, making the rowing movement tougher to carry out.

Electrical Necessities

This rower machine takes two D-cell batteries, that are included along with your buy. There’s no have to situate the rower close to an outlet, so you possibly can transfer it round any room in your own home or take it open air (one thing the Breaking Muscle workers members like to do when the climate permits).

Noise Degree

The Concept2 rower might be loud as a result of it’s an air resistance rower. The rower recruits air from the fan flywheel, and the extra air it recruits, the louder the sound turns into. A web-based evaluation signifies that the Concept2 rower has a decibel stage between 67 and 74, barely quieter than a vacuum cleaner.

Amanda Dvorak, one in every of Breaking Muscle’s editors, typically brings her rower indoors when her storage will get too chilly within the winter. Her husband, who’s a lightweight sleeper and normally nonetheless in mattress when Amanda works out within the morning, has claimed that the noise doesn’t hassle him in any respect. Nonetheless, Amanda retains the rower on the primary stage of her residence, whereas her husband sleeps of their bed room on the second stage. For those who reside in a one-story residence or a small condominium, the noise could also be extra bothersome to different folks.

Portability

The Concept2 RowErg options two curler wheels on the entrance for portability. There isn’t any deal with on the again, however for the reason that machine weighs simply 57 to 68 kilos (relying on whether or not you get the usual peak or the tall legs), it’s simple to put your hand below the monorail to elevate it up.

The rower additionally breaks down into two items should you don’t have sufficient room to depart it totally assembled on a regular basis. The house fitness center house owners on the Breaking Muscle workers do that ceaselessly and notice that it takes just some seconds to disassemble the rail from the flywheel piece and reconnect them once more when wanted.

Guarantee

Each Idea 2 rower features a five-year guarantee for the body and a two-year guarantee for all different parts, which we contemplate fairly customary for the business. Some rowers we’ve examined, just like the Echelon Row-S, solely have a 12-month guarantee. Nonetheless, different rowing machines, just like the CITYROW GoMax, supply a five-year body guarantee like Concept2 does.

Concept2 Rower vs. NordicTrack Rower

When evaluating the Concept2 rower and the NordicTrack rowers, a number of key variations stand out. Whereas the Concept2 RowErg has a easy show with no video lessons, NordicTrack rowers include interactive displays. These displays vary from 10 to 22 inches and supply instructor-led reside and on-demand lessons. These packages might be participating and motivating for customers who take pleasure in structured exercises and following together with an teacher.

To entry this library of exercises, you have to an iFit subscription for about $39 a month. You don’t essentially want the subscription to make use of NordicTrack rowers, however you may be very restricted in utilizing all of the options of your interactive display screen.

Each manufacturers’ rowers additionally use air resistance, which gives a easy and dynamic rowing expertise. Nonetheless, NordicTrack rowers add an additional layer of versatility with 26 digital resistance ranges. Concept2 doesn’t have conventional resistance ranges; the resistance relies on how a lot air you enable into the flywheel based mostly in your damper setting and the way arduous you row.

By way of dimension, the Concept2 rower is 94 inches lengthy, whereas NordicTrack rowers vary from 82 to 87 inches lengthy. The Concept2 rower excels in energy, because it helps customers of as much as 500 kilos. That is twice the load capability of the NordicTrack rowers.

The Concept2 rower additionally comes at a extra inexpensive value than the NordicTrack RW700 and RW900, which value round $1,499 and $1,999, respectively. Nonetheless, as of this writing, the NordicTrack RW600 is on sale for round $900, about $90 cheaper than the Concept2 rower.

NordicTrack RW600

Dimensions: 87.02″ L x 22.0″ W x 47.24″ H

Storage: Folds in half for vertical storage

Resistance: Air and magnetic

Weight capability: 250 kilos

Show: 10-inch good HD touchscreen

Accessible programming: Reside and on-demand exercises, scenic rows

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Concept2 Rower vs. Peloton

One of many first noticeable variations between the Concept2 rower and the Peloton is the interactive monitor display screen. Peloton’s rowers characteristic a large 23.8-inch swivel interactive monitor, which lets you interact in video-led classes. Nonetheless, accessing these lessons requires a month-to-month subscription price of round $44.

That is very completely different from the PM5 monitor offered by Concept2, which doesn’t have video-led classes or subscription necessities. If interactive exercises and entry to an unlimited library of coaching content material are your priorities, the Peloton rowers could be extra interesting.

Each rowers share related dimensions, making certain a constant rowing expertise by way of area necessities and general setup. Nonetheless, the Concept2 rower has a outstanding weight capability of as much as 500 kilos. The Peloton rower, in distinction, has a decrease weight capability of 300 kilos, which might restrict its suitability for people with better physique weight.

By way of value, Concept2 is the extra budget-friendly choice. The Peloton rower prices round $2,995, almost thrice the price of the Concept2 erg.

Peloton Rower

Dimensions: 7’10” L x 24” W

Storage: Shops upright with the Upright Wall Anchor (included with buy)

Resistance: Electronically managed

Weight capability: 300 kilos

Show: 23.8-inch 1080p HD touchscreen

Accessible programming: Reside and on-demand exercises, scenic rows

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Concept2 Rower vs. Hydrow

One other nice model of rowing machines is Hydrow. Hydrow’s authentic rower and the extra compact Wave rower supply an gratifying trip resulting from their use of magnetic resistance. Like Peloton, Hydrow rowers have built-in displays for streaming participating, motivating exercise lessons.

Hydrow’s superior know-how and immersive expertise include the next price ticket. Their rowers begin at slightly below $1,900. The Concept2 rower provides a extra budget-friendly choice beginning at about $990. To be able to entry Hydrow’s library of exercises, you additionally have to pay a month-to-month subscription of round $42.

Like Concept2, Hydrow’s rowers supply Bluetooth connectivity, permitting you to connect with coronary heart price displays and sync with health apps. By way of dimensions, the Hydrow rower measures 86 inches in size, 25 inches in width, and 47 inches in peak, making it barely extra compact than the Concept2 rower. It additionally has a lighter weight capability of 375 kilos. This doesn’t come close to the energy of the Concept2 rower, which has a weight capability of 500 kilos.

Hydrow Wave Rower

Dimensions: 80″ L x 19″ W x 43″ H

Storage: Shops upright

Resistance: Magnetic

Weight capability: 375 kilos

Show: 16-inch HD touchscreen

Accessible programming: Reside and on-demand exercises, scenic rows

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Concept2 Rower Buyer Critiques

On 4 websites, together with Amazon, the common score for the Concept2 rower is 4.8 out of 5 stars. Many individuals praised it for its sturdiness, fast setup, and storage capabilities. 

Regardless of the entire reward, some prospects did notice a couple of drawbacks. Just a few prospects discovered the noise stage regarding for at-home exercises. Others additionally famous the limitation of the PM5 display screen and would favor to have a bigger monitor that offered educational movies as an alternative.

Closing Verdict: Is the Concept2 Rower Value It?

When you think about all of the options of a top-tier rower, the Concept2 rower is likely one of the greatest. Concept2 has constructed a strong status of high quality and dependability with aggressive rowers, the CrossFit neighborhood, and residential fitness center customers who need gear that gained’t cease working after a couple of months.

Via an intensive evaluation by our knowledgeable workforce, it’s clear that the Concept2 rower might be effectively well worth the funding. It gives a easy, lifelike rowing expertise. It’s simple to construct and will final for years, particularly in a house fitness center. Realizing that this product exists in lots of houses and a number of industrial gyms, it’s arduous to search out one other rower that may push the Concept2 rower off the highest of the rostrum.

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