Hydrow Rower In-Depth Review - NOT "The Peloton of Rowers" 

I have been using the Hydrow for over two years now and love it. The first exercise equipment ever I got I use almost daily and consistently. My wife and daughter use the Hydrow, too, making the subscription cost a no-brainer for us. The $38 monthly is way cheaper than going to a gym, and we get a good workout with it. I enjoy the variety of different Hydrow athletes they have and their different styles. I found several athletes I often select for my rows as I like their style and I enjoy rowing with them. I prefer the way Hydrow offers the rows over anything done in a class-type environment. I don't care about music when working out, so I always have the setting to listen to more of the athlete and the music in the background. They offer the option to hear more or less of the music versus the athlete, which works pretty well. They also provide a leaderboard you can show or hide on the screen I personally hardly use, although I find it interesting to have some comparison to other folks of my gender and age range after a row. The rowing library is quite extensive by now. I never had a problem finding a row based on what I wanted to accomplish, and they do offer some sets of rows if you want to improve specifics, like being able to handle longer rows. I also like that the Hydrow allows you to adjust the drag setting from the default "water-like" drag to a significantly higher drag so you can make it challenging, which some rowing workouts leverage. I also frequently participate in the offered life rows, and I enjoy the races they provide on the Hydrow, like the river Themes race and some other rowing workout challenges. I find it fantastic that they row at different locations in the US and Europe, so you get some variety in landscape, and they pick some nice places like Switzerland, Norway, and even Scottland's Loch Ness. In addition to the rowing workouts, they offer some good strength and movement, as well as Yoga classes which I find are an excellent complement to the rowing workouts I mostly use when traveling. The original Hydrow we got is quite a heavy machine and not easily moved around, but that wasn't an issue for me. I believe they just came out with a new model that takes up less space and is lighter. The design of the original Hydrow was a personal preference over the other rowers, and we found a good area for it in our home office where we never have to move it. Hence, the size and weight weren't an issue for us when making the purchase decision. I was looking for a rowing machine that looks solid and had an online offering I enjoy, which I found with the Hydrow. I wanted a way to just get up in the morning and start my day with an excellent all-body workout without any hassle of driving to a gym. I tried, and I could never get into the routine of going to a gym. Too much friction for me, and I prefer working out on my own. Having a rowing machine at home removed all excuses to work out. Since I started using the Hydrow, I have significantly improved my cardio fitness. Fun to look back at the earlier rows and how much faster I am now. The Hydrow has been perfect for me.

I’m a big Peloton fan and have the Bike, Tred and Guide and also have the Hydrow. I agree with your thoughts on enhancing the Hydrow experience and I also wish they had something like Stacks to find a class on my phone and then have it waiting on the Hydrow. I find the music mostly obscure and I can tell that it’s not really a big focus like it is with Peloton. I’ll be curious how the Peloton rower compares when it’s released.

I purchased the bike plus I was going to wait for the rower but I decided that I needed to do something now, so I’m hoping that the roller is a small footprint and also that it will have the talkback software enabled just like on the Peloton because if it does I will certainly get it. People talk a lot of smack about Peloton but the fact is they make accommodations for people that are blind and I 100% will stand behind a company that does that.

Most of the reviews of the Hydrow Rower mention it provides a good rowing experience that is quiet, which is good for those who live in an apartment or condo. The biggest downsides for me is the $38 monthly subscription, "just row" doesn't save session metrics, and an upright kit is needed to store it. I believe Aviron saves metrics without the subscription, but it is a massive 100" in length.

Do you know if you can use the rower without paying for the membership? Must like the concept 2, hop on, set a resistance, timer, and go..thanks

Have you tried any of the echelon rowers? There seems to be little to no coverage on them.

Hi, unrelated question here. Do you know what that bump ball looking thing over your shin and under your skin at 2:43 when you were coming back from a pull? I got the same thing and I’m wondering if you had it checked. Thanks

❤️. That’s cool.~~~🤩

I tried using their app with my concept 2 and found it really hard to follow along. The rowing stroke on a boat seems really different from holding two oars. And since they’re on the water the coach couldn’t coach how to row on a machine since the stroke is different. Also this particular coach didn’t speak clearly, was boring, as was the scenery (a Florida Marina). I’m really hoping the Peloton rower and classes come out soon. I much prefer following a teacher doing the same thing I’m doing with great music and technique and form coaching.

Think twice before you buy a Hydrow. The forced subscription ruins the experience. Can't row without internet. Won't store stats without subscription.