I bought a Concept 2 in 1987! Hard to believe I’ve had it so long. I’m 68, I still use it. It’s my baby

I know many people on here have been rowing for a long time and that is awesome but I figured maybe some people would want to hear from a relative newcomer. I am a very overweight woman. I probably need to lose about 100 lbs to be healthy and I really don’t enjoy exercise because being 250lbs makes it hard on my joints and back which are always an issue because I have back problems and fibromyalgia which is how I got to this weight in the first place. I wasn’t really looking for an exercise routine because honestly I had kind of given up. I have depression and motivation is super hard for me. About a year ago they opened a Row House near me and my daughter badgered me into going. I thought I would hate it. Turns out I loved it. It was the first exercise I had found that didn’t cause excruciating pain. I mean I was sore because I hadn’t worked out in years but it didn’t cause a flare up of my back or joints. So after a month or so I went back again and joined. I was consistent until about thanksgiving which ended up being about 3 months after joining. Then I started not really going because my depression was acting up during the holidays and I couldn’t get motivated. Then the stupid pandemic came. I struggled but time with depression until they opened back up in June. I went back for a bit but was having issues with scheduling classes because they had to reduce class sizes and my schedule is all over the place. I watch my grandkids and never know what time my daughter and son in law will be here to get them. I had used a concept2 at RH so I looked at what they cost. I felt for the quality of machine they were affordable. So I signed up for their waitlist in the beginning of July. I just ordered mine on 29th of September although I could have ordered as early as the 21. So it was about 10-11 weeks on the list. I’m super excited for it to get here because I miss rowing. It is the one thing I like. I was always comfortable on the concept 2. I have never used a water tower so I can’t compare but being a bigger person I was ok on the seat. I never felt like it was too small. Of course the catch positions was a little difficult because in short and chubby but overall I think it is as comfortable as a large person can be on an exercise machine. Just wanted to weigh in since most people are super experienced and maybe some newbies wanted to know what it’s like if u r a bigger person.

I own both, so here’s my advice: if you’re going to keep the rower in a living area of the house and you want a work of art/piece of furniture, then go with the WaterRower. It looks really nice standing up against a wall when you’re not using it. You do have some maintenance with the water tank - you need to add water purification tablets every six months or so to make sure no algae develops, but it’s simple to do. The water sound is soothing and it is quieter but definitely not silent. I know this is subjective, but I find the Concept2 a little more comfortable, and the monitor is far better than the WaterRower. You have maintenance too with the Concept2 (oil the chain every 50 hours or so and keep the fan free of dust buildup - it’s easy to do), but overall if I had to choose just one for the rest of my life, it would be the Concept2. It’s built like a tank, slightly more comfortable, and the monitor is superior in every way. There are lots of accessories for it (phone mount, tablet mount, etc), it breaks apart for easy storage/transport, and it really is the industry standard. You’ll see a Concept2 in almost every gym around the world. Both will kick your butt and make you sweat - a good portion of the decision just comes down to style. So if you’re solely performance based and can care less about pretty wood colors, Concept2 all the way. If you want a piece of furniture that makes you sweat, WaterRower. You really can’t go wrong with either one.

I fell in love with the Water Rower form watching House of Cards 😅

I've used a water rower every weekday for 2-3yrs, the wooden construction and sound of the water can be hypnotic and compelling. In my mind I've moved on from reliance on monitors and electronic gadgetry. If you are imaginative, you can row with your eyes closed and just let the water's sound and feel, hypnotize you, works for me everyday.

I would add that the seating position (height) in the waterower is more true to real world rowing. That been said, the concept seat arrangement is a lot more comfortable for the reasons you mentioned. Recently WaterRower have updated their smartphone app to expand functionality beyond the bare minimum (you will need to buy the Bluetooth addon for the machine), but it still way behind anything else. Also, a visit to the water rower youtube channel will show you there isnt much in terms of ongoing workout content for the owners. And yet i prefer waterower over the concept, 1- you just cant imitate water resistant and feel; 2- the sound is great and lets you listen to the tv or music without crap (headset, pods whatever) in your ears...; and 3- i dont have to hide the machine after each use because it just looks awesome (your significant other cannot win this one :). On a final note, i used to have all kinds of gadgets for working out, heart rate sensors etc. but in the end what matters is that you keep discipline and enjoy it, so the concept monitor while superior is no a deal breaker for me, but it might be for others. Great video

I agree. Everything you said is true. I have a water rower. And what I like the most about it is the sound. As I use to row on a boat for years, rowing this machine gives me the feeling I’m outdoors on the lake I used to row. And during these four months of quarantine... it’s really nice.

I bought the Fluidrower Neon Plus, highly recommended, the seat is super comfortable and the rowing action/noise is amazing, at £800 it's brilliantly priced too

Hey Austin. That was a great review and everything was spot on. Ive got a Waterrower GX with the very old computer and after almost a year of rowing the lack of programming and the lag is starting to impact my rowing progress. You can get around the shortcomings with a note book, a stopwatch and a spreadsheet but it's quite inconvenient. I am now seriously considering a concept 2. Thanks again. Great honest review 😉👍

Just got myself a waterrower and I agree with you on the monitor part - it's not ideal, but by no means does it matter to me. I hop on it do some cardio and don't care if it was showing me laggy data. I opted for the waterrower because of aesthetics - both visual and aural - a nice wooden construction matching my floor + a soothing sound instead of irritating one.

I just got a WaterRower Club, locally used from a previous owner on Thursday and I love it. It’s in great condition and I’m basically rowing daily for recreation (love boating) and physical rehabilitation (series of injuries last year). I’m also a composer-musician so the auditable level was an important factor for me and love the WaterRower’s ethos overall as well. It’s COVID-19 pandemic year, lockdown in mid-March (SFBA), and my gym is essentially closed indefinitely for my purposes unfortunately which was another definite factor for this investment. My gym offered Concept2 rowers that I like as well but for a home investment, the WaterRower just feels like an instrument too, water and wood, defusing the work stress working from home as well. 😷

Again, I appreciate the advice and consideration for rowers with larger than average midsections. Good to know about the biomechanics of the stroke on the different machines. Thanks, Austin!

Really very nice video regarding both machines differences. I already have got a waterrower device about one year ago, and this equípment has changed my body shape during that time!

One thing to note on the monitor comparison, is that the water rower now also comes with a power meter and app from SmartRow as an option and it gives many of the features of the C2.

Austin- great review. I already took the plunge for the WaterRower, only delivered a few weeks ago, and I don't have any regrets. My choice was largely due to the noise difference. I can listen to your instructions on your workouts without blasting the volume or wearing earbuds and the water does make a soothing sound. I have the Xeno Muller model, which is supposed to have a footboard lower to the seat, relatively, than the standard model.I haven't used a standard model, so I've nothing to compare to. I'm not tall, like you, (I'm only 6'4"), but I thought the Xeno model would make sense due to my not being height challenged. I believe that your relative height exaggerates the footboard placement issue. Few viewers have a 37" inseam, like you do. I think it makes the WaterRower footboard placement look worse than it generally is, but it is still a valid point. Again, great review. I'm new to rowing and I'm using your beginner workouts to work on form. I look forward to stepping up to the "grown-up" workouts, and hope that the (admittedly) archaic monitor on the WaterRower won't be an issue. Another person mentioned the upgrade monitor that is available. Does that correct the lag time? Thanks for help keeping me sane w/o my gym!

You'll know which one is the best choice when it needs parts and maintenance. Every single part of the C2 from the original model to the latest is instantly available at a good price and anyone can strip and rebuild the whole machine.

I agree with your points on both rowers. I have a waterower now at home in my garage with limited space, and it works just fine. I guess I am in the recreational category, so the waterower works for me. Time or distance is all I really look at. Been using the waterower for 3 months now, and no back issues.

I wanted to purchase a row machine to strengthen my back and your comment regarding the mid section really saved me as I almost purchased a water rower. Thank you for the detailed review!

The great thing about the Concept 2 is that a chap called Austin makes lots of helpful Concept 2 training videos.

Everytime I see a water rower I want to throw a load of laundry in there. Someone has to make that happen.

I used to row at university and we would always train on concept 2, I definitely agree they are better for training. My dad has a water rower, and its beautiful, I love the sound a great for home workouts. The one things I would say is the water rowers position is very similar to being in a boat so it is more realistic and you can get used to the positioning better on a water rower xx

I now have a C2 Model D at home, and definitely recommend it. I picked it up recently, after being locked out of my rower workouts at the gym for the last 9mos (thanks to Covid). Really like your videos btw... keep up the good work!

Great video, I’ve gone for a waterrower with Bluetooth connection so hopefully that’ll improve the monitor feedback. I have to have the machine in the house so the aesthetics were a deal breaker plus when my wife took a look at the concept 2 her first reaction was ‘that’s not coming in here!’

Hey everyone!! I have a few spots open left in my online coaching program, ROW-20, for October 5th - October 26th! It's 20 days of exclusive live-streamed workouts with me and a handful of others. You get direct access to me as your health & rowing coach where I can chat with you personally on your own individual goals and review YOUR form specifically FOR YOU! This program is for ANYONE using ANY ROWING MACHINE. Check my website (in description) for more info, testimonials, etc! Would love to get to know you more personally this next month - happy rowing!! Hope you enjoy the video - this one took forever!

From one Austin to another...thanks man! You got me kick started back into getting in shape and into buying a rowing machine and rowing. 6"4 guy now training tall!

Thanks for the review comparison. Tip: I'm a sea kayaker had all kinds of seats, back rests, etc... there is no comfort issue that I haven't been able to solve with cheap 1/2" yoga mats from Amazon. I cut them up, roll them into tubes. I think they're more versatile and more comfortable than gel pads. (1/4" yoga mat material is good for foot braces and for the bottom hull of my kayak, but I don't think chill from surrounding water is an issue with a rowing machine) . Shafts and blisters. I use to feel kind of special to have calluses on the web skin by my thumbs from the paddle shaft. I use the nylon covered pads for the paddle shaft. No blisters, no calluses, no gloves needed. Not sure how these might fit with these machines. The lag in information reporting breaks the feedback loop. Feedback is critical. If you suddenly paddle with more force seeing the numbers change reinforce the feel you have. Now, have you done one of these for Kayak ergs?

Great and comprehensive evaluation; thank you for your careful walk-through on both -- *much respect, sir*.

WaterRower is great for taller rowers (6’ plus) with the extension they offer. Mine is over 15 years old and still works beautifully. Low to zero maintenance. I upgraded the monitor and length for very little directly from WaterRower UK.

I bought SmartRow before my WaterRower arrived. I‘ve used Concept2 machines a lot, fallen off many after hard sessions, but the sound level made them a no go for home use. The SmartRow overcomes the responsiveness issue of the WaterRower Monitor, gives accurate power readings and a power curve. I would love to see the option for intervals by distance and if the software and eco system was as good as that for Concept2. It would also be nice to know how equivalent SmartRow output is to the Concept2 so I can compare to my old training diary. All in all really happy with my choice. All the best from another Austin

Glad I made the call and purchased a Concept2 many years ago. Good vid. Keep at it!

Very helpful for someone new to rowing. Thank you for the breakdown, as well as the clear, easy to understand differences in the 2 types of rowers.

Totally agree! I have tried using both. I bought Concept 2 so I can get more data and integrate it into my Strava and Fitbit Accounts. I get motivated when I see my rowing/workout data results, I tend to go for more to improve my workout and in the end, I benefit from it by getting myself healthier. Great video comparison! Thanks!

thanks for the video! Feel like you cover everything really well. As someone with lower back problems, I appreciate your comparison focusing on which would be better in that department.

Thanks for the video and all the facts you described. In the end, everyone needs to decide his own preferences and style of training. You clearly described the pros and cons. Precious info was about the ergonomic position, where one machine might feel a bit more comfortable. The other aspect was the noise level and style. Something nobody paid attention to. The video helped me with my decision, ordering a water rowing machine. And I found a manufacturer who elevated the seat position, which makes it more comparable to concept 2. I accept the limitations of the water technique, but I was looking for an entry-level machine. The goal is to get on the machine every day. 15 to 30 minutes, and slowly gain back fitness and reduce weight. Maybe after 12 months, I change my mind.

Great presentation. I understood everything. Answered any possible question i could have had and then some.

Having researched MANY rowers side by side in a nerdy spreadsheet, I narrowed my choices down to WaterRower and Concept2. Amazing to find a very informative and honest video addressing the choice between them specifically. Thank you!

Having used a few different rowers, I have to agree with your point about the Importance of the monitor. In addition to what you mentioned in your video the concept 2 also had Bluetooth connectivity, and a solid phone app which syncs to the C2 website, making automatically logging all your workouts really easy. You can then review your performance, splits etc. and share with training partners online.

We've owned a concept II since Christmas 1993. We had to wait extra time for shipment because they were switching from model b to model c. Still love it. Only maintenance has been to oil the chain ever couple years. And to replace the monitor bracket which broke when moving across the country and that was a super easy $10 fix. Almost every year we do the holiday challenge (200,000 meters between Thanksgiving and Christmas), found this video while waiting for my wife to finish her first row of the challenge so that I can go start my 200k!

Great review equally comments on both. Mentions so many aspects. Fabulous! Also since I am tall it is good to see how the machine fits!

We added a smart row sensor to our water rower. Works well and gives pretty good data. Power curve, stroke power and reach all reported per stroke. Was expensive but transformed a gen 1 machine right up to date. Have had the machine for 20 years had to re-seal the drum once and would be lying if i said we have used it lots but currently back on it due to COVID so will see how we go.

"If you can get away with the loudness of the C2"... I think that sums it up.

Totally agree with your comments on them. I used to use a concept 2 in the gym and now own a waterrower. I love the easy of use and be able to change resistance level with concept 2. But for light users, especially for someone who loves to exercise with music, following a HIIT video, or simply watching video when rowing. The concept 2 is just tooooo loud to hear them.🤣

I’m an older rower & have a C2 at home. I’ve used water rowers from time to time & agree the monitor is way less useful. Also agree the setup is a bit different in terms of seat & feet. Also agree the water rower sounds better. The one thing I’d disagree on is which is kinder on the body & the back. I do have back issues & found the water rower was a good deal kinder at the catch than the C2. As such, if buying one for general fitness & had any grumbling injuries, I’d probably go for the water rower. If, on the other hand, you want to do a ‘true’ 1, 2 or 5km, etc, the C2 is the machine.

Great comparison and I went Concept2. Also wanted a water rower but never considered body shape initially and after this video, I started to pay more attention to how would I actually row on it. I never got to try the WaterRower as we have no stock here in South Africa, but the C2 is common enough that even my local Crossfit has a few so I have no buyers remorse.

Really quality production with helpful insights. Great video.

I really appreciate the part of your review which discusses pros/cons for rowing as a larger person or someone with back pain. I think this is alone is enough to edge me towards buying a Concept 2, even though the sound the WaterRower makes is very soothing.

I’ve owned a Concept2 for 20+ years and it still looks and works like new.

Awesome video. You’ve answered all the questions I had.

Awesome review. Fantastic comparison. The point made about the lower foot position on the Concept II is an excellent observation and probably clinched the decision for me. Thanks.

I own the WaterRower M1 Hi-Rise and I use the Concept 2 at the gym. I would have to say the WaterRower is a better rower because it's easier to engage the legs and glutes. I have no regrets about my purchase.

Excellent comparison video. Very comprehensive, but not to the point it's annoying. I bought the waterrower a few months ago and I really like it. I must say I wanted a Concept2, but the noise was the deal breaker (you mentioned that as one of the main consideration points and it's true). I just couldn't convince myself that it would produce low enough noise to not bother my wife and kids at the time I thought I'd use it more frequently. If someday I manage to have an air conditioned acoustically isolated room where I can have a rowing machine, I'll get the Concept2.

I've tried the concept in the gym and it was great, but I'm more inclined towards the Water Rower at home due to noise levels since I live in an apartment. I would go with the cheapest A1 water rower since the foot plates are further apart and closer to to the concept. I want to do HIIT interval training. The water rower monitor looks a bit rubbish but I guess I could just put my Ipad on a clamp, attach it to the rower and play a video of HIIT training sessions whilst checking my speed by the strokes per minute rate. Just my newbie thoughts.

Thanks for your review Austin. the only issue for my pioneer A1 waterrower is the monitor, really is a suck, but I saw a video with new device you can installed and by Bluetooth and mobile app that issue is part of the pass, but really don't know is will work with my model. The concept 2 is an amazing machine as well, but the design and the beautiful noise it is amazing for the waterrower.

I'm 5'10" and have had the Waterrower Natural for about 5 years. I love my machine. It's very comfortable and gives a great workout. One thing that wasn't mentioned, is its ability to connect via USB to a computer. I've used this for online competitions, making the workout more interactive.

Water rower it is for me. Thanks for this video it really helped. I use a concept 2 at my gym by I hate the monitor on it and don't really care for that. I like how the water rower has sleek designs, is quiet, and the monitor looks out of the way and not in exactly in my face. My main workouts consist of weight lifting, body weight workouts and mma.

Excellent video and not just technical. Individuals with abdominal 'problems' such as surgery and it's consequences will find the differences between foot rest height and seat height to be very relevant!

I agree 100% with this video. I bought a water rower (although the City Row Go model). If you can tolerate a louder rower (which we couldn’t because we have a smaller house and wanted use it early in the morning). The City Row Go model has a lower and wider foot straps, but the computer is laggy.

Great video, thanks. I have a ProForm 750 magnetic rower which broke after 2 months of use. I'm a 58 y/o guy, in decent shape (183lbs) @ 6'1" so no judging there please. I was leaning towards the water rower, but now I'm going with the Concept 2. Water rower is pretty, but that only goes so far. I want durability. Thanks again!

This is such a great video. I hope you have a similar video comparing Hydro and Concept 2. Especially how do they compare on accuracy.

Nice review, keep up the great work. I just got my Concept2 D, now I need to start using it appropriately :)

I prefer the feel of the WR. My competition is myself so the relative speeds don’t matter. Using club machines, I noticed that he C2s around here are really rough. Some are so bad my hands tingle after just a 2k. Now, I know that’s more of a club/Mx issue than the design but I’ve not run into that problem on WRs (yet).

Thanks for making this video. I am buying rowing machine for myself & for my sons (11yo) training. I was considering waterrower since its more quieter. Thanks to your introduction to how to change resistance I realised that concept 2 would be better so there would no need to hassle with water between my & sons rowing.

Thank you. I am new to this rowing exercise This video helped me with picking the correct rower

Thank you so much for the thorough explanation!

As an about to turn 40 year old typical dad bod guy, I've just bought a concept 2 model B, second hand for £100, no thrills but I can tell its a quality bit of kit, even though its nearly as old as me, and definitely in better shape! I'm an absolute novice/beginner at rowing but really enjoy it because its low impact and actually quite fun. Plus I absolutely love working out on it! Trying to lose the love handles and the beer belly one day at a time.. Ps love the workouts 💪Thanks!

I use the Smartrow with force curve and no lags. It‘s not perfect at the moment, but it‘s so much better than the S4 monitor. I think (hope) it could be very comparable to the PM5 in year from now.

I had a waterrower and changed it for a Concept 2 when the join between top and bottom on the water tank failed. To be fair I had had it for a number of years and they do offer a seal repair kit. I did like my waterrower but I also like my concept2 and I find that there is a lot more supporting aids for the C2 and I find some of them particularly motivating. As I say, I like the waterrower but I would not go back.

I have tried both and trained with both. By far i like the the Concept 2 alot more. I do Crossfit so I am really use to the Concept 2!!

Great job! I will look into your other materials. Thanks!

The loudness is really the only disadvantage i found in the concept 2 rather than the water rower that is significant. Besides it was better if you compared prices too, hut obviously I'll check myself anyway. Nice vid, thanx.

I find your videos quite helpful. I have a bad right knee bending it repeatedly is quite painful over a short period of time. And walking for exercise is out because standing and walking on it is difficult after 20 minutes. Your videos gave me the idea of rowing for exercise because it was easy to modify how I keep my right leg straight to eliminate or reduce the pain in my knee. My rowing machine is nearly identical to the concept 2. Thanks for videos.

Tried both in the store. Bought the concept2. No regrets.

I've put over 16,000,000 meters on my Waterrower, and I have to agree. That distance has been in spite of a LOT of maintenance, most of which is necessary because of British-style engineering. (If you've ever seen a Lotus with headlamps full of water after a rain, you'll know what I mean.) I mean, who came up with the idea of in-house, custom made rubber belts (Which are often faulty!) to drive the display? Changing one of those little suckers takes about 2 hours each time, and because they're poorly made it's a yearly task. Next, the placement of the water fill hole is uncomfortably close to the rest of the mechanism for no good reason! It could have been ANYWHERE on the top of the tank, but nooooooo. Still, I do enjoy the quiet of the WR, I like to listen to music or watch TV while rowing, and you can't do that with the C2, especially if your wife is sleeping a few rooms away!

I have an Xterra water machine. Love it. I've never bothered to hookup or use the monitor and just row by feel. I wanted the simplest most stressfree rowing experience. My fitness goals are as much about stress relief as streingth and endurance. I also like that it has a relaxing meditative sound. I row while my wife and dog are sleeping at 6am. So noise was a big deciding factor.

I'm 5'11", yes on the potential back issues on the WR. Owned the WR for a couple of years, always had lower back pain no matter how much I concentrated on form. The only thing that helped was shortening the stroke by not going forward as far. Tried the C2 afterwards, it was much more comfortable on my back and the ergos just felt better for my frame. Loved the look and sound of the WR but for my frame I prefer the biomechanics of the C2. Thanks for this great explanation as to why.

Watching the video helped me decide on buying a water rower vs another type of power because: 1. I'm not training for the Olympics, I just wanted to row (so the advanced monitor wasn't an issue). 2. It's closest to real world conditions, in term of positioning. 3. I love the sound it makes as you row. 4. I liked their look. So I went to a local dealer and got to try one but here's a problem I found: I've been using my gym's magnetic rower for the last few months and row about 30-32 strokes/minute. When using the water rower, the water would gain momentum and there was less resistance as I continued to row. Which meant I would either have to slow my place or extend my workout, neither of which were appealing to me. To be fair, i could have tried adding more water to the tank (it was about half full) but even at that level the resistance was low, to me. Also it was a quick trial but for close to $2000 i didn't want to risk it. So maybe other people have encountered and have a fix for this problem but I wanted to mention it for anyone who is considering buying a water rower, I still think they are nice, just pricy. I ended up buying used rower (that was the same machine in my gym) and I love it. Whoever reads this, whether you buy an expensive model or a cheap one, I hope you find one you love. Don't forget to check Facebook marketplace or Ebay, you might get lucky.

Fantastic review! Thank you! 👏👏👏

14 million meters on my model C and its still going strong. The community is fantastic, and the challenges keep you motivated to keep chasing improvements.

I got the waterrower 3 weeks ago and purchased the Smartrow add on. This enables compared to stock waterrower: 1. Data/500m/min will be updated immediately (as on concept 2) 2. you get immediate stroke length, watt, power curve etc. 3. you can do time intervals (but not length yet). 4 you have leaderboards. 5 Much easier to get an overview of your historic training data. 6 HRM integration and data saved, graphs/averages/peak etc.. 7. You can buy parts, some users have had their rowers for 20 years and have been able to get parts to repair them. 8. you can set a training/pacing boat the water rower is simply much more aesthetic to have in your living room, and it does not make as much noise. It will jump much more over the place if your form is bad though. Smartrower + waterrower is even more precise than concept 2, which is about 3% off due to loss in chain/flywheel not accounted for. The in built screen on the Waterrower (P4) drove me crazy with its lag, I am very happy I got the Smartrower add on. Only downside IMO is that Smartrower does not yet have length intervals, which I find very strange. So I use a combination of stopwatch and smartrower for length intervals. Interesting fact, I have read before that Waterrower gives about 10% longer distance than Smartrower and 7% more than C2. However, my waterrower out of the box, only overreported by 2% compared to the smartrower, so it should be very close to the C2. I guess that waterrower might have updated their new models to match the C2 - or maybe I was just lucky. I do fell a little more activation of the hamstrings on the waterrower then on the C2 in my gym. I do not necessary think that this is a bad thing, but it takes a little getting used to this. If I had a garage gym, was single, or had an gym room, I would probably get the concept 2. It is cheaper with the same (or higher) quality, however, I would never store a C2 in the living room. The Waterrower looks great, and fits well there and it is one of those beautiful functional items you just are happy to own.

Great video. Still deciding - leaning towards Concept2 (sounds like less 'admin') - I wish they would bring out an Oak model, then the decision would be easy for me!! I love the look of the wood water rowers!

Outstanding video. I was about to replace a broken concept 2 for a water rower until I watched this. You saved me a lot of disappointment, thank you.

Very helpful-thanks. You are right about the Concept II's being indestructible. I think I'm coming up on 30 years on mine?

Great video! Very well presented and informative.

While you called the damper setting inconsequential (more-or-less), since once you set it, you're done; that observation is good if you're in a single user household. The moment you have a spouse whose also rowing, or other family members, the opportunity to easily change the damper resistance starts to become important.

One main point missed is the feel if one actually does rowing on waterways in a boat. The water rower has dimensions to a boat seating and the feel of water resistance.

Great video. I have waterrower but have been thinking about switching to Concept2. The issues of foot height, and the monitor lag are huge issues for me on the waterrrower.

I own both, ask me why... Originally purchased the WR and loved it. I did experience some back issues with the WR and my competitive nature wouldn't allow me to take my eyes of the C2. Eventually broke down and purchased the C2. Have not regretted that decision, back issues solved almost immediately. Should have done better research for my purposes. The rowing community the C2 opens up to you is fantastic. Also I really don't find the C2 to be that loud at all, I think that may be a little overstated. If your prone to being competitive and enjoy that motivation then the C2 is the choice. Both will give you a heck of a workout. I must admit I also wasn't happy that WR kept trying/keeps trying to sell me add-ons to make my WR like a C2. C2 is the standard all others are judged by.

Like the review, but you must have been on an older model of water rower. I bought mine only a month ago and there are two things that were wrong. 1) the water rower has 5 levels of resistance simply changed with a knob on the top. 2) the monitor looks nothing like the one you demonstrated. It has most of the same features you described from the Concept 2. Thanks for your vids....helped me a lot so far.

amazing video, so good content - thank you!

Love my Waterrower. The sound, the action, stroke--all of it. The Concept2 is excellent too. It is great to choose either one--working on your health is always great!

I will add a little extra point for shorter people like me. I'm 5ft9, and I tried both the concept 2 and waterrower; the waterrower is far more comfortable at the front of the stroke, I felt I had to stretch quite a lot more on the concept 2 in order to get a comfortable flow on, to the point that it harmed my form. My wife is 6ft1 and found the concept 2 more comfortable as the video showed. So something to keep in mind 😁

I've had a C2 Model D for 14 years, (about 18MM meters on this one) and with a little maintenance it's as good as new. I've also raced in crew for years, and I think it's worth noting that any rowing club boathouse I've seen use Concept 2 machines for off-water training and testing.

Excellent review - thanks!

I am 6‘10“ or 208cm tall. Love your content. I’d like to add that you can not just take apart the concept 2 with ease but also purchase an extended slider if you have super long legs. On a regular slider I tend to sit a bit too far back on my seat in order to get that extra leg room. Design and sound points go to waterrower and Kevin Spacey is going to keep rowing that thing in House of Cards. However, every competitive rower is training on concept 2.

I noticed when I was looking at machines a lot of the water ones were rusting like your orange one in the video. I went with the C2.

got the WaterRower. looks better in my homeroom over the orange one. That s the most important issue, cause like a fitness studio, after 10 times you don't use it anymore and its looks become important

Used to row during my student time and always used C2 for indoor training. Now I own my own C2 rower while I have a waterrower at my gym. IMO the C2 rower blows the waterrower out of the water when it comes to any performance metrics or training customization. The only downside is that it does get really loud when you start pumping (and of course the cost.. but any decent rowing machine is going to cost you).

Love your videos, very technical! If you have to choose for a isolate house, which rower you’ll choose, the concept 2 or waterrower? I really like the wood design, but I think it’s only good thing and the noise too. Beside that concept 2 will win in all aspects! I’m I right? What do you choose for a simple fitness purpose, I run every day 8 kms and want change for something will not brake my joints. Thank you so much for advice in advance!

I have a preference for a Lifefitness GX water rower, it has a monorail - adj footplate - full length stroke - adj resistance just like the Concept 2 and sounds better by a lot. My use of the rower is for general fitness improvement as part of a three times a week 2hr session programme inc elliptycal cross trainer and pilates / free weights after a triple heart bypass op.

We are moving to a new house soon and one of the first things I'm going to add to my home gym is the Concept2 model E.