Hydrow Reality Rower Review
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The Hydrow Reality Rower is to rowing machines what the Peloton is to the exercise bike. It's taken a while but the humble rower is catching up with treadmill and bikes with the live workouts and clever software... and about time too! Yes, there has been some attempt to bring rowers into the 21st Century by some brands, namely NordicTrack, and we're aware of another coming to market next year, but for now, we believe the Hydrow has both the quality machine AND the software to claim the top spot.
But before we get to the 'whistles and bells', what about the actual nuts and bolts? You can have amazing software, but if the hardware (the rowing machine) is not up to the task, it's a waste of your money. Thankfully, as soon as you sit on the Hydro you know this a great machine in itself. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Let's talk about unpacking and assembly. This is a heavy machine and will need two people to move the box. Note, the rower and packaging weighs 197lbs, but the box does have handles, and you'll get a good workout just shifting the thing to where you need it. Once out of the box there's minimal assembly required making it pretty easy and shouldn't challenge even the most unskilled DIYer :0) Now stand back and admire the design. The Hydrow has a distinctive look and stands out from the crowd with its sleek steel and aluminum frame, and smooth anthracite polymer body. The seat is very comfortable and sits at a nice height of 16.5" off the floor. This makes it easy to get on and off while being easy on your knees. The footrests are wide and well-placed making for a good rowing position. The handle sits nicely in the hands and is well-padded.
When you start to row the first thing you'll notice (or not), is that is incredibly quiet - it barely makes a sound. The resistance mechanism is electromagnetic, controlled by the computer, so no noisy air fans. The computer adjusts the resistance up to 240 times a second giving the smoothest strokes you'll experience on a indoor rowing machine, and possibly the closest to the feel of rowing on actual water. The ten rollers under the seat means it slides with minimal friction up and down the beam, again with little sound. The wide feet provide a solid base for this beast (weighing in at 145lbs) so it won't move and inch as you haul away to your heart's content. So just a few more observations about the rower before we move onto the all-important software. The screen can be angled up to 25 degrees either side so you can also do the non-rowing workouts (see below.) The Hydrow can be stored vertically when not in use, but you need to buy a bit of kit to do so. It's a fancy-looking hook with a strap and costs $70. It seems a little steep to charge for something as simple when the machine itself costs over $2,000, but there you go. But on the plus side, you can try the Hydrow for a 'risk-free' 30-day trial - if you don't like it, they'll take it back and refund your money. But honestly, we can't think that happens often as once you've experienced the joy of rowing on this beauty, you're going to want to keep it. The Console/ Display
This is where it gets really interesting. The Hydro comes with a 22" HD touchscreen monitor and, as the blurb says, will 'bring the river home.' And believe it or not, this is not an exaggeration. The 1920 x 1080 full HD screen and sound system really do make you feel you're on the water - okay, with a little stretch of your imagination.
All the data about your workout are displayed without distracting from the experience. And if you're competing in one of the live races, your position is displayed on the leaderboard - click image below to find out more on Hydrow's website. 
And it doesn't have to be a strenuous workout. You can choose to have a relaxing session rowing down iconic river locations, accompanied by the sounds of birds, the water and the rhythm of your strokes in the river - good for your mental health after a stressful day or what! But please note, like Peloton, you have to be a paid-up member to use the Hydrow - it won't work offline. Membership is $38 per month. But for that you get access to live sessions run by experienced rowers who provide help and tips to inspire you to achieve your goals. And let's face it, after you've paid for the rower, and then committed to the monthly membership, you're going to take notice :0) Membership allows for unlimited profiles so each member of your family can have their own schedule and performance monitored. You can select from over 1,000 pre-recorded river or studio sessions, and more are added each month. A concern for some we spoke to is the issue of wi-fi access, or what happens if Hydrow goes offline. At present, the rower can't be used without access to the software. An app is available for download to your smart phone so you can use it if you have local problems with your wi-fi, but this is no substitute for the large HD screen. Summary:
The Hydrow Reality Rower is the first of its kind on the market. Yes there are others starting to use 'virtual rowing' features and online functions, but nothing like the quality of this machine. We've seen hi-tech bolted onto other models, but again, we've yet to see the combination of a high quality rowing machine coupled with equally top-notch software. It is expensive, some may have issues with the monthly subscription, but for your money you do get a first class rower with one heck of a service to match. If your goal is to get fit, lose weight, and stay that way, this is the machine to do just that. If you can afford it, the Hydrow is a top machine with superb online support. If you don't achieve your ambitions with this, you're never going to do it with anything else :0)
Hydrow Reality Rower:
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QUICK REFERENCE
Click image to enlarge  The distinctive Hydrow Rower
Very comfortable seat
 Not like any monitor you'll see on other machines
Angled footrests
Computer-controlled magnetic resistance
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Also worth a look:
There really isn't anything else to compare directly to the Hydrow right now if you're looking for something with all these features.
There really isn't anything else to compare directly to the Hydrow right now if you're looking for something with all these features.
Hydrow owner's comments
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Do you own this model? What do you think?
Do you own this model? What do you think?
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