Sunny Asuna 8580 Ventus Review
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The Sunny Asuna 8580 Ventus is a monster - it's huge, it looks a little intimidating to be honest, but does it deliver? It's a few hundred dollars more than the ever-popular Concept2, so expectations will be high. Here's our unbiased review.
First up, check the dimensions before you decide to buy - see below. It has a long beam and even when folded it still requires quite a big footprint. And note, it weighs in at a whopping 119 lbs - that's over twice the weight of the aforementioned Concept2. So while this makes it an absolutely rock-solid, sturdy machine at high stroke rates, you need to consider carefully where it will be situated in your home. So if the size doesn't put you off, please read on. Assembly is a bit fiddly due to the size and weight of the main components, but not over-complicated. we'd recommend that two people take on the task. Now for the surprise. When you first sit on the beast, you can feel like a kid who's climbed onto your dad's rowing machine. The footpads are massive. the LCD display is large, the fan is huge and the beam is very long - and of course the price is big. So onto the seat - oh yes, it's also quite large which makes it comfortable. The rowing position is great with the high beam making it easier to get on and off. The footpads are wide and long and will cater for the largest feet. The wide diameter handle rests nicely in the palms, and the LCD display can be adjusted to suit your eye-level. The action of the seat on the beam is smooth and quiet - although this is academic seeing as the air resistance can get a little noisy at high stroke rates. The over-sized fan offers a great wide range of resistance that should suit all your workout needs. The combination of the air fan and magnetic resistance gives the authentic feel or rowing on water, that is, the harder you pull, the more you feel the resistance, while reducing the noise of a purely air rower. The fan also blows cool air back into your face which is most welcome. You select one of the twelve levels using the knob beneath the console. The weight of this machine means you can go at it as hard as you like and the Ventus will take it. If feels super-sturdy and won't budge a millimeter let alone an inch. You get the feeling you could punish the machine (and yourself) all day and it will take it all in its stride. It has adjustable feet so you can ensure it sits level on your floor - a rowing machine mat is essential for something this heavy. It is a folding model, but note due to its size it still needs quite a big footprint. One downer for us is the miserly warranty. The 5-year s on the frame may sound good, but many in this price-range will offer lifetime or a minimum of 10-years. But the 3 months on all other parts is really quite disappointing. Again, many competitors will have at least 12 months or up to 3 years. If Sunny are asking you to pay over $1,000, you'd expect them to have more faith in their machine and offer a more generous warranty.
The third is a favorite of ours, the race boat. You challenge the computer and you can see your progress against the little boat on the screen. The target and race modes are good for training as it helps to motivate as you see your performance improve over time. And of course the scales and tape measure will also show results.
The computer is compatible with wireless heart rate monitors but the price does not include one. We recommend you check the manual for the type required before buying. Summary:
The Ventus stands out from the crowd due to its dimensions and over-sized fan. But at the price it has few features compared to others in the price range. For example, there's no online connectivity so you can race against other rowers around the world, or keep a record of your progress; there's only 3 program modes, and that doesn't include heart rate training workouts. It appears to be well-made and should last the course, but if you're looking for a no-nonsense, no-thrills rowing machine that you can blast away on, then it's worth a look. But if you want something more sophisticated with hi-tech features see our 'Also Worth a Look' section below. This is a difficult model to give a rating. It could be 90% if you just want to sit on and row as it offers just that and it does it well. But if you want the little extra and all mod-cons, then it could be 60%. Anyway, we've gone for the middle.
Sunny Asuna 8580 Ventus:
Rating: 7.5/10  Best Price:
* Note these prices may differ - please check retailer website for latest.
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QUICK REFERENCE
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Sunny Asuna 8580 Ventus
A wide, comfortable seat
12 levels of resistance
Informative LCD display
The Ventus folds
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Also worth a look:
Once you get into the $1,000 range the Concept2 is the obvious competitor which comes with some great features. Other machines worth considering are the Waterrower if you like the idea of whoosing water as you workout, or if you have a few more dollars, the BodyCraft VR500 is another beast but has more functions.
Once you get into the $1,000 range the Concept2 is the obvious competitor which comes with some great features. Other machines worth considering are the Waterrower if you like the idea of whoosing water as you workout, or if you have a few more dollars, the BodyCraft VR500 is another beast but has more functions.
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