WaterRower Club Review: Looks Great, But How Does it Perform?
CLUB BACKGROUND
WaterRower are right up there with the top rowing machine brands - and rightly so in our view. Yet many still see their models as more of a piece of beautifully made, handcrafted furniture than a serious bit of fitness kit. This is grossly unfair. And the Club rower is the model that will prove any of the doubters left out there that they are wrong. WaterRower can make machines that will take anything you can throw at it!
So what makes this one suitable for the commercial market? Or the discerning home fitness user?
Any owner of a Waterrower will tell you - build quality and superior materials. Put the two together, and you have a top notch rowing machine. Some may argue that the use of wood for the frame is a step back when many other manufacturer's use aluminium, carbon fibers and other 'modern' materials. However, ash wood is an extremely hard-wearing, long-lasting, shock-absorbing and workable material, and when treated, will perform just as well as any of the alternatives. It can also look more stylish - although this is a matter of personal taste.
So what about getting down to the action? The distinctive style of the Club's seat gives it a very smooth and quiet ride up and down the rail. The contours and padding also make it a comfortable place to sit for the hours you'll want to work out on this beauty.
The seat is a little lower than most of the other commercial rowing machines and some will prefer higher rowing positions if recovering from an injury or have back or knee conditions. Most Waterrowers now come with a Hi-Rise option to raise the whole machine - but this is an extra costing over $100 more.
So what makes this one suitable for the commercial market? Or the discerning home fitness user?
Any owner of a Waterrower will tell you - build quality and superior materials. Put the two together, and you have a top notch rowing machine. Some may argue that the use of wood for the frame is a step back when many other manufacturer's use aluminium, carbon fibers and other 'modern' materials. However, ash wood is an extremely hard-wearing, long-lasting, shock-absorbing and workable material, and when treated, will perform just as well as any of the alternatives. It can also look more stylish - although this is a matter of personal taste.
So what about getting down to the action? The distinctive style of the Club's seat gives it a very smooth and quiet ride up and down the rail. The contours and padding also make it a comfortable place to sit for the hours you'll want to work out on this beauty.
The seat is a little lower than most of the other commercial rowing machines and some will prefer higher rowing positions if recovering from an injury or have back or knee conditions. Most Waterrowers now come with a Hi-Rise option to raise the whole machine - but this is an extra costing over $100 more.
WATEROWER CLUB
9.0
The WaterRower Club Rower
The one issue that may put off potential buyers is the positioning of the footrests. All WR models have them situated together underneath the pulley. Many other rowing machines locate them either side of the rail and therefore you have your feet wider than on the Club rower. Here, you have your feet close together and this may cause a problem if you have muscular or thicker thighs (we're trying to be polite here!) If you fall into this category, you may find your thighs touching and could be uncomfortable. We suggest you try one first at a retailers, health club or gym first if you think it could be a problem for you.
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Onto the resistance mechanism. You'll get no prizes for guessing this uses water to provide the resistance for your muscles to work against - click here for details on the pros and cons of water rowing machines.
Our reviewers have had the machine for a minimum of three months and up to six months - none reported any problems. However, our researchers found a few users on rowing forums mention problems with the seal on the tank after 3 years of moderate to heavy usage. We contacted WaterRower and they tell us the tank would be replaced if it happens within the warranty period (under 3 years), or they can send a repair kit including resin that takes just over an hour to fix. Others say it's easy to repair using superglue. In an ideal world this wouldn't happen and we believe WaterRower are working on new designs to prevent this happening. |
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Once you start rowing, the first thing you'll notice is the noise - or lack of it. This is one of the quietest rowers we've tried thanks to the rollers under the seat, and the use of a strap in place of a chain
DISPLAY CONSOLE
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We've written about the S4 performance monitor in our review of the Natural - see below for the link. But in brief, the large LCD screen is easy to read, despite the off-center positioning.
The buttons are self-explanatory and all the usual workout data is displayed. In the top end of the market it's the added features that can make the difference. The S4 is PC-compatible so you can download your performance data and measure your progress over time - very useful for motivation. There is also the feature of online racing via your PC or tablet so you can compete against other WaterRower owners any where in the world. However, if this is big factor in your buying preference, you may find more online rowers with the Concept2 community. |
 The WaterRower S4 Monitor |
The S4 is also compatible with most heart rate monitors (not included) and this gives you the added bonus of using heart rate training programs - excellent for improving stamina and weight loss.
NOTE: all wood used by WaterRower is taken from replenishable forests, which means they can keep making more of this excellent machine :0)
NOTE: all wood used by WaterRower is taken from replenishable forests, which means they can keep making more of this excellent machine :0)
REVIEW SUMMARY:
The Club is a combination of excellent design, style, craft and function. Some users have raised an issue with cracks in the tank, but this is only after 3 to 4 years of use and it's easy enough to fix. But this really shouldn't be a reason to not buy this model.
Note: This website is an associate of Amazon and a number of other retailers. We earn a commission from sales generated via these links, but this does not influence how we rate the rowing machines we review.
Note: This website is an associate of Amazon and a number of other retailers. We earn a commission from sales generated via these links, but this does not influence how we rate the rowing machines we review.
PROS:
- The handcrafted frame looks superb
- The build quality is excellent
- The large S4 monitor is easy to use and read
- Its PC and online compatible
- Sturdy and rock solid at high stroke rates
- Very quiet - the swish of the water isn't drowned out by the seat sliding up and down
- A smooth action
- Very comfortable seat
CONS:
- The usual issue with WaterRower's foot rests - see comments above.
- The tank may leak - but most last for years and it's easy to repair.
- Some may not like the relatively low seating position when compared to other commercial models
SPECIFICATION
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Resistance type:
Max user weight: Dimensions: Machine weight: Warranty: |
Water / flywheel
300 lbs 83" x 24" x 21" 103 lbs (inc water) 3 years on all parts |
ALTERNATIVES
The most obvious alternative is the WaterRower Natural at around $100 less. If you're not specifically looking for a water-resistant rowing machine, for $200 less you can get the all-time best seller from Concept2.