Side by Side Comparison of: Stamina vs Concept2

The Stamina Air Rowing machine I purchased is a well-engineered and manufactured product. It is designed for heavy-duty service, yet is easy to move and store. The assembly instructions were very well illustrated and quite helpful. This is a fine piece of equipment that responds to the efforts of the user, plus the fan concept actually cools you as you row. Well designed, executed, and user friendly, this product is well worth the investment.

I have long standing neck and shoulder issues from a herniated disc and a long history of related problems. I bought this model to work slowly on strengthening my hamstrings and core. It did not disappoint. Easy to use and I like that you are in a posture that forces you to use arms and legs evenly. It has aided in my recovery. Highly recommend for the price. I also recommend you buy the install service offered by Amazon. My technician was super!

Like many other people, I struggle finding the right amount of time to get in an effective workout. I have used the Concept 2 machine before at my local gym and I liked the workout that I got while using it. Since my new place of employment has a small workout room I will be cancelling my gym membership. As I said before, I liked the full-body workout that the concept 2 provided me and so I had to find a similar and affordable machine. I purchased this machine and have not regretted it since.PROS:Easy to set up. It took me about 30 minutes or so, I was taking my time.User friendly.Low impact.Great for any age.Plenty of space for leg extension. I'm 5'8.Convenient set up for easy storage in a closet.Effective.CONS:The fan can be a little loud. I have a stereo on in the room so this doesn't really bother me like it might for others.The digital interface is basic. I have no problem with that though because I just watch the time and speed. No bells & whistles for $300.No setting for resistance. Like I said, no bells and whistles for $300. I'm fine with that.I have been using the machine for the past week and I am satisfied with the effective workouts that I am able to get. I get a good full-body (legs, core, arms, back) workout. Will it build muscle for you? No not so much really. Will it aid in TONING UP those muscles that you haven't used for a while? Yes definitely :) You can expect to lose weight and increase cardiovascular development. The machine will keep an estimate of calories burned, but the reading doesn't appear to be too accurate. I have a chest strap and heart monitor Polar USA Unisex FT7F Red/Orange Watch that I use and it is very accurate. Your workout results will depend on your intensity and output.As with any new exercise or piece of equipment form and technique is important. Just browse YouTube for some videos on form and technique then check out some vids on actual workouts. This is a great machine, and for the price, to integrate into your workout routine. If you plan on making this machine your primary workout then you are off to a great start.

I bought this back in 2013 for my wife as a starter rowing machine. I didn't want to spend a thousand dollars on a Concept 2 if she wasn't going to use it. We never invested in that Concept 2 because this one does exactly what we need it to do two years later. My wife uses this frequently, she used it every day for around 6 months and it is perfect. A few weeks ago it broke.. turned it out it just needed a $15 replacement part, which we ordered from the manufacturer...two day shipping, new spring, and two bolts later and it runs like new. My wife absolutely loves this and has already said if it breaks, she will just buy another one. Definitely worth the money.

 This is an excellent rower, especially at this price point. It is second only to the Concept2, which is much more expensive and has a far larger footprint. I am a 5'4" woman and I work out regularly (heavy lifting and cardio). The Stamina Air Rower definitely gets my heart rate elevated and provides a very good leg workout so long as you row using the proper technique (otherwise you'll mostly get an arm workout). Assembly was very simple, but I do suggest having a 2nd person to help tighten the pedals.My cousin (5'8" male, incredibly fit) and I both use this rower daily. It fits perfectly in my tiny (10' x 10') home gym, along with my weight bench, assorted Olympic weights, other small equipment, and TV stand. It is loud, but all air rowers are loud. My home gym is in the basement. When using the rower, people upstairs hear what sounds like gentle snoring in a different room. I can use this rower early in the morning without waking my spouse.The resistance is excellent. There is no damper to control the air flow but as with all air rowers, you can increase the resistance by rowing harder. (The reviews that complain about the inability to "change" resistance settings do not understand the way air rowers work. When you row an actual boat on water, you can't change the resistance setting on the water, either. You get a better workout by rowing harder/faster.) I highly recommend this rower for a home gym.I've uploaded a video so that others can get an idea of the noise level and range of the rowing strap. Obviously I don't recommend rowing in jeans. ;)

I have knee problems and can't run. My new rower provides me the opportunity to get my heart pumping without the use of my legs. I get on it a few times each day. A great way to keep my heart in top shape for a mid 60's guy.

A great product. It works very well. It was not hard to put together. Use it 6 days a week and my wife uses it 4. I used to run but gave it up once I hit 72. So now I am using the Concept 2 and it works very well. It is worth the price. I had one years ago and it broke down. This one is far superior. Hope it last till I die.

Holy crap! Rowing is a great low impact workout. I had know idea. I started rowing because my knees were getting really sore when running.I had a cheapo precor model before this. I got a workout, but my range of motion was very limited. After doing a TON of research on this I felt that the concept2 model D was the way to go. It's expensive but this thing is built to last. I am by no means an expert rower but I do use this 3 times a week for HIIT and sometimes for that long and low intensity workout. Super easy to put together and it just works.I only wish it had an ac adapter instead of batteries for the display. But that's just me

I vacillated about this large purchase for quite some time. I did a LOT of internet research. Finally, the price dropped a bit to $900.00 so I decided to chance it.VERY Easy to assemble. Took less than 15 minutes to unpack and screw in about 8 screws...that's it.Everything is very solidly built.Easy to move, disassemble (detach a portion) and store away if you want to.Nice movement and motion (although due to recent foot surgery I can't really USE it yet). VERY QUIET - which was a BIG concern of mine as I want to have it in the living room and row while I watch the news, etc.Various rowing levels. You can adjust the tension of the fly wheel but it does seem a bit easy even on it's highest tension setting.The electronics seem to work well without any glitches. You can also use a heart monitor. (Frankly for the price they should throw a simple one in - Nordic Track does with their Cross Country Ski machine).A nice addition to other pieces of equipment you may own or to use indoors during cold winter months. I hike, ride horses and use an elliptical so this is a nice compliment to my overall workout program.Seat is comfortable and on nylon rollers. The foot straps could use some improvement and be a bit wider. The foot pedals seem a bit cheap but will work.Overall I think it's one of the best on the market in it's price range.

Have owned this unit before. It is a wonderful form of exercise, works all the muscles, highly recommended by the trainers at my fitness center, more effective than just treadmill walking. It's a bit long, but we fit it into our exercise room because we need the benefits it provides. The price is good, I paid much more for the one I owned before. I owned my last one for 10 years without any problems. It's easy to assemble, delivered when promised--we love it, and use it 30 minutes every day!

I'm a former marathon runner who now has severe arthritic pain in both knees. Even walking long distances hurts. I transitioned to an elliptical machine, which was better, but still leaves me with some pain as there is still some weight bearing. I'd stopped exercising for the last few years, and have watched my weight balloon and my health start to decline. I'm so out of shape that housework and even climbing a flight of stair leaves me out of breath. I'm about 5'10" and a depressing 280 pounds of flab. So I'm basically starting from zero. I've talked to my doctor and orthopedist - both of which suggested swimming as an aerobic activity which won't stress my knees. No pool close to me so not an option. I found this machine by accident and was convinced by all the stellar reviews to try this. So here are my first impressions.
Amazon had this delivered in two days via UPS. Came in a strong secure box, well packed with large pieces of Styrofoam.
UPS brought this via handtruck to my back door. Since the total package weighs about 70 pounds there was no way I was going to be able to get this into my house (My roommate is disabled, so I have no one to help me.). I opened the box outside and planned to bring the pieces into the house. There are just two main pieces - the Flywheel and the seat frame. I brought them in and had this machine together in literally less than 10 minutes. There are just 8 screws to put this machine together. (They even included a screwdriver - no hunting for the right size!) The two main sections are joined at the middle with a hook design and then a locking mechanism. The seat frame just "drops" into flywheel section and you lock it down. No tools needed for this. Easy to take the two pieces apart for vertical storage. As someone who has put together a lot of IKEA and Sauder furniture, I was astounded at how easy this was. Brilliantly designed. Even the batteries were installed in the console. The only thing I needed was to set the date and time.
USAGE: So 10 minutes after opening the box, I'm ready to row. I have had some experience with rowing machines in gyms in the past, so I'm familiar with the stroke and form. I take my first few strokes. The machine is set on middle level as default. My first thought is, "this is too easy. I'm not going to get a workout from this." I keep going and after two minutes, I can feel my heart start to pump and I'm getting a little winded. Kept going at a slow pace for 10 minutes. THIS IS A MIRACLE. I found a machine that is comfortable and gets my heart going and is not hurting my knees. One of the muscle groups this works is the quads, so I'm hoping that will strengthen my knees over time (hoping to delay surgery for as long as possible). I'm slowly working myself up - started at 10 minutes for a few days, then 15, now I'm up to 30, and feel absolutely wonderful. One side effect is that I'm a lot more flexible than I was. A low impact rowing for 5 minutes is a great way for stretching out the major muscles. I would sometimes wake up hunched over with back pain from so much sedentary work. Just five minutes on the machine warms up my muscles and straightens me up until I have time for a full workout. I'm grateful that I found this machine. Will update my progress in a few weeks - hopefully a few pounds lighter and fitter.
For those thinking that this machine is too expensive, please, please reconsider cheap machines. You get what you pay for. I saw a "deal of the day" for a cheap rowing machine this morning and started to kick myself for not waiting - "I could have saved hundreds of dollars." Then I read the reviews. Junk, garbage. Fell apart right away. I would have bought a $300 machine and then come back to this one in the end. It's true that you usually get what you pay for. I've purchased cheap machines for my mother, and they usually arrive damaged because the manufacturers cut corners on the packing. Not the case here. I'm looking forward to a long, fruitful relationship with this machine. Cheers!

I use my rower often and it is still working great. Compact and was easy to assemble. Simple design, no frills. I had to take off the stopper near the base, as I was constantly bumping into it with my natural stride, but it is smooth with it gone. The rolling motion of the seat and the pulling motion aren't as smooth as at first, but tolerable still. For the price, a very good find and I am getting my money's worth. A great workout that I find very relaxing.

This is a great machine for the price. I wish you could change the resistance but it works for an at home gym.

NEGATIVES:-seat is pretty small if you have a big butt, I had to modify and put a plank and cushioning on top for it not to hurt me-seat stoppers on bottom have limited range but that can easily be fixed by removing the rubber stoppers-plastic parts feel flimsy and easily breakable but the rest of the parts are very good quality-very loud, you won't really be able to hear your TV etc. unless you put headphones on-resistance didn't feel too strong in the beginning but as my muscles have gotten sore it actually isn't bad-you lose a lot of resistance toward the end of the pull and the recovery but maybe because I'm used to the weighted gym machinesPOSITIVES:-for those worried about the strap being cheap or breaking don't worry ;) it's woven and almost as strong as a dog leash-everything except for the plastic parts feel solid and nice from the handlebar to the steel frame-I come close to the 250IB limit on this and it's so solid I'm sure it can handle way more-rubber grips on bottom have good traction and stay firm to my wooden floor-at first I didn't think this machine was working out much but after a few days my shoulders, back, abs, legs, arms were all very sore, if you get a good rhythm and go over 10min your heart will race pretty fast, I'm very happy with this purchase especially for the price

I had the product for 8 weeks. It was easy to put together, worked well. Yes, there is some noise, but nothing that was too loud. Then 8 weeks later, I went to pull on the handle bar, and the rope just kept coming. Something with the retraction device had gone wrong. I emailed the company on a Saturday, got a reply on a Monday, got a replacement by Friday. I am hoping the defected retraction device is some sort of a fluke, I have it now for almost a week and it's working great. If anything, the company is really responsive and very good with customer service. I would suggest registering your product for the warranty. It's good for 1 year with the factory warranty.

Basically happy with this. I bought it because we have absolutely no room in the house for exercise equipment...and at least we can step over this when it is out. I need to exercise a lot to help keep my blood pressure down, and in our cold/wet/snowy/rainy climate...and add in that I get home late from work and hate gyms...that's tough to do. Once this was set up, I turned up the volume on a silly or fast action tv show, and off I went. I used youtube to figure out how to use it. Cons: I do wish I could increase the resistance now that I've become stronger and have more tolerance. The other downside; it does tend to slide on our wood floor, and even on our rugs that are on top of the wood floor. We've planted a rug nonslip rubber thing under the back legs which seems to help a bit; reluctant to spend money on the mat that some sites suggest, as we're not sure that it won't slip, too.

I like this rower with a couple of exceptions. The onboard computer gives speed readings in MPH instead of Strokes per Minute. I can only imagine that estimating MPH on a rowing is a complete SWAG considering that there is no way for the machine to evaluate form to determine how fast you might be going through the water. I try to follow workouts that require a SPM intensity, but have to guess. I have looked to upgrade the computer, but can't find an upgrade available.I also don't like that it does not have adjustable resistance, but I knew that going in.I am still happy that I bought this rower. its competitor for me was the Concept 2, so for $600 savings, I really have to stop trying to compare the two. It was easy to assemble and comes with the tools and hardware required to do so.

I recently had a stress fracture in my foot (from excessive hiking) and during recovery used the same rower at the gym and discovered I really liked it. I bought one for home use as I am going back to work and don't have time to get to the gym anymore. Very easy assembly. I would have given 5 stars but it arrived short a screw. Need 8 got 7. I e-mailed the company and recieved a fix until they can send me the missing screw. Used it this AM and it was great!

wind based resistance generates quiet some noises. you have to use headphones unless you tune up music a lot.

The Concept2 has smooth operation and great features. I especially like the Bluetooth and the ErgData app so I can record my sessions, log them on my phone, and sync them to Concept2.

this is my first rower. I looked around at many, some cheaper, some more expensive. I didn't want pieceacrap but didn't want to go broke. I am generally lazy about working out and did not want to see other people. This came in two days in one big box. Two pieces in the box with two brackets and 4 screws to put together. piece of cake, even comes with the star screwdriver you need. pop the two big pieces together. it is light and not cumbersome to move around. I am glad I bought this one instead of a larger one piece. it is a good steady workout based on my motivation to stroke. the only thing that I do not like is that it doesn't seem to work my legs the way I expected. the first 20-30% of the stroke (which is all leg) doesn't engage the fan at all so you are just using the legs to slide back. not useless but not a stressor either. That MIGHT have something to do with my height (65") but it shouldn't. That might be the way real rowing feels but I don't really care how real rowing feels. I live in the desert. I want a leg workout too. my arms, back, shoulders, and midsection do most of the work. before buying I had a real concern about the noise it would make. it makes some noise but it is not loud at all. it more whispers than whines. I have to volume up the tv a little but not much. wear gloves. I am happy with the purchase and not disappointed in the exercise but I wish the leg stroke was more engaging.post-post: ok so after I analyzed my form I realized that I am torso dependent and I was just not using my legs to "spin the wheel" the way I was with my arm and torso stroke. My bad, I just have to focus on a "kick" and it is much more challenging.

wish it had greater resistance

Very easy to assemble. Does not take up too much space. The seat glides very smoothly.

It feels inexpensive, which it is but I expected it to be of better quality and a more realistic feel. The first batteries I put in the distance/ time display casing fell out and down into the machine where I can't get to them. The fan casing wasn't assembled correctly when it arrived. I had to force it back together at the top l. Other than that assembly was easy. I wanted to return it but my husband threw the packaging away and I didn't get to try the machine for more than 10 minutes until the night before the return deadline.

Rower itself is good, easy to put together it but the electronic timer and speed reader is already broken in less than a month.

Works the upper body and back area than lower body

Strong, sturdy, and easy to assemble. I weight 240 lbs. so I'm taking to it's limit. The seat maybe could have been a little bigger and sometimes I feel like I'm going to slip off. It is doing what I hoped giving me an alternative to having a treadmill which I don't have room for.

This is an easy to assemble and sturdy machine. It is easy to fold up and move around. My biggest critiques are the two pins used to fold the machine can be very hard to snap into place when you are folding it out to use. The other problem is that this machine is primarily an arm workout. The air resistance is mostly driven by your pull. Your legs and back get a minimum work out. The rower is also slightly inclined making it less comfortable then the rowers with a straight bar. The display also has limited information and not as much as you would see on a more expensive machine. Bottom line is good for home use if you don't have gym membership. Otherwise I would go with a more expensive row machine or use a gym.

This rower would have received more stars from me, but the first day I unboxed it and tried it out, for less than 5 minutes. (Mind you, I weigh 160 lbs., surely not exceeding any limits for a machine like this) When I got off of it I realized the seam on the seat had ripped open, leaving a hole with inner foam exposed, a couple inches long in the side of the seat.It took forever to get the contact info for the manufacturer, but I did, and called. The girl was terribly rude and totally unapologetic. After much prodding she agreed to "look into it" and said she'd get back to me within a day or two. It's been over a month now and I never received and email or phone call. I made sure she had my contact info, so that wasn't an issue. Honestly, with the way she was treating me, I really didn't expect to hear back from her.It's a decent machine. But if you care about who you're giving your $$ to, or about customer service, I would NOT recommend this brand.

Works great but the shipping banged it up a little bit. Box was ripped and bent in several areas.

works great just pricey when there are cheaper options for the same

The machine is excellent and structurally solid. However l am evaluating its overall benefit to my fitness life. I am giving it a three out of five. Its great for hiit or high intensity interval training. Great cardio! Not good for long periods daily. My hips and elbows hurt, plus l have lower back pain. I believe part of it could be due to repetitive stress. Look up rowers hip or rowing injuries.I stick to 15 minutes or less daily to avoid pain in joints.I have to mix up my exercises. Please dont assume you can depend on this as your sole form of exercise.I still recommend this highly but wanted to inject a dose of reality too.

I got into rowing machines after trying out the Infiniti R200 which my parents bought earlier this year (sold in the US under the Lifecore brand name). It was an amazing machine with both air and electromagnetic resistance that made exercise fun and doable for someone like me who's had a hostile history with exercise. When I returned to the US, I didn't want to let go of the fitness that I'd finally begun to earn, so I looked for a comparable machine. My instincts told me that I should just buy something as similar to what my parents had as possible (the Lifecore R100), but the smarty pants in me figured I'd read all the reviews and make an informed decision. So, given the overwhelming weight of positive reviews, I bought a Concept 2 D. Big mistake!1) The purely mechanical design implies a very limited level of resistance control and a total absence of programmability. Depending solely on air resistance means that the force of the pull is solely determined by the speed of the pull which in turn makes the fan blades race faster against the air in the chamber. This crude control mechanism effectively means that you can't get both the pace and the resistance you want. You can only get one of those. If you want your muscles to feel the strain of the pull, you have to pull faster and faster. The machine forces the pace. Electromagnets give you far superior control and let you determine precisely the force of the pull you like. The Concept 2 doesn't allow me to reach a steady state and constantly makes me go out of breath before I get anywhere. I like to program about 10 minutes at a low resistance level to get my blood pumping and then gradually push it up over 15 minutes and then hold at the highest resistance level for about 20 minutes. This gives me both a strength and a cardio workout at my own natural pace without driving me to the edge of breathless every ten minutes. Simply can't replicate it in a concept 2.2) It's significantly noisier than an electromagnetic setup like the R100/R200. I have to either watch TV with subtitles or go deaf trying to outdo the noise coming from the machine. The belt drive system on electromagnetic plus air resistance machines ( as opposed to the chain on the Concept 2) are also much smoother and give you a very consistent feel.3) The display and workout options in the concept 2 are much more primitive than a R100/R200. The inability to program a sequence of resistances and a timeframe/ hear-rate based workout the way you can in a R100/R200 is more of a loss than I could possibly have realized till I tried to work without it. To use the spiral dampener on the Concept 2 (which is just a physical barrier controlling the air in the fan chamber), you have to get up and break your workout.4) The ergonomics on the Concept 2 is worse. It's hard to describe why, but it makes my back ache.5) On the plus side for a Concept 2, it's probably more robust. There's nothing to go wrong. It's just a flywheel in a drum with a chain attached to it. Why that should cost $1000 is beyond me. No complex electronics to fail and all the parts are well made. It should easily outlast the warranty under residential use. The R100/R200 is a bit more delicate and you have to be careful while you move it or dismantle it. Some parts may get worn and come up for replacement.6) The Concept 2 has a great transferable warranty and robust demand in the pre-owned market leading to a better resale value than most other machines.On the whole, what I want to say is this. The Concept 2 is good for those who are used to it, but it wasn't right for me and may not be right for everyone. I feel that it's market power in the US is a bit like Windows in its heyday. Everybody is using it, everybody is calling it the gold standard, everybody is giving it rave reviews, and you feel overwhelmed by the aura of infallibility and think it's the best that money can buy. It's not! Look around, try other machines; you may find better and you'll thank me for it.

High quality and works well (good mechanics)... but price is really, really high... I think excessive profit... but what can you do... they do indeed have the best design. My only complaint with the design is the hardness (lack of padding) on the seat. We put a pillow on the seat to add cushion.

Good machine ergonomically. But for a grand, I would want 1) electronic resistance (the air resistance does not offer enough resistance) so your required to do more reps 2) a rail mechanism that was topped with stainless steel (the plastic rollers are scaring the shiny steel track after only a couple uses...with proper lubrication) 3) a monitoring system that plugs into the wall...2 D batteries? How 1980!

Loved this rower but spring broke after 2 years of light use (5 days a week, 15 minutes each)

The rower works well for my workout needs, though it is loud. My problem with them is that within a year the springbox broke. The customer service was nice, and I ordered a replacement part. But they had not placed any orders for those parts, and it looks like it will take nearly three months to receive a new part.In short, the product broke down within a year, and then it was out of commission for another three months because of delay in receiving a new part.

The machine works fine, however, the digital reading gauge that tells the speed etc. does not work and never has. I've asked the company to replace it, but haven't heard a word. Customer service stinks.

Overall, the Rower itself is great -- when it works!There may have been an issue with the shipping of mine that caused this, but here's the problem: the plastic wheel/turbine inside slides over on it's bar, which causes it to scrape the inside with every pull, causing an awful racket. This is part of the pre-assembled portion of the rower, and to fix it, I have to remove several screws, remove half of the case, and slide the plastic wheel back over so it stops scraping the inside - every time. At first, I could do this and it would work properly for several days. Now, when I fix it, it only lasts for a few pulls before it slides back over and starts making noise again. Going to have to find something from a hardware store to keep it from sliding over every time I suppose.

I bought this machine to help get me through the winter months with some consistent exercise. I took up jogging again this past spring but here in the northeast as the days get shorter and the temps start to dip it is more difficult to get the run in. I don't enjoy treadmills or elliptical machines and a friend recommended a rower. I would not consider myself in good shape. I'm a 35 year old male, 195 pounds, 5' 10, I run a slow 10 minute mile. This machine does not give you a work out. I have to work extremely hard on this machine for at least 15 minutes before I even break a sweat. I went with the fan option rower because I read a lot that the piston resistance rowers fail. This machine appears to be well made and functions well, it just doesn't produce the work out I was hopping for. I wish you could adjust the resistance or wish I had tried one before I bought this machine. I wouldn't recommend it unless you are looking for a minimal workout.

I normally don't write reviews but knowing how much I rely on them to make my decisions, I decided to add one here. This machine is very loud. I read in a different review that it was noiser than others but having no reference, and seeing 4 stars on average, i bought it. It was so loud that I immediately called Stamina saying something must be wrong with it. They were great and without question, sent me another rower. I assembled it and to my dismay, exactly the same sound. Unfortunately i think this is just the way it's built.

Looks really nice, but came without instruction manual or parts bag....

I ordered the black model. I received the grey model. Wrong color. Returning the product is a hassle. Otherwise, the equipment is function as expected. Would give higher rating if I received the product I ordered.

NOTE: The 2-star rating is for Amazon Prime's unreliable delivery despite charging a premium of $45 over the MSRP of $900 I could have paid directly to Concept2 or other retail vendors like Rogue Fitness. I gave them a 2nd star because they did get it to me within a standard shipping window after blowing the original guaranteed delivery date. The Concept 2 D rower itself rocks.I've had it with Amazon Prime's now-routine failure to timely deliver items ordered from Amazon direct in violation of "guaranteed" delivery windows, despite charging premiums on the items in addition to the express delivery charges. I specifically searched and found multiple online sources including the OEM offering this machine for $900, but decided to pay the $45 premium to Amazon Prime because they guaranteed next-day delivery. It was important to my personal schedule and training schedule at the time. Not only was the delivery date completely missed, no update was provided confirming late delivery and rescheduling. I checked repeatedly on the scheduled day, and the tracking continued to show delivery by 8 p.m. on the scheduled day. I wasted time prepping to receive the rower, and deferred another workout anticipating I'd get it in on the new machine. By 10 p.m. I gave up. It was obvious no one was updating the delivery tracking. It was too late to get the workout in. I got delivery 2-days late, following a scheduled long distance run the prior day and a full body gym workout the same day and was obviously out of sync in terms of using the machine on the day of delivery--may as well not have come until the next day. That's about a 5% premium on purchase price plus express delivery charges completely unjustified. In the last several months I've had items lost, destroyed, and delayed. I've received multiple refunds, but of course the key point is that I didn't have the items when I was "guaranteed" to receive them. Amazon Prime is no longer at the top of my list of resources because they aren't reliable. I've noted, in a couple of interactions, Amazon Prime appears to be using local ground delivery services who don't seem to have gate codes as the major carriers do for gated subdivisions and who are not professional. After being called while out at dinner by a local carrier because they couldn't get into our subdivision and telling them we were not running home from dinner to let them in, they apparently just decided to "lose" the items--we never received them and I had to contact Amazon for the refund. If paying a premium, we shouldn't be dependent on fly-by-night vendors. Enough.As for the Concept 2 D rower, this is my second C2 and they are built to withstand a nuclear strike. My last one lasted 8-years and was still in perfect operating condition when I ditched it (only because it didn't break down and we literally could not get it up the narrow stairwell in a new townhome). This is THE standard for rowing equipment. This is the same machine used in Lifetime Platinum facilities. The new rowers are significantly lighter (only 65 lbs.), and readily broken down for easy storage. Despite being seriously fatigued, muscle sore and plain tired, I was able to carry the box with rower inside upstairs to the room to be uncrated by myself, very easily. The damping control is clearly marked 1-10, and will adjust to simulate drag for a super-sleek sculling boat or a row boat. The PM5 monitor/CPU module provides ALL the real time metrics and stores them, provides for pacing, has multiple pre-loaded workouts and allows for custom workouts, and provides games to keep it interesting. You can use it with a USB storage device to upload your data for analysis to third party apps or a spreadsheet. The PM5 syncs to Bluetooth Smart and ANT+ heart monitor devices, and is compatible with Wahoo TCKER X monitors, for example. C2 does provide an online log capability, and its own applications for additional capabilities. Numbers of third-party applications are available, notably Row Pro, which provides 3D virtual coaching for form, 3D pacing, and both 3D virtual and online racing against multiple parties internationally. More rowing and training support apps are compatible with the C2 PM5 module than other rowers because C2 commands maximum market share and for good reason. The C2D is light and storable, making it practical to set up in the media room and row using a large monitor for the virtual rowing applications to train and race, and then breaking it down and storing it when done daily. The C2 website provides an incredible array of useful reference materials, including among the best videos and instructions on proper rowing technique out there.I row for a total body + cardio cross-training workout to take some stress off my joints in between running and gym days. I can pull training plans from Row Pro which load directly to the app and track progress, in combination with my A, B and C run event training plans. In my case, the Row Pro app will track progress specific to rowing including workups to indoor virtual race events, and I load the workouts from my Wahoo and/or Garmin applications directly to Training Peaks to track my total training load. If you want to train and participate in indoor rowing competitions, this is the rig. I strongly recommend the machine, and strongly recommend you purchase through a channel other than Amazon Prime because there is no reason to pay the higher price.

I satisfied with replaced machine but need to talk about disappoint when I got the first machine. The box was damaged and Styrofoam in the box was also totally damaged like snow. I can not believe how this machine was delivered to my home.But anyway, I wanna use it if there is no problem in machine, but parts were not linked together. See attached picture. Linker assembled in wrong way. I spend time to find solution and spend time again to send it back with totally broken Styrofoam.Only after got new replaced product, I came to know how the box should be and it is very easy to setup, it was good.Thanks for fast replacements but please check again before shipping and think about customer's expectation who spend $1,000 in Amazon.Thanks.

I was excited to finally have purchased a Concept2 but it arrived with several cosmetic damages. I'm disappointed especially how expensive this machine is. Will possible go through the time consuming process of return/replacing it since it did not come brand new. :(

Let's talk about the condition of the product when it arrived. The box was clearly damaged. I opened it up and it looked like a gremlin had transformed the Styrofoam into millions of tiny white snowflakes that were stuck to everything, and now floating around my home. Think glitter bomb, but Styrofoam. 5 minutes to setup. a full hour vacuuming the rower and my house in the aftermath.OK, so this thing got beat up somewhere, but surprisingly, nothing is broken. A few bad scuffs and scrapes but nothing structural. I get the rower out of the box and both brand emblems are literally just falling off the rower. Thankfully, the "Concept 2" stickers aren't a critical component for me, but c'mon man; I just paid $1,000 for this thing.I get it assembled, and 98% removed of Styrofoam snow flakes (you'll never get them all, muah ha ha). I sit down and pull up the monitor and BAM! Three of my keys are broken. With some massaging I get them to sort of look right, and they function (with difficulty).So now I'm left debating whether I should even bother contacting the vendor or just remain salty and disgruntled.Great product I'm sure, just not convinced this is the best place to buy it through obviously.

The spring mechanism broke within 6 months, rendering it useless. Only one person was using it 3 times a week for less than an hour at a time. The company that sold it had to be persuaded to send a replacement part, then shamed into sending installation instructions, which weren’t even helpful. Since the original mechanism broke, the tension on the strap has been too low for it to fully retract, so the whole thing is worthless.Save yourself the grief and try a different rower. No one expects an industrial strength piece of equipment at this price, but you definitely expect it to withstand a single, infrequent user for more than a few months.

broke at second time, and one bolt can't be assembled tightly

I decided to take up rowing to manage a medical condition. I wanted a cheap, simple, reliable rower. I didn't need fancy features, just a rower. It broke within a month.The good:* Cheap* Functional enough when first set up* Pretty good lookingThe bad* Complicated set up. I assembled it without problem, but to have a smaller package, they divided it into many more parts. It took around 45 minutes with two people.* If you are even somewhat flexible (or maybe long armed), you may "bottom out" returning, preventing a full range of motion.* The handle isn't very well designed. The machine's "chain" is actually some polyester. Like what a seat-belt is made of. Its looped around the handle in a recession in the grip, and will slide from one side to the other, forcing you to apply more force from one side than the other. The handle is also narrow and can be uncomfortable.* There is nothing to adjust drag. And the setting it was on was way to high. I would be at 17 (mph? m/s?) and it might go down to 3-4 on the rest/return portion of row.* The "computer" was very simple. I believe distance tracked is miles, rather than km. It updates very slow for speed.* Rowing at even a relaxed pace will cause the machine to slowly slide forward on the ground*The box you receive it in is small, and stapled together. This will make it impossible to ship back in that box, unless you want to remove many staples to prevent from having to rip the box apart* The foot holder is also badly designed, and doesn't really enhance range of motion very much.The Ugly* I used it for ~25 days of rowing, at around 45 minutes a day average. The spring return mechanism then broke. The manufacturer knows of this defect, but will not correct it with a more durable mechanism. Another amazon reviewer said that the manufacturer told him the product should be expected to wear out with their "heavy" 45 minute a day use. Another reviewer had this part break twice. Like I said, I am using this to manage a medical condition, and I'm not an athlete. This breaking is ridiculous.* There is is a reason why it only has a 90 day parts warranty. Don't expect it to last much longer if you actually use it.

Easy enough to put together. Seemed fairly well built. Broke 20 minutes into my first workout. The strap wouldn't retract anymore. Sent it back, got a full refund.

poorly made. damaged upon delivery and returned

After 1 year of moderate use, this started making a terrible sound. The belt is "jerky" and I would not recommend this item.

bait and switch

Won't even give stars what a scam

Well this review is about the built quality of this product, first of all the shipment was delayed one day, today it arrived I was very happy until I almost finished assembling it, well there were to bolts missing on the back of the rail, so I couldn't use it, I attached a couple of pictures.I really want this rower, so I request a replacement, let's see how the replacement comes.

Rower Digital Monitor decides when it wants to work since I bought it... Love the rower itself but need a replacement monitor for 5 stars.

I am so upset. I seriously believe I was sent a USED machine. The sliding portion has visible scratches and smudges all over it... I looked on the white roller underneath the seat and it was FILTHY. This is not a brand new machine. I am a single mother and veteran!! I have been saving my money up for over 6 months so I could afford to buy this machine! Concept2 should be ashamed of themselves. I thought they were a reputable company.

the rower was incomplete and I had to return it.