Side by Side Comparison of: Stamina vs ProSource vs 2K Fit vs Amazon

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.

This mat was ordered when I purchased a ProGear exercise bike. I love the folds in the mat as it was way too long for the bike. The folds also make the mat easy to place in another location. I would recommend this mat for use under any exercise equipment, or for exercising on any floor. This purchase was well worth the cost.

The mat ended up being the perfect length for what I needed so I didn't have to fold it over but as long as you need to fold it where marked it is easy to do. Will fold up nicely for moving or storage. A little thicker than a yoga mat. My cat enjoys laying on it, lol. Glad I purchased.**UPDATE**I still love this mat, so much that I ordered a second one for another piece of equipment I bought.I had a friend come over and saw the mat and liked it so much he is ordering a couple too. For the price these are really great!

I paired this with my ProForm Elliptical. That model of elliptical folds up, so it's great that the mat is perforated a bit, allowing it to neatly fold, too. It is also thick enough, on my wood floor, to provide the support/anti rocking movement that my elliptical needs. I'd say if you wanted a mat to stretch out on on a hard floor (wood/tile) this is not going to be very comfortable. I'd get a yoga mat for that. If you sweat when you work out, like when lifting, this would be good for catching sweat... but not for catching weights (too thin).

Bought this to go with Sunny Air Magnetic Rower, SF-RW5623. It fits perfectly underneath the rowing machine with plenty of overlap on the sides and ends to protect the carpeting.

This has an odd number of fold marks. I couldn't quite get it short enough under my new recumbent bike. It's also rather wider than needed. I didn't want to cut it at first, but I may do that, now that I know it works for me.It's well made, and very convenient. It's protecting my carpet (I looked). And it was a good price.

I use this mat to protect out hardwood floors when I'm working on projects around the house. It is effective, lightweight, and easy to store.UPDATE: We are very pleased with this product. After more than a year we now use it for an elliptical, so I'm buying another for general use (under work areas or ladders in situations where the floor requires protection). This is still a great mat, with no visible wear. It cleans easily, protects the floor well, and offers a firm and textured surface that is comfortable to the touch. And even better, you can easily fold it away when not in use.

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.

the mat itself is great and we put our elliptical machine on it which fits very well. my only complaint was the product/warranty registration website that asks for product number and serial number. I looked through everywhere on the mat but could not find it.

Perfect as a base for our BowFlex M5 trainer. The folds are definitely a nice bonus feature. I am able to fold the ends up in order to shorten the mat to match the footprint of the machine. No tail ends sticking out. Conforms very nicely. I would definitely recommend this over other mats that can't fold to match the footprint of the machine you put it under.

This rubber mat arrived when expected, as expected. I bought it to put underneath my small portable elliptical machine, to provide some cushion and traction against the basement floor. It is light and easy to maneuver. I like the guide-lines that it has, so that you can fold it to whatever size you need by even sections. However, I'm annoyed that I can't fold it directly in half. There are an odd number of "sections" so there isn't a guide-line to be folded down the middle. Minor inconvenience.

It seems to be working out fine. We use it under our treadmill and over our hardwood floor. Works well for that purpose.

Having hardwood floors can hurt while doing a workout. They also don't provide much grip. I thought of getting the puzzle-piece mats but after reading that they tend to move everywhere and separate during plyometric (jumping) moves, I decided to get the biggest one-piece mat at a decent price. I don't care that it folds, but it does grip well. Small amount of cushioning, so you won't roll your ankle or anything.Only 2 problems:1. it slips out of place a little when on the hardwood floor. 2. It gets VERY slick when wet. The only way to prevent this is to towel up your sweat right when it hits the mat, or to just towel yourself off before the sweat starts getting really bad. The good part is that it dries fairly quickly, especially if you have a fan over it.Overall, I think I'd buy another one just so that I could use it while the other is drying, and switch off between exercises. Its a good product.

I was looking for a mat to use when I do exercise videos in my living room. The movement of my feet during exercise was causing my carpet to shed, so I wanted to keep my carpet in good shape. This mat is pretty good for that purpose, it is long enough and wide enough to cover a good area of my carpet. However, because of how it folds in those 5 sections, the creases stay creased and it trips me up while I'm exercising. I'm hoping they eventually lessen, but considering it's so big that I have to keep it folded when I'm storing it, I doubt those creases will go away. Also, the mat does not stay in one place. so i constantly have to move it back in place. I realize this mat I guess was designed for equipment to sit on instead of as an exercise mat but I thought that maybe it would be multi-functional. It's ok, I'm still using it and making it work for me.

I like it !

helpful

its ok

Great product! I have it on a wall and framed it as well. I look at it when I'm on the rower. I ordered it from Germany too and it came very securely wrapped.

Quick, concise overview. A good base of information.

Really basic information, but I needed something for my workout wall. So it's okay. It's a really big poster.

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.

Size is fine and thickness is good. But after a few months it still doesn't lay flat on the floor - the ridges you see in the product photo are still there. Not a big deal except my Roomba gets hung up on it!

I wished I knew before buying mat that is not good to use on carpet and is slippery when wet. Beware. Overall I like that it can be fold to fit to your equipment. It's too late to return, i will just use mat to do some yoga

I bought this for a Total Gym. The mat is not long enough. Also it's thin. Not as thick as I thought.

I would give these a much higher rating but unfortunately these have some sort of slick coating on them, so don't sweat on them and expect to be doing any jump squats... I've cleaned them twice with soap and water which has helped, but they are still twice as slick as my old Golds Gym mat that looks identical and likely made in the same factory. Note for context - I use these as a base for a standard yoga mat, cycling rollers, rowing machine, and free weights in my garage. They fold nicely so they are easy to tuck away when not in use.

Honestly, it's more like a Yoga mat. It's a lot thinner than I expected. It protects hardwood floors and relieves some pressure on the carpet; but it doesn't prevent my workout equipment from "bleeding through" and leaving indents in my carpet. It does it's job but it's certainly not worth $30

I bought this mat for use under our new treadmill in the garage. The floor was concrete so I wanted a mat to reduce vibration when running. This product works well, but is fairly stiff. Despite being on the floor for a couple months now, it's still not lying flat in the folds (similar to the way it looks in the picture). I find myself trying to pull it flat every once in a while, but it seems that it will always have that recently folded look.For me this really isn't much of an issue as the treadmill only contacts the mat at four points, so as long as these areas are flat under the feet, it's serving the purpose I needed it to. If using the mat for something like yoga, or stretching, I would look for something a little thicker and pliable.Overall, for the price, I am happy with the purchase.

The product arrived safely packed into a box-- however, it was damaged in the middle along the entire vertical length. Being impatient, I framed it anyways and hung it above my rowing machine. You can't really notice the damage (looks crumpled along the middle) unless you stand up close to it. Whatever.

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.

As with the rower, I didn't get to test out the mat until the night before the return deadline. Its too thin, doesn't stay in place.

After sitting for around 1.5 years on a wood floor with my elliptical on it, it left quite a bit of sticky black residue on the wood floor where the elliptical had been on it. The residue came off, but I wish it was more durable.

Seems to be made decent but do not use for elliptical on carpet. It makes the machine very unsteady because the material is very flimsy. Should be fine on hard surfaces. It is a great size but I had to fold the corners in to give it a little stronger support. The machine still rocks a little, which it didn't when on carpet only. The corners folded in helps a little. Pics added to show what I mean.Only 2 stars because description said it works for carpet and ellipticals. Waste of time and money for me.

The product seems sturdy, yet it has a very bad odor that doesn't go away for a considerable amount of time! It smell gets better, but it seems to always have that rubbery burnt tire smell!

I ordered two of these to go under a bench and a rower. I was afraid the folds might be a problem, but went ahead and ordered them anyway based on good reviews. Well, they are actually a problem....the mats never sit nice and flat against the floor. They are pretty thin so any weight makes them curl up like you would expect and any movement; and I mean ANY movement makes the folds push up for a trip hazard. Also, there is no way they will stay together if you try them side by side....any activity or weight makes them shift around so there is always an uneven gap between them.I'm using them but just for a carpet protector and since it's just me working out, it is tolerable...but just barely.

A nice mat but mine had a strong PVC odor so I can't use it.

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.

it's not 7' long

Cheap mat. Constantly wrinkles everytime I use my rower. Useless. DON'T waste your money!

I had one before of Nordic trackLight foam ,loved it this was bigger heavier and of rubber don't like

Discovered i did not need mat once the assemblers came to put my bike together. Upon request to return mat o noticed a refund of $16, versus the $26 I originally paid. Not very pleased with that. Will avoid future shopping with this merchant

Don't waste your money like I did. Thin, fold up natute reduces surface area.

Came with a warning that is contains carcinogenic chemicals or chemicals that cause birth defects. I have a young child in the house who would probably be fascinated by the texture and would want to touch it, and we have a hereditary cancer gene, so I prefer manufacturers who choose materials that aren't hazardous. I've already had cancer once, and would prefer to avoid a repeat.

waste of money!

Do not purchase, no useful information

Poster was jammed into a box that was too short and wrinkled the poster as to be Impossible to mount on wall looking at least halfway decent.