Hydrow Rower Review After I Used It For A Month

If you’re anything like me, cardio is the toughest part of working out. Getting motivated to go for a run or hop on a bike for a half hour always felt like a chore rather than an enjoyable part of the day. That changed when I got my rower. Today, I’m going to be covering the Hydrow Rower Pro model.

Hydrow was founded in 2017 by former US National rowing team coach Bruce Smith who wanted to take the whole body workout and feeling of camaraderie you get on a rowing team into people’s homes. We’ll get into the community aspect a little later in the review.

Quick Verdict: Hydrow Pro Rower Review

The Hydrow Rower Pro has turned me into a rowing enthusiast. With fantastic build quality, tons of features, and a reasonable price tag, I have no problem recommending this rower to anyone who wants a premium rowing experience. My only apprehension would be the monthly subscription fee to unlock Hydrow’s full potential, but if you’re serious about your fitness, it’s absolutely worth it.

For a full review, keep reading below.

Hydrow Pro Design & Build Quality

When my Hydrow was delivered and set-up (at an additional cost that I would pay again in a heartbeat, and if you’re putting yours somewhere not on the ground floor I would suggest you do the same), the first thing I commented to my wife was, “Come see how good this thing looks.” The word “sleek” has been thrown around by pretty much everyone that has seen it, and it really is the perfect descriptor.

Build Quality & Materials

The rower is made from a combination of an aluminum and steel frame with a flat anthracite polymer body (I had to look it up too, but basically a high-quality, durable plastic). I have three small kids that have whacked it with toys, and I still haven’t seen any dings or scratches.

The heavy-duty frame is matched by a respective weight. At 145 lbs, this rower is solid (yet pretty easy to move if needed due to the built-in wheels on the front).

Being a larger guy (6’6” 315 lbs), I had some worries about how this rower would perform with someone of my stature on it. I’ve been on rowers before that I couldn’t fully extend on and have been on rowers that wobbled like crazy the entire time. Neither thing was a problem for me on the Pro. The claim on their site that this rower can handle up to 375 lbs and a 36” inseam definitely seems like the real deal.

Seat Comfort

The seat itself is comfortable, and even on longer rows (45 mins+), I wasn’t suffering from the dreaded “numb bum.” The handle has a nice ergonomic bend to it, with a fairly comfortable grip. I do have a minor qualm with the handle though (which most people probably won’t have). At 19” long, it’s a little narrower than my shoulders, so I do wish the handle was a little wider, but like I said, that’s not a problem for most.

Footprint

When it comes to size, when in use this rower isn’t wide, but it definitely is looooooong. With it’s dimensions sitting at 86”L x 25”W x 47”H, you’re going to need a good amount of floor space to use this thing comfortably. That’s not a knock on it, but just know going into it, it has a good size footprint.

Some good news is that this rower can be stored upright if you need to claim back some of your floor space. Hydrow sells an upright storage kit for $80 that can be used for the Pro (the Hydrow Wave Rower is not compatible and there is a separate kit for that one). When stored upright, the Pro only takes up 33″L x 25”W x 86”H, which for those that live in an apartment or have a smaller space that they’re keeping their rower in may want to seriously consider.

Build Breakdown:

Materials: Steel, aluminum & anthracite polymer body

Dimensions: 86″L x 25″W x 47″H

Stored dimensions25″W x 33″D x 86″H. (Upright Storage Kit sold separately) 

Weight:145 lbs; 197 lbs boxed

Weight limit:Holds up to 375 lbs (170 kg)

Height limit: Fits up to a 36” inseam

Hydrow Pro Features & Specifications

Screen & Technology

The Hydrow Pro comes with a 22” 1080p touchscreen, which can pivot and fold down for upright storage. Through the touchscreen you can sync your wireless heart rate monitor, as well as connect your Strava or Apple Health app to keep track of your progress. The Pro comes equipped with two speakers that have a pretty healthy output (the sound quality was fine, but not going to be putting Bose out of business anytime soon), but if you consider yourself an audiophile, or just need to limit noise, you can also connect your favorite pair of Bluetooth headphones.

As for the screen itself, it’s not the most responsive interface, but it wasn’t enough to hamper the experience in any meaningful way.

Noise Levels & Resistance

Now, for how loud the actual rowing is…not very. I have my rower set-up in my basement and it’s barely audible from the top of the basement stairs. While it’s not completely silent, the magnetic resistance used, rather than air or water, provides for a much quieter experience. I can get a workout in while my wife watches a show 10 feet away, without having to crank the volume up on the TV.

When it comes the resistance levels (or drag), the Hydrow Pro has a range from 50-300, with the default setting at 104, which they claim accurately simulates rowing on water. I did crank up the drag to 300 as a test, and while it increased the difficulty, the pull still felt smooth.

Here’s where there is bound to be a bit of a divide.  

Workout Content & Subscription

The Hydrow Pro has a ton of available rowing workouts and off-machine workouts, but only if you subscribe to their $44/month membership. Listen, I’m not saying that isn’t a substantial amount of month to pay each month, but with the amount of content that you get, your rower can pretty much become your home gym (of course, dependent on your fitness goals). I’ll get into what you actually have access to in the next section.

If you choose not to opt-in for the subscription, don’t worry; you can still get rows in, but they just won’t be interactive, like being connected to the Hydrow community.

Features Breakdown:

22” 1080p touchscreen (can pivot & fold)
Touchscreen can sync to wireless heart rate monitor
Two speakers with quality sound
Quiet, smooth magnetic resistance
Resistance range 50-300
Tons of interactive content for $44/month with Hydrow community

Interactive and Connected Workouts

Set Up

This is absolutely where the Hydrow shines. Getting started working out on this machine was extremely easy. Once I completed the initial sign-in, the machine performed an automatic update (I used Wi-Fi, but there is also the option to plug an ethernet cable directly in), which is a great sign that Hydrow is keeping up to date on their product. After creating my username and adding which information I wanted visible, it was time to pick a workout.

Workouts

For people completely new to the rowing game there are a few videos to help you get started to make sure you have the right form so you can get the most out of your machine. For those that are experienced rowers, you can select from thousands of workouts. While that might seem daunting, you can narrow down the workouts by sorting by workout type, length, location, workout style, trainer, and even the music that’s played in the videos. While it didn’t sway my decision on how I felt about this rower, it was very cool to be able to do a workout that takes place in my home state, and even cooler to jump around to European locales.

Live Rowing Classes

If pre-recorded isn’t your thing, they also offer live classes. You’ll have to check out the “Live” page to get a schedule, and although you can’t interact with anyone, there is a live board that shows your ranking compared to everyone else participating. While it doesn’t affect your workout in any way, those of us with a competitive side will find it’s a great way to push yourself a little harder. There’s just something satisfying about seeing your ranking start to climb. I should note that this “leaderboard”, for lack of a better term, is on-screen for pre-recorded workouts as well.

So there are enough rowing classes to keep you busy for a while, but what about other workouts? The Hydrow has that covered too. They offer off-rower workouts in the form of yoga, pilates, strength training, stretching, and more. The screen pivots to either side by about 25º, which to be honest, I do wish it had a little more play, but I was still able to use it without a problem.

Hydrow Pro Performance & User Experience

So it has all these features available, but how does it actually perform? Well, in my opinion, fantastic. I will openly tell you I have never rowed crew, or been out on a rowing skiff. The last dual oar vessel I was on was a rowboat at summer camp when I was 12. BUT, I have used rowing machines at all the gyms I’ve been a member of, and there’s absolutely no competition.

The seat glide is like butter, according to their website is due to the 10-roller system. Whatever it is, they nailed it. The row itself is natural feeling, the level of drag I had it set on didn’t affect the smoothness of the motion at all. Some other rowers that I’ve tried have felt a little jerky or uneven once I started upping the resistance, but I’m glad to say that wasn’t the case here. I had a friend come try it out, and he couldn’t believe how much it blew his out of the water (pun intended).

As a bigger guy, I wanted to put this machine through it’s paces, and even during my all out intervals, the machine stayed rock solid, and I didn’t have to worry about any rocking while going balls-to-the-wall.

As I mentioned earlier, since this uses magnetic resistance, it’s very quiet. It’s not silent, but you’re not going to be disturbing most people by getting a workout in.

Once again touching on the seat and handle, the seat is very comfortable even on longer rows, and the handle is well designed. There’s some give on the handle grip, which provides for a nice hand feel and I never had an issue with slippage, even when my hands were as sweaty as the rest of me.

The footrest has clearly labeled numbers so there’s no guesswork if you have multiple users with different foot sizes. The straps aren’t anything fancy, but they got the job done and kept my feet secure.

Hydrow Pro Customer Reviews & Feedback

If you do a basic search for Hydrow reviews, you’ll see that customer reviews are overwhelmingly positive. The majority of the negative reviews that I saw were mainly complaints about the price or the subscription fee. Here are couple customer reviews found on Trustpilot.

Hydrow Pro Pricing & Availability

The Hydrow Pro Rower is available for $2,195. It can also be financed (payment amounts will depend on payment plan chosen and credit score). This isn’t a bargain bin rower, but the quality justifies the price.

Shipping is FREE, and you have 30 days to try out the rower to make sure you want to keep it. The only thing that wouldn’t be refundable is if you opted to have someone perform an in-house assembly.

Once ordered, the Pro will ship within 3-5 days and you’ll get a call from a delivery company setting up a delivery time.

Final Verdict

If you love rowing, the Hydrow Pro will not disappoint. If you love working out, this rower will not disappoint. If you have a competitive spirit, this rower will not disappoint. If you are searching for a no-impact cardio option, this rower will not disappoint.

I am absolutely loving my Hydrow Pro and it has become part of my almost daily ritual. The variety of workouts mixed with the obvious care and quality put into the machine’s design make working out something to look forward to rather than dread.

If you’re on a tight budget, this might not be the rower for you, but if you can afford it, I can without hesitation recommend picking this rower up ASAP!

Looking for a cheaper alternative to the Hydrow Rower? Check out our post 7 Best Rowing Machine Under $500.