Without it, though, you’ll pretty much have to accept the Hydrow as a conversation starter in your home if you live in a smaller space. Luckily, our place has an upstairs alcove where I’ve been able to store my workout equipment, but if any guests wander up to the second floor, the Hydrow instantly becomes the most eye-catching home furnishing in their line of sight.
Specific features
Design and display
Anyone who’s only ever tried their local gym’s rowing machine will be pleasantly surprised by the cushy comfort of the Hydrow’s well-padded seat. Unlike the narrow saddle of a bike, the Hydrow seat is roomy and accommodating, with just enough grooving to fit the shape of your backside and keep you feeling as comfy as possible while pushing your other body parts to the limit. That said, the seat wobbled a little bit when I was rowing—but I never worried about falling off.
The Hydrow rower uses buckled adjustable foot straps to secure your feet into the footbeds. Tension is increased by pulling on the loose end of the strap, and tension is decreased by pulling up on the buckle. This system works fine to get the feet in position, but I found getting a nice, tight fit a little tricky and cumbersome.
Yes, the Hydrow has an impressive, large pivoting screen, but unlike some rowers that allow users to stream their content of choice, the Hydrow’s monitor is for Hydrow content only. That means you won’t be able to stream other media services like Netflix or YouTube, browse the internet, or watch TV on the Hydrow screen (and there’s no HDMI video inputs to connect other equipment).
However, my fiancé is definitely not the workout-class type and he really enjoyed Hydrow’s comprehensive selection of outdoor content that just includes gorgeous footage out on the water—no instruction, no callouts, and no music. As for me, I love the distraction of a great playlist and random chatter, so I always gravitated toward the instructor-led classes. And while some people might have gripes about the inability to stream Real Housewives on the piece of equipment they invested in, I’m okay with keeping my workout time and Bravo time separate.
Original photo by Michelle Konstantinovsky
Resistance options
While some rowers offer various resistance options, the Hydrow is designed to stay at a drag setting of 104—this, according to the maker, is the resistance that best simulates rowing on the water. While you can absolutely manipulate it and adjust based on your preferences, the creators recommend that you don’t mess with it unless you’re a pro and know exactly what kind of experience you’re trying to create. And they’re adamant that the drag setting isn’t equivalent to a difficulty level, and that adjusting the drag won’t necessarily up the intensity of a workout. Instead, Hydrow encourages users to use stroke intensity—by pushing harder with your legs on the drive, engaging your core, and pulling more forcefully with your arms—to make the workout more challenging.
Connectivity
The Hydrow’s hardware is great, but the real attractions are in the features, which of course include a library of over 5,000 classes and live workouts if you pay for the membership. You’ll need WiFi to access the content, and the machine comes with optional ethernet connectivity, Bluetooth, and ANT+ for heart rate monitors and headsets (more on that below!). The Hydrow Pro also syncs with Strava and Apple Health, allowing you to integrate your rowing metrics into other health-tracking interfaces.
Onscreen info
When you first log in to your account on the rower, you’ll see the next workout that Hydrow recommends for you based on your class history, how often you work out, and the last class you took. If you want to take a different class, you can keep scrolling to see a variety of other classes, upcoming live classes, and programs. The library tab has the full library of classes that you can filter by a number of features, like length, instructor, location, and more.
Once you’re in a class, you’ll see the leaderboard—which displays your performance compared to other users who have done the same workout—pop up on the right side of your screen, which you can filter by age and gender. There you can toggle between the total number of members who’ve taken the class or the ones who are currently taking the class at the same time you are (you can also hide it completely).
Onscreen metrics can be super motivating for a beginner…and in some cases, super overwhelming. Luckily, Hydrow’s dashboard stats are pretty straightforward and easy to interpret after a few basic explanations in the Learn to Row classes.
The biggest number you’ll see displayed at the bottom of your screen is your split time—this is what Hydrow considers among the most important stats of your workout, and it indicates the projected amount of time it would take you to row 500 meters (MM:SS /500m) if you maintained your current speed.
Below the larger split number, you’ll also see several other metrics:
- The time remaining in your workout.
- Your strokes per minute (S/M), also known as your rhythm number. Instructors use this measure to call out the intended paces for varying points in the workout.
- Your average split, which is your average speed for the row so far. This is displayed as the projected time it would take you to row 500 meters at your average pace for the elapsed time in the ride.
- The total meters indicates the distance you’ve covered in the class so far.
- The total calorie output so far.
If you’ve connected a Bluetooth heart rate monitor (HRM), you’ll also see a metric for your heart rate expressed as beats per minute.
While that certainly sounds like a lot of info, Hydrow has done a pretty solid job of keeping everything as streamlined as possible, so the numbers onscreen aren’t distracting once you learn which to prioritize. Seeing the split number magnified anchored my attention, but it did take some practice to get in the habit of checking my strokes per minute so I could keep pace with the instructor.
Available add-ons
Hydrow offers a ton of fitness accessories to help you maximize your workout. Of them all, I think the following items are worth considering adding to your cart.
- Workout accessories kit: Because Hydrow offers a variety of other class modalities like yoga and Pilates, the company sells accessories like those found in the On the Mat Workout Kit for $120: a mat, yoga blocks, and various resistance bands.
- Upright storage kit: You can also buy the aforementioned Upright Storage Kit for $80, allowing you to stow your machine in a corner and free up living space.
- Machine mat: Hydrow sells a machine mat for $90, helping to protect your floor and reduce the already quiet machine’s noise factor even more.
- The app: Again, you don’t need the app in order to use the Hydrow. But if you want access to it’s 5,000-plus rowing classes to stream through your screen, it’ll cost $528 for an annual membership (or $44 per month)
The Verdict: Should you buy it?
The Hydrow is sleek, smart, and super user-friendly, so if you’re new to rowing or really love guided workouts and expertly curated programs, you’ll be stoked with this purchase. As a rowing newbie, I really enjoyed immersing myself in a totally new world and feeling supported along the way by experienced but friendly down-to-earth instructors who led me through some stunning destinations. More seasoned rowing experts can also get a lot out of the content, even if they just want to go instructor-less and self-guide on the scenic rows.