Stamina Hydraulic Rowing Machine, BodyTrac Glider with Cylinder Resistance, 250 Lbs - Home and Gym Exercise Equipment - Ideal for Fitness Training and Body Workout

I purchased this comparatively low-cost machine in 8/2015 to use at home because all rowing machines at my gym were the flywheel type with a single pulling T-bar, which provide neither the feeling nor the distribution of the muscle load of sculling. At the time of writing this update, the machine has been working well, without issues after 10 years of systematic use on my part, and a more occasional use by some of my children as they grew up. It is cleaned after each session, and the rolling or friction points of moving parts are lubricated every 1-2 months. It has provided a superb service. A rare find. [1] The BodyTrac 35-1050D, made by Stamina Products, Inc. (MO), is built for users of 250 lb or less. The user manual has clear step-by-step assembly instructions and the machine was easy to assemble. It folds quickly to be stored standing on one end. Once folded, it does not offer comfortable grip points to lift and move it around. -- at 35 lb, it may be a bit too heavy for some people, so adding wheels on the front stabilizer, allowing the folded machine to roll tilted, would be a good design improvement. I wear tennis or jogging shoes when rowing, and have had no issues of slippage from foot-straps (I am 6-ft tall and have a shoe size 9.5). As expected from a device whose resistance is provided by a hydraulic shock absorber, the machine is a bit noisy, and there is some squeaking from various parts until they are warmed up by friction. This, however, does not interfere with listening to music without earpods while rowing. The fluid of hydraulic absorbers heats up a lot with use; do not grab the absorber (located under the rear of the sliding beam) when folding the machine after use, as the cylinder may be very hot. [2] STROKE MECHANICS. Rowing provides a non-weight-bearing exercise for ALL major muscle groups. In this respect, a distinct advantage of the articulated arms of this machine is that --after an initial phase focused on legs and hips to create the power during the stroke, just as in a power clean lift-- you can emphasize the exercise load during the remainder of such a propelling part ('the drive' in sculling) either on the shoulders and chest, or on the mid-back, depending on the form of completing this part of the stroke. One manner is to open the arms when sliding towards the front, and then lower the hands while pulling back with the handles close to one another (they cannot be perfectly aligned since there is not enough separation between them). This focuses the main pulling effort more on the pectorals and shoulders than the back. The other manner is the reverse sequence by sliding forward while keeping both handles low and close together --that is, a motion equivalent to 'the recovery' in sculling, when the blades are brought above water towards the scull's front (bow)-- and then lifting the hands while pulling back with the handles up and apart. This focuses the main effort more on the mid-back than on the chest and shoulders. The possibility of selecting the region of main muscle load is very useful for a chest/back balanced exercise; it can also help to avoid too much muscle development of one of those regions, if so desired. This is something a flywheel with a single pulling T-bar cannot provide. [3] ELEVATING THE DEVICE. I wanted to increase the load on the rower's legs by elevating the rear end of the machine. Instead of using an elevating block or platform, which would add another item to store after a session, I chose to increase the length of the 'leg' of the rear foot, so the sliding-seat beam would form a 10° angle with the horizontal plane (see my figures). To do that, I used two thin-walled metal tubes. One, a container of children pencils, whose outer diameter almost fitted the inner diameter of the rear single tube leg of the machine. The other, a metallic flashlight with rear-end diameter a bit smaller than that of the previous tube, and a flared out front-end diameter fitting the receiving plastic well of the rear foot (see my figure with panel A). These tubes were filled with quick-setting cement in two steps: in the first one, I filled the bigger tube (with a red color in the inset of panel B before it was spray-painted black) to 2/3 of its length; and in the second step, I finished filling this tube and filled the smaller tube with cement, placing the latter inverted into the former. Then, I sealed the narrow gap between the tubes with glue to achieve a moist curing of the cement to provide a higher compressive strength. The cement was left to cure for 3 weeks. I spray-painted black this extension and tightly inserted it into the machine's rear tube leg using turns of reinforced duct tape for shimming. The new leg maintained the original 97° angle with the beam of the sliding seat (see panel B of the figure). To preserve stability, the bottom of the rear foot was shimmed along its rear edge to compensate the 10° angle also formed there. The cement-filled extension withstands my ~190-lb weight without any issue. This machine stands on the floor on three points (two in the front and one in the rear) -- while its lateral stability is inherently reduced by its narrow and elongated shape, its stability is strong as long as the center of gravity of the system is both relatively stable and low. Elevating the single rear foot as I did, however, changes that equilibrium, likely decreasing stability when the sliding seat reaches its rear-most sliding position, as this changes the dynamic center of gravity. If you were to implement the change I made, avoid sudden, large side jerking movements at the end of the stroke that might tip you over, and make sure there are no objects in the vicinity of the rear of the device that could harm you in that case. [4] SEAT CONTOUR. The seat often feels uncomfortable after long rowing sessions. Since rowing ought not be proctodynic, I added to the seat a coccyx pad, whose memory foam I trimmed and carved to a contour approaching that of a good scull seat. In my experience, such a seat has a smooth, front-to-back ridge at the middle, dividing the slightly concave halves of the seat, each of which with a tapered hollow of ~1/5 the total width to accommodate the seat bones (to locate yours, seat on your hands) plus a straight front edge and a back edge having a butterfly's hindwings-like contour to provide tail-bone comfort. It resembles a large sleeping mask with eyeholes. [5] SUPPORT. Another reason for my rating is the quality of the customer service of the company. The machine that was delivered had scratches on some components, so I contacted Stamina's customer service and emailed them pictures of the defects. They quickly replaced the affected parts at no cost, including the entire center beam and rowing arms, in less than two weeks. A good customer service is paramount for online purchases. ~~

I've had this rower for over six months and use it several times a week. I bought it because I was a big fan of the hydro-rowers at the gym but can't afford the price tag nor the space for one of the 'fancier' machines that rowing snobs tout like the Concept 2. I chose this one because it uses more of a rowing motion rather than the typical pulling one you get on hydro rowers. The assembly was a little tricky but once i figured it out, was super easy , it just took a little patience. Once it was up and running, it took a little while to figure out which level to start at to give me a good workout but not feel like Sisyphus trying to push a rock up a hill. I have to say, for the price, this machine is great. I've never had any issues with the pedals nor the straps as I've read on other reviews. I just make sure I velcro my feet tight and am able to push with my legs with no issues. I did have an issue with one of the bolts coming out but that was my fault for not tightening it enough. I've also had to change the batteries in the display console once which was fine except I didn't realize I needed to until I was strapped in and ready to start rowing. It's great that you can reset each workout down to zero when you start but the machine maintains a running count of strokes up to 10K and then it resets. I bought this machine because I don't like going to the gym but I love rowing for exercise. This allows me to have the best of both worlds- getting to work out but doing so in the comfort of my own home. I highly recommend it if you're looking for a way to get a good full-body workout at your own pace but don't have the room/finances to get one of the fancier rowers. One piece of advice- invest in workout gloves; I tend to grip hard and found myself developing blisters under my middle finger but gloves solved that issue nicely.

I recently purchased the Stamina Trac Glider 1050 Rowing Machine for both myself and my wife. I have to say for the money it is definately worth the purchase. I have never used a rowing machine and the closest thing I have ever done similar to rowing is when I went Kayaking in the Gulf of Mexico. Although that trip was much more enjoyable the 1050 has been great to me as well as my wife. It was easy to put together, all material and tools were available and it took about 10 to 15 minutes to put together. I had read quit a few reviews of this product before my purchase so I knew some of the problems as well as benefits that a few people spoke about. I can only find one fault with this piece of equipment and that would be the foot pedals and the Velcro Straps to hold your feet in place while performing the exercise. The foot pedals are definately big enough for almost any foot size (mine are 11) but I think the manufacturer could have done a better job of construction. Maybe a larger lip on the heel of the pedal would help to hold your foot in place but the straps leave a lot to be desired. First I tried it wearing my Sketchers and the straps kept coming off. Next I tried it wearing just sox and that was too slippery so believe it or not I tried it with my house slippers and that worked a whole lot better but still not good enough for me. The best way I found to be able to sustain movement during the exercise and keep my feet in place without the Velcro coming apart was to do it "BAREFOOT". Not once did the straps come loose while exercising. Other than that the machine was exactly what we were looking for. As for the stride, I am 5'10" and my wife is 5'5" and it didn't seem to bother either one of us although it burned the crap out of our legs only because we were not used to doing that type of exercise. A few people in previous reviews complained that when they were performing the rowing motion the stride with your butt going back and foreth their feet kept coming out of the pedals. We found that if you adjust your stride you shouldn't have a problem. The Rowing Machine has had a big impact on my Legs, Shoulders and Arms. We first started the setting at 1, then went to 3 and now we are on 5 and building. The higher the number the harder it is on the rowing motion and really doesn't affect your legs at all. We use this piece of equipment in conjunction with a Treadmill, Ab Glider, Ab Wheel and still do Push Ups. Im nearly 60 and my wife is 55, we both were over weight.....me at 210 lbs and the wife at 178. Along with eating right which we both do since this past September and using these pieces of exercise equipment I am now at 188lbs and the wife has had the most benefit, she's at 137 lbs. The combination of exercise and eating right have helped both of us get off taking Cholesterol Medicine, it has helped lower Cholesterol and Trigliserides which made our Family Doctor very happy. So I will suffice it to say that the Rowing Machine has been a great help to both my wife and I. I would definately recommend this exercise equipment to anyone. I hope this helps when you consider purchasing the Stamina Trac Glider!

I did a lot of research before buying this. Of course I would love a water rower but I didnt win the lottery that week so I was looking at the magnetic rowers vs the shock resistance rowers. The biggest complaint I saw about Shock Resistance is the loss of resistance when the shock heated up. The prices, however, were so much more friendly in almost all cases so I was on the fence for a long time. I am not an avid worker-outter, in fact I wanted this to BEGIN THINKING about working out.. something to get my feet wet. And of course, the sloth in me wants to watch Netflix while doing so. I liked the full motion arms on this model since I'm 43 years old and starting to get those old lady flappy under-arm things. So I bought it. I closed my eyes, placed my bet and rolled the dice. The amount and percentage breakdown of reviews on this particular model swayed my decision finally and I bought it. It arrived in a heavy box that once on the tile floor was easy enough to slide about. I expected a ba-jillion parts and instead found that it was mostly assembled. I sat on the floor, read the instructions and began bolting the legs and feet together. Pay special attention to the drawings, not the written instructions as the front feet and computer arm need to go in a specific direction/orientation that is not called out clearly in the instructions. It can, however, be visually detected by looking at the drawing. I extended the arms and applied the knob bolts as instructed and suddenly it was ready to go, super quick. So I booted up netflix and had a seat. The seat was wide, hard in a sturdy way, but padded for a small amount of comfort. The foot rests were plastic and seemed to be flimsy upon first inspection. The bar they rest on also seemed a bit insecure. After I figured out the straps (a long velcro mensa puzzle), however, I had no issues. They were both rigid and articulated enough to accommodate the necessary movements while rowing. The arms were smooth, the resistance was good at the lowest setting to get a nice pull and the seat slid on the rails almost silently. I did not miss a single word of Family Guy as I glided along for the first 10 minutes. Then I turned it up. The resistance increased dramatically with a small turn. I cant imagine the day I top this out. It remained silent except for the louder and louder beating of my own heart. After 20 minutes, enough time for a first workout, I stopped and reached down to feel the piston/shock. It definitely was warm. I did not experience any loss of resistance from it and I couldn't cook an egg. The computer has one button so you cant really mess anything up. If you aren't where you want to be, or you want to reset the numbers, just keep pressing and it will happen. That's as easy as it gets. So being done, I removed the arm knobs, folded them up and secured them in the storing position with the same knobs. I flipped it up on it's side and moved it to the corner. It's the size of a large standing hat rack! It is taking up the space in a corner out of the walk way that was not being used for anything in the first place. It's kinda brilliant. For the money, it's a great workout and I feel like it exceeds the pricetag in quality. I hoped for a quality product and I got much more than I hoped for. If, over time, I find reasons, I will update the review with additional comments, but for now I'm delighted.

This machine has very nice action. It really feels like your rowing a boat. And it seems to be pretty good exercise. Not as intense as the treadmill or bike, but good for an alternative. However, this piece of equipment isn't made to last, at least not without replacing some parts every so often. The plastic bushings in the main moving parts don't hold up. I finally replaced the main pivot bolt and plastic bushings with a larger bolt and brass bushings. I was able to find these parts at a local Ace Hardware. These are a lot better than the original parts. Today the shock broke where it connects to the frame. I've owned the Body Trac Glider for about a year and 4 months, so for the shock to die in that time isn't too bad considering I use it every other day for about 20 or 25 minutes (600 to 850 strokes). I just ordered a new shock, bushings for the extension arms, and 4 seat rollers. With shipping that's about a $50 order. So, if you use this every day, and more than 1 person in the family uses it, you could potentially wear out 2 shocks and 2 full sets of bushings every year, for about another $100 per year to keep it working. Considering the initial cost of about $150, that is not too terrible, but it is a hassle having to maintain it. I also have to tighten the bolts and lube it every couple months or so. This machine does make some creaking noises, especially as it gets older and the parts start wearing out a bit. That doesn't really bother me. I just pretend I'm rowing a boat, which is also a pretty creaky activity. The calorie counter is more or less meaningless as it does not change based on the shock adjustment. I would not expect that it reads too high like some counters on cheap equipment do. If anything maybe too low - but who knows! The stroke counter only goes up to 10,000, which for me is a little less than a months use. I mark it down on the machine body every time it turns over so I can track my total usage. They should have made it to go up to at least 100,000 or a million would have been better. They probably don't figure that people will actually use their equipment enough to care or notice. So, this is an OK machine if you don't mind changing some parts occasionally. Its not too expensive, so the expense over time is tolerable. Also, I expect that if you use it with the shock at about the mid adjustment point or less, the shock and some of the bushings might last a little longer - but don't know this for sure. I use mine almost at the maximum adjustment. I would recommend this product with some reservations. If only they would improve a few fairly minor quality issues this would be a great machine. Of course then they would probably charge twice as much. Note: The woman I spoke to when I ordered parts sounded like a sweet little old lady. She said she lives in Missouri, and talked like a real down home US citizen. Kind of a nice change from what you usually get.

Those who read my previous reviews probably noticed that I very seldom write a negative review. This of course is because I have been lucky when selecting what I buy. Unfortunately the BodyTrac is a sad exception. I am copying below the e-mail I just sent do Stamina. It tells the whole story. I will write a follow up after I hear from them. (I uploaded a picture of the faulty wheel to the product page) "I just bought a BodyTrac Glider (serial # 11SET022964), from Amazon.com, along with a Stamina Fold-to-Fit Folding Equipment Mat (84-Inch by 36-Inch) . I assembled the the BodyTrac easily and started enjoying it immediately. Unfortunaly, after just 336 strokes registered in the computer, my wife was using the machine when a round piece of metal, similar to a big washer, came loose from one of the wheels, falling inside the wheel track while she was moving forward. That made the seat stop suddenly and my wife slid out of it landing on the frame and almost hurt herself. I am frustrated since I was hoping we could do some good workout with the machine. Now I am afraid that even if I get a replacement wheel it can fail again and somebody may be injured. I don't worry much about myself, I don't believe I can be harmed by that kind of failure, but my wife indeed may be wounded, as it almost happened. Now I am stuck with a dangerous, unreliable product, since it is too big and too heavy to be shipped back. I think the Glider has a tremendous potential to be an excellent machine, but the quality of the components seem to be too cheap to be trusted. Unfortunately I will have to give a negative review of this product at Amazon. I am attaching both invoices and a picture of the faulty wheel." Update - 02/17/2012: Stamina responded to my e-mail above within one business day asking for an address so they could send me a new set of wheels overnight. No other questions asked. I e-mailed them my address and the next day the package was at my door. it contained the new rollers (or wheels), tools and easy, detailed instrucions on how to assemble them. The instructions showed that the bolts that hold the wheels should be fit with a set of three washers, which were not included in the package. No big deal, I was sure the idea was to use the washers holding the old wheels. When I removed the seat and accessed the old wheels, surprise, they were mounted without any washers. This time run to the phone and call Stamina Customer Service. After a very short wait I was answered by a gentle lady to whom I reported the fact. She consulted her documentation and acknowledge the the washers should be part of the original assembly. She apologize and send me a complete set of washers overnight. I received the small shipment next day and promptly put the new rollers in place and started using the machine. Then another setback: after just one thousand of strokes the shocker suddenly lost resistance!!!. I changed the resistance settings at no avail. In dismay I called Stamina again. As before, I was quickly answered by another agent, who was also very politely and apologetic. Without hesitation she said she was going to send me a replacement shocker. Not overnight, at this time. I received the part a couple of days later and replaced the bad origian (easy task). It's been a week now that I am using the machine half an hour, every day, without any other incidents. So, here is the summary of my feelings towards this product: - First of all, their Customer Service is five star. They never contested my claims and promptly replaced the bad parts. They are really standing behind their products. - The machine operation, itself, is very enjoyable. It runs smoothly and silent, so you can exercise at any time without annoying the neighbors or other people in the house. I would give it four stars for enjoyment of use (not considering the failing components at the beginning). The reason I would not give it five stars is the foot holder which really requires some effort for me to keep my feet in place. It may be a real problem for people with small feet. - In view of the great number of positive reviews, it is possible that I had bought a "lemmon". For the price and with a great customer service I now think it is worth a try. UPDATED - 11/4/2016 On 7/29/2016 I bought another of these machines, now numbered as 1050-D and after using it for about three months I noticed a few nice improvements over the one I bought in 2012. First of all, the feet supports now have two ways to mount the straps with all but eliminated the problem people with small feet had to keep them in place. Second, the shocker had its maximum resistance greatly increased, which was great for those who want a heavier load. The overall quality seemed to be better, hence the upgrade to five stars.

I spent about a month looking at all the rowing machines on Amazon, and read their reviews. I finally decided to get this one, even with the negative reviews - and am SO glad I did. I don't have a very detailed review - but here goes... I wanted something that has a very low impact. I broke my neck in the Army, then broke my back 10 years later in a car accident, have Rheumatodi Arthritis and Severe Fibromyalgia, and re-broke my neck a few years ago. I have under gone 44 surgeries. So with all of that - I cannot run, lift over 10-15 pounds, climb, do sit ups or push ups. Aerobics are totally out of the question. So there's not much else I can do for exercise, except walk or swim, which I do. My husband set this up for me. All of the parts were included, but the rower was almost all the way assembled, so it took my husband about 10 minutes to assemble, without having to look at the directions <which were easy to read in the book provided>. The company included tools, but my husband has a garage full of tools so he used his own. ALL of the nuts, bolts, and washers were already in place - all he had to do was screw them tight. VERY easy to assemble. Once he was finished, he put it on the floor in front of the TV and I got on it immediately, and used it. It is very easy to use. Although I have never been a rower, I did row canoes when I was younger at camp, and at a lake at my uncles cabin in Vermont. It took me a little getting used to using this rower only because it's been a long time since I've rowed anything and this isn't a "straight bar" but "oar like", but it's super easy. We had the resistance on 3 <i think!> and it was very easy, and it was easy to increase or lower the resistance.. I am 5'8 and weigh 180 pounds, and I fit just fine. My husband is 6'1 and weighs 250 <+/-> and he fit fine, <although he didn't know how to use the "oars" and he kept hitting himself!>. Once he used it for a bit, he got used to it and had no problems. If you're very short, say 5', or if you're very tall, say 6'3 - this might not work for you It makes no noises with the exception of the rowing and the seat going up and back <which I would think is normal!>, it doesn't get hot, like other reviews say, no oil has leaked onto my carpet <and I have a very light tan/cream color carpet>. It's light enough that I can drag to the other room when not in use, and that says a lot since I can't even lift over 10-15 pounds, and yes it weighs about 35 pounds. Our feet stayed in the pedals just fine. There is a "cup" for your heels to go in and a wide adjustable velcro strap to hold them in, so neither one of us had any problems. My feet are a size 6 and his are a size 13 - so there's lots of room to play with there. Both of us wore our sneakers, again with no problems. We had no problems getting the velcro straps on. PLEASE NOTE - THE PHOTO ABOVE THAT SHOWS A MANS BROWN SNEAKERED FEET IN THE PEDALS - HIS PEDALS WERE ASSEMBLED INCORRECTLY - THEY ARE UPSIDE DOWN! The ONLY problem I can say anything about in regars to this rower, is the seat. I don't think it has enough "padding" to it. When I first sat down, the bones in my booty was like - wow this is hard! But at the same time, I think it would be hard to row if you have a really cushy seat. It is a bit hard but it's not a deal breaker for me. It would be dfferent I think, if you didn't move, but since you do move, you don't notice the hardness so much, at least in my opinion. The computer in front of you shows how many "rows" you've done, how many calories you've burned and a total when you're done. The computer is in a good place, no danger of cutting wires -it's fine. And I like that it shows how many reps you've done and how many calories you've burned - so cool! I can tell you that we don't use it for a long time. I don't use it for longer then 15 minutes each time I use it, as it has been a while since I've been able to do any exercise and I don't want to hurt myself. I've started out slow because of my heath issues, but I really like this machine and am sure I'll up the time when my body is ready. But I still don't see why anyone would want to use it for longer then 30 minutes. After a certsin point, you're only going to hurt yourself, not help. But if you use it on a rsgular basis, you will see an improvement. It does what is says it's supposed to do and we haven't had any problems at all, with anything. It has only been a week since we got it, but I can feel it working. My muscles are screaming at me, muscles that I haven't been able to use in a very long time, and that's a good sign that I am getting a good workout. I can honestly say that I'm not in pain - I just hurt from using muscles that hadn't been used in years, literally. And in my book - not hurting myelf is a plus! We both really like this rower and would definitely recommend it to others. We feel that it's worth the $133 we paid for it, and feel it's probably worth a lot more. It's a strong, sturdy machine, in our opinion. I will write an update once we've had it for at least a month, and anything that may happen before then, I'll come back and update sooner. I will also add photos also.

Let's face it- for $150 you're not looking at a professional piece of gym equipment. You are like me. You are looking for a good deal, a good value, and something that will actually do what it says it will do. You are concerned about the durability of the machine and whether or not it actually works. Perhaps a list of the PROS and CONS will be helpful in making your decision. PROS- -Cheap. $150 is about as low as you will go for a rowing machine. -Lightweight. Very easy to move. -Compact. Especially when folded up and stored vertically. -Simple installation. Just follow the directions. It took me about an hour. All the parts are there. -Accurate computer. Actively tracks how many strokes you have rowed for the session and simultaneously tracks total rows up to 9,999. The scan mode keeps you entertained as it cycles every 4 seconds from time elapsed, calories burned for session, total and session row count. -Durable. The frame seems like it is built to last. -Variable piston resistance. This feature allows you to dial up or down your workout (along with the pace you decide to set). So far it seems to work okay. I think the numbers are printed backwards on the valve so that the lowest numbers offer the most resistance. You don't really see the numbers anyway while working out- you reach behind you to dial it while you're on the machine. CONS- -The pedals. This is the most annoying thing about this machine. I have size 10 wide feet. Wearing my training shoes in the pedals with the straps as tight as possible does not cut it to keep my feet in place. Due to the fact that there is no support strap or heel cup toward the bottom of your foot, you WILL slide out if you pull to move forward as the pedals pivot. You can practice your rowing motion to minimize this from happening during your workout, but it will still happen. Lately I have strapped some beach sandals onto the pedals themselves and then put my feet into the sandals (they have a heel strap). This works just fine but I am not sure how the velcro straps on the pedals will hold up over time. -Inconsistent piston resistance. When the piston heats up it slightly loses resistance over time. You can dial up the resistance at this point or bump up the pace that you are setting. I've noticed, due to the design of the piston, that if you move through the rowing motion very slowly, like in a cool down pace, the piston won't engage until the handles reach halfway back. This creates an odd sensation of no-resistance half the way and then it will click on as you pull through the rest of the motion. -The little black cap falls off. The black cap on the back stabilizing leg does not attach to the machine. The machine just sits on it while you row. If you move the machine to store it vertically it will just fall out if you don't hold it in place. A minor annoyance but it seems like an unnecessary one. For the price you are getting a good value and, as we established earlier, this is intended goal of purchasing the Stamina Body Trac 1050. However, realize the limitations and think about whether or not you can work around the flaws. I've been using it every day for the last two weeks and so far I am happy with it. It can be a good cardio work out, especially for your upper body.

Thanks.

Excelente artículo, fácil instalación, se guarda fácilmente, buena calidad, para hacer un ejercicio completo, es para uso casero.

Love this machine. It was easy to set up by myself. Runs smooth. Very quite. I use it almost every day. It stands up in between and it’s easy to bring down and pull out the arms for a quick workout. Highly recommend.

I’ve been using this rower almost everyday day for 2 weeks now and I’m giving it 5 stars despite some flaws that I’m willing to accept because of the great price. It has great resistance and feel. The motion feels smooth and is actually pretty satisfying with the way it behaves like you are holding ores rather than just pulling a belt back and forth. People of all fitness levels can find a resistance that really challenges them. The monitor is cheap and doesn’t provide enough useful information. I broke the little lip that secures the battery cover putting the battery in so be gentle. It’s fine but I’ll need to pry it open with a knife whenever I need to change the battery. The calories are not accurate at all. It’s telling me I’m only burning around 250 cals in an hour (2,000 strokes) when I’m probably burning more like 700 cals. The total stroke count resets after it reaches 9999 so depending how many strokes you are doing a day, it will reset every few days or so. It might be useful to monitor your strokes for the week if you do shorter sessions, but it would be nice if total strokes meant it was an odometer that let you know how many total strokes you have put on the machine. This means the only useful stats are time and strokes. If they ever upgrade the monitor strokes per minute (pace) and meters (distance) would be much more useful. Assembly should be easy but on of the screws by the foot pedals gave me a really hard time. Either the machining was off or the powder coating was too thick around the hole causing them not to line up properly. I was finally able to get it in with a drill. Also the instruction manual needs to be updated because they have changed some things in the way they pack the unit, but these are pretty self evident. Just something to watch out for. The seat is very uncomfortable. You probably will want to invest in a seat cushion. The one I got is thin but still helps. You might also want to invest in a floor mat. I have hardwood floors and the rower would slide across the room and rock a bit without a floor mat underneath. 2 other things I wanted to address in my review. I’ve heard some people say that after about 25 minutes because the piston gets very hot the resistance gets easier and you may need to crank it up to compensate. I have not noticed this. The piston does get hot and you don’t want to touch it, but I never felt like the resistance felt noticeably easier even when rowing for an hour. I also heard that the piston generates a strong smell and you might want to open a window or keep a fan on. I have not noticed any smell at all so maybe Stamina addressed these issues. So despite these issues I am still giving this rower 5 stars because of the value.

This works as advertised - it's not high-tech, took about fifteen minutes to assemble when it arrived, though the instructions weren't 100% accurate to what was needed. For example, it said to install 2 AA batteries in the readout, but it only takes 1. It said to remove the locks on the arms, but they were already removed and in the package with the rest of the odds and sods needed to assemble. No big deal, I got it sorted out. Only drawback (and the only thing keeping this from 5 stars) is that the seat and foot rests DESPERATELY need some redesign. I can't use the foot rests at all (I rest my feet against the stand instead) because they're placed way too close to the centre and I apparently have long legs? Wind up smacking my knees with the arms every time I move forward. And the seat... Well... If you ever wanted the benefits of sitting on a horse for sixteen hours a day for three days straight but are short on time - use this rower for an hour! After the second day, I didn't even want to sit down at the office because my arse felt like I'd been out on an unseasoned saddle for days on end. Gel seat from a bike won't work (unless you have the largest bike in the world, maybe), so I'm going to see if there's anything I can do to make it even a little bit comfortable. I have ample padding back there, so just be forewarned. If you're a hardcore rower, this might not work for you, though - I've had it set on 9 since I got it, and have done zero rowing in the past, and still manage to get through 30-minute sessions daily with no problem. I feel it, but it's not particularly difficult. I do wish you could change the height/angle of the seat a bit to change up the workout, but overall, it's a good value for the money.