Concept2 Model D Rower Review

Overall Rating

Summary

Concept2 is based in Morrisville, Vermont in the USA. Their rowing machines are assembled in the USA in the factory at Morrisville. The company started in 1976 and now builds rowers that are shipped around the world.

5.0

I looked at a lot of rowing machines and the Concept2 Model D is my favorite. I’m not alone though since it gets high marks from the majority of people who buy it as well as evidenced by its many glowing reviews. These machines are so durable you’ll find them in fitness centers everywhere and they are used by Olympic and professional athletes for training.

The Model D is in the medium to high price range so it is only for people who are serious about having the best equipment. This is a piece of equipment you’ll have for the rest of your life and if you only own one piece of exercise equipment this should be it.

Rowing machines are so versatile since they work a large part of the body. It's easy on the joints and packs a lot of exercise into a little amount of time. So investing in a good one will go a long way towards helping you achieve your fitness goals.

The only other equipment you may consider is a set of dumbbells for a little additional resistance training to get muscles a rower may not get.

Features

Contents

1 Features
2 Pros
3 Cons
4 Specifications
- 4.1 2/5 Year Warranty
5 Conclusion

Performance Monitor

The Model D comes with an LCD monitor that is used for monitoring your performance and it measures distance, calories burned, speed, and pace. It displays data, bar charts, and even games.

The monitor starts right away when you pull the handle

What’s cool is it has a game mode to keep you from getting bored. It allows you to do things like go fishing, throw darts, and shoot at targets. These games help teach you consistency of stroke rate and steady pace, or the make you increase and decrease intensity. For instance, the fish game requires altering your intensity to move your fish up and down to gobble up a meal.

The monitor has a USB port that enables you to plug in a flash drive to you can download your data into a free utility software on your PC or Mac. This gives you a log book to keep performance records.

Of course since the monitor is electronic it is the weakest link in durability of the Model D, but that is no different than any rowing machine. Plus there is a warranty and it can be easily replaced. That’s nice because they do come out with new models from time to time.

One nice thing about the monitor is that the internal firmware can be updated with new functionality. It’s kind of like your smartphone where you get new features and bug fixes from time to time. You will have to connect the monitor to the Internet through their free software utility to get the updates so they don’t automatically appear as they do on your smartphone.

You can attach your phone and use optional RowPro software that has some powerful features you can’t get with the attached monitor. I really like that you can upgrade your system as you go.

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Optional Row Pro Software

If you would want more enhance features you can purchase the third-party RowPro software. RowPro lets you do things like connect online to row with other people to have competition, or have 3D training plans that keep you motivated to improve.

RowPro attaches a PC or Mac to the Model D Performance Monitor with a USB cable.

You can read more about RowPro here: http://www.digitalrowing.com

BlueTooth and ANT+ Connectivity

The Performance Monitor has built in BlueTooth or ANT+ wireless connectivity. Want to get more data? You can connect to heart rate belts and other third-party fitness devices and apps.

Since the Concept2 Model D is one of the best-selling rowing machines, other companies develop apps for Apple IOS, Androids, PC, Mac, Apple Watch, and other devices. You can get a heart rate monitor from Concept2 if you want to add that feature.

The benefit to you of this connectivity is you can always add functionality to your rowing machine. There are even apps that let you combine rowing with resistance training exercises like kettle bells or resistance bands so you can get and track a full-body workout. The Model D grows as you grow.

Flywheel and Damper

There are several methods rowing machines use to increase the resistance of rowing. They are magnetic, wind resistance, water resistance, and hydraulic resistance. The Model D uses wind resistance.

With wind resistance the harder you pull the more resistance you feel. There is a spinning flywheel with vanes that give more resistance the faster you get it spinning. So the faster you go the more calories you burn. The nice thing is you can row at whatever pace you choose and it is tracked on the Performance Monitor.

There is also a damper that you can open and close to give you an increased workout. Higher settings on the damper make you feel like you are in a big, bulky row boat, where lower settings will be more like a sleek racing boat. Of course if you are in competition with other people you’ll want the sleek boat.

The harder you pull, the more resistance you will feel. This is because the Concept2 Indoor Rower uses wind resistance, which is generated by the spinning flywheel. The faster you get the wheel spinning, the more resistance there will be.

ErgData Software

If you want to get your performance data on an iPhone or Android there’s a free app for that. It’s called ErgData. You install the app and connect your smartphone to the Performance Monitor via cable or BlueTooth.

You get real-time data and logging with screens that show the data from the performance monitor.

There is a low-cost optional smartphone adapter that mounts your phone at the top of the Performance Monitor for easy viewing.

Product Construction

I like how this unit has a quality feel. The Model D slide rail is built from light-weight aluminum which helps when you are storing the unit, but it is capped with a stainless steel track for durability and so the seat can move smoothly. This rail has a quick disconnect so the unit can be separated for storage. Castor wheels on the head of the unit allow you to easily roll it away.

Pros
I prefer that this uses air resistance and not magnetic resistance. If you look at some reviews though you’ll see people complain about this. With magnetic resistance you can dial in a higher resistance to give your arms and shoulders a bigger workout. But this is mainly bodybuilders that complain about this. Air resistance gives a more accurate simulation of real rowing with the force changing as you put more effort in to a row. This is why Olympic athletes choose air resistance machines. If you are trying to body build for competition we recommend using dumbbells, kettle bells, or barbells and use an air resistance rower for fine tuning and cardio. With air resistance, the Performance Monitor can be very precise and accurately reflect time, distance, and power. This accuracy is why the apps can be used to compare your score to others online. This can’t be done with magnetic resistance rowers. With the free online service you can pretty much row with people all over the world. What would normally be a solitary experience is now like going to your local gym and competing with the person next to you. You get to see the standings of other people which drives you to improve. Since Concept has dominant market share you’ll find a ton of education resources. Not only does Concept2 provide great resources, there are lots of YouTube videos as well. Learning proper rowing form protects you from injury and will help you win more competitions. The build quality and support are second to none. It is so heavy-duty that it can support people who weigh up to 500 lbs. Concept2 has been in business for over 40 years so you know they have it down by now. This is an American company so if you need to talk to a real person who actually knows about the products, they are there for you. Disassembly and storage only take a matter of seconds so if you can’t leave it set up, then you can quickly wheel it out of the way. Also first time assembly is easy. Since the monitor supports the BlueTooth and ANT+ standards, you can use third-party products with your rower.

Pros

I prefer that this uses air resistance and not magnetic resistance. If you look at some reviews though you’ll see people complain about this. With magnetic resistance you can dial in a higher resistance to give your arms and shoulders a bigger workout. But this is mainly bodybuilders that complain about this. Air resistance gives a more accurate simulation of real rowing with the force changing as you put more effort in to a row. This is why Olympic athletes choose air resistance machines. If you are trying to body build for competition we recommend using dumbbells, kettle bells, or barbells and use an air resistance rower for fine tuning and cardio.
With air resistance, the Performance Monitor can be very precise and accurately reflect time, distance, and power. This accuracy is why the apps can be used to compare your score to others online. This can’t be done with magnetic resistance rowers.
With the free online service you can pretty much row with people all over the world. What would normally be a solitary experience is now like going to your local gym and competing with the person next to you. You get to see the standings of other people which drives you to improve.
Since Concept has dominant market share you’ll find a ton of education resources. Not only does Concept2 provide great resources, there are lots of YouTube videos as well. Learning proper rowing form protects you from injury and will help you win more competitions.
The build quality and support are second to none. It is so heavy-duty that it can support people who weigh up to 500 lbs. Concept2 has been in business for over 40 years so you know they have it down by now. This is an American company so if you need to talk to a real person who actually knows about the products, they are there for you.
Disassembly and storage only take a matter of seconds so if you can’t leave it set up, then you can quickly wheel it out of the way. Also first time assembly is easy.
Since the monitor supports the BlueTooth and ANT+ standards, you can use third-party products with your rower.

Cons
The price is higher than other rowers, but consider the extra to be like paying a short term membership to a fitness club since you’ll get to work out with others online and get coaching via all the educational resources. Air resistance machines are usually noisy so if you’re using it in a room with someone watching television then this can be an irritant to them. This is where a magnetic resistance machine would be better since they are fairly silent. However the newest design of the Model D is now pretty quiet. The free software that comes with the rower is good but not as good as the third-party RowPro software you can get for Some people complain about the seat being too hard. The seat was designed by experts to keep from cutting off blood flow. This is more about being out of shape and once you get in shape it won’t be a problem anymore. Until then, if you find the seat to be uncomfortable fortunately there are third-party companies who make pads for the Model D like this one: Rowing Machine Seat Cushion The free Concept2 upload software works, but is not as good as the RowPro software for $99. Eventually you may want to get the RowPro software since it is one of the best benefits of a Concept2. It takes up 9 feet of floor space, but you can quickly fold it up when not using it.

Cons

The price is higher than other rowers, but consider the extra to be like paying a short term membership to a fitness club since you’ll get to work out with others online and get coaching via all the educational resources.
Air resistance machines are usually noisy so if you’re using it in a room with someone watching television then this can be an irritant to them. This is where a magnetic resistance machine would be better since they are fairly silent. However the newest design of the Model D is now pretty quiet.
The free software that comes with the rower is good but not as good as the third-party RowPro software you can get for
Some people complain about the seat being too hard. The seat was designed by experts to keep from cutting off blood flow. This is more about being out of shape and once you get in shape it won’t be a problem anymore. Until then, if you find the seat to be uncomfortable fortunately there are third-party companies who make pads for the Model D like this one: Rowing Machine Seat Cushion
The free Concept2 upload software works, but is not as good as the RowPro software for $99. Eventually you may want to get the RowPro software since it is one of the best benefits of a Concept2.
It takes up 9 feet of floor space, but you can quickly fold it up when not using it.

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Specifications

Overall Length	96 in (244 cm)
Width	24 in (61 cm)
Seat Height	14 in (36 cm)
Monorail Length	54 in (137 cm)
Monorail Length	Users with an inseam of 38 inches (96.5 cm) or more may require an extra-long monorail. Contact Concept2 for more information.
Chain or Cord	Nickel-plated steel chain
Chain/Cord Housing	Partially enclosed
Monitor	PM5
Power Requirement	Takes two D cell batteries. During your workout, the monitor draws power from the spinning flywheel to extend battery life.
Maximum User Weight	500 lb (227 kg) as tested by Concept2.*
Maximum User Weight	*300 lb (135 kg) as tested per European Stationary Fitness Equipment Testing Standard EN 20957-7.
Construction	Aluminum front legs, steel rear legs
Monitor Arm	ABS plastic. Pivots for storage and to adjust monitor height. Monitor angle can also be adjusted.
Finish	Powder coat
Color Scheme	Light gray or black
Storage	Can be separated into two parts for easy storage
Space Recommendations	Assembled: 8 ft x 2 ft (244 cm x 61 cm)
	With Clearance for Use: 9 ft x 4 ft (274 cm x 122 cm)
	For Storage: 25 in x 33 in x 54 in (63.5 cm x 83.8 cm x 137.2 cm)
Machine Weight	57 lb (26 kg)
Shipping Dimensions	One box:
	15 in x 21.5 in x 56 in
	(38 cm x 55 cm x 142 cm)
Shipping Weight	70 lb (32 kg)

2/5 Year Warranty

Concept2 will replace or repair, at their discretion, the frame parts that fail due to a defect in materials or workmanship for a period of five years from date of purchase. Concept2 will replace or repair, at their discretion, any part (excluding monitor batteries) that fails for any reason for a period of two years from date of purchase

Conclusion

The Concept 2 Model D may be a little more pricey than some rowers (still less than others), it is my favorite rower. First the company has been around for over 40 years so if you ever need parts or support, chances are pretty good they will still be around. And they have great support to answer your questions.

Since variations of this rower have been sold for many years, it has grown quite the community of users. And with the Performance Monitor you can actually use that community for motivation. Exercise can be a lonely and solitary experience but with access to the community it feels a little less solitary.

The overall build and quality is one the main reason you'll find this rower in fitness centers around the world. It's realism to actual boat rowing is why Olympic athletes are using them.

If you're looking for a quality rower that you'll keep for the rest of your life, the Concept2 Model D is it.

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