XTERRA ERG600W Water Rower Review

Quick Take

At just $599, the XTERRA ERG600W water rower is very well equipped for the price. Highlights include 6 water-based resistance levels and 5 workout programs featured on the 5.5” LCD console. Its variable water resistance will provide ample challenge for just about any trainee as the resistance is determined via user effort. What’s more, it will suit most home gym spaces as you can fold it vertically against a wall after use. Stability isn’t sacrificed for this folding feature. The ERG600W is a sturdy and durable rower that can hold up to 300 pounds thanks to its solid steel frame and dual aluminum slide rails. It’s an impressive machine for the price. Take a look at the XTERRA Fitness ERG600W water rower in more detail below.

Water rowers are known and loved for their zen-like, smooth rowing workouts. It’s the closest you will get to a real, on-water rowing experience, which is why water rowers are so popular. Price is often the only thing that puts shoppers off; these rowers are usually at the higher end of the price spectrum when compared to other rowing machine types. This is not the case with the XTERRA ERG600W. You get a lot of bang for your buck here. The XTERRA ERG600W is a sturdy machine. Featuring a solid steel frame and a dual aluminum rail system, the ERG600W delivers a smooth and stable row. It can hold up to 300 pounds, so will be a good fit for most trainees. Despite being sturdy, it’s easy to move around with its built-in transport wheels, and you can stand up the frame vertically for storage after workouts.

The ERG600W has 6 resistance levels determined by the amount of water in the tank. Water rowers will offer enough challenge to a wide variety of trainees because resistance is basically down to user effort. The more intensely and faster you row, the harder the challenge will be. It’s much like rowing on water. It’s handy that you can add more challenge or change the feel of the rowing stroke with these 5 adjustments. However, one qualm we have with this machine is that you have to manually fill or take water out of the tank to adjust the resistance; you can’t change the resistance with the touch of a button like on many other machines. For the price, this isn’t a deal-breaker for us. What’s more, once you find the suitable level you will likely stick to that anyway. As with other water rowers, it’s a smooth and zen-like rowing experience with the sights and sounds of splashing water. The handle strap also contributes to the smoothness and quietness of the machine (aside from the relaxing sounds of water), as opposed to machines featuring a chain drive.

Although the 5.5” LCD console looks basic, it’s user-friendly, adjustable, and displays all your essential workout data (Total Time, 500M Time, Calories, Distance, Strokes, Strokes/Minute, Date, Room Temperature, and Clock). You can connect your own wireless heart-rate monitor (sold separately) and the ERG600W will display your pulse, but there aren’t any heart-rate specific training programs. It also has 5 programmable modes. Although this doesn’t seem like a huge amount, there is an inclusive variety. You can choose from a selection of workouts including Race, Manual Time Countdown, Distance Countdown, Strokes Countdown, and Calories Countdown. While you can’t connect to any sort of interactive training programs or apps with this rower, having a handful of preset workout programs at your fingertips allows you to diversify your training without ongoing subscription costs. The focus is on quality and durability for the price, rather than tech-focused bells and whistles. A 5-year frame warranty and 2-year on parts is another impressive addition to the package. Dig into the pros and cons of the XTERRA ERG600W rower below.

Positives

• Price: It’s very affordable for a durable and high-quality water rowing machine.
• Storage: It can fold vertically so you can easily stand it against a wall after workouts. Stored, it’s just 33” long by 22” wide and it has transport wheels for easy portability.
• Modern Design: Its sleek design will complement any home gym space.
  
• Resistance: The 6 levels of water-based resistance allow you to find your perfect rowing stroke, providing a wide enough selection for a variety of trainees.
• Quiet: Unlike rowers which feature a chain drive, the ERG600W features a belt. This allows for a smooth and quiet row, closely echoing the on-water rowing experience.
• Comfort Features: It has a range of comfort features to support your endurance including a contoured seat, adjustable Flex Pedals, and an ergonomic rowing handle.
• Console: Even though the ERG600W’s 5.5” LCD console is basic, it’s easy to use and adjustable (height and angle).
• Preset Workouts: Even though this is a budget-friendly water rower, it still has 5 programmable training modes. This allows you to diversify your training without app subscription costs.
• Sturdy Build: The aluminum and steel construction makes for a stable row. The ERG600W rower can hold up to 300 pounds.
• Heart-Rate Monitoring: You can connect your own Bluetooth heart-rate strap to the ERG600W to monitor this data on-screen.
• Warranty: The warranty is impressive for the price point. It includes 5 years on the frame, 2 years on parts, and 90 days on labor.

Negatives

• Resistance Adjustments: One downside of this machine is that you have to manually adjust the water resistance by removing or adding water to the tank. That said, you will probably find the level you prefer and stick with that, so this isn’t a huge deal.
• No Interactive Training: Although this is totally understandable for the price, just keep in mind that you won’t be able to connect the console to third-party apps for interactive training or workout data transfer. This also means, however, that there are no ongoing subscription costs. You also have preset workouts to enjoy regardless.

Our Conclusion

We’re really impressed with the XTERRA ERG600W water rower overall. Finding another water rower of this quality with variable resistance and 5 training programs at this price isn’t likely. This is a solid machine that prioritizes quality and durability over tech-savvy features. You won’t be able to interactively train on this rower, but you will get a handful of workouts to diversify your training which are free for life. This means you won’t be tied to ongoing monthly subscriptions, and if you really wanted to tech things up, you could just row along to some YouTube rowing workouts via your own tablet. Adding wireless heart-rate monitoring into the mix is another welcome addition, allowing you to keep tabs on more workout data in order to make your exercise sessions more efficient.

Although manually adjustable water resistance isn’t ideal, we’re happy that there is adjustability in the first place. It’s a sacrifice we’re willing to make for the fantastic price. Besides, you’ll probably stick to one level once you find your ideal rowing stroke anyway. As well as being able to challenge most trainees, this rower’s easily foldable design means it will suit most home gyms spaces too. Unlike some other rowing machines, the ERG600W doesn’t sacrifice quality or sturdiness for this vertically folding feature. It’s a solid rowing machine choice for anyone who prioritizes quality, durability and good warranty protection over interactive training.