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Some might argue rowing is best done on the water. Though we wouldn’t suggest putting any rowing machine into a body of water, this review of the Hydrow Wave Rowing Machine decides just how well the on-water experience is recreated.
Updated: August 3, 2023
Warning: the Hydrow Wave Rower may make you want to buy a rowboat! The Hydrow Wave Rower works best with an active Hydrow All-Access membership. Together the rower and membership create a smart and immersive rowing experience. The Hydrow Wave Rower is quieter than air or water resistance rowers because of its magnetic resistance. Yet, rowers will find they can adjust their drag settings and work as hard as they would on any other type of rowing machine.
The rowing community is divided between rugged, low-tech designs and sleek, silent high-tech builds. The Hydrow Wave Rower certainly sits firmly in the high-tech category. Rowers looking for a lightweight rower with a great subscription service will love the Hydrow Wave Rower.
The Hydrow Wave Rower has a thermoplastic polymer frame, creating a sturdy and lightweight rower. It is not quite as stable and durable as its pricier counterpart, the Hydrow Rower with its aluminum and steel frame. However, any instability in the Hydrow Wave Rower disappears when using the correct rowing form. It has a smaller footprint than the Hydrow Rower, making the Wave Rower a better fit for small spaces.
The Hydrow Wave Rower has a comfortable round handle that attaches to a high-quality polyester webbed strap. The handle has a slightly rubbery texture to keep your handle from slipping off when sweaty. I like the feel of the handles. They are a great size and should be comfortable for a wide range of hand sizes.
The strap moves very smoothly during each stroke. It moves more fluidly than a chain. The strap should be inspected for any signs of fraying, but the material seems more than strong enough to handle the demands of rowing many, many meters.
The stainless steel monorail is approximately 47 inches long. Rowers with inseams up to 36 inches can use the Hydrow Wave Rower. The seat is comfortable. It is grooved to take pressure off your tailbone during the backward lean. It is 12 inches wide and 10 inches long. The seat and monorail work well together. There is some movement if you try to wobble the seat from side to side. As there is no lateral movement like this while rowing, you should not notice this at all.
The footboard is about 13 inches long, providing great contact for rowers with big or small feet. The straps create a snug width adjustment and encourage you to keep your toes planted. The heel counter fits snuggly around the back of a shoe, but it does allow your heels to come up. I find that this helps me get a good range of motion since I am rather inflexible. It also prevents me from pulling my feet out of my shoes or chafing my heel on the inside of my shoes since I cannot keep my heels planted just yet. I know it is a debate in the rowing community whether heels should maintain contact with the footboard for the entirety of the stroke or if they can come up initially. I like that the Hydrow Wave Rower allows flexibility in this.
The Hydrow Wave Rower can be stored in its usable position or upright. Hydrow sells a vertical storage kit, which can affix the rower to a wall for security. This is great if you need to keep the rower upright but have kids or a tight space where things could be knocked over. The rower is very lightweight. The hardest part about wheeling it around is how long it is. This is true for most rowers unless they can be broken down into two smaller segments. The Hydrow Wave Rower has two front-mounted wheels that move easily and on par with other rowers.
Electromagnetic resistance controls the resistance and the drag factor. For instance, working harder will cause the resistance to increase intuitively. The drag factor is controlled from the touchscreen, allowing users to select a factor between 50 and 300. The default setting is 104, simulating the on-water experience. Rowers should spend time at the default before increasing or decreasing the drag factor to suit their training needs. A higher or lower number doesn’t necessarily translate to a better workout. It is about finding an ideal drag, whether working at a high or low cadence.
The Hydrow Wave Rower is loaded with smart features. The Wave Rower compacts the best features of the Hydrow Rower into a smaller, lighter design. Hydrow rowers differentiate themselves from other rowers with on-water content from top rowing instructors. The design and features of the Hydrow Wave Rower pull in all the onscreen metrics and interactivity a rower could want.
The Hydrow Wave Rower has a 16” touchscreen with great, quality graphics. This rower does require a wifi connection to connect you to all of its wonderful content. The screen is hard to reach from while strapped in. At 5’4” (and very inflexible), I had to free at least one of my feet before I could adjust or select anything on the screen. The side of the screen has volume controls. The volume can also be more finely controlled from the screen to adjust the coach and music volume separately. The screen does not turn or pivot, but I find it comfortable to view during my rowing stroke.
The Hydrow Wave Rower has Bluetooth connectivity, allowing users to pair headphones or a heart rate monitor. I was able to pair both at the same time. I used a Garmin watch to pair to broadcast my heart rate to the Wave Rower. The connection is simple and fast, which improves your tracking of training metrics or allows you to listen quietly.
The speakers are front-facing to deliver powerful and clear audio. The volume does not need to be turned up all the way to be audible, thankfully. The videos have closed captioning for rowers hard of hearing.
The Hydrow Wave Rower has a distinct experience compared to friction resistance rowers. For one, it is very quiet. The electromagnetic resistance feels comparable to those other types of resistance. My ability to work hard or recover was about the same. The Hydrow Wave Rower is suitable for testing your limits or rowing nice and steady. I am happy to report that neither the seat nor the handles caused any soreness. I am well-adjusted to holding exercise equipment or sitting in firm ergonomic seats, so new exercisers’ experiences may differ.
The Hydrow Wave Rower positions the feet wider than the Concept2 RowERG. I measured the distance to be about 5.5 inches. Wider foot positions tend to be easier for beginners to manage. I found the placement comfortable and not hard on my knees. The monorail is also slightly higher at the far end. The distal height is about 12 inches off the ground and about 11 inches where the monorail attaches to the rest of the rower. As a result, the seat sits between 14 and 15 inches off the ground. This slope assists the rower in the recovery phase by encouraging a passive bending of the knees. It certainly glides smoothly!
The Hydrow Wave Rower works best when paired with an active All-Access Hydro Wave Rower. When bundled with a multi-year membership, rowers can save more. The membership gives users access to hundreds of rowing classes and training for off the rower. Rowing works almost all muscles. For those you do miss, the Hydrow platform has great strength training content and yoga content for improving your flexibility. Like iFIT and Peloton, Hydrow bundles all your training needs onto one platform.
I like the emphasis on form and correct technique. This makes the Hydrow Wave Rower ideal for new rowers or advanced rowers who need to touch up their mechanics now and then. Of course, the Wave Rower is also great for pushing yourself hard. The content is much more balanced between easy, steady, and all-out efforts than the Concept2 RowERG. Low-tech rowers typically emphasize working as hard as possible to achieve PBs. Hydrow’s content helps you keep yourself balanced.
The Hydrow trainers are really motivating. I have enjoyed every class I have taken. I really like the classes where two instructors row double. They seem to be a great team and have great chemistry, making the class more personable and engaging. It feels approachable and not intimidating. Newbies have a steep learning curve to conquer in the sport of rowing, but Hydrow makes it as smooth as possible.
Without a subscription, the Hydrow Wave Rower is usable, but that is about it. It can be used in the “Just Row” mode. It will present your current training metrics and allow you to connect a heart rate monitor via Bluetooth. Your workouts will not be stored for later viewing. The only available training content is the instructional Hydrow 101 videos. Fortunately, you can still control your drag setting. Unfortunately, you still need an internet connection to use the Hydro Wave Rower. This makes the rower not ideal for those with unstable or untrustworthy internet connections.
The Hydro Wave Rower takes the outdoor rowing experience indoors. As the only brand to offer on-water coached content, Hydrow builds a rowing habit. The subscription is worth having. The Hydrow Wave Rower is compact and quiet, fitting into small and shared spaces like apartments. Yet, the Wave Rower is also perfect for a house or dedicated home gym. Beginners and subscribers will particularly benefit from the informative and motivating content through the Hydrow subscription platform.
