First Degree Fitness Fluid Rower - AR Newport Reserve Plus

First off, let me say that I am very impressed with this rower overall. I've had it for a month, and it's a superb machine. I'll list the things I don't like about it first, though.The foot straps are terrible. So much so that I consider them to be a design flaw. They're off-the-shelf straps that are like camera straps. In other words, they are designed as to be difficult to loosen. They're threaded through a plastic buckle and loosening them requires time and patience.I keep the straps loose enough that I can just remove my feet. I never tighten them down. And for the most part, you don't need to, if you use proper technique.The heels are too small for most modern athletic shoes. I've solved this issue by wearing Converse Chuck Taylors for my sessions.And they should absolutely, positively, include the heart rate monitor with this rower. It's sold separately for $51, and it's not even available on Amazon. I had to contact First Degree Fitness to find one. They shipped it from Canada for $51. Why not raise the price a little and just include it?With that out of the way, this is a *terrific* rower! Very, very smooth in operation. The seat glides across the rail very smoothly. It's a comfortable seat for most workouts, unless you stay on it an excessive amount of time. The pull strap is super smooth and the handles so comfortable that you don't even notice them.The ability to adjust the water level is way cooler than I thought it would be. Set it on "1" to warm up, or if you're just starting out as a rower. Even this level can give you a really good workout. Remember: the harder you pull, the more resistance the water will give you back. That's the beauty of using water.Set it to "4" and you have a really good workout ahead of you. It's just a matter of how hard you pull. If you pull lightly, even "4" will feel easy. Pull back hard and it will resist you quite strongly!It has three paddles in the tank, vs. two for the WaterRower, but I think they're a little smaller, so I suspect the resistance levels with the same amount of water are comparable.I wish the performance monitor gave you more than the basic settings. Don't get me wrong: it gives you most of what you need to know. Though "total calories burned" is a missing piece they absolutely should have put on it. But with the optional heart rate monitor, it tells you a lot.That said, programs would have been really nice. What I mean is games of sort to encourage you to go back and forth in intensity levels, like other rowers sometimes have.But the issues are really minor. I'm convinced this is really the best rower for the price, and that it will last many years, and that I won't get tired of it. It's not junky like piston rowers. It has resistance that varies on the fly, unlike magnetic rowers. It's not gigantic and loud, like air rowers. And it stores with a small footprint.I am very impressed.

I have had this machine for over a month now and have been using it almost daily. What I like best about it is the nearly whole body, including cardio, workout I get with a 15 minute session. I am 63 years old. I suppose if I were 25 I would need a longer workout, but even still, I think this machine would give me what I would have needed in my twenties. The workout is comfortable and easy on the body. One thing I particularly like is that it gives a good workout to the glute muscles. I have found most other types of home or even fitness center exercise equipment to not be very good for that. It is quiet enough that I can easily listen to a podcast while exercising, and does not cause a distraction in the rest of the house.A few observations that detract from its value:1. I wish the beam the seat sits upon could be easily removed for storage as can be done with some of the other styles of rowers. I could not find any water rowers with that design feature, so this one is not unusual in that regard. It is possible to remove the seat support beam by removing three bolts, but this is not realistic unless storing it away for long periods.2. Because of the design of the seat, I can't use it when wearing jean. All my jeans have a sewn knot in the back at the tailbone. This knot rubbed against my tailbone the first time I used the rower and after about ten minutes rubbed the top skin off my tailbone. This problem is easily avoided if gym clothes are worn, but I don't typically want to change clothes just to use the water rower for 15 minutes a day.3. The siphon provided with the unit is cheaply made and does not work. It appears that it leaks air, which then stops the siphon action. I will probably need to buy a different siphon when it comes time to drain the tank.Overall, I think this was a good purchase. The price was reasonable and it seems to be very sturdy.

Disclaimer - this is my first rower and the only one I've ever used, so I can't provide any context in regards to how this compares to other mowers. I have owned two ellipticals and a two weight benches, and this is easily the most enjoyable workout experience I've had on any machine.I'm 6'1 and currently weigh in at 235 pounds, and this rower feels absolutely solid, smooth, and runs quiet. The only assembly required is attaching the seat to the bar, the back foot to the bar, and then the bar to the main assembly - simple. After that you just add the water and water treatment tablet and you're set.The framing is solid, and while it may not be the work of art that some wooden water rowers are, it's pretty sleek. I chose this model over the wooden water rower alternatives because of feet placement - this model's foot straps are further apart than some of the wooden competitors. As a guy, I'm glad I chose that wider configuration over the aesthetics of a wooden assembly.