Aviron Strong Series Rower – in-depth review

Today we are taking an in-depth look at the new Strong Series Rower by Aviron. With a focus on games and entertainment, Aviron stands out among devices that typically only provide instructor led content. But what is most impressive with the Strong Series is the unparalleled accessibility this rower provides.

Aviron Strong Series Rower – video review

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A quick overview of the Aviron Strong Series Rower

The Aviron Strong Series Rower has made many improvements compared to the company’s lower-cost Impact Series. The fan is more quiet, the rower is over a foot shorter in length, it can be stored upright, and there is now a rotating touchscreen. However, among these numerous improvements, it is accessibility that makes this rower truly special.

Weight	114 Lbs
Max user weight and height	507 lbs, 6′ 8″
Dimensions	83.5” L x 27” W x 48” H
Dimensions when folded	35” L x 27” W x 83” H
Resistance type	Dual air and magnetic resistance
Touchscreen	22″ HD, 90 degree side-to-side rotation
Touchscreen specs	Dual 5-watt speakers 4GB memory 32GB storage
Auto-adjust	Yes
Membership	$25–$29 per month
Warranty	10-year frame warranty 1-year parts warranty

Design

The Aviron Strong Series Rower has a brand new look with a more industrial, sharper design. The new “floating” front-end angles the air toward you on the rower. So the harder you row, the more breeze you feel. It’s not a huge amount of air, but it is certainly welcome when doing a long hard rowing session.

The front end is also much more compact, effectively cutting off over an entire foot of length from the Impact Series. This brings the length down from 97” to now just 83.5”. The rail length has remained the same, though, which allows for users as tall as 6′ 8” and as heavy as 507 lbs. 

The Aviron Strong Series is also now able to be stored upright. And unlike most rowers, it has a stable enough base to safely be stored without the addition of wall anchors.

Accessibility

The Aviron Strong Series Rower has a low rail, which sits just 10” off the ground. This, paired with the very tall seat (which sits 20″ off the ground), is a very unique design choice that I am a huge fan of.

The low rail/high seat combo allows the rower to be much more accessible, even for those with severe mobility restrictions.

Adding to the accessibility are fully adjustable footpads. The Aviron Strong Series is the only rower that allows you to adjust the width to create the ideal setup for your body type. Accessibility can be taken a step further with the purchase of the optional Lumbar Support accessory.

My mother-in-law who lives next door to me (I know, I pretty much have a bizarro version of Raymond Romano has MS and very limited mobility. Every morning my wife helps her get set up for some exercise, and the options are very limited.

The Aviron Strong Series is the only rower that she has been able to use. I think that speaks volumes to just how accessible this rower is.

But wait, there’s more

Here are some additional design choices that should be noted.

• The footpads are easy to adjust and seem well built for both very short and very large feet.
• The rail has a slightly downward slant, which helps with correct body positioning.
• The seat has an extra wide 20” width to support a variety of body types (I think the seat feels comfortable, but there is an optional “Cloud Seat” upgrade if you prefer a more cushy feel.)
• There is a cellphone holder below the handle hooks.
• The handle is 19” in length, which is wider than on most other rowers and more accessible for taller users. 

The handle is also unique in that it rotates to help you keep your wrists in a more neutral position. This isn’t my favorite handle (I personally prefer the more traditional fixed handle), but I appreciate the reason the handle is built in the the way it is. 

Resistance

The Aviron Strong Series Rower combines both an air fan and magnetic resistance with 16 levels of resistance. The combination is well done, allowing for the traditional feel of a rower, while also allowing the resistance to be ratcheted up during certain game types. Aviron says the highest setting provides around 100 lbs of resistance. While it doesn’t feel quite as high as that, it can be used to mix in some strength movements like rows and curls.

Since Aviron utilizes an air fan, the rower does make some sound, although not an excessive amount. In fact, this seems to have been improved as it is noticeably more quiet than the Impact Series rower.

Touchscreen and speakers

The 22″ HD touchscreen has remained unchanged. It still looks great and is quick and responsive with 4 GB of working memory. The speakers, while not the greatest, are certainly not bad.

New to the Strong Series, is that the touchScreen (in addition to being able to tilt up and down) can now be rotated 90 degrees to each side.  It also now folds down, which you’ll need to do prior to storing the rower in the upright position. 

Also important is that the screen is well positioned to allow you to keep a neutral head position while you row.

Aviron membership

The Aviron membership costs $25-$29 per month depending on whether you want to pay month-to-month or a full year upfront. This membership includes an unlimited number of accounts to be used on the rower.

Aviron games and multiplayer

Aviron’s slogan is “end boring workouts.” The company has a huge variety of experiences to choose from: fighting pirates, taking down bosses, competing in races, lane-based pace workouts, and more.

There are even experience coins to collect, which can be used to earn new skins and backgrounds for various game modes. I find it hard to imagine someone getting bored quickly here.

Did I mention there is also a seamless, easy-to-use multiplayer mode?

Unless you choose to turn it off, most workout modes are public with spots for others to jump in and join if they would like. And often, that is how I will choose my workouts with Aviron. I see what everybody else is doing, and if something looks fun or interesting then I just join in. Knowing you are working with, alongside, or in some cases against someone else makes the idea of working out a lot more fun.

Entertainment while you row

While the various games and modes are great, the entertainment options are what I tend to stick to most. On the Aviron Strong Series rower, you have the ability to sign into Netflix, Disney+, Amazon, or YouTube to workout while you watch a movie or show.

While I enjoy instructor-led training, the problem I often find myself with is that I often need to keep my heart rate and effort fairly low for more optimal results. Most instructor led classes do not that cater well to this as they usually focus on “ass-kicking” rather than training which would be more effective.

So having the ability to just catch up on a show or movie while I build my aerobic base is a perfect fit, and I wish more companies would offer this. Aviron not only allows it but encourages it by letting you see your metrics and even having these sessions count toward monthly goals and experience points.

Programs

Aviron does has some instructor-led content from rowing YouTuber Training Tall. While the production value doesn’t compare to more professional setups like Hydrow or Peloton, it is well taught and a useful place to start for beginners.

The lack of structured programing is really the biggest downside of the Aviron Strength Series Rower. Outside of Training Tall’s workout series, there is very little here in terms of guidance.

If you are someone who prefers to follow a well-built exercise plan, then you will find that lacking here. The design philosophy is more geared toward jumping into whatever sounds fun or what others are doing on any given day.

While Aviron says there are structured programs in the works, they will still be using the same workout modes already available rather than being built around a progressive training structure.

Additionally, there is currently no Strava or other third-party workout tracking support. This too is in the works, so I will update this review when it has been added.

Is the Aviron Strong Series Rower worth getting?

With a price of $2,499, the Aviron Strong Series Rower is in line with other premium connected fitness rowers like Hydrow and Ergatta. It is not cheap, but given the quality of the design, accessibility features, and unique fun-focused membership, I think it is certainly a contender among the best rowers available.

Buy the Aviron Strong Series Rower here
(currently $200 off for a limited time)

Suggested articles:

• Peloton Row review – almost the perfect rower
• Hydrow Wave review and rower comparison
• Ergatta Rower review – How I feel after 6 months of rowing