While there has been a ton of home rowers released in recent years, all of them have struggled to address the same question: why choose it over the Concept 2 rower which for many years has been considered to be the gold standard of rowers?
However, that question may have finally been answered with the recently released Aviron Go Rower. Not only does the design of the Aviron Go make rowing more accessible, looks better inside a home, is more stable when stored upright, and makes much less noise, but it is also much closer in price (currently $1,299) to the Concept 2 Rower than any other high-quality connected fitness rower.
Aviron Go Rower – Video Review
Subscribe to Connect The Watts for more connected fitness news, updates, tips, and guides.
Aviron Go – Design
First, let’s talk about some of the design decisions made here with the Aviron Go, because the way this rower is designed is very unique and is, in my opinion, one of its biggest strengths.
For one, it is extremely compact, with only an 84” length and 27” width. This is a smaller footprint than most other rowers, and can easily be stored upright even with lower ceilings. When the Aviron Go is stored upright, it also does not need to be anchored to the wall (unlike the Hydrow or Peloton rowers). It is also very stable when stored this way, unlike the Concept 2, which can easily topple over.
What I am even more impressed with is the accessibility, ergonomics and adjustability here on the Aviron Go. While some rowers have a low or high profile, both types offer specific challenges to those who are overweight or have less mobility. Aviron’s design avoids this issue entirely by combining low rail that is easy to step over, and a high seat which makes it easier to row without having to round your back.
Adjustable footpads
Unique to the Aviron Go are its adjustable footpads. Unlike every other rowing footpad out there, the width of these can be manually adjusted. This means, instead of you having to make due to the shape of the rower, the rower can now adjust to your body type and preference.
To give you an idea of how much all of this helps with accessibility, the Aviorn Go is the only rower (out of the 10+ I’ve reviewed) that my mother-in-law with MS is able to use.
Resistance
The Aviron Go rower uses a unique combination of both air and magnetic resistance. Air resistance (what the Concept 2 uses) feels great, but can be very loud since it essentially becomes a giant fan. Magnetic resistance (what Hydrow and Peloton use) is nice in that it is quiet and can be digitally adjusted.
Aviron again seems to take the best of both resistance types with its hybrid approach. By combining both air and magnetic resistance, the rower feels great to use, can be digitally adjusted, and is much quieter than the Concept 2.
No screen
At the front of the rower is an adjustable smart phone and tablet holder. This replaces the 22” screen of Aviron’s more expensive Aviron Strong rower and is essentially the only difference between the two. While I like using the touchscreen that comes with the Aviron Strong more than my iPad, I think the price difference between the two ($2,199 vs $1,299) is big enough to make the Aviron Go a much more attractive option. Though as of right now you will need either an iPhone or iPad, since the Aviron App is only available on the Apple App store.
To pair the Aviron Go, you just open the Aviron App and press the bluetooth pairing button that is at the base of the tablet holder.
Aviron’s app will also work whether or not you have an active membership. So even if you do not want to pay for the monthly subscription, Aviron will still save your workout history and even export your workouts to workout tracking services like Strava or Concept 2 Log Book. This is a big deal, because it is something most other connected fitness rowers will not allow if you stop paying for their monthly memberships.
Aviron membership
The Aviron membership also comes at a lower price than most others. With an annual membership, the cost comes to $24 per month, which is very reasonable considering everything that is provided within it.
Aviron’s focus and goal here is to make rowing fun through gamification. While there are some instructor led programs, they definitely are not the primary offer here (although the production value of the newest classes is noticeably better than what was offered in the past).
The games are really where the program shines most with a variety of game modes, each with adjustable difficulty and are unique in their own way. Some have you battling through wave after wave of enemies, while others have you trying to accumulate points by staying in various lanes or holding specific cadences. There are power ups to use, leaderboards to chase, and even rewards to earn.
Many games offer a variety of new skins and backgrounds. These can be purchased with experience points that you earn by spending time in any rowing mode. A lot of these games also come with a leveling progression within them. So after you finish a session, you gain experience levels that can give you perks which become helpful to progressing further in the future.
There are also tons of medals to earn, monthly challenges to complete, and even trophies to collect if you want to follow one of the new guided programs which get released every month. The guided programs are fairly new, and I think are a great way to get some direction on what to do next.
Multiplayer
All of these games also allow you to join in with others. You can opt out of multiplayer if you wish, but in most cases, when you start a workout, anyone else can see it in the lobby and jump in with you at any time.
The only problem right now with this, is that while there always seems to be ton of people working out on Aviron’s main platform, the app version seems like it is on a different server. Since it was just released, the number of opportunities to join in with others is a lot smaller. Hopefully that will change overtime as this app version of Aviron becomes more popular. I think it will. Not only because the Aviron Go was just released, but also because the Aviron app connect to concept 2 rowers as well. Because of this, I suspect the app version will eventually become even more active than the version offered with the included screen of the Aviron Strong.
Downsides
While I really enjoy the program here, there are a few downsides. First, is that there currently is not a way to create custom interval workouts with custom intervals. Though from what I have heard, this is a feature that they may be coming in the near future.
Another issue is not being able to see your metrics while viewing other apps such as Netflix. On the Aviron Strong rower, that comes with its own screen, allows you to see your stats while viewing streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+, YouTube and other others. Unfortunately with the app version, this is not currently possible. Though again, from what I hear, this is something they are at work on developing.
Overall though, I am very impressed by what Aviron has done with the Aviron Go Rower. Given how little was compromised here despite a price point that is far less than other connected fitness rowers, I believe this is the first true competitor to Concept2 rower. Especially given how much better it looks, sounds, as well as how accessible and stable it is. I highly suggest you check it if considering a rower for your home.
Suggested articles:
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
