The pandemic has proved that the future of fitness is online.
Dumb rowers start at $279 or so, so youre definitely paying a premium to stream workouts.
Echelon Row-S
What is it?
Photo: John Biggs/Gizmodo
I felt very well seated on the machine and I was able to get a full range of motion.
Now for the bad part.
In fact, Id argue that 80% of the value of connected workout machines comes from the content.
Photo: John Biggs/Gizmodo
Echelon… doesnt do any of that.
And to be clear, you do get a solid workout.
The trainers suggest resistance levels and tell you when to work harder or go more slowly.
Photo: John Biggs/Gizmodo
They also roll off the rower sometimes and onto a mat for floor exercises.
They do everything youd expect them to do in an online exercise routine.
Below are some stills from one of the lessons.
As you might see, theyre really fuzzy.
Using this rower on a daily basis gets extremely tedious.
Because every session looks exactly the same.
There is a certain level of production we all expect from our fitness products, and this aint it.
For this critical aspect of the experience to be so lacking is quite frustrating.
I have nothing against the hardware.
Again, its solid, and the price isnt terrible as far as these things go.
But when youre spending more than $1,000 on a connected rower, Echelon just cant compete.
The Echelon Row-S is a solid exercise machine thats priced on par with competing units.
Its not a luxury machine, but its definitely well-built.
But the content is just as important, and for me, its a dealbreaker.
Right now it isnt.
Photo: John Biggs/Gizmodo
Right now Echelon only offers the great trainers.
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Photo: John Biggs/Gizmodo
