Concept2 RowErg Review: Why the PM5 Air Rower Is Still the Benchmark for Connected Rowing

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Walk into almost any CrossFit box, rowing club or hotel gym and you will find the same black-and-silver rower. The Concept2 RowErg has become the shared language of indoor rowing: a 2:00/500 m split on one machine means the same thing on another, whether it sits in a garage in Ohio or a training center in Germany.

That matters more for a smart rower than people expect. “Smart” is only as good as the data it sends to your app. We looked at the RowErg’s specifications, its PM5 monitor and the pattern across more than 13,000 buyer ratings to see whether it still deserves its reputation at home.

What the RowErg is (and what it is not)

The RowErg (Concept2 describes this version as the Model D) is a fan-based air rower. You pull a handle attached to a chain, which spins a flywheel inside a vented housing. The harder you pull, the more air the fan moves and the more resistance you feel. A side lever, the damper, controls how much air enters the housing and changes the “heaviness” of each stroke.

It is not an all-in-one connected fitness product like the screen-equipped rowers sold with a monthly class membership. There is no built-in display beyond the PM5, no speakers and no instructor. Instead, Concept2 gives you a precise data source and an integrated device holder for your phone or tablet, and lets you pick the apps. For many riders and rowers that is the better deal: no lock-in, and the machine keeps its value long after any one app falls out of favor.

The PM5: why the data is trusted

The Performance Monitor 5 is the reason the RowErg dominates. The listing describes it as giving “accurate, comparable data for every row,” and that comparability is the point. The PM5 calculates your output from the flywheel’s speed and how quickly it slows between strokes, so it accounts for the damper setting and the drag factor of that particular machine. Two people on two RowErgs can race 2,000 m and the numbers are a fair comparison.

You can view intensity as pace per 500 m, watts or calories per hour. Bluetooth and ANT+ are built in, so the PM5 can stream data to apps and also pair a heart rate strap directly. Concept2’s free ErgData app records sessions to the Concept2 Online Logbook, and the listing cites compatibility with more than 40 apps overall.

Power comes from two D-cell batteries, but the spinning flywheel also feeds the monitor during workouts, so battery changes are infrequent.

Ride feel, noise and the damper

Air resistance has a natural characteristic: it rises steeply as you pull harder, much like a boat moving through water. Sprinting feels heavy, easy paddling feels light, and there is no “level 16” ceiling. That makes the RowErg equally suitable for a beginner’s first 10 minutes and an elite athlete’s interval session.

The trade-off is sound. A fan moving air makes a steady whoosh, and the chain adds a mechanical note. Buyers in Amazon’s review summary praise its “quiet operation”, and relative to other air rowers that holds up. But it is not as hushed as a magnetic rower, and the noise rises with effort. A dense rubber mat under the machine helps with vibration and protects the floor.

On the damper, a common beginner mistake is to set it to 10 assuming it means “hardest workout.” It does not; it means a slower, heavier stroke that loads the lower back. Concept2 itself suggests a setting of roughly 3 to 5 for most workouts.

Space, build and storage

Plan on a 9 x 4 ft area to row; the machine itself is about 8 ft long. The frame combines aluminum front legs, steel rear legs and an aluminum I-beam monorail with a stainless steel track for the seat. User capacity is 500 lb, and Concept2 backs the frame with a 5-year warranty.

When you are done, the RowErg separates into two pieces, and caster wheels make it easy to roll into a corner. At about 57 lb it is manageable for one person. The 14-inch seat height is the one ergonomic caveat: if getting low is uncomfortable, the Tall Legs version raises it to 20 inches.

What buyers say

With more than 13,000 ratings averaging 4.9 out of 5, this is one of the most consistently praised pieces of fitness equipment on Amazon. Amazon’s summary of customer reviews describes buyers calling it “the best they can buy,” and the recurring themes are:

• Praised: solid build quality, quiet operation for its type, and easy assembly, with one buyer noting it took only eight screws.
• Workout: a full-body session without muscle strain, and some owners reporting visible results within their first ten sessions.
• Value: most see it as a long-term investment in their health rather than an impulse buy.

Notably, the summary does not flag a recurring durability or connectivity problem, which is rare for a connected product with this many reviews.

How it compares

Against the other smart rowers on this site, the RowErg sits in a different class. Budget magnetic machines such as the YOSUDA rower we covered are quieter and smaller, but their resistance is capped and their calorie and distance figures are estimates you cannot compare with anyone else’s. The Merach Q1S is the more app-friendly budget choice, with Merach and Kinomap support.

The WaterRower Oak is the natural rival at the premium end: prettier, quieter, and stores upright, with Bluetooth through its S4 BLE monitor. It is the better choice for a living room. For training by numbers, logging and racing online, the PM5 still wins. If you are weighing rowing against cycling for your indoor setup, our smart trainer buying guide covers the bike side.

Alternatives worth considering

Frequently asked questions

Which apps work with the Concept2 RowErg?

The PM5 connects over Bluetooth and ANT+, and the listing cites compatibility with more than 40 apps. Concept2’s own free ErgData app logs every session to the Concept2 Online Logbook, and many third-party rowing apps read the PM5 directly. Check your preferred app’s supported-equipment list before you buy any rower; the RowErg is usually near the top.

What damper setting should I use?

The damper changes how the stroke feels, not how hard the workout is: your effort sets the intensity. Concept2 suggests starting around 3 to 5, which feels closer to an on-water racing boat. A setting of 10 feels heavy and slow, and is not automatically a better workout.

Is the RowErg too loud for an apartment?

Buyers generally describe it as quiet for an air rower, but you will hear the fan and the chain. On a rubber mat on a ground floor it is rarely a problem. If you share thin floors or row at 6 a.m. next to a sleeping household, a water or magnetic rower is gentler.

Do I need the Tall Legs version?

Only if getting down to and up from a 14-inch seat is difficult, for example with knee or hip issues. The Tall Legs model raises the seat to 20 inches and otherwise rows the same.

How we review: we research every product using the manufacturer’s specifications, independent expert sources and patterns across verified customer reviews, then score it against the alternatives in its price class. Prices and availability change often, so always check the current listing on Amazon.