Rowing Machine NerdConcept2 vs WaterRower: Air or Water Rowing Machine?
This is the great air-versus-water debate made concrete: the Concept2 Model D, the performance benchmark, against the WaterRower Natural, the machine people fall in love with for how it looks and feels. They cost about the same - roughly $990 versus $1,200 - but they're built for different buyers. One is a training instrument; the other is a beautiful piece of cardio furniture.
Neither is objectively better. The right choice hinges on a single honest question: do you care more about data and training, or about feel and how the machine looks in your home?
Verdict: Depends on your priority: data and training (Concept2) or feel and looks (WaterRower).
Concept2 Model D vs WaterRower Natural: at a glance
| Concept2 Model D | WaterRower Natural | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 4.8/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Price | ~$990 | ~$1,200 |
| Resistance | Air (spiral damper, 10 settings) | Water (variable; self-regulating tank) |
| Monitor / screen | PM5 (backlit; Bluetooth & ANT+; USB) | S4 (pace, distance, watts, calories, HR) |
| Connectivity | ErgData + 40+ compatible apps | S4; optional Bluetooth (Connect module) |
| Max user weight | 500 lb (227 kg) | 375 lb (170 kg) |
| Footprint / size | 96" × 24" (244 × 61 cm) | ~84" × 22" × 21" (213 × 56 × 53 cm) |
| Storage | Separates into two parts; front casters | Stands upright on end; front wheels |
| Warranty | 5-yr frame / 2-yr parts & monitor | 5-yr frame / 3-yr parts (home use) |
Full Concept2 Model D review Full WaterRower Natural review
Feel and looks: WaterRower's home turf
The WaterRower Natural is genuinely beautiful - handcrafted hardwood that suits a living room, with a smooth, natural water stroke and a pleasant whoosh as the paddles move through the tank. It's quieter than the Concept2's fan, and it stands upright on its end for storage, taking up almost no floor space. It's the rare machine you're happy to leave on display.
The Concept2 makes no such claims. It's a utilitarian gym tool that looks like one, its fan produces a clear whoosh under load, and while it separates into two pieces, it doesn't store as elegantly. If aesthetics, a quieter stroke, and living-room presence matter to you, the WaterRower wins comfortably.
Data and training: Concept2's home turf
Here the tables turn completely. The Concept2's PM5 is the worldwide testing and racing standard, giving you accurate, globally comparable splits and a free, open app ecosystem. The WaterRower's S4 monitor is basic for the price - it covers the essentials but offers nothing like the split-rich, benchmarkable data serious trainers want.
There's also a resistance difference that matters for hard training. The Concept2's air resistance scales infinitely with your effort, so you can never outgrow it. The WaterRower's resistance is set by the water and, while it self-regulates with stroke speed, very powerful rowers can find its ceiling lower. For structured, data-driven, performance-focused training, the Concept2 is the better tool by a wide margin.
Durability, value and resale
Both are well-built and made to last - the WaterRower in handcrafted hardwood with a strong frame warranty, the Concept2 in near-indestructible aluminium and steel. But the Concept2 has one decisive financial advantage: resale value. Used Concept2s routinely sell for 75-85% of new and sell fast, so the real cost of ownership is remarkably low.
The WaterRower holds value reasonably for a water rower but not to the same degree. If you might ever sell, or you simply want the lowest true cost of ownership, the Concept2 is the safer financial pick. If you're buying a machine to keep and enjoy for its own sake, that matters less.
Choose the Concept2 Model D if…
- You want the most accurate, globally comparable training data
- You want air resistance that scales infinitely with effort
- You value durability and class-leading resale value
- You're a serious or data-driven trainer
Choose the WaterRower Natural if…
- You want a beautiful machine that suits a living room
- You prefer a smooth, immersive water stroke and a quieter sound
- Upright storage and looks matter more than lab-grade data
- You're buying a rower to enjoy and keep, not to benchmark
Our verdict
If your priority is training - accurate data, infinite resistance, durability, and value - buy the Concept2 Model D. It's the better instrument and the smarter financial decision, and it's our overall best-rower pick for good reason.
If your priority is the experience - a machine that looks beautiful in your home, feels smooth and immersive, and runs quietly - the WaterRower Natural is a wonderful choice and you won't regret it. Just go in knowing you're trading some training data and resistance headroom for feel and looks. Both are excellent; they're simply built for different people.
References
- What Damper Setting and Drag Factor to Use on the Concept2 RowErg - Concept2
- Understanding Splits - Concept2
Frequently asked questions
- Is a Concept2 or WaterRower better?
- It depends on your priority. The Concept2 Model D is better for data, training, infinite resistance, durability, and resale value. The WaterRower Natural is better for looks, a smooth quiet water feel, and living-room presence. Choose by whether data or feel matters more to you.
- Does the WaterRower give good workout data?
- Its S4 monitor covers the basics - pace, distance, calories, heart rate - but it's not split-rich or globally comparable like the Concept2's PM5. For serious data-driven training, the Concept2 is the stronger choice; for feel-focused rowing, the S4 is adequate.
- Which is quieter, a Concept2 or a WaterRower?
- The WaterRower. Its main sound is a pleasant water whoosh, while the Concept2's fan produces a louder whoosh that grows as you push harder. For quiet shared spaces, the WaterRower has the edge - though a magnetic rower is quieter still.
Jordan Lockwood (BSc, CPT)
Certified personal trainer (CPT), sports-science graduate, and lifelong rower. Jordan writes and reviews every guide on Rowing Machine Nerd.