Hydrow Vs Echelon: Smart Rowers Compared For Garage Gyms

Hydrow Vs Echelon: Which Has More To Offer For Garage Gyms?

To decide our winner, we’ve considered all of the important aspects of choosing a rowing machine for the home - everything from footprint and storage to rowing experience and tech features.

Footprint & Storage Features

Both the Hydrow and Echelon are about 7’ long, so you’ll need a decent amount of space to use either machine. In terms of footprint, the Echelon Row S is slightly less wide than the Hydrow, but only by a few inches.

What’s even more important than your machine’s footprint is considering the storage features that come along with it. Rowers are not notorious for being compact or small in nature, so the best ones come equipped with storage features to minimize the machine's footprint while it's not being used. This is the case for both the Hydrow and Echelon.

The Hydrow can be stored vertically against a wall, but it unfortunately requires a special kit to store the machine upright. This kit costs about $70, so if you want to store it vertically, you’ll have to pay extra.

The Echelon rower has a convenient foldable design to fit in smaller spaces. When folded, the machine measures 40” long by 21” wide by 60” high. Even though these aren’t the smallest folded dimensions we’ve seen, it still folds down to about half its size.

Comfortable & Realistic Rowing Experience

The Hydrow rower uses an electromagnetic resistance system to create “drag” that replicates the drag you’d feel against the paddles while rowing a boat. It’s extremely smooth, and it utilizes a patented technology that you won’t find with any other rower with 300 drag settings that are easy to adjust.

Weight & Height Capacity

The Hydrow’s durable aluminum and steel frame is capable of holding up to 375 pounds of user weight. In terms of height limitations, this rower is listed as supporting up to a 36” inseam, which means that even the tallest users (let’s say up to 6’4”) shouldn’t have any issues using this rower.

In comparison, the Echelon Row S has a user weight limit of 300 pounds. That means if you’re close to or over the 300-pound limit, you’re better off choosing the Hydrow for its additional weight support.

The Echelon company doesn’t state a maximum height limit, but the seat rail is a bit shorter than Hydrow’s, so individuals who are taller than 6’2” might find this rower to be less comfortable than rowing on the Hydrow.

Aesthetics & Build Quality

Both rowers are stunning, and both are built with high-quality materials like aluminum and steel that are durable and likely to last. Many people love that the Hydrow’s frame is built around the internal mechanisms, which means that the resistance system isn’t visible to the eye; it’s enclosed in the sturdy, stylish aluminum casing with black and silver accents.

The Echelon frame is built using alloy steel and plastic. The frame is primarily black with red pops of color throughout. If you’re not a fan of red or you plan on using the machine in a room where red just won’t fit in well, you’ll definitely prefer the Hydrow’s silver and black design.

It’s also worth noting that the Hydrow is considered the more durable option. This makes sense since the machine is heavier, weighing 145 pounds to the Echelon’s 106-pound design, and it’s also reflected in the 75-pound difference in maximum weight support.

Integrated Tech Features & Workouts

Through your membership, you’ll have access to 3,000+ workouts, ranging from rowing and strength training to yoga and Pilates.

With Echelon’s fitness platform, there are over 1,000 workouts to choose from, ranging from live leaderboard competitions to studio yoga workouts. The workouts are very similar to what you’ll find with Hydrow, but there just aren’t as many to choose from.

Ease Of Assembly

With the Hydrow, there’s minimum assembly required, but due to the heavy weight of the machine, it's best to have someone help you put it together. Assembly shouldn't take more than an hour, and thanks to the clear instructions, it's pretty easy to do. Once everything is put together, just follow the on-screen prompts to create or log in to your account and agree to the terms of service.

Assembling the Echelon rower can be done as a solo job, and all it really entails is attaching the flywheel to the frame and seat rail using the included hardware and Hex key. The entire process can be done in about 30 minutes, and you can use Echelon’s video tutorial to follow the steps along the way.

Purchase Price & Ongoing Costs

While the Echelon rower is significantly cheaper than Hydrow in terms of the initial MSRP, especially if you opt for the Echelon without the large touchscreen display, you’ll also have to factor in the ongoing costs associated with both rowers.

To access the live and on-demand workouts on the Hydrow’s touchscreen, you will need to sign up for their paid monthly membership, which is $38/month. Each membership includes unlimited user profiles, so you won’t have to pay more for multiple users. Echelon’s monthly membership costs about the same at $39.99 per month.

When comparing the warranties of Hydrow vs Echelon, the Hydrow wins hands down. Echelon only offers a 1-year warranty, whereas Hydrow rowers come with a 5-year warranty for the frame. Considering the price differences, this isn’t a huge surprise, but it’s still definitely something that makes the Hydrow machine more appealing in the end.

“Hydrow utilizes software-driven electromagnetic resistance which is significantly quieter than alternative methods. Because magnetic resistance is a frictionless technology, Hydrow offers a much quieter fitness experience than traditional rowing machines that use a noisy air fan or water tank.”