Rowing tends to put off beginners. It can be quite a tedious activity, and it requires a certain degree of fitness ability and technical prowess to get the best results. It is tricky to make it enjoyable — but it is not impossible. Aviron has a good track record of turning the dreaded rowing machines into fun-filled workout stations, and we can attest to that.
When we reviewed the Aviron Tough Series Rower, we were impressed by its ability to seamlessly mix the addictive fun of gaming with cardio-heavy exercise. We even included it in our guide to the best rowing machines. However, it has now been discontinued to make space for a newer model — the Aviron Strong Series Rower. It has been redesigned and spruced up with new features, and by the looks of it, made better than its older sibling.
The Aviron Strong Series Rower is over a foot shorter than its predecessor, lighter by 11 pounds, and can be stored upright to save space. It also comes with a new rotating touchscreen and a larger library of workouts. This Aviron model does, on the other hand, retain the unusually high seat and widely adjustable footplates, two features from the Tough Series that scored particularly highly in our books — we always welcome a nod to users with limited mobility.
That said, Aviron also retains its relatively high price point. The Strong Series costs $2,499 plus a monthly subscription fee for Aviron’s library of content. So is the Aviron Strong Series worth investing in?
Aviron Strong Series Rower review
Aviron Strong Series Rower: Setup and usability
- Heavy and tricky to move around
- Suitable for larger and/or taller individuals
- Most features require a subscription
The Aviron Strong Series Rower weighs a hefty 113.5 pounds (51.5 kilograms) and measures more than 83 inches (2.12 meters) in length, so assembly is not a walk in the park. We were spared the hassle of putting our testing unit together so we do not have first-hand experience here, but we would suggest asking someone to help you with this task. There are over two dozen parts to put together, some of which are quite heavy, and attaching the touchscreen may be quite tricky to do by yourself. It is possible to assemble this rower solo, though. All tools and manuals are available inside the box, and you can watch a video guide for more instructions.
The Aviron Strong Series Rower has a total weight capacity of 507 lbs (230 kg) , which makes it accessible to larger individuals. We also liked that the Aviron Strong Series Rower can be stored upright thanks to its front wheels and a collapsible touchscreen arm. However, lifting this machine up and down and maneuvering it across the room is still no mean feat.
Once the rowing machine is up and running, you can activate your Aviron membership. For $24 per month billed annually or $29 on a pay-monthly basis, the subscription gives you full access to games, races, streaming accounts and other premium features. However, you can still do the basic tasks, such as viewing your metrics and tracking your workout history, without the Aviron membership.
Aviron Strong Series Rower: Design
- Sturdy and stable aluminum frame
- High seat and adjustable footplates
- Rotating 21.5-inch 1080p touchscreen
Key specs
Display: 21.5-inch (55-cm) 1080p touchscreen
Dimensions (inches): 83.5 (L) x 27 (W) x 48.4 (H)
Dimensions (centimeters): 212 (L) x 69 (W) x 123 (H)
Weight: 113.5 pounds (51.5 kilograms)
Frame: Aluminum
Belt: Industrial poly-v belt
Resistance: 16-level dual air and magnetic system
Max user weight: 507 lbs (230 kg)
Warranty: 1-year limited warranty (parts) and a 10-year structural warranty (frame)
The Aviron Strong Series Rower is a thoughtfully designed piece of kit. It has a sturdy and stable frame, a padded handle and several other tweaks that can enhance the overall user experience.
Take the unusually high seat, for example. Most rowers come with a low seat that forces you to squat low, inadvertently placing a strain on your hips, knees and ankles. For people with limited mobility or certain kinds of injuries, a higher-up seat may spare them some pain and discomfort. Given that many exercisers turn to rowers for their low-impact allure, this is a big plus point for us.
We also liked its widely adjustable footplates. Unlike most rowing machines, the Aviron Strong Series Rower allows you to change how far apart your feet are with a small crank located on the foot carriage’s right-hand side. This design tweak can be particularly useful for larger individuals and those with a limited range of movement.
The big display is another advantage. The Aviron Strong Series Rower has a 21.5-inch 1080p touchscreen that can be rotated and tilted for better viewing. It is bright, colorful and very responsive to the touch, plus it comes with a built-in two-megapixel front-facing camera, speakers and an audio jack. It can be quite reflective in direct sunlight, though.
The Aviron Strong Series Rower also allows you to pair any dedicated Bluetooth heart rate monitor. However, this feature does not work with fitness trackers.
Aviron Strong Series Rower: Features
- Detailed rowing metrics and exercise history
- Plenty of fun games, races, coaching videos and guided workouts
- A strong sense of community with other Aviron users
The Aviron Strong Series Rower is packed with features designed to get you hooked on rowing and boost your exercise performance over time. That is, it does as long as you pay for the monthly Aviron subscription. We think it is worth the money, though. It would take too long to enlist every single feature available in Aviron’s library of content, so we will focus on the main ones.
The scoring system. Every time you complete a workout on the Aviron Strong Series Rower, you get points and virtual coins. High scores will get you onto leaderboards, while the ‘Aviron money’ can help you unlock new features.
The games. Fun and challenging in equal measure, they are some of the best features of the Aviron Strong Series Rower. Our personal favorite was the Fishing Game, in which you have to collect points by catching various marine creatures with a fishing rod. The bigger the fish, the tougher the challenge — and the more points up for grabs. It is a clear nod to the fans of the iconic Concept2’s fish game. Other games are no less entertaining. You can destroy enemy ships, become a firefighter or simply break blocks with a ball in a game reminiscent of the classic Pong. It is easy to get lost in the Aviron games without realizing the sheer amount of exercise you are doing.
The Power Play races. This is another Aviron feature that ranked highly in our books. Put simply, you have to power up a race car with your strokes, and depending on your speed and power, you will land on a lane with the most points to collect along the way. But make no mistake, Power Play is not about pushing yourself to the limit. The races are designed to keep you within a prescribed power output, so you always have to think on your feet and go for the right combination of resistance and stroke frequency to achieve the best results. It is a clever strategy: while you are entirely focused on chasing the points, you inadvertently do a guided workout designed to boost your exercise performance.
Virtual rowing. It was another favorite of ours. In this mode, you can exercise in front of real footage from waterways and lakes across the globe. Pleasant scenery and the calming whoosh-whoosh sounds of passing water created a perfect environment to do our warm-ups or gentle active recovery rides.
The Aviron Strong Series Rower is not purely about the fun, though. It offers loads of value for the fans of performance-oriented rowing, too. For example, the Pros vs Joes mode allows you to race against real athletes from all walks of life (and get instantly humbled, in our experience!)
This rowing machine also comes with a large library of programs, guided workouts and comprehensive coaching videos. Ater each rowing session, you can also view a range of performance metrics — such as your stroke rate, power output and heart rate — to help you track your performance and identify any areas for improvement.
Lastly, the social aspect. The Aviron Strong Series Rower offers a great sense of community with other Aviron users. There are leaderboards for every challenge and program in its library, and you can race against other users, too. It is a great option for the competitive folk.
Aviron Strong Series Rower: Performance
- Smooth and quiet strokes at all resistance levels
- Comfortable seat and secure footplates
- Progress badges and motivational prompts
We thoroughly enjoyed our time with the Aviron Strong Series Rower. This dual air-magnetic resistance rower combined the realistic rowing feel of air rowers and the wide range of resistance typical of machines with magnetic flywheels. It produced smooth, balanced strokes at all speeds and across all 16 resistance levels, and its nylon belt did not jar, either (and that is perhaps our biggest pet peeve when it comes to rowing machines).
The Aviron Strong Series Rower was also relatively quiet. When we measured it with a decibel-counting app, it did not go above 60 decibels — equivalent to a normal conversation level.
The Aviron Strong Series was comfortable, too. The seat was firm yet pleasant to sit on, and it glided smoothly on the rail. The footplate pads kept our feet securely in place while allowing for some heel movement to accommodate the rowing motion.
We liked its swift connectivity, too. Our rower quickly linked up to our Wi-Fi network and any required updates were installed within minutes. The rower also immediately picked up on our heart rate monitor, and we watched Netflix and other streaming services with no lags or interruptions.
Last but not least, we were impressed by its motivational features. Whenever you fall behind during a workout, the Aviron Strong Series Rower will try to keep you going with cheerful prompts (‘Only a minute to go, you can do it!’). It also awards you a myriad of progress badges every time you reach a certain threshold, whether it is time spent rowing, miles racked or consistency in your training.
The Aviron Strong Series Rower gives you a strong sense of achievement, no matter how small and insignificant that achievement might be — and this is particularly helpful for beginners or those who struggle with sticking to their exercise routine.
Aviron Strong Series Rower: User reviews
The Aviron Strong Series Rower scores an impressive 4.95 out of 5 stars on the Aviron website. This rowing machine was universally praised for its sturdy design, quiet flywheel, fun games and motivational features, with many users saying that regular exercise on the Aviron Strong Series Rower has been instrumental in achieving their health and fitness goals.
Similarly, Amazon‘s customer reviews place the Aviron Strong Series Rower at a 4.5 out of 5 stars rating, with only one negative review (the user did not disclose the reason).
As one happy user said: “I absolutely love it, worth every penny! I had a hard time working out because I could never stay motivated enough. Aviron has more features [than other brands] and that was exactly what I was looking for. From coaching programs to structured programs and entertainment, you will find something you love. I now enjoy working out and I look forward to it every day.”
Another user commented: “I find the Aviron Strong Series Rower to have a very comfortable rowing stroke, and love that the foot stretchers and handle are wider for those of us who aren’t the same size as we once were.”
Negative remarks, though few and far between, often revolved around the subscription fees required to access the machine’s more advanced features.
Should you buy the Aviron Strong Series Rower?
Buy it if: You want a near-perfect rowing machine. The Aviron Strong Series Rower is sturdy, quiet and comfortable to ride, and it offers plenty of fun features to boost your motivation and keep you coming back for more.
Rowing beginners will benefit from its comprehensive coaching videos and easy-to-follow guided workouts, those with mobility issues will appreciate its high seat and adjustable footplates, while seasoned exercisers will thoroughly enjoy racing against other users and conquering the leaderboards.
Don’t buy it if: You are looking for something light, compact and portable. The Aviron Strong Series is a beast, both in size and in weight, and even though it can be placed upright to save space, it can still be tricky to store and move around the room. It is also relatively expensive.
If the Aviron Strong Series Rower is not for you
The Hydrow Wave is a perfect alternative to the Aviron Strong Series Rower. It delivers a realistic rowing performance and plenty of engaging workouts, yet it is slightly more compact and portable. It is also cheaper by around $500. However, the Hydrow Wave has a much smaller touchscreen — only 16 inches (40.6 cm) — and comes with no interactive games.
If you are a rowing purist, we would recommend the Concept 2 RowErg instead. This iconic machine combines unbeatable performance with exceptional durability, and it is cheaper than the Aviron Strong Series Rower by a whopping $1,000. However, it is also stripped of any premium frills like a touchscreen.
But if you would rather invest in a water rower, check out the Ergatta Rower. With its wooden frame and compact design, it is one of the best-looking machines we have ever tested. It does, however, cost a hefty $2,299, making it almost as expensive as the Aviron Strong Series Rower.
Aviron Strong Series Rower: How we tested
We tested the Aviron Strong Series Rower for over a month, looking at its setup, design, durability, features and value for money, as well as its connectivity with third-party apps and devices.
We put the rower through a wide range of workouts — including gentle active recovery rides, intense lung-busting sessions and fitness classes — to fully assess its rowing performance and check whether it is accessible to beginners and people with limited mobility. Lastly, we tried multiple games, races and rowing challenges to fully explore what the Aviron Strong Series Rower has to offer.
