Hydrow Wave Rower Review | Is It Our Favorite?

Dimensions/Storability

Although the Hydrow Wave is the lower-end model in Hydrow’s lineup, we are pleased with its high quality. This rower has a 375-lb weight capacity and is more compact than the Hydrow Pro. Moving the Wave is easier compared to the Hydrow Pro. The Hydrow is 86″ long, while the Wave is 80″ long. The Hydrow Wave Rower is similar in length to the NordicTrack RW900.

The Hydrow Wave can be stored upright with a wall anchor to save space.

Having this storage option really helps if you don’t have a lot of room for the rower.

The Hydrow Wave’s dimensions are 80″ L x 19″ W 43″ H and 26.5″ W x 30″ D x 82″ H when stored. The pedals are 13 inches long. The monorail is 52 inches long by eleven to twelve inches high. The seat is 12 inches wide and 10 inches long. It sits 14.5 inches off the ground. Lastly, the strap connected to the handle is 25 inches long.

This frame feels durable and lightweight. In comparison, the Hydrow Wave weighs 102 lbs versus the original Hydrow, which weighs 145 lbs. This makes a big difference when moving these two models around and storing them upright.

The Hydrow Wave is much easier to maneuver around our studio than the original.

Onboard Workouts & Apps

Content

What really makes Hydrow’s content stand out is that it consists primarily of outdoor rowing classes filmed on water. These classes are led by experienced rowing athletes who guide you through the workouts as they row themselves. The blend of high-quality videography, energetic instructors, and beautiful locations makes Hydrow’s library of content the best, in our opinion.

The outdoor classes really make for an immersive experience.

Remember that to access the library of classes on Hydrow Wave’s screen, you must pay a $38 monthly subscription fee. Unfortunately, you won’t have access to the classes or screen content without a subscription. We highly recommend subscribing to the membership when you purchase the Hydrow Wave.

There are plenty of other rowers on the market that don’t require a subscription if you don’t like trainer-led content, like the Concept2, for instance.

For classes on the Hydrow Wave, there is a schedule of live classes and on-demand. There are also classes off the rower for well-rounded training. These include strength, yoga, and stretching classes. Our favorites are the outdoor rowing classes though.

During class, a leaderboard is displayed on the right side of the screen. This shows where you rank compared to other members currently taking and have previously taken the class. You can use filters to narrow the results on the leaderboard. After class, you can connect with other members through the leaderboard, too.

Every class has a curated playlist of music that plays in the background. I can’t work out without listening to music, so having a unique playlist for every class is perfect. I like that the music is a bit more integrated into the workout versus having a radio-like preselected playlist that just plays in the background of all the classes. This helps add to the overall energy of each class.

For those who want to just row without an instructor, there are Journeys that allow you to explore remote water locations on your own. The camera faces the front of a rowing shell that moves over the water while you row.

Compared to other platforms like iFit and Peloton, Hydrow has fewer class programs. Hydrow does offer races to take, as well as beginner classes that get you started with proper rowing form on the Hydrow Wave.

Console

The touch screen on the Hydrow Wave is smaller than the original at 16″ versus 22″. This screen doesn’t tilt or pivot to either side like the screen on the Hydrow Rower. Utilizing Hydrow’s off-rower classes is more challenging because you can’t turn the screen at all, but not impossible. For mat classes, you can place your mat behind the rower to see the content.

This size of the screen is plenty large to see everything while rowing.

I prefer 22″ touch screens, but I don’t notice a huge difference in this touchscreen size, and can see everything clearly. The screen’s distance is about the same as that of the Hydrow. While I can reach the screen for the most part while strapped in, I usually unstrap at least one foot while searching for a class to take. I’m 5’1″, for reference, so taller users shouldn’t have this problem.

Our team loves the front-facing speakers and they are loud and clear. You can adjust them with the raised buttons on the side of the touch screen. All other functionality is within the touch screen, though. So, in order to change the resistance level, start, end, and pause a class, you’ll do this through the screen.

There isn’t any storage available for items like your phone or water bottle, so those will have to be placed on the floor or on a table nearby.

When storing upright, the screen can be collapsed down to help the rower take up less space. It uses a pin that once removed, collapses the screen. The Hydrow Rower has a button which is a cleaner design, but the pin works fine.

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Build Quality

Frame

The frame of the Hydrow Wave is made of a thermoplastic polymer. The frame has a dark gray industrial-design finish when you select the Pirate Black color, which gives it a unique look. You can also choose from other brighter colors like River (blue), Forest (green), Sunrise (yellow), and Sunset (orange).

Here’s a close-up of the Pirate Black color.

The Wave has a stainless steel monorail that is smooth and sturdy while rowing. It is pretty easy to get on and off because the rail is 11-12″ high off the ground. It is 11″ at the front and gradually rises to 12″ in the back. The seat is about 14.5″ high. This height makes getting on and off the seat much easier than water rowers like the Ergatta, which sit very low on the floor.

Matthew is our tallest reviewer at 6’5″ and he finds the Wave to be comfortable and accommodating for his height.

Our team believes that the Hydrow Wave is appropriate for users of all abilities and most sizes. Beginners will definitely find a lot of value in Hydrow’s rowing content, and experienced rowers should find it to be very engaging.

Footboard & Pedals

The pedals and footboards are plenty large for most sized users. The pedals adjust to fit a wide range of foot sizes and can accommodate all athletic shoes. They’re pretty easy to adjust and allow for ankle flexion when you’re in the catch. I do prefer velcro straps because they are faster to adjust over the top of your foot, but these straps work just fine in securing your feet.

These are a little bit easier to adjust because of the singular notch hole rather than the two that the original Hydrow has.

The spacing of the footboards and pedals is also plenty wide, so users shouldn’t feel cramped or constricted. The footboards allow you to push through your feet to use your lower body through the drive.

Handle

The handle on the Hydrow Wave Rower is almost the exact same as the Hydrow Rower, but it has a smoother texture. While the texture is smooth, it doesn’t feel slippery; instead, it is tackier for more grip. This texture isn’t my favorite, but the handle is comfortable and round to fit well in your hands.

The handle is plenty long for broad-shouldered users, too.

Seat

We are glad that the Wave has the same seat as the original rower from Hydrow. The seat is nicely cushioned and contoured to be comfortable and sturdy. This seat is one of our favorites, and we’ve used it on rowers. The seat on the AssaultRower Elite is our favorite, but this one is a close second.

Users should find this seat to be plenty comfortable, especially for rowing over long periods of time.

Flywheel

The belt makes the Hydrow Wave quiet to use. Rowers like the Concept2 that have a chain are louder when in use. This belt makes for a smooth rowing experience. The belt remains nice and tight throughout the entire stroke, too.

The Hydrow Wave uses a belt that connects the handle to the flywheel.

Rowers like the NordicTrack RW900 and rowers from ProForm sometimes have a little slack in the recovery position, but the Wave does not. It doesn’t quite have as much tension in the recovery as the original Hydrow, though, but the difference is minimal and only really noticeable when you have both rowers side by side.

The Hydrow utilizes the belt to encourage users into the recovery position from the finish, while the Wave utilizes the rail. The monorail is slightly angled to be lower in the front than the back, to help guide users into a proper rowing position.

Resistance

The Hydrow Wave Rower uses adjustable magnetic resistance. This is adjusted on the screen via the drag factor. This is the same mechanism that the Hydrow uses and from what we can tell using these rowers next to each other, the resistance is the same on each.

The drag factor is the resistance. The resistance is computer-controlled and can be adjusted once you’re in a class or Journey. The range offered is level 50 up to level 300. This feature provides a great deal of tension that should be enough for most users.

Noise

The flywheel and resistance make less noise. However, you get a little noise from the belt as it’s pulled, and the seat glides over the rail. Both of these are normal for rowers. All of this is to say that the Wave should work well in most homes, like the original Hydrow.

The Hydrow Wave is also a bit quieter to use than the Hydrow.

Warranty

The Hydrow Wave comes with a 5-year warranty for the frame and a 12-month warranty for components, the screen, other electronics, and labor. The Wave has standard delivery with the option for in-home assembly for an additional price. Our team set up the Wave ourselves and found it to be pretty straightforward and standard compared to other rowers we’ve put together.

Should You Buy the Hydrow Wave Rower

The Hydrow Wave is the new kid on the block from Hydrow. We are thrilled that Hydrow now offers a comparable but more affordable, compact, and lighter alternative to the Hydrow Rower. The Hydrow Wave only weighs 102 lbs, has a smaller footprint, and stores upright. It comes in multiple color options.

The Wave also displays all of Hydrow’s library of classes with a subscription. We are so impressed with the Hydrow Wave and love Hydrow’s rowing content that we awarded this rower the best rowing content award on our best rowers list for 2024. Users who have limited space and want to save some money on a quality rower should check out the Hydrow Wave.

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Hydrow Wave Rower Q&A / FAQ

What is the difference between the Hydrow and the Hydrow Wave?

The Hydrow Wave has a lighter frame. It also has a smaller screen. The Hydrow Wave supports the same content as the Hydrow Pro and Vista.

Can the Hydrow Wave Rower be used without a subscription?

The Hydrow Wave Rower can be used in “Just Row” mode without a subscription. However, you can’t even change the resistance. Using the Hydrow Wave without a subscription is not worth it in our opinion.

Can you watch Netflix on the Hydrow Wave?

No, you cannot watch Netflix on the Hydrow Wave. We would love for Hydrow to add this feature in the future.

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