NordicTrack RW700 Rower Review: Row and Sweat with iFIT

Dimensions/Storability

The RW700 isn’t a folding rower, so in order to store it and save you some floor space, you have to store it upright. There are two transportation wheels under the front stabilizer, so when you lift the back end, you can move it around. Also, when it’s stored upright, it rests on the front stabilizer and the arm post that holds the screen. There isn’t a way to fold the screen inward, so you need to factor in some extra width to accommodate the screen and arm post.

It’s nice to be able to store it upright to save some room in your home when you’re not using it.

Below is the RW900, which is about the same size as the RW700. The RW900 is just a half-inch long, 1” wider, and 5” taller, while the RW700 is 81.5” L x 21” W x 49” H.

Onboard Workouts & Apps

As I mentioned, the RW700 comes enabled with iFIT. Here is what you can expect with a subscription.

iFIT

A big appeal to NordicTrack equipment, including the NordicTrack RW900 Rower, is iFIT. iFIT is a complete training platform that offers thousands of trainer-led workouts. The workouts are available on-demand for you to take whenever you want.

iFIT is available on numerous fitness equipment like treadmills, exercise bikes, ellipticals, and rowers. iFIT workouts consist of indoor-filmed and outdoor-filmed classes. On the RW700 you have access to indoor and outdoor rowing classes as well as iFIT mat classes like yoga and strength training.

The indoor rowing classes are filmed in professional studios. They feature the instructor leading the class on a rower, often with in-person participants around them. They provide guidance, form correction, and motivation throughout the workout.

The outdoor rowing classes are filmed in water locations all around the world. This is the RW900’s screen.

The camera points at the instructor, as well as shows their perspective as they row and take you through each workout and location. The outdoor classes are our favorites from iFIT on any machine. We love the rowing classes because they make you feel like you’re rowing on water, well as close as you can be without actually being in a rowing shell on the water.

It’s also really nice to be able to follow up a rowing class with a yoga workout or stretch to cool down. I like taking a strength workout before I row, too. Subscribing to iFIT definitely has some beneficial features, and it makes the RW700 a very versatile, interactive machine.

Onboard Workouts

Of course, you don’t have to subscribe to iFIT to use the NordicTrack RW700 Rower. There is a featured iFIT workout that you can take with an instructor. You can use manual mode and do your own thing.

Console

The console consists of the 10” touch screen on the RW700. Something that’s really nice about the 10” screen is that it’s very adjustable. It tilts up and down and pivots to either side. The RW900 is the same, just with a larger screen, so we really appreciate this feature, especially for iFIT workouts.

I can also reach the RW900’s screen when my feet are strapped into the pedals, so I can imagine I’ll be able to reach the RW700’s screen. The 10” touch screen isn’t the largest, but it should be a good size for most people to see the iFIT content and workout metrics clearly.

With the console really consisting of just the touch screen, the majority of the rower’s functionality is accessed through the touch screen.

So, if you want to change the resistance, you have to use the touch screen. There aren’t any adjustment buttons located around the screen like other smart home rowers to change the resistance, so keep this in mind. AutoAdjust technology is available with iFIT, where the resistance will change for you depending on the intensity of the workout. However, if you want to change it on your own, you’ll need to use the screen.

I really like that the speakers are front-facing.

This way, when you’re streaming iFIT workouts, the sound projects at you. We’ve found the RW900’s speakers to be loud and clear, so the RW700’s should be too. You can also change the volume with the buttons below the screen or on the screen to balance the sound between the instructor’s voice and the music available on iFIT. You can mute one or both, too.

The speakers are also Bluetooth enabled, so you can pair your headphones to them to listen through them as well.

There isn’t any storage for your phone, tablet, or water on the RW700, so keep this in mind. Most rowers we’ve tested don’t come with any storage for a water bottle.

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Build Quality

It has pretty much all of the same specs and design, so it should perform and function similarly, if not the same.

Our team has found the NordicTrack RW900 to be a really stable and solid rower, so we expect the RW700 to be, as well.

Like the RW900, the NordicTrack RW700 has a 250 lb weight limit. This capacity is on the lower end of what we see for most rowing machines. If you’re a larger person or want a machine with a larger capacity, rowing machines like Aviron Rowers, Ergatta, and Concept2 are nice options.

Frame

The frame of the NordicTrack RW700 Rower has the same frame design with steel stabilizers and an oversized steel monorail as the RW900. The rail appears to be the same as the more expensive rower. We assume it has a slight forward slope, which helps you while you’re rowing. We also anticipate the rail to feel just as smooth and secure as the RW900, in addition to the rest of the frame.

The oversized monorail feels really stable on the RW900 and should be on the RW700.

Footboard & Pedals

The footboards and pedals are separated by the monorail, so most people should find their spacing to be sufficient. Some rowers, like water rowers that have narrow pedals and footboards, can feel a little constricting for some people, especially beginners.

The pedals are adjustable like most rowers, so they should fit most shoe sizes.

There’s also a bottom heel clip to help keep your feet secure while allowing ankle flexion when you need it in the catch. I really like that the pedals have nylon velcro straps to strap in and out of. I prefer these types of straps because they’re quick and easy to adjust, get a good fit around your feet, and they’re easy to get out of.

Handle

I prefer rounded handles, but this handle should be modeled well for good gripping and to keep your hands and wrists aligned. It looks to be the same handle as the other NordicTrack Rower, so it should be lighted and padded to be comfortable in your hands with a nice texture that shouldn’t feel slippery. Larger folks or those with broad shoulders might want a longer handle, but this one should work just fine for most.

The RW700’s handle looks to be oblong in shape and exactly like the RW900.

Seat

This isn’t the largest seat, but it is comparable to other rowers like the Concept2. The padding should be sufficient for most people, but just know that rower seats aren’t the most comfortable of seats, in general.

The seat is the same as the RW900, so it’s lightly padded and contoured in the back to support your tailbone in the finish.

The seat sits up a little higher than the rail on a post which should provide a good base of support. The rail and seat sit up off the ground, like the RW900, so the NordicTrack RW700 should be pretty easy to get on and off of. Most water rowers in comparison sit very close to the ground and can be difficult for people with limited mobility to use because of this. Therefore, the RW700 should work for most people.

Flywheel

This rower uses a belt drive system to connect the flywheel to the handle. This belt is where you feel the resistance and pull against it. Belts require little to no maintenance, so they are a good option for most people.

The flywheel is under the screen on the front of the RW700.

They’re also quiet and smooth. Chains, in comparison, require some maintenance and usually make clanking and grinding sounds while you row. They also make each stroke feel a little gritty in comparison.

Something we’ve noticed with the RW900 Rower is that the belt tends to lose some tension in the finish and recovery portions of the stroke. It doesn’t go completely slack; we’ve just noticed that it isn’t as tight as Hydrow’s rowers. So, keep this in mind with the RW700 Rower, too.

Most rowing machines that we recommend for most homes, especially those with shared walls like apartments and condos, are belt drive rowers. So, this is a nice feature of the RW700.

Resistance

Another type of rowing machine that we recommend for most homes because of its low noise output is a magnetic rower. The NordicTrack RW700 is a magnetic rower that offers different levels of adjustable resistance to row against. Magnetic resistance is quiet, unlike air rowers that use air resistance in a fan flywheel. So, we expect the RW700 to be pretty quiet and appropriate for most home spaces.

There are 26 levels of resistance to work with, or should I say against. Of course, you can also just adjust your strokes per minute to adjust the intensity, but if you like a lot of tension to pull against or to vary your resistance while rowing, you have that option on the RW700.

Warranty

When purchasing the NordicTrack RW700 Rower, it comes with NordicTrack’s standard warranty, which is ten years for the frame, two years for parts, and one year for labor.

Should You Buy The NordicTrack RW700 Rower?

The NordicTrack RW700 has some nice features that make this rower appropriate to use in most homes. The adjustable magnetic resistance should keep each stroke quiet while you row.

Although we don’t have this model in our studio yet, we predict the RW700 will perform very similarly to the NordicTrack RW900 that we’ve tested. In comparison, the RW700 has a 10” screen, 26 levels of adjustable resistance, an oversized monorail that sits up pretty high, and it can be stored upright.

iFIT is enabled on the touch screen to offer thousands of trainer-led workouts. The workouts are filmed on water and in an indoor studio. Plus, the screen pivots to each side, so you can take yoga and strength training classes on iFIT from the RW700’s screen, too.

If you’re looking for an interactive, quiet, and storable rowing machine for your home, we recommend checking out the NordicTrack RW700 Rower.

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NordicTrack RW700 Rower Q&A / FAQ

Can you use the NordicTrack RW700 Rower without a subscription?

Yes! You don’t need a subscription to iFIT to use the RW700. You can use manual mode and access a free iFIT workout without a subscription.

Does the NordicTrack RW700 fold up?

The RW700 doesn’t fold up. It can be stored upright, however. This saves a lot of floor space. Just keep in mind that the touchscreen doesn’t fold, so you’ll need to keep enough space clear for that, plus make sure you have enough ceiling clearance to store the rower upright.

Is our NordicTrack RW700 Rower review paid?

Our review is not paid. NordicTrack sends us fitness equipment to test, but we are not paid for our reviews. We have affiliate links where we make commissions. Along with NordicTrack, we work with several brands so we can test all kinds of fitness equipment, as well as many different rowers. This way, we can recommend the best rowing machines on the market to consumers.

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