NordicTrack RW700 Rower Review – 2023

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Last Updated: August 25, 2023

The RW700 is the more affordable alternative to the NordicTrack RW900 Rower. It comes with a 10” touch screen that tilts and pivots to either side for training off the rower, has front-facing speakers, 26 levels of resistance, and can be stored upright. The NordicTrack RW700 Rower is great for most homes because it uses adjustable magnetic resistance. It has an oversized steel monorail and a contoured seat that sits up pretty high, making it easier for users to get on and off. A big appeal of this rower is the iFit subscription which comes complimentary for the first month. iFit offers over 16,000 classes and counting so you can work your total body on and off this rowing machine. In this review of the NordicTrack RW700 Rower, we’ll give you insight into what to expect.

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Why You Should Trust Our Review Of The NordicTrack RW700 Rower

Although we don’t have this rower in our studio to test yet, we have an excellent idea of how it will perform because we’ve tested and used its premium version, the NordicTrack RW900. These rowers are extremely similar, so we’ve relied on our experience using the RW900 to create this full review. We also included photos of the RW900 throughout this review for the components that are identical. You can trust that we’ve done our research on the RW700 to help you decide whether it’s right for you.

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In-depth Review Of The NordicTrack RW700 Rower

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iFit Subscription

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 to take whenever you want. iFit comes free for the first month when you purchase the NordicTrack RW700 Rower. Here’s what you can expect with an iFit subscription.

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 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.

Pre-programmed Workouts

Of course, you don’t have to subscribe to iFit to use the NordicTrack RW700 Rower. Without a subscription, there are onboard workouts to choose from. These include various workouts with preselected resistances and intensity levels. There is also a featured iFit workout that you can take with an instructor. You can of course use manual mode and do your own thing, too.

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. There is AutoAdjust technology available with iFit where the resistance will change for you depending on the intensity of the workout, but if you want to change it on your own, you’ll need to use the screen.

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 there 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.

Construction

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

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 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.

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.

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 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.

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 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. 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.

Performance & Functionality

With the NordicTrack RW700 Rower having the same build and components as the RW900, we assume that the rowers perform the same. We recommend the RW900 for beginner and intermediate rowers. We recommend the RW700 to these users, too. The seat is also a little high compared to the position of the pedals, unlike a rowing shell outside, so if you’re looking for a rower to simulate that experience, I would consider a water rower.

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 2 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 do need to factor in some extra width to accommodate the screen and arm post.

Warranty

When purchasing the NordicTrack RW700 Rower, it comes with NordicTrack’s standard warranty which is 10 years for the frame, 2 years for parts, and 1 year for labor.

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