NordicTrack RW900 Rower Review: iFIT, Netflix, Row Anywhere?

Dimensions/Storability

Due to the nature of their designs, rowers require a fairly large amount of floor space. They’re long machines. The NordicTrack RW900 is as long as most rowers and doesn’t fold up. Its dimensions are 80.1” L x 21.8” W x 52.7” H.

You’ll need to consider its dimensions plus a few extra feet at the rear of the rail to use it comfortably, especially if you’re tall.

The RW900 can be moved. It weighs 158 lbs when it’s delivered, so it’s a heavy rower, but there are two front wheels for transporting. You lift the back of the rail to engage the wheels and move it around. It’s fairly easy to move but heavier than most rowers, so keep this in mind.

It also stores upright and rests on the touchscreen’s neck. You’ll need at least a 7-foot high ceiling (6.6’ technically) to store it upright. Storing it upright helps cut down on its length, but not as much as we’d like. The touchscreen doesn’t fold or collapse inward, which makes it hard to shove it over in a corner.

It’s nice to be able to store it upright, but it’d be even nicer if the touchscreen folded in to make it even more storable.

Onboard Workouts & Apps

Most magnetic and hybrid rowers have touchscreens with subscription training content. The NordicTrack RW900 has a large touchscreen that streams iFIT.

Here’s what you can expect from an iFIT subscription on the RW900.

iFIT

iFIT is a complete training subscription service that offers a wide variety of workout content for compatible cardio equipment. iFIT is primarily available on equipment from NordicTrack and ProForm. It is $39 per month, which is comparable to other premium training subscriptions like Peloton.

You can purchase a 1, 2, or 3-year iFIT subscription upfront to help reduce the overall price. Also, if you use iFIT on another compatible machine, like a treadmill, you can use your membership on the RW900.

iFIT has thousands of on-demand trainer-led workouts. These are filmed in professional studios where the instructor leads the class on a rower or other type of equipment. Oftentimes, there are participants taking the class in person.

Indoor rowing classes may include segments off the rower on a workout mat.

The indoor workouts are nice, but where iFIT stands out is the outdoor-filmed workouts. These take place in areas all over the world. Rowing workouts are held in a variety of water locations, like Little Bitterroot Lake in Montana and off the shore of Oahu.

The outdoor rowing workouts follow the instructor as they lead the workout on a rowing shell. You get motivation, guidance, and encouragement as you row.

iFIT has a knack for choosing beautiful locations for their trainer-led video classes.

Plus, there are mat workouts of all types available. Strength training, yoga, and meditation are available on the RW900’s screen. There are a lot of workouts available, so if you’re looking for more than just a rower, iFIT on the RW900 provides a lot of versatility.

SmartAdjust

SmartAdjust allows the rowing machine to make automatic resistance adjustments on the fly.

SmartAdjust is one of my favorite iFIT features. This feature considers your performance in prior workouts to adjust the resistance of the RW900 throughout your iFIT workout. It adjusts it based on what it thinks you can handle from your previous workouts.

ActivePulse is a feature available on iFIT-compatible treadmills, but it isn’t available on the RW900 yet. You can connect your heart rate monitor to the RW900, but only to view and record it with your workout. SmartAdjust is helpful for hands-free workouts, though.

Create Your Own Workouts

The create your own workout section features—you guessed it—workouts you create. You can set time, distance, and calorie goal-specific workouts or create custom workouts with intervals. There are also estimated resistance and strokes per minute settings.

A general lap track screen, along with your workout metrics, is displayed on the screen during these workouts.

There are also onboard workouts with preset settings to take. I counted 12 workouts currently. More may be added in the future.

Google Maps was added recently to iFIT 2.0. This feature allows rowers to map their own courses to advance through a Google Street View slideshow of route images. The speed of the images is determined by your rowing speed, as if you were really rowing along the route. It’s kind of strange to row along a road, but its unique.

Streaming Apps

You can access content from a variety of third-party streaming apps on the NordicTrack RW900.

Along with all the workout options, iFIT also offers different streaming apps. These currently include Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, Audible, and PlutoTV.

Once you log into your account for each app you can stream from the RW900’s screen. Now, you can only access the apps on the rower with a subscription to iFIT. It is annoying that they aren’t available on the screen to log into for free, but this is typical for most training subscriptions.

Having all of these apps is really helpful. I like how their integration into iFIT. I can still take an iFIT workout but listen to Spotify or watch a movie or show from one of the other apps, and the resistance will still automatically adjust. There are app widgets for you to see the apps in your iFIT workout and charts to see the trajectory of your iFIT workout while streaming something else.

Spotify personalizes my workout, letting my workout to familiar bangers that get me through the toughest intervals.

iFIT has a Feed.fm music feature that plays preselected playlists of songs in the background of the workouts. This feature is fine, but I like using the apps better. Since iFIT doesn’t have any music integrated into the workouts to listen to with the instructor, being able to use the apps during each class is a good trade-off.

AI Coach

iFIT also offers an AI training coach to help recommend iFIT workouts to you based on your training goals. This feature texts you on your phone and then puts workouts in the calendar in iFIT on the rower and in the iFIT app.

This feature is still being beta-tested. I’ve been using it for about a month, and it is helpful when selecting classes for me. It doesn’t always remember some of the things I tell it, though. Since it is in beta, it will probably undergo some changes before being finalized.

I think the AI coach is helpful if you need an extra nudge to workout. AI coach “Tailor” will text you to remind you of your scheduled workout the next day and let you know if you miss any workouts. It also checks in to remind you to drink water and stretch.

The AI coach can help you remember to do strength training to supplement your rowing routine.

If you don’t want to receive texts reminding you to workout, you probably won’t like this feature. It is optional, so if you try it and don’t like it, you don’t have to use this feature to use iFIT.

iFIT has recently undergone many welcomed changes. iFIT was one of the best training subscriptions before these updates, and now it is even more so.

Onboard Workouts

You can use the RW900 Rower without iFIT, but with everything it offers, we recommend subscribing. iFIT is a big aspect of this rower. Without iFIT, you can use manual mode without connecting to the internet. You can also access some onboard workouts and featured iFIT workouts with a free iFIT account.

Console

The pivoting 24” touchscreen is one of the most noteworth features on the RW900.

The RW900 Rower doesn’t have much of a “console” like other types of fitness equipment. Basically, all of the rower’s functionality is built into the touchscreen. The NordicTrack has a 24” pivoting touchscreen.

It tilts up and down for better viewing and pivots to both sides of the rower. This way, if you want to follow up on your rowing workout with some guided stretching or use iFIT for more than just rowing workouts, you can do so from the RW900’s screen.

With practically all the rower’s functionality built into the screen, the screen is worth it. It’s also a big reason to buy the RW900. There are plenty of rowers with simple LCD consoles.

The screen is easy to see and reach. I can even reach it with my feet strapped into the footplates, unlike on some rowers.

The screen has been updated and improved to be slimmer and lighter than the previous rower’s screen. It is responsive and has good visibility.

The speakers are also clear and offer a lot of volume. I can hear all the content well and have plenty of volume range to increase if needed. In iFIT, you can adjust the trainer’s voice, app volume, and overall speaker volume, making it easy to mute the iFIT instructor and just listen to the show I’m watching on Netflix.

The volume adjusts on the right drop menu on the screen in iFIT’s library and during a workout.

The resistance levels also only adjust on the screen.

Changing the resistance at the bottom of the screen during a workout can be a little annoying. I have to stop rowing to do this. Handle adjustment buttons would be nice. Using SmartAdjust also helps.

There isn’t a fan or any type of storage on the rower. Most rowers don’t have any place to hold your phone or water. You’ll need to set those on a table or the floor nearby. There isn’t a device rack to stream content from your phone or tablet while you row, either, to encourage you to subscribe to iFIT and access all the features with a subscription.

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Build Quality

Overall, the NordicTrack RW900 Rower is quiet, smooth, and stable. It has the same general design as the previous version, but this one feels even more solid. It handles up to 300 lbs, which is a decent weight limit.

However, I’m surprised it doesn’t have a higher weight limit, considering how large and heavy this rower is.

Frame

The stabilizer and touchscreen neck are sturdy enough to keep the rower stored upright.

The frame features steel stabilizers at the front and rear of the oversized monorail. The frame stays planted on the floor, and the thickness of the rail adds even more stability.

The rail ranges from 14” high at the front to 15.5” high at the rear. It has a slight slope to help encourage you into the catch from the finish. Many rowers have slightly sloped rails for this purpose.

Geometry/Dimensions

• Footprint: 80.1″ L x 21.8″ W x 52.7″ H
• Pedals: 13” L x 18” W
• Monorail: 43” L x 15” H
• Saddle: 11.5” wide x 9.5” deep x 19” tall
• Belt Drive: 29” from where the belt feeds out to the ground

Footboard & Footplates

The RW900 has pretty simple footboards and stretchers with multiple adjustments and straps.

The footboards are on either side of the wide monorail. They are a little wider spaced than other rowers, like water rowers and the Concept2. They feel a little wide for me, but I’m only 5’1”. The spacing may be more comfortable for larger users.

They’re also good for beginners since having your feet closer together, like the position in a shell for outdoor rowing, is a little more challenging. The spacing should be fine for most people.

The footplates are pretty straightforward to adjust. You have to push the black piece behind each gray footstretcher to adjust them to be longer or shorter. The bottom hugs your shoes’ heels to keep them in place. They also allow for some ankle flexion if you need it while in the catch.

The straps to hold your feet in place are velcro, which I prefer. Velcro straps make strapping in and out of the rower quick and easy. They’re also easy to adjust to fit over the tops of my feet. The footplates are compatible to use with athletic shoes

The footboards are also long enough for various-sized feet to push against.

Handle

The handle isn’t completely round; it’s more of an oval space, but it is pretty comfortable in your hand. It has a nice texture, so you can get a good grip, and it doesn’t feel slippery. It would be nice if they were a little longer, but they should work well for most people.

There isn’t the option to do single-arm rowing, so just keep this in mind.

Seat

The seat is my biggest issue with this rower. Though rower seats aren’t known for being comfortable, I have tested some that are much more comfortable, like the ones on AssaultRowers and the Cloud seat on Aviron rowers. The seat on the RW900 is smaller and less cushioned than most.

I think a wider seat would be nice with the width of the rail. The seat has minimal contouring, and it feels stiff.

After rowing for a bit, I’m a little sore from sitting on this seat.

The material on the seat also feels a little slippery, especially when I wear certain leggings. It is probably the spandex material that’s already slippery that makes the seat feel even more so.

The seat glides really smoothly along the rail. It almost glides too easily. I almost fell off once or twice trying to get on the seat. I wish it locked into place like the AssaultRowers or had a little more weight to keep it from shifting around beneath you.

I think a new saddle would be nice in a future update, but this one is functional.

Flywheel

The RW900 has a belt-drive system that attaches the handle to the flywheel to provide resistance while rowing. Belt drives require less maintenance and are quieter and smoother than chain drive systems.

So, the RW900 feels really smooth when pulling the handle along with gliding on the seat. The belt seems to lose a little bit of tension in the stroke. It doesn’t keep the tension quite like Hydrow rowers. These rowers keep more tension in the belt during the recovery and finish to help encourage you into the catch more easily.

I recommend the RW900 for more beginner and intermediate rowers, while those who prefer a more powerful rower will want to look elsewhere.

The flywheel is inertia-enhanced to keep the motion of the stroke smooth throughout, though.

Resistance

The resistance is another reason why this rower isn’t for advanced rowing. It uses magnetic resistance, which has a maximum resistance level. Air and water rowers have no max resistance, so you can’t out-row them, like magnetic rowers. However, the 26 levels vary a lot in the tension provided.

The resistance isn’t as smooth as magnetic rowing competitors, like those from Hydrow. The NordicTrack RW900’s resistance drops drops off during the return to the catch and loads abruptly.

Magnetic rowers aren’t as powerful, but they’re quiet. And this NordicTrack rower is one of the quietest we’ve tested.

Warranty

NordicTrack includes their standard 10-year frame, 2-year parts, and 1-year labor warranty with the RW900 Rower. One person could assemble it themselves, but having two people to attach the touchscreen is helpful. NordicTrack also offers a white-glove delivery that’s extra, in case you don’t want to worry about assembly.

Should You Buy The NordicTrack RW900 Rower?

So, who should buy the NordicTrack RW900? While I recommend that advanced users look into another rower, beginner and intermediate users should enjoy the RW900. The appeal to this rower is that it’s quiet, stable, and compatible with iFIT.

iFIT is a big reason to buy this rower. The 24” touchscreen doesn’t have many features without a subscription. With a subscription, you get access to thousands of trainer-led workouts. Indoor and outdoor-filmed rowing workouts, as well as mat workouts like yoga and strength training, are available on the rower.

Streaming apps and the ability to create your own workouts are also available on the screen in iFIT. If you want a more versatile rower that offers more training options than rowing, I recommend you check out the RW900. There aren’t many rowers with off-the-rower training content as vast as iFIT’s library.

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NordicTrack RW900 Rower Q&A / FAQ

Can you use the NordicTrack RW900 without iFIT?

You don’t need to subscribe to iFIT to use the RW900. Without iFIT, you can use manual mode or access a few onboard workouts and featured iFIT workouts with a free iFIT account.

Does the NordicTrack RW900 fold up?

The RW900 doesn’t fold up, but it can be stored upright. The touchscreen doesn’t fold down, so you still need to keep a decent amount of floor space clear. However, it’s nice to be able to store it upright to save space.

Is our review paid?

We were not paid to create this review. NordicTrack sent us the RW900, but we weren’t paid to write this. We work with a wide variety of brands, including NordicTrack, to test fitness equipment and create these reviews. This allows us to recommend the best equipment because we’ve tested it.

We get paid through our affiliate links. We receive a commission when consumers make a purchase through our links. If you found this review to be helpful and if you’re ready to buy, we’d appreciate you using our links. This allows us to keep creating informed reviews.

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