Having a large, dedicated space to exercise at home is a luxury. Many of us don’t have a separate home gym and have to store our exercise equipment in living rooms, offices, or bedrooms. The WalkingPad WR1 may be the solution for anyone who doesn’t have the space for a traditional rower.
The WalkingPad WR1 is a water rower with a double-folding design. When you aren’t training, the WR1 stores discreetly, almost like a cube. The wooden frame will also help this rowing machine blend in with your furniture and belongings in multi-purpose rooms.
The benefits of the WR1 are obvious, but our team was skeptical about its performance. How well could a water rower of this size perform? Find out what our team discovered in our testing below.
WalkingPad WR1 Rower Review: Bottom Line
WalkingPad WR1 vs. Similar Rowing Machines
To compile this review of the WalkingPad Folding Rower, we tried it next to the Ergatta Lite Water Rower, the Concept2 RowErg, the ProForm Pro R10, and the ProForm Pro 750R, as well as a few others we have on hand. This way, we could assess how the WalkingPad compares to these other popular rowing machines.
 WalkingPad WR1 |  Ergatta Lite |  ProForm Pro R10 |  AssaultRower Pro |  NordicTrack RW900 | |
| Price (MSRP) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | The WalkingPad WR1 is a small water rowing machine that is best for beginners and endurance rowing. | The Ergatta Lite has a wooden frame and a nice touchscreen display that showcases the gamified Ergatta training content and City Row training classes. | The ProForm Pro R10 has automatic magnetic resistance adjustments when following along with iFIT, so you can focus on your workout with a top trainer rather than pressing buttons. | This high-quality rower is well-priced, comfortable, and durable. | The NordicTrack RW900 uses iFIT for automatic resistance adjustments that make varying your intensity easier than it is on any other rowing machine. |
| Awards Earned | |||||
| Check Price | Check Price | Check Price | Check Price | Check Price | Check Price |
| Product | WalkingPad WR1 | Ergatta Lite | ProForm Pro R10 | AssaultRower Pro | NordicTrack RW900 |
| Workout Experience | 5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 |
| Specs / Features | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
| Dimensions / Storability | 10 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 |
| On-Board Workouts & Apps | 6 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 8 |
| Build Quality | 6 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 7 |
| Overall Score | 70 | 85 | 76 | 85 | 83 |
| # of Onboard Workouts | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 2 |
| Paid Programming - Cost | N/A | $29/month | iFIT - $39/month | N/A | $39/month |
| Netflix / 3rd Party Apps | N/A | N/A | Netflix, Prime (beta-testing) | N/A | Netflix, Prime (in beta-testing) |
| Display | LCD screen | 17.3" Full HD 1920x1080 | 10" smart HD touchscreen | Battery-powered digital console | 22” HD touchscreen |
| Dimensions (In Use) | 76.3" L x 19.6" W x 22" H | 82" x 23" x 38" | 86.5" x 22" x 45.5" | 92” L x 22” W x 45” H | 82" L x 22" W x 54" H |
| Pedal Type | |||||
| Storage | Folds: 26.7" L x 19.6" W x 22.8" H | Vertical and horizontal | folding | Upright | Horizontal, vertical |
| Rower Weight | 64 lbs | 72 lbs (with water) | 120 lbs | 109 lbs | 163 lbs |
| Weight Capacity | 264.5 lbs | 320 lbs | 250 lbs | 350 lbs | 250 lbs |
| Resistance Type | water | water | magnetic | air | magnetic |
| Max Resistance | Limited by water tank size | unlimited | 24 resistance levels | unlimited | 26 levels |
| Height Limit | about 6' | 6'4" or 38" (inseam) | Approximately 6'7" | N/A | 6’5”+ |
| Warranty | 1-year limited warranty | 5-year frame, 3-year components, 1-year touchscreen | 5-year frame, 1-year parts, 1-year labor | 7-year frame, 3-year non-wear parts | 10-year frame; 2-year parts, 1-year labor |
| Additional Features | KS Fit app, phone holder, dual wood rail | Oak frame, dual rails, large water tank | Automatic resistance adjustments, aux port, easy transport | Versatile handle, locking seat, rear transport handle | Automatic resistance adjustments, Bluetooth, pivot & tilt screen |
Dimensions/Storability
Two handles lock the rail in place when you’re using it. They are just behind the pedals towards the ground. It is important to twist these until the pins lock into the holes because otherwise, if you pull too hard during each stroke, the backend of the rower behind the flywheel will lift off the ground slightly.
Locking these prevents this and keeps the rower from folding if you lift up the end behind the seat. You’ll want to unlock them to fold up the rower.
With how small the WalkingPad is when it’s folded up, it really is a great option if you’re short on space.
With its lightweight, this rower is easy for most people to fold and unfold themselves. The front transportation wheels make it easy to move, too. You can move it when it’s unfolded and folded to store and use it wherever you need to.
It folds at three different points in the railing, so it kind of folds up like an accordion.
Geometry
- Footprint: 76.3″ L x 19.6″ W x 22″ H
- Folded Footprint: 26.7″ L x 19.6″ W x 22.8″ H
- Pedal Length: 12″ L
- DualRail: 44″ L x 6″ H
- Seat: 14″ W x 10″ D x 12″ H
- Belt Drive: 21″ (from where the belt appears from the flywheel)
Onboard Workouts & Apps
WThe WalkingPad WR1 Rower does not have onboard workout programs and apps. You can row in manual mode. You’ll need the KS Fit app for more training ideas.
Console
The console on the WalkingPad Folding Rower is minimal. In fact, at first glance, it’s even a little hard to find. It’s built into the footboard at the top, directly above the pedals. An LCD display reads your time, distance, speed, calories, strokes per minute, and number of strokes.
The display is pretty easy to read, even though it’s small.
With how inexpensive this rower is, we didn’t expect it to be very high-tech. Like other equipment from WalkingPad, it pairs with the KS Fit App. This app is simple, but it tracks your current and previous workouts. This is a good way to keep track of your current and previous workout history.
A really nice feature is the device holder above the LCD screen.
This is a small rack to place your phone or a larger tablet. This is great if you want to keep yourself occupied while rowing. I like seeing this feature on fitness equipment because it lets you stream and view your chosen content. So, if you want to watch a show or stream guided rowing content, you can do so on the WalkingPad Rower.
Build Quality
The WalkingPad Folding Rower is also known as the KingSmith WR1 Foldable Water Rowing Machine. As I mentioned, it’s an affordable rower that folds. Compared to other water rowers like the WaterRower and Ergatta, it is very affordable. It is even more affordable than the WaterRower A1 Studio Rowing Machine and many other home rowers on the market.
We kept the WalkingPad’s price tag in mind when evaluating this rowing machine. Considering its size, we also didn’t expect it to have a very large weight limit, which it doesn’t. It is rated to handle up to 265 lbs, which is more than ProForm Rowers’ weight limits, which cap out at 250 lbs.
400-500 lbs are typically the highest weight limits on rowers, so the WalkingPad is on the lower end. So, larger users might feel a little limited on this model.
Frame
The wood frame looks nice and feels similar to other water rowers, although it is more compact. The benefit of the wood is that it fits better in most homes because it looks similar to furniture. So, the WalkingPad should look nice in your home.
Being that the WalkingPad is a water rower, it stays true to most water rower designs in that it has a wood frame.
Like other water rowers, the WalkingPad Folding Rower has a dual rail system that sits very low to the floor. The only aspect keeping the frame from being entirely on the floor is the 12 small feet that the rower sits on.
This rower might be harder to use if you have limited mobility because it is so low to the ground. The rail is only 6″ high, and the seat is 12″ high, so it can be harder to sit down and stand up. If you have mobility issues that prevent you from sitting low on the floor, you might want to check out other rowers with higher rails and seats.
Footboard & Pedals
Like other wood water rowers, the WalkingPad has a singular footboard and pedals that are close together. With this placement of the pedals, users, especially larger users, might feel a little constricted. We prefer the pedals on the Hydrow Wave and Concept2; I especially like the Aviron Strong Series Rower pedals, which allow you to adjust the width of the pedals.
The pedals are adjustable depending on your shoe size, and the straps can be pulled snugly to keep your feet secure.
The straps are velcro, which I like. They make strapping in and out of the pedals quick and easy. They also allow you to get a good custom fit to the tops of your feet.
The footboard is long enough to provide a surface to push off from in the drive, too. When you adjust the pedals to the two largest notches, though, we noticed that the heels of the pedals hang off the bottom of the footboard. So, if you are a larger user or have larger feet, your heels will, unfortunately, hang off the bottom of the board when pushing off through the drive position.
Handle
It is a little small. If you have broader shoulders or are larger, you might find the handle slightly narrow. With this rower’s small design, I wasn’t expecting a large handle. On a future updated model, though, I’d like to see a longer handle. The padding in the handle is also firm and can feel a little hard on your hands after rowing for a while.
The handle is round and lightly padded.
Seat
The seat has nice contouring and padding, similar to the Ergatta’s. It has four wheels that glide smoothly over the dual rail. This seat isn’t very large, but most rower seats aren’t very large, and they’re definitely not as comfortable as a Lazy Boy recliner. For how affordable the WalkingPad Rower is, I like this seat, and it provides enough comfort while rowing.
This seat should work fine for most people.
Flywheel
The WalkingPad uses a belt drive system. A nylon belt connects the handle to the flywheel, making each stroke feel smooth and quiet. I definitely prefer belt drives on rowers, especially those made for home use, because they generate a lot less sound than chain drive systems.
Chains add a gritty feeling to the stroke and can require some maintenance, whereas belt drives require little to no maintenance and feel really smooth.
The belt also feels nice and tight to pull against. Some lower-end belt drive rowers can provide some slack in the belt during certain parts of the stroke. Usually, the slack is felt in the finish and recovery. The WalkingPad Rower’s belt maintains tension throughout the entire stroke. It even helps to encourage your body to recover from the finish more naturally.
I was really surprised and pleased with the belt.
Resistance
This tank is probably the smallest I’ve seen on water rowers. It’s easy to fill with water using the included pump. Since it is so small and the pedals inside pushing against the water are small, the resistance this flywheel provides is less than that of other water rowers.
The WalkingPad Folding Rower is a water rower, so the flywheel is a water tank.
Usually, the more water put into the tank creates more resistance for the paddles to move against, thus giving you more tension to pull against. Still, unfortunately, the WalkingPad Rower doesn’t have the same resistance as other water rowers with larger tanks. The resistance is enough for beginners, though.
More intermediate and experienced rowers will want to look into a larger water or air rower. The water is also hard to adjust because it depends on how full the tank is. We filled it up to the top fill line for our testing.
If you like to adjust the resistance more, a magnetic rower is probably for you. You can change the resistance of each stroke by varying the intensity you use while rowing on the WalkingPad Rower.
Warranty
WalkingPad includes their standard 1-year warranty with the WalkingPad Folding Rower. It comes fully assembled and out of the box, so it’s ready to go when it’s delivered.
Should You Buy the WalkingPad WR1
Rowers come in all different types and sizes. The WalkingPad Folding Rower is a very compact water rower. We consider this rower to be best for beginners and those who have a small amount of space in their homes.
Because the water tank is small, this rower doesn’t provide as much resistance as other rowers on the market, but it’s available for a fraction of the price of most wood water rowers. The fact that this rower folds up to be just 26″ long is great for the low-impact workout it provides.
WalkingPad WR1 Q&A / FAQ
Is the WalkingPad WR1 a good rowing machine?
The WalkingPad WR1 is a good rowing machine for its size. However, it does not perform on par with larger machines due to its small water tank. It is best for beginners and endurance rowing.
Does the WalkingPad WR1 fold?
Yes, the WalkingPad WR1 folds up into almost a cube for storage.
How much does the WalkingPad WR1 weigh?
The WalkingPad WR1 weighs 64 lbs.
What is the weight limit on the WalkingPad WR1?
The WalkingPad WR1 has a very specific weight limit of 264.5 lbs, which is a little less than the standard 300-lb weight capacity.
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