The New Budget Air Rower King! (A Half-Priced Concept2)
Introduction
People are always looking for affordable alternatives to their favorite home gym machines and I think we may have finally found another solid cardio option for rowing. This is the Merach Novarow R50 Air Rower which is pretty much a spitting image of the tried and true Concept 2 RowErg although this has some additional features and even improvements that make it unique. This rower features 10 different selectable air resistance levels, Bluetooth heart rate monitor and dedicated app connectivity, a very comfortable ergonomic and soft, yet supportive, seat, a year long warranty, all coupled with the best part, that this machine is essentially half the price as that name brand Concept 2. But just how well exactly does it work and what do you need to know before buying this machine? Let’s check it out.
Hey guys this is Michael with The Jungle Gym Reviews, today we are reviewing the Merach NovaRow R50 Air Resistance Rower which after releasing this review, to my knowledge may currently be the best budget Concept 2 alternative that exists today. In this video I will talk about some of the things I like, some of the things I don’t like, and show you hit it compares directly to the Concept 2 side by side in terms of look, feel, and overall functionality.
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Price
So the first thing to note about this Merach air rower is why we are all very interested, and that is the enticing price. As of the time of filming this review, the price on their website is $639, but with that coupon code I mentioned earlier, brings your total to about $500 out the door including tax and free shipping. So $500 for a machine with a 1 years warranty, and the ability to add on a second year just by registering for an free account on their website, at face value, is seems a really great deal on paper and then especially considering how well it works side by side to the Concept 2.
How well does it work vs. Concept 2
Comparing it side by side to the Concept 2, it looks and pretty much feels 95% the same. During the process of testing this machine for review, I often would quickly switch back and forth between the two machines going fast, going slow, trying the different training modes, all to jot down everything I could notice. And after all my time doing so, really in the end the biggest functional difference I notice is that during the eccentric portion of the rowing movement, so after you have pulled the handle to your chest and the chain starts to retract, on the concept 2 it is just the slightest bit more smooth compared to the Merach, but honestly the difference is so close that I can literally only notice at very slow rowing forces and speecs, and only when rowing about 10 strokes on one machine and immediately hopping on the other. I think in a blind test for overall rowing feel, the only other thing you would notice otherwise is that Merach handle transfers a little more chain vibration through the handle as well, but I could take almost all my friends and family, have them use both and they wouldn’t know which one was which, so that is definitely a compliment to the Merach and exactly what they are going for.
The other main differences are the obviously the color scheme, the seat on the Merach actually being much more comfortable and padded than the Concept 2, and the foot straps on the Merach are faster and more comfortable to tighten and loosen with a Velcro strap compared very utilitarian thin style of the foot loops on the concept 2. The display monitors for the rowers are also different but for all intents and purposes display the same metrics presented in just different styles and layout, and you have the ability to free row, do intervals in time split of your choosing, or just row to a set distance as desired on either. Overall, side by side all the angles and dimensions and heights and resistances are nearly all identical in shape or form, with just some different quality of life options chosen by Merach.
Seat
The seat is the biggest noticeable difference between the two and the Merach R50 specifically boast the better comfort level. I remember when I first bought my Concept 2 years ago, after the first few uses, I immediately bought a seat pad on Amazon because it became increasing uncomfortable to use frequently or for any extended period of time. Although I am sure for competitive or hardcore rowers there is a reason for the hard seat due to force transfer or more mimicking a real world rowing scenario, I assume a majority of users just want something comfortable and Merach has fixed this problem by maintaining the same size and shape and general material of the Concept 2 and just by additional adding what seems to be an inch or two of very soft, yet supportive padding, into their seat mold so it feels great right out of the box.
Monitor/Modes
Seapking to the monitors, the Merach is OK and it lists all the basic metrics you need like time elapsed, distance, time per distance, number of rowing strokes, strokes per minute, wattage/power output, estimated calories burned, and even your pulse. How the monitor gets your pulse is the same way the Concept 2, Rogue echo bike, Assault Runner, etc. do which is through ANT+ heart rate monitor. The one I have is the Polar T31 chest strap which I will link in the description below, and all you do is put it on your chest and just start using the machine you want and the strap transmits automatically and connects to the rower automatically unlike Bluetooth where you have to pair it the devices directly. This technology isn’t unique to the Merach machine, its just a type of wireless technology used in fitness machines among others that can communicate easily and interchangeably with different devices. So just know if you have an ANT+ strap or a watch like a Garmin that is ANT+ compatabile, you can use it with theis Merach R50 too.
The other thing I wanted to note about the merach monitor is it doesn’t seem to be backlit like the Concept 2 is, I haven’t found that to be an issue but if you are using it outside or somewhere where there is glare or bright ambient lighting you may find you would prefer a backlit option, but I can’t imagine that in itself being a dealbreaker for most people. The Merach monitor does also have a phone holder lip where so you can watch something on your phone or tablet while rowing. The monitor modes, other than the default free row mode, are an interval mode which you can set a time interval of different increments, like 15seconds on 30 off or something similar for a set amount of rounds and it will beep at you when to start and stop and rest. The other mode is the set distance mode which you set a target distance and just get on and it eventually beeps at you when you reach it.
Handles
Moving down the machine, The handles on the Merach have a little more grip than the Concept 2, and whether that is good or bad is probably in the eyes of the user. To me they allow for the right amount of grip, and the handle shape, diameter and angles are nearly identical to the Concept 2 and it just feels good and plenty durable for years of use.
Footstraps
The other thing I like on the Merach is the footstraps because the straps themselves are thicker so comfortably holds your foot firmly in the foot slot. The straps are Velcro strap and they have a D ring at the end so you can quickly grab them tighten it down and unlatch it with precision and just overall they just feel very comfortable and secure. The foot height adjustments up and down have plenty of options and just do what they are supposed to although I did notice the heel plate on the MerachR50 is slightly taller, more stiff, and more rigid compared to the Concept 2. I don’t know if I can articulate this well but the heel portion of the foot holder just seems a bit too high with square edges where the cutout for your heel is, so I can occasionally feel the foot holder catch on the heel of my shoes when at the bottom of the row when your heels start to lift up naturally. It doesn’t hurt or isn’t uncomfortable, just is what I consider a minor annoyance because I can feel and hear the click of the plastic lip catching my shoe heel. To be fair to Merach if I changed shoes that had a different length sole or heel plate size I think this “issue” would go away completely but here In my specific NoBull training shoes they do catch and rub on my shoes a little bit.
Vertical Storage
Also my knowledge both rowers tell you explicitly not to stand them up for storage because they can be in danger of falling over, but I know that is how many people and many CrossFit gyms tend to store them, and as I have shown here, you definitely can and they both stand upright exactly the same for both machines, just know again both companies tell you not to do this so do so at your own risk. I will say the upright storage you can save yourself some space and it just looks cool. Speaking to the storage, both of these machines also feature the same center bar disconnect so you can take it apart easily to store or transport if needed.
Bluetooth Connectivity
The other feature the Merach R50 offers is Bluetooth connectivity to their Merach app which they did let me try as part of my review of this machine. The app gives you more insight and consolidated historical data about your past in-app workouts. It also features different modes for their rowers including a Map mode where you basically are a little dot on some Google maps overlay and you can see your blip row down a river or similar based on how hard and fast you are using the machine in real life and it compares you to other users who are also doing it live in real time. So if you have ever used Zwift for running or cycling, it’s the same online live interactive user race and leaderboard concept here. There is also a virtual video mode which just shows some slow scenic shots of whichever body of water you choose so you can visualize that lake or river or whatever that you are rowing on as you go while again seeing your main metrics overlaid on the screen. It's simple app but it’s effective and you don’t have to go YouTube searching for virtual rowing follow along videos or something to keep yourself visually stimulated during longer sessions.
Specs
I also quickly wanted to mention the main specs on this machine are the same as the Concept 2 as far as overall length both at around 95 inches long, width at 24 inches, and seat height between 14-15 inches. Both have monitors and monitor arms that can be adjusted or folded back when not in use and 10 damper settings on the flywheel shroud which you can select that correspond to 10 different levels of resistance.
Maintenenace
As far as maintenance I haven’t had to do any but I would treat it the same as previous rowers I have owned where you lubricate the chain ever 50 hours or so and wipe down the seat rail at the same time with some multi surface cleaner. Rowers are great for this reason because they are super durable and easy to clean, maintain, and store. Since there are no plugs to power it, you just have to change the batteries for the monitor occasionally so they are virtually maintenance free for extended period of time.
Overall
Overall I have been really impressed with the Merach NovaRow R50 Air rower and was happy at how well it side by side with Concept 2, since I think for all intents and purposes that is clearly exactly what they are going for here machine: everything you can get in a Concept 2 with a more comfortable seat for half the price, and I will definitely be recommending this for the time being as my go to rower in the price range and probably overall just for the value. I will say though, I think the jury is still out on long term field use, because it just hasn’t been battle and time tested like the Concept 2, but the fact it does have a 1 year warranty covering manufacturing defects, and in general there aren’t too many things that can go wrong is some piece of mind, coupled again with the fact it’s $500 not $1000. Previously I reviewed the Signature Fitness concept 2 clone which was a little bit cheaper at around $300 but literally broke while I was actively filming the review when the machine flywheel gear snapped on me and it was dead in the water. In that review I mentioned at the time the only alternative for the Concept 2 in my opinion was, in fact a concept 2, but now after using this new Merach R50, I can comfortably say your options are now a machine like this or you can still search for a used Concept 2, but depending on your area may not save any money or the Concept 2 may still be $100-200 more expensive. All that coupled with the fact you have to meet with some of the, let’s say, interesting people you find on Facebook marketplace or similar, definitely make this a solid option if you are looking for a budget concept 2 alternative.
Signoff and Q&A
So guys that’s it for this review for the Merach NovaRow R50 Air Resistance Rower. As always, if you have any questions, please comment down below and I will be happy to answer or at least try. Thank you for tuning into The Jungle Gym Reviews, we will see you next time, take it easy, peace.
