The “PRO” Assault Rower Review… ‘Infinite’ Resistance!

[@TorianoCouture]

Coop, I watched your Black Friday Deals video and made sure to stop by here to click on your provided link to the AssaultRower Pro. I've been hoping to buy the Concept 2 Rower, but at $636 after FREE shipping and then added taxes, this deal was too good to pass up. I wanted to make sure you got some due credit for my purchase because I use your site and videos before any of my gym purchases. You are the Consumer Reports for people in Gym Shorts! Thank you from Branson, MO.

[@EWH636]

Just purchased one. I love the Concept2 its what I started on 2010. I went back and forth for weeks and weeks. It will arrive Friday.

[@cam99ta9]

How is it after 5 months? I'm currently going back and forth between a used assault rower pro for 400 vs a few used rowerg's for 750-850

[@EWH636]

@cam99ta9 I am 100% Satisfied HONESTLY

[@bevoeags7556]

I like the assault Bluetooth and the fact you can hook it into row apps easily.

[@ryanc769]

Coop, you forgot that the C2 has the iPad / phone holder mount standard. Lots of people including me use training apps and/or watch GGR vids while rowing. I didn’t see anything about the Assault having that as an option to either add on or as a standard.

[@80sruler]

Me too I have an iPad and use the peloton app which has a row section

[@monkeyb1820]

accurate review. They are typically about the same price, so it makes sense to go with C2. This was at 599 for a bit, and that was indeed a really good price. At that price point, this would be worth getting.

[@CombativeLlama]

If you are in the market for one right now, Amazon has this for 10% off with the coupon and free shipping. $100 less than the C2 and for me it was at my local warehouse so shipping is super fast.

[@ejesoriginal]

That monitor has a look (buttons, etc) that is awfully similar to the Schwinn Airdyne Pro AD7... I have had a C2 for 11 years now and it is a durable beast. Never had any problems with it with general maintenance. That's another checkbox for them I think since there is no way to know how durable the Assault truly is yet, how long it will be made or be supported, etc. The other think is resale value. They are sort of like VersaClimbers and hold their value. I think your review is spot on.

[@jaqulynnebell3504]

You sound like a hella C2 fanboy, but I appreciate your candor. I'm actually rather sold on the more stable frame and the basic monitor. I'm not competitive like that, and I'm really just looking for something to do in the evenings when my kid has homework and I can't go to the gym. Thanks for the review!

[@RoboticPrecision]

Can you please do a roundup of belt squat belts.

[@darrtetzy]

What I'd like to see on a C2 competitor (or the C2, for that matter) is a monitor with an LED display instead of an LCD display. When I'm rowing hard, I don't want to strain to see my distance/calories burned/elapsed time - an LED display would be MUCH easier to read at a glance.

[@MrChadLedford]

The assault pro is on sale for $600. Would this be better at that price?

[@jamesedlund931]

Really wanna get a rower, but there's so many choices it feels like. The concept 2 is great but kinda pricey. Seems like this didn't really hit that mark either and is still unaffordable. Maybe some day we'll get a decent price point. Looks like the C2 is still king. Great review as always Coop!

[@monkeyb1820]

some colleges/universities have rowing events where they use C2s and then sell them at a discount. But a used c2, particularly if it looks like it's in a house (vs crossfit gym) is likely in good-as-new condition.

[@AverageJoesLibrary]

Get what you pay for specially gym stuff. Got our C2 in 2017 and still going auto, zero maintenance (though I should clean/lube the chain)

[@richardmather1906]

Picking a rower is easy. You start with C2, and only eliminate it if you have some particular need it does not meet.

[@authentichealthcoach4142]

C2 will not be surpassed until other competitors can compete with light weight construction with aluminum and an actual Ergometer power meter (monitor) the PM5 will not be surpassed. Go with the AUTHENTIC version. You will be very happy to get the best.

[@neilwatson288]

Round up, including water rowers for noise comparison

[@CraigularjJoeWoodworks]

Good point to bring up was the persuasion factor: is it incrementally better ?

[@realnamerodney]

What would you consider the standard damper equivalent to the C2? What would you set the c2 at to give the same resistance?

[@murdog04]

I own the Peloton Row and Bike. I am a big fan of interactive exercises when it comes to cardio (I hate it lol). Both the row and bike are incredibly quite and give you a fantastic workout. They are super expensive and require a monthly sub, so that is a big turn off for most folks. Thanks so much for the great review. This looks like a very solid machine.

[@josuevassallo8180]

Its on sale for $599. What do you think for that price?

[@rodolfomedini9931]

The extra height is useful for putting other equipment underneath the rower.

[@joseramirez612jr]

Will you be doing a review on the Nike gym equipment that they just released?

[@monkeyb1820]

my gym has had a couple of these for 2 years or so. My 2k times on it seem to be slower than on my c2 (for the same perceived effort), so I'm not sure that the little monitor on this is calibrated the same as c2. I actually do find the seat on the Assault to be a tad more comfortable. It is a good product, but I'm not sure if it's worthwhile for the average home user to get this. But I will say that in gym settings, many people tend to set the c2 damper too high, and after a few months they can get a slight 'ragged out' feeling, and the screen/foil can get really dirty (due to maintenance staff wiping it with fuzzy cleaning pads). For a gym setting, the Assault may actually be a better design. But I own a c2, and have zero regrets. When I last looked into this several months ago, the Assault was more expensive than the c2. I think Assault figured out that they had to lower their price to about the same level.

[@MrChadLedford]

I'm so torn right now. The assault pro is 600 on black Friday

[@monkeyb1820]

@@MrChadLedford wow, they're really dropping the price on it. I will say for sure: the seat on the assault is more comfortable than that on the c2. Fwiw, the resale value isn't as good--but if you really got tired of it, I'd think that you could get maybe 400 for it. It's not a bad product--but it's obviously not the 'official standard', which doesn't matter to most people. And the little display monitor on the assault probably can't plug into different apps like that of the c2...

[@MrChadLedford]

​@@monkeyb1820Thanks!

[@garyesparza0314]

Let’s get a look at that new Nike strength equipment. Very interested in your take.

[@ryanunderwood6827]

$50 more for an unproven manufacturer selling a Rogue SML-1 dupe is all you need to know. Bumper plates are more expensive as well.

[@jmagnum15]

@@ryanunderwood6827lol at unproven

[@SwindonRunner]

Looks like a very decent machine BUT if you have any interest in comparing your times to other people then you have to go C2. They have daily WOD’s, online tables for various distances/times, lots of competitions over the year, team competitions etc. It’s the standard and knocking them off that spot is incredibly difficult.

[@MrChadLedford]

That's my sticking point. This assault tower is on sale for 600. It's very hard to spend 450 extra for C2. Very torn.

[@SwindonRunner]

@@MrChadLedford that is an amazing price, I would be very tempted.

[@MrChadLedford]

@@SwindonRunner I still haven't made my mind up 😐. What would you do? I do really like the online C2 support

[@gibbygordo]

Fixing to buy the assault bike pro

[@noaholdham7307]

Coop. What do you think about NIKE fitness equipment??

[@WamdiSunka]

Hey coop, was wondering if you could review the blk box leg extension attachment from a company overseas (not sure where). I'm wondering if it can be modified to use a weight rogue slinger and weight stack. Other leg extension options are in the thousands, so if a company was able to take a concept like blk box leg extension, and marry it to a rogue slinger you'd have a leg extension with constant tension.

[@mskjlk]

No app connectivity is a huge negative for me. Also, no damper, means the same feel for a small or large user, no compensation for air pressure (yes, it does make a difference). I've used C2s for years, and have a waterrower for my own use at home. Annoyingly, the gym that is at my work place just got one of these. Can't say it's any good.

[@bobbyhunt3009]

I've had or known people with Garage gyms and/or Basement gyms all my life and I have never seen a Conept 2 rower in person in all my life. Ric Flair's Golds gym and Ricky Steamboat's gym didnt have them but it was a long time since I worked out there so maybe they have them now. Rowers surely have made it to Charlotte NC but where are they, I'd like to try one? They look interesting and I want to try one but I have no place to put it. That might be why I've never seen one down here. I like them though or I think I do.

[@owen-nk5nn]

Have you done a review on the panatta rower

[@damionwimsatt4386]

So what about the 599 price point now?

[@MrChadLedford]

I'm asking the same thing. The biggest drawback for me is the lack of third party app support or any app support for that matter on the assault.

[@xsteevox]

They should have come out with this 3 years ago when it was a 6 month wait for a C2.

[@Garage_gym48]

I’m always distracted by the ares when u do reviews in this room 😅

[@gurpreetkhamba5399]

Forget everything. At 1:15, when he says "link to the like button", the youtube thumbs up/down button lights up.

[@jordankooiman6040]

It's on sale for $599. Worth it at that price?

[@monkeyb1820]

that was a good price. Looks like it quickly jumped back up. I find the seat on the Assault to be considerably more comfortable. I think a used Assault could sell for like 400-450, so that would be a good percentage of the 599 price...

[@jamesspencer3089]

Imagine being able to stand this up and being able to use as a lat pull down

[@jts013]

I’m looking to purchase 10ish rowers. Would you buy 10 of these for $600 each over 10 concept 2 rowers? Is the $3000 savings worth it?

[@brandonmanuel2842]

You could not take the Assault Rower Pro with you because it does not come apart. Plus I heard C2 customer service is top notch.

[@MrScdee10]

What sneakers are you wearing here?

[@davidanddeb717]

Now that the Assault Pro price has been reduced to $700 vs $990 for the Concept 2 does that change your mind?

[@Rockerboy3440]

This honestly looks to be the gold standard for a different body type. You mention that the seat height is a tad taller and the exit point for the cable is slightly higher than the C2, but I'm 6'6. I'm a tall boy. Having that extra height appeals to me incredibly so. I'm also an amateur bodybuilder who doesn't care about leaderboards or online nonsense so the seat lock and the simple UI sounds like a better experience for me. I'm sold!

[@zwordsman]

That height off the ground is a p[lus for me. 6'5.5'' ' (199cm ish). hella difficult to get proper weight.

[@The21Quest]

Why does everyone pronounce assault so weirdly ONLY when mentioning this brand? It's not "assult" lol

[@kairos5234]

Have u checked out a Rp3?

[@sebastiancohnify]

I’d love to watch the typical gym bro try and use an RP3… so much smacking into both ends. If Coop’s issue here was the price the RP3 definitely won’t review well, being far more expensive AND less durable. But the RP3T is pretty awesome and seems to be more solid than their original rowers.

[@Trickmanii]

I am just gonna say it...I have a concept two sitting in the garage....No reason to get something like this. Tough market to fight into with the concept two rowers.

[@Farquad76.547]

Why do you have one what use case does a rower have..seems like there are many other nicer ways to get your cardio in. Rowing looks like an absolute ballache compared to a stationary bike or even steadystate cardio on a treadmill

[@monkeyb1820]

@@Farquad76.547 Treadmills have a lot more than can go wrong, and then getting it repaired will be difficult/expensive. Rowing uses more muscles than a stationary bike--but the rogue-type assault bikes *are* a truly great workout (since they use push/pull plus legs). Dorian Yates mentioned that for cardio all he does, twice a week: a minute of medium intensity assault bike, then 20 seconds all-out. He does about 5 intervals of this. Note that you could also do a similarly effective interval session on a rower. The c2 rower in particular is super-well made, unlikely to have any repair type issues (and way less expensive than a really good treadmill). But any of these things that a person is motivated to use, they can all be good of course. Note that rowing is not a ballache, but for me it can get a tad uncomfy on the butt, although they make some cushions for that.

[@richardmather1906]

@@Farquad76.547 Rowing is a great complement to lifting, IMO. For example, a lot of your power comes from the hip hinge. Also the pulling movement at the end. Better than a bike or treadmill.

[@christopherYecoYoung]

Too big, too loud and Concept2 appears to be easier to move.

[@EWH636]

Update I was emailing with a salesman at Assault. He informed me that they will no longer sell the Pro-Bike

[@artincorona]

I just got an email this morning June 24, 2024, they’re offering $300 off on the pro. I wonder if that’s to get rid of their inventory

[@tuckertech]

It’s back and on sale now.

[@jaro6985]

I don't see how this is any better than the C2 at all, no resistance adjustment. They had an opportunity to innovate but did essentially nothing.

[@monkeyb1820]

The seat is more comfy, but otherwise I don't think it's better. But at 599, that's a good price point. When it's around the same price as c2, I'd get c2 for sure. It is a well made machine, can hold up well in gym setting.

[@The21Quest]

I really don't like the way that monitor juts out like that. I'd worry about smacking my face into it.

[@richardmather1906]

I have a hard time understanding why nobody seems able to make a monitor as good as C2. The PM 5 does everything you want it to do, done simply and clearly. It is hard to escape the conclusion that they just don't care that much about it.

[@fraac]

xero hfs

[@Brodiexbikerxkid]

Happy OctROWber everyone.

[@bmstylee]

Bro it's Squat-tober. Get it right.

[@joecowan3719]

It is Squatober, but Dark Horse Rowing does a Rowvember every year...fun challenge.

[@somepharmacist]

@@bmstyleefalse, it’s Octobench

[@benbarnett1076]

We're nearly in 2024 and these companies are still putting out these products with monitors that look like they run off a Timex watch from the 80s. I don't get it. I'll never buy any of these until they upgrade monitors to be from this century.

[@instantsiv]

It’s an exercise machine not a space ship.

[@benbarnett1076]

​@@instantsiv With that attitude why are you even looking at rowing machines when you can just go row an actual boat for your exercise? A 10" color tablet costs as little as $50. It's a very cheap and easy component to upgrade for a significant boost in user enjoyment. Especially for cardio machines. Hell, at least include them as an optional upgrade.

[@panuwatbuthorntaraj2909]

I see it will add some app and use you cellphone to do many thing you would like . I think the app is the way serve user best than add 10” monitor and unique program and the cost will +100$ The app will record exercise history of 5-10 user and calculate you workout time and calories in many month right.

[@bobbyhunt3009]

You nailed it, I've been thinking that for awhile now. I keep hearing Coop say this monitor is the GOAT and it looks like a 6th grader designed it. I'm thinking that is the GOAT, well then maybe I don't need a rower if a kid's monitor is the best one in the whole industry. Maybe rowers aren't for me. You made a Great point

[@MushookieMan]

Just wait until you hear about how barbells are still made of steel.

[@kenismith1616]

We need the Nike bar review as fast as possible

[@section23]

People crying about monitors lol

[@roywells5790]

It lost me at quiet.

[@TheScytheMoron]

Coop should invest in a new pair of pants, or geht his pants fixed at least.