What if I told you, you could get an air resistance rowing machine for less than 1000 dollars?
Well, that is definitely possible with the Stamina Air Rower 1399.
It’s a good quality rowing machine that costs less.
The Stamina Air Rower 1399 features a comfy padded seat, a firm steel outer layer and a monitor that performs a number of functions. The best thing about this rower is that it is costs less than most high end rowers.
View the Stamia ATS Rower lowest price here
I bet you are wondering if this rowing machine is as efficient in working out as the other high end rowers, right.
I have used it severally at home and in the gym, looked for reviews from other trainers such as myself and directly contacted the company that manufactures them to come up with the answer to that question.
I am more inclined to say yes but I also have my reservations about it. Here is why:
The resistance type
The Stamina Air Rower 1399 is an air-resistance rower
This is how an air rower works:
Once the handle is drawn, the flywheel spins and the fan blades in it produce wind.
The more you row, the more wind you produce and the more wind you produce, the harder it is to row because you increase the resistance.
The process is manual when it comes to changing the resistance levels. There is no button for changing the settings because they are determined by how hard you row.
If you feel like having a low intensity work out, then don’t row too hard and this will cause the resistance to be minimal. The opposite applies to a high intensity work out. You should row harder to increase the resistance with makes it harder to row.
I have insisted on the process of how an air rower works because many are the times that I have heard some of my clients say that this rower is not adjustable, which is false and mostly claimed by people who have no idea how an air rower works.
The most likely reason for their claim may be that they only used the rower in the same intensity level and wanted to adjust the resistance by the use of buttons and could not.
Actually, my clients that are pro rowers and athletes prefer this type of resistance because it definitely works.
Benefits of resistance
The resistance is variable in the Stamina Air Rower 1399 which means it is an awfully smooth and sturdy rowing stroke that people really like.
High intensity interval training as well as crossfit style workouts get the most out of a variable resistance. The reason for this is automatic speed adjustment without stopping to change settings.
The seat on the Stamina Air Rower 1399 has a rail which increases intensity during the row thus resulting in a smoother stroke. It is 12 inches at its highest point and 9 inches off the floor so the angle is not overly intense but still an advantage.
Complaints about resistance
If you have used the Concept 2 air rower you may have noticed it has an option to adjust damper settings. Damper settings change the rowing experience feeling. Well, the Stamina Air Rower 1399 does not have that option.
It’s a shame that none of the budget air rowers have damper setting on them. You have to pay more than $500 extra if you really want a rower with that setting.
One more downer about air rowers is that they are the most noisy resistance type rowers when the flywheel spins.
If you mind the noise all you have to do is workout with headphones. But you don’t have to worry about the person in the next room hearing you so it’s not so noisy.
Resistance strength consideration
I love rowing machines because they give me a full body workout without harming my joints.
The question that is up for consideration is, will the resistance strength from the Stamina Air Rower 1399 be enough to work out both the upper and lower body evenly?
That question is something that few people have raised and the truth is, it comes from those that do know have proper information about rowers or those that simply do not know proper rowing form.
Strength
The resistance strength is compatible with people of all fitness levels and the Stamina Air Rower 1399 has good ratings from 80% of its reviewers.
Those that were not satisfied with the rower stated their reason to be lack of resistance settings. The only reason they did so is because they did not know that an air rower is variable resistance and not adjustable resistance.
So, in order for them to feel more resistance all they needed to do is row faster.
These air rowing machines are for people that have the motivation to row faster because one cannot feel a strong resistance if they row slowly.
In addition to that, the seat also helps in increasing the resistance strength as mentioned earlier.
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Resistance Distribution
Some few reviewers said the machine worked out their upper body better while others felt the machine worked out their lower body better. This is clearly an issue with understanding the proper form of rowing.
The uneven workout complaints from users is a clear indication that they were using the Stamina Air Rower 1399 in the wrong way. The proper form of rowing should be 60% leg workout, 20% arm workout and 20% core workout. If you add or subtract a percentage to any of the above you will imbalance your upper and lower body.
Controlling one’s recovery is also part of proper form. Every stroke you take should be twice as long as the drive. Meaning if you push off within 2 seconds, you should recover in 4 seconds. Counting helps as you stroke, for instance, 1… 1.2. And 1… 1.2.
If you are a beginner rower you should take into consideration the fact that it takes time to adjust to a new way of working out. For instance if you feel like your upper body is getting more worked out, then it may be because you have not worked out your upper body for some time. The same applies to the legs or the core.
As you get used to rowing you will begin to feel the full body work out impact that comes from using a rower to exercise.
Summary
The Stamina Air Rower 1399 is definitely a good choice if you are looking for a full body workout.
The resistance strength is adequate for people of all fitness levels and if you are used to using a Concept 2 you will definitely tell that there is a difference.
Do not be concerned about the upper body or lower body debate. Most of the reviewers did not complain about it and those that did said that after a few workouts, their bodies adjusted.
In general the reviews were very pleased with the Stamina Air Rower 1399’s resistance.
Monitor
The monitor on the Stamina Air Rower 1399 is multi-functional and has a single button.
It tracks fitness data like time, distance, calories and speed.
Speed on the monitor remains fixed while the rest of the data is displayed one after the other. You can change this manually by pressing the mode button. Another preference would be to have the monitor on scan mode where it displays the workout data each for 6 seconds.
You can turn on the monitor by moving the seat or pressing the button. The monitor automatically goes off after 4 minutes of inactivity. It is also powered by two AA batteries that you need to purchase because they are not included.
This monitor does not have a backlight which means that it can be problematic to read in low lit rooms. The units on it are also not metric so they may be confusing for those that are used to using Olympic distances.
The calorie counter should only be used in comparing effectiveness between workouts since it is based off an average user.
Basically, the monitor on the Stamina Air Rower 1399 is basic for keeping track of the important workout data.
The Stamina Air Rower 1399 monitor is greater than most of the monitors that are of a similar price range.
Build Quality
The Stamina Company has been making very strong frames and the one on the Stamina Air Rower 1399 is not any different. It is built from steel and is very strong to the touch.
There is a nylon strap that is pulled to spin the fan blades is made very durable that even after years of use it will still remain intact.
As earlier stated, the Stamina Air Rower 1399 is noisy because it is an air resistance rower. You should expect that the machine will make some noise which is not that bad.
Keep in mind that the harder you row the more the noise but so some people the increase in noise only alerts them that they are working harder.
No matter how hard you row the Stamina Air Rower 1399, it is built to last so you will not break anything if you do.
A few people have mentioned that this rower is noisier than the concept2 but they did not complain about the level of noise.
Don’t expect to hear any irritating creaking noises from the Stamina Air Rower 1399 as is common with other cheap rowers.
Generally, reviewers were pleased with the Stamina Air Rower 1399 build quality and there were very little complaints.
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Comfort
The Stamina Air Rower 1399 is very comfortable and had minimal complaints.
The seat is padded and it glides perfectly on the seat rail. It is user friendly and keeps you comfortable even if you row for long periods of time.
There is perfect grip on the handles which makes them comfortable given the fact that you will be gripping them a lot.
The large footrests can fit most shoes sizes and the nylon straps lock your feet in place as you row. This is crucial because your feet need to be flat as you row.
Some of my clients tell me that they love the footrest on the Stamina Air Rower 1399 because they can use it with or without shoes on. The pivot on the footrests also make them allow one to have a more fluid and comfortable rowing stroke.
Generally, rowing the Stamina Air Rower 1399 is just like rowing in the water as the seat glides smoothly on the rail and the fan blades go in and out without any problems or creaking.
Storage
If you do not have so much space and are wondering what to do when you are done working out then do not worry, the Stamina Air Rower 1399 folds up to almost half of it.
Simply remove the bolt from the frame, fold the rower upwards then insert the bolt back in the frame and it is ready to store.
This process takes just a few seconds.
You can easily move the rower around if you wish to because it has caster wheels at the bottom.
Just lift the opposite side of the fan and push.
Capacity
Given its low price, the Stamina Air Rower 1399 has an equally large capacity.
The manufacturer states that the maximum weight for a user should be 250 pounds but there are users who are up to 280 pounds that say they use the rower comfortably.
The longer seat rail on air rowers is an advantage to tall users because they have ample space to row on.
There are users who are as tall as 6’4 who said that they use the rower with no problems.
The manufacturer directly says that their height maximum for using the rower is 6’4.
From my research, I found out that the distance from the foot pedals to the middle of the seat is about 45’’ and it can fit an inseam of up to 38’’. So if you are at most 6’6 you can use the rower with ease but if you are taller than that, I am not really sure.
There is no minimum height because there were no negative comments from short users, if anything children seem to use the rower just fine give their short height.
Dimensions
Weight: 25 Kilograms (55 pounds)
Shipped dimensions: 45 x 24 x 9 inches (LxWxH)
Once it is assembled: 77 x 18 x 22 inches (LxWxH)
When folded: 48 x 18 x 28 inches (LxWxH)
Assembly
Most people that reviewed the Stamina Air Rower 1399 said that it is very easy to put the rower together.
Reviewers ranged assembling it took between 15 to 45 minutes.
The manufacturer sends everything that one needs to assemble the rower including one regular wrench and two allen wrenches.
You do not need prior knowledge of assembling the rower one simply needs to follow the instructions it comes with.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages:
- Cheap for an air rower
- Strong frame that is durable
- Easy storage because it can fold
- Moving around is easier because of the wheels
- The seat is comfortable
- It offers great resistance.
Disadvantages:
- It is noisier than more expensive models
- The units on the monitor are not metric
- There are no settings to adjust damper
Customer reviews
People pointed out that they like that the Stamina Air Rower 1399 is portable and inexpensive given the fact that it is an air rower. They also mentioned severally that the seat is very comfortable.
Those that complained, their main reason was that the Stamina Air Rower 1399 does not have resistance settings but they were wrong because on determines their own resistance with their intensity. There are those that complain about the noise level but this is normal in air rowers.
Overall rating out of 5 -> 4.5
Warranty
The frame has a three year warranty and the parts have a 90 day warranty.
I have used the Stamina Air Rower 1399 and I have come to learn that Stamina has great customer service. They also replace parts very quickly.
It is important that when you do receive your products form stamina, you register them with the full product name for instance this rower is the Stamina Air Rower 35-1399.
Price
One of the things that stands out the most about the Stamina Air Rower 1399 is the price at which it is sold at. Not many good quality air rowers can compete with it price wise.
The price is determined by where you buy it but the best place to purchase it would be on amazon since they offer lower prices.
View the Stamia ATS Rower lowest price here
Conclusion
In general, the Stamina Air Rower 1399 is a pocket friendly air rower.
My clients that enjoy strong resistance as well as durable machines always end up loving this rower. And the price makes it an even greater buy.
If you are on a budget then I know you will love this rower as much as I do.
The rower that most people compare the Stamina Air Rower 1399 to is the Stamina 35-1405 Air Rower.
Another rower most people compare it with is the Concept2 Model D. If you have the money to buy the Concept2 then I would recommend it fully but if you want a durable and pocket friendly rower then stick to the Stamina Air Rower 1399.
Feel free to let me know any questions you may have about this rower in the comment section below and I hope you enjoyed the review!