whipr

It took a while to receive my Kickstarter pledge, but it’s more than worth the wait. The quality of the design n build is beyond market standard especially it’s the company first production run. I use it right next to my home working desk, its ease to assemble and portability are clearly designed by the most dedicated fitness enthusiasts. Whipr works well in all modes so it’s good value for money. I can see that its versatility is the core of the design process, not just an after thought slap-on. I have clocked months of workout on the machine, it is durable and still perform consistently.

If I must pick some flaws, it took trial-n-error to get the rower track to be perfectly aligned… and the cable does get hot after 30 mins of rowing

To me, it’s almost the perfect first product of this young company, I wish the team all the best to keep staying real and innovating.

Whipr is a great little erg. The hardware is excellent. The company is very responsive (and very busy!). There are some software bugs that need be worked out, but I’m confident that the company will continue to improve the product firmware and app. I’ve used the paddle (standing SUP and sitting on a box to “simulate" an outrigger). The rowing tension and cable/paddle action is just about right. Highly recommended.

Well made, attractive, with convenient connections, and smooth function. The row accessory and the Whipr base unit have fulfilled and exceeded the developers’ promised design.

This machine works really well to aid me in perfecting my paddling stroke for dragon boating. I made my own paddle handle with a wooden dowel and hook it onto the loop in front. I can improve my technique, strength and rate with this machine. It's light, small and easy to store. I'm thrilled I found this product.

Awesome product love how easy it was to set up and take apart for storing. The best priced rowing machine I could find online and it does more than just rowing. My only critique would be that the resistance compared to other ergs I’ve used seems lower and in turn I think the measurements may be skewed. It’s still a great workout and I really enjoy it and the value is definitely there.

Family member backed the Base Unit. Once it arrived, (can you say “a-pandemic-teaches-patience”?) I trialed it by itself. Quality impressive, so we ordered the Row accessory. (Which came in mere days, as now in Feb 2022 Whip’r product is on-shore in USA.). Thrilled to have this very well machined and pack-able rowing machine. I’m a mechanic, and Whip’r row unit quality rivals some of my expensive folding ‘James Bond’ type travel bikes. Will use myself in home gym (near competitive partner’s Concept II’s) and then will bring on vacations and adventures so said partner won’t miss team erg workouts and say they “can’t go…”

I have the rower, kayak, and ski attachments and could not be happier with my devices. I am particularly impressed by the ski attachment which makes these devices extremely portable and capable of supporting an enormous range of exercises. In fact, I recently took one device with me on staycation. How nice it was to get my workout indoors during the month of December!

First off, my biggest concern was the resistance: could a 6 inch cubed box really provide a comparable experience to a full sized rower? (eg/ a Concept2/C2 or WaterRower) The answer: kind of; if you are someone used to a C2 rower or similar, you will find the Whipr lacking; for its size the Whipr cannot directly compare to the maximum resistance and power of using a C2 rower (or i suspect a C2 Ski ERG, I haven’t had a chance to try one)(more on this later). But it excels as a versatile home fitness and portable cardio option and that was the goal.

The Whipr is by my account, well built and well designed. The materials and accessories all feel sturdy and solid (there was some slight flaking of the chrome of the attachment loop, but otherwise pristine) under inspection and during workouts. With the modular design of the rower frame there is a slight “click” as the seat rolls over the mid joint; however this is minor, and for the trade-off of being completely collapsible and able to fit in a carry-on with reassembly taking about 5 minutes? Worth it. All of the handles are sufficiently grippy, the ski handles are smooth but have enough of a flare to prevent any slipping (the SUP paddle has a slight carbon fiber feel and is slippery but still grip-able once my hands get sweaty). The ski accessory works well on a door frame but if not vertically aligned with the Whipr base unit, the cord can oscillate somewhat. Apart from that it’s easy to set up, adjust, and use (I’m looking forward to a wall mounting option) The display has a backlit LCD option and can either cycle through metrics (ie. time, distance, projected, average wattage, etc.) or stay - or by using the app you can see all the metrics all the time. The menu is easy to navigate and adjust (again even easier, but not flawless, with the app). The pump (which anchors the Whipr to a closed door) is also easy to use and sturdy, either on it’s own or with the anchor plate for larger floor to door gaps. I haven’t used the supplied outdoor ground anchor or strap anchor yet. When anchored, even to the rower frame, the Whipr base unit does move slightly, but always feels secure.

Using the Whipr is fun! The resistance dial goes from 1-10 and I’ve found for myself, if I’m using both arms (eg/ rowing or skiing), I will always use max resistance (and the rower doubler). Using one arm (eg/ SUP, canoeing, or the handles) I can more easily feel the nuance between resistance levels. And this makes sense: during both rowing and skiing I can utilize my bodyweight to generate a LOT more power than something like supping. I’m excited to play around with different exercises and accessories, as there are infinite ways to use a Whipr! Again the limitation of the Whipr is that it lacks the resistance of a full sized ERG machine; I find that no matter how hard I row or ski I cannot max my body out or get to my full power (versus a C2 or WaterRower). I estimate the max rower resistance is slightly under a WaterRower or about 3-4 on a C2. Plus at my maximum stroke rate and power, the cable retraction cannot fully keep up with my recovery leading to some inconsistent catch resistances. For most people these factors are negated by simply rowing and skiing longer: when skiing or rowing longer than 500m-1000m, the Whipr is a great home option with one of the smallest footprints I’ve ever seen! For the SUP option, it’s a great full-body and lower core workout! And if my workout is longer than 5 minutes using max resistance will only lead to power dropoff and leakage.

The bottom line is I think the Whipr is a great choice if you’re looking for a portable or home cardio option (ie. 10-20 minute sessions or longer), especially for rowing, skiing, or supping (I didn’t opt for a second unit so I can’t speak to kayaking or “swimming”)! There’s a lot of potential here for a variety of great workouts! However if you are serious about your rowing or ERGing (eg/ crossfit, a background in rowing, etc.) you’d be better off ponying up for a C2; this version will leave you wanting more (but maybe future versions will have more resistance!).

Well worth the wait. Rower is constructed well, as is the ski erg! My garage gym is now complete. Since the pandemic, I’ve been looking for the ultimate cardio gear. Whipr you hit a home run.

The wait has been worth it for this. I originally backed the project due to traveling 90% of the year, and having to adapt to new gym equipment at each destination. Everything really does fit into the suitcase and pieces together exceptionally well. After putting the rower together a few times, the build and tear down times are a little over a minute. I'm a larger guy at 6' 4" - 210, and I have no complaints about the build of the machine. I can't wait until a carrying case comes out for the rower, as it'd make the package that much sweeter. I would recommend everyone give this machine a try!

Love the ease of transition to the different exercises. Everything is thoughtfully designed. Great workouts. Couldn't be happier I invested in this product. Easy assembly too!

I have quite enjoyed my rowing workouts with Whipr and given my low amounts of space I appreciate not only the size and the ability for it to be taken apart and stored

It's only been a week so far and I am enjoying it. No issues with assembling the parts. It was all pretty easy. Rowing it felt very smooth and I'm working up a sweat working out on this. As of right now it's a two thumbs-up.

The Whipr is easy to use and easy to set up. It is small, compact and changing between each accessory is quick, allowing for a variety of exercises. The Whipr is a great complement to other exercise activity, ensuring I never miss a day due to weather, running out of time to go to the beach (or the trails or the gym) or due to a lack of desire.

I got the Whipr because I have given up on going to the gym and was looking for a reasonably priced alternative cardio machine. This has worked out very well. It's not easy for me to get on the rower, but once there, it gives me a sustained good cardio workout. I have not had time to try out the additional functions of the machine, but I will.