This is my second Whipr rower--I bought it because Whipr is selling off assets. This is an amazingly compact rower that gives a great workout. It is different from the standard Concept 2 but for the average rower, it really works well.
It's a little difficult to put together the first time--just the three dimensions of it, but once you do it it's easy after that. All parts are modular, which had the potential to be swapped out, including the central ERG unit. It's all very simple and logical.
The ERG unit housing is manufactured out of high impact plastic. Everything is solid. All other parts are manufactured to the highest standards out of steel and high end components. Everything was packed well.
I had no problems with set up and no problems with use. I use it nearly every day and got a second one as a back up.
I am surprised that no one would buy the technology here. This is Whipr's first product and it's really great. At $229 it's a steal--this thing functions like a real rowing machine whereas the rest of the garbage you'd buy at this price point won't last and won't give much of a workout. (Even at 'full' price, the rower was a great buy.) The Whipr isn't the loudest set up out there but is louder than most water and magnetic rowers. At a full clip, it is about as loud as a concept 2.
This thing can be broken down and moved to a new location easily. It can even fit in a suitcase for travel. The rower gives a decent workout. Adherents of the Concept 2 and high-end rowers may find the action less smooth and may not quite get the high end resistance they are looking for, but the rest of us will be satisfied. And if you live in a small space or need a portable rower, this is the one to choose.
I am certain if Whipr had stayed open, Whipr 2.0 would have been even better. The engineering on this thing was just excellent. I guess, when you come down to it, most start ups do fail. It's just sad to see a company that put their heart and soul into this machine got dinged by supply chain issues and added costs courtesy of the pandemic. I, for one, am sorry to see them go.
Again, this thing is a steal for $229--get one while you can!
I love this rowing machine so much that I bought a second wind just in case parts of the first one break! I’m so sad the company is going out of business!!
I exercise for the purpose of long endurance, but my city doesn’t allow me a beneficial weather for running outdoors for almost half the year & my closest gym is about 45mins. I refuse to sacrifice my time just so I can run on a treadmill. This is a convenient product for me, rower/skier on winter season & running on summer. Though it wouldn’t work for sprint sessions,
I can say that the finished product looks & works amazingly well for my purpose.
This is my 2nd ski accessory because my first one broke after nearly 2 years of almost daily use while traveling with it around the country. Why give it 5 stars when the first one broke? First, let me explain how it broke - The handles are connected to the rope in 2 ways. The rope wraps around the inside of the handle and, for added security, is slipped through a hole with a strong knot on the other end. I didn't have the rope wrapped around the inside of the handle (my fault) and the knot eventually came undone because of this. So, mid workout, the rope released from one of the handles and flew out the other end of the accessory. There was no way to weave it back in without taking the whole accessory apart, and I simply couldn't figure out how to do that without breaking everything. The solution is so simple: don't unwrap the entire rope from the inside of the handle. Given the fact that I didn't pay attention to this clear direction AND this accessory is so affordable, I really can't complain. I love using it so much that I bought a new one even after the first broke. It's a great accessory to get cardio in anywhere you might be traveling... and if you have nonstop sciatica like me, it's a low impact workout that burns calories and fuels muscle. So it's a win for me!
I use it 4 to 5 days a week, I get a great total body workout giving my feet a break when I'm not running.
