Are you in the market for a high-quality rowing machine but unsure which one to choose?
Well, in this comparison, we're going to break down two of the most popular rowing machines on the market in 2023, the Body Solid Endurance R300 and the Concept 2 rowing machine.
While similar in many aspects, there are some key differences between the two that may sway your decision on which to buy.
Overall, both the Body Solid R300 and the Concept 2 rowing machine offer excellent features and benefits for your home gym or fitness facility.
Lets dive into the nitty gritty details and move you towards the best decision you can make for your personal situation.
The Body Solid R300 Rower is designed to provide a smooth and efficient rowing experience.
It features a sturdy steel frame that can accommodate users up to 330 pounds.
The machine's dimensions are 94.5" L x 18.5" W x 38.5" H, making it a great choice for users with limited space especially with its roller storage wheels.
The R300's seat is ergonomically designed to provide maximum comfort and support during long rowing sessions.
The machine's footrests are adjustable to accommodate users of different sizes.
The R300's console is easy to read and provides users with all the information they need to track their workouts.
It displays time, distance, calories burned, strokes per minute, and more. The machine also comes with 10 pre-programmed workouts to help users get the most out of their rowing sessions.
The Concept 2 rowing machine is one of the most popular rowing machines on the market.
It features a durable aluminum frame that can accommodate users up to 500 pounds.
The machine's dimensions are 96" L x 24" W x 14" H, making it slightly longer than the R300.
The Concept 2's seat is also ergonomically designed to provide maximum comfort and support during long rowing sessions.
The Concept 2's console is easy to read as well and provides users with all the information they need to track their workouts.
It displays time, distance, calories burned, strokes per minute, and more. The machine also comes with a variety of pre-programmed workouts to help users get the most out of their rowing sessions.
Overall, both the Body Solid R300 and the Concept 2 rowing machines are similarly designed to provide users with a comfortable and efficient rowing experience. While the Concept 2 is slightly longer, accommodates users up to 500 lbs., and comes in a slightly different color combination, the two machines nearly identical in quality and features.
Here are some of the key features of the Body Solid R300:
The Body Solid R300 has smooth and quiet operation, ensures a comfortable and enjoyable ride, with adjustable footrests with straps and a padded seat and handlebars provide ultimate comfort.
Stay connected with a built-in cell phone holder, and track your progress with ease using the large, easy-to-read LCD display and 8 different exercise programs.
When your workout is complete, the transport wheels make it effortless to move and store your bike, which can easily separate into multiple pieces.
Here are some of the key features of the Concept 2:
The Concept 2 Rowing Machine is also a popular high-quality rower that offers a smooth and quiet operation similar to the R300.
The adjustable footrests with straps ensure that your feet stay in place during your workout, while the performance monitor with backlit display provides you with all the essential information you need, including time, distance, calories burned, and more.
The phone and tablet holder as well as the connectable heart rate monitor are great additional benefits.
The convenient quick fold design of the Concept 2 is also a major benefit as you can easily and quickly store the rower without disassembling an parts.
The Endurance R300 from Body Solid is a home and commercial rowing machine with high performance air rowing at the forefront.
The machine is designed and warranted to stand up to daily use in many types of facilities.
With user power resistance, 8 different workout programs, a smooth gliding seat, and comfortable handle, the R300 rower is made for a fantastic workout in all areas.
You should have no issue taking yourself or your members all the way to exhaustion after many minutes of use on the machine.
The Concept 2 rowing machine is also design for home and commercial settings and warranted as so, with a 5 year frame warranty and 2 year parts.
The machine is designed to provide a high level cardio and HIIT workout for athletes, Olympians, gym goers, and everyday home users.
Similar to the R300, the user generated resistance, heart rate monitoring with a Bluetooth heart rate strap, smooth roller seat, and chain drive system, allow for a high performance rowing workout.
Overall, both the Body Solid R300 and the Concept 2 rower will have have no performance issues whatsoever, providing an excellent HIIT cardio rowing workout.
When it comes to comparing the Body-Solid R300 and the Concept 2 rowing machines, one of the few tangible differences is the price.
The Body-Solid R300 is slightly cheaper than the Concept 2, making it a more affordable option for those looking for a high-quality rowing machine.
The Concept 2, which is the most popular model, typically costs around $990.
Meanwhile, the Body-Solid R300 usually sells for around $899.
While $100 may not seem like a significant difference, when comparing such similar machines, its important to note.
Just because the Body-Solid R300 is cheaper, doesn't mean that it lacks in quality.
In fact, the Body-Solid R300 is built with the same high-quality materials and construction as the Concept 2. This means that you can get a nearly identical rowing experience for a slightly lower price point.
In the end, if you're a price shopper, and recognize that the two products are extremally similar, the $100 dollar difference in price may sway your buying decision.
At the end of the day, the Body Solid R300 and the Concept 2 Rowing Machine are both great choices for a home gym.
With few differences; the length of the machines, color scheme, digital display, folding design, and price, the two machine are very comparable.
The share equally high build qualities, performance level during workouts, user powered resistance methods, smooth roller seats, transport wheels, heart rate monitor connectedness, phone and tablet storage, and ergonomic seats and handles.
To put it simply, if you want a high quality rowing machine for an affordable price with many of the features found on any other rowing machine, the Body Solid Endurance R300 is your best bet.
If you are a diehard fan of Concept 2, you like the color scheme, need convenient folding design for storage, and or you don't mind paying an extra $100, the Concept is also a fantastic option.
Matt Gemkow, the author of this content section at Select Fitness USA, boasts more than 15 years of fitness experience. He started out in sports and athletic training for many years and has since 2014 transitioned into heavy-weight training and bodybuilding. As a result, he has become one of the most experienced fitness equipment experts out there, and a valuable source of information.
