NovaRow R50 Air Resistance Rower

I purchased the NovaRow based on a youtube review that says it's as good as the concept 2, maybe better. The gym I have a membership to has c2 rowers so I'm very familiar with how they feel and I can agree; in almost every way this is just as good or better than the c2 rower at half the price. It was easy to assemble, it's very smooth and feels built to last in every way. The seat pad is super comfy and the footstraps keep your feet nice and tight.

I typically do crossfit type workouts so I haven't done much long distance rowing or used any of the app features yet but I have looked through them and will definitely use them in the future; I definitely see that as an added value.

My only two complaints are that the display is a little hard to see in direct sunlight or even bright gym lighting. Also, the foot supports come up a little high for my liking and they dig into my achilles just a bit since I wear lowtop Vans shoes and the supports are higher than the back of my shoes. I'll probably add some kind of foam padding on them and it should be fine.

I've only used rower twice for 6,000m total. Had to cut first row short due a loose foot peg. Required minor disassembly to access loose bolt. Problem solved.
I row on a C2 regularly at local box, so I am very familiar. The Merach looks and feels almost identical except for the monitor. Monitor switching states is aggravating. No back light also sucks. So far Bluetooth connectivity has been glitchy. Fix these issues and it's a 5 star review. For home use and 1/2 the price of a C2, it's a no brainer.
I'll update my review after a I put in more time on this rower. Pretty happy with so far though.

I’ve always used a concept rower and was skeptical to get a different brand, but couldn’t get myself to pay over $1000 for a concept. This Merach rower is VERY similar to the concept rower. The Merach seat is cushioned and comfortable and better than the concept, in my opinion. The screen to show calories/meters is different and only complaint is you can’t make the calories stay on the screen (it switches from pulse to calories). The feet holders are sturdy and rigid. All and all its worth the money and unnecessary to buy a super expensive one. And the manual says you shouldn’t stand it straight up without taking it apart, but you can if you wanna!

I've done Crossfit off and on for about 15 years now and rowing is one of my very favorite ways to exercise. Due to current life situations and location, we set up a garage gym at home and I was looking for a rower that would not break the bank but give me the same function I was used too. I had previously tried a smaller rower thinking the compact size would be nice, but it did not have enough length for me to use a full stroke. I'm only 5'8'' but with long arms and legs and can max the chain out on a Concept 2 when using a full stroke and rowing hard. This has the exact same reach where I am just shy of smacking the handle into the front bar at a full stroke rowing as hard as I can. This is perfect and if the Concept 2 fits you, this one will as well. In fact, nearly every part looks identical between the two.

With two exceptions. The foot rest on the Merach is a much stiffer plastic that is a little harder to adjust and not very comfortable on the heel due to being a little too stiff and sharp. Not a deal breaker, but especially since I prefer to workout barefoot, less comfortable. And as others have mentioned, the monitor is different. It has all the functions, I would just greatly prefer to be able to lock the screen onto showing meters/time, or calories/time, etc. Instead, what it does is scroll back and forth through all the metrics every 5 seconds which is a bit annoying as it seems to be always showing whatever one I don't care about when I glance up at the screen. Again, not a deal breaker for stuff at home, I'm not trying to win anything that 5 seconds would make a difference for, but it is kind of annoying. If Merach offered upgraded foot rests and monitors, I would buy those and add to this machine.

Even given those two less than ideal things, it is still a great machine and I am loving using it. It is a surprisingly solid for the price, and truly feels like all the parts came out of the same factory as the more expensive machines with the exception of the two things noted above. It only took a couple minutes to assemble with one person. And yes, you can stand it up to store just like a Concept 2 without taking it apart in the middle. I love rowing with this and am very happy with what I got for the price. I plan to use it for many years and would happily buy again. If you want a very solid rower for a pretty decent price, I would say go for this one with no hesitation.

I was very skeptical at first about this rower, to the point where I wasn't even sure if MERACH was a legit company. I even ordered my rower from Amazon, so I knew I had someone to go back to for a refund if it didn't work out. To my surprise the rower showed up and I am blown away. I was very nervous to go with this over a concept 2 rower but now I am very happy with my purchase. At this current sale I believe this is an absolute steel for anyone trying to get into rowing and afraid to drop over a grand on something you are not even sure of. The quality is very good, way better than I expected, and I really enjoy rowing. I am an avid weightlifter, and this has been a great addition to my home gym. Do yourself a favor and grab this on sale, even off sale I think it's a strong buy. Concept two has real competition. Only complaint is the feet strap and foot paddles are a bit cheap feeling, and the heal guard is very high which leads to some really bad heal cuts if not wearing the proper feet ware. other than that, I really am impressed and happy.