Concept 2 Rowing Machine vs. Johnson W7000 Rowing Machine

03-15-2006, 12:59 PM

I just got what I believe is a great deal on a new, still in the factory sealed box, Johnson W7000 rowing machine. I paid $800.00 and I believe this item generally retails for in the $1300-$1500 range. I'm wondering if I shouldn't sell it though and get the Concept 2 rowing machine instead. I have read as many reviews as I can get my hands on about both items but I can't find any discussions that compare the two. I'm honestly not sure which is better. I would be grateful for any advice anyone has to offer. It is my understanding that the Concept 2 is the top dog at gyms in the US and the Johnson W7000 is previlent in Europe. I just want the best machine possible for my home gym. I intend to use the heck out of it. I trained in Gyms for the last fifteen years but now I'm at home with two little ones so I'm looking for equipment that hits the whole body. The rower seems like a good pick. I just don't want to have any regret that I purchased the wrong one!

Dennis Yiatras · 03-15-2006, 02:08 PM

just the fact that concept2 has there own website meant alot to me. Also there tech support is awesome and really helped me out with some questions I have had. So they get a grade of A in my book.

I have never heard of a johnson rower. I can say I am glad I made my choice c2 all the way..

Paul Findley · 03-15-2006, 02:30 PM

You might be able to sell it for a profit, then buy a C2.

(Message edited by paul on March 15, 2006)

David Wood · 03-15-2006, 03:15 PM

Kirsten: Welcome to CrossFit!

Getting a rower as a home aerobic trainer is certainly a good choice.

I've never heard of the Johnson (not that that means much). Googling it comes up with lots of UK sites selling it, so it does appear to have a presence in Europe. Based purely on the appearance, it looks very solid, with a combination of inertia and wind (air) resistance similar to the Concept II.

You're right that that's a good price . . . they seem to retail for 800 pounds (about $1300 US, as you said) . . . although $850 is all you need to spend to get a new Concept 2, too.

Maybe some of the Brits on the board can chime in with what they know of it?

The only issues I would see are:

a) you're likely to have a harder time getting it serviced here in the states than you would the C2 (although, hopefully, that wouldn't be an issue with either machine).

b) the C2 gives you an automatic "club" with thousands of other people using comparable equipment worldwide . . . allowing you much more ability to compare and share your results. The lack of anything similar on-line for Johnson makes me wonder . . .

I would say, if you can offload the Johnson at or near the price you paid, you can have a top-level C2 for $850 new and quite a bit less used . . . and I think I would do that.

If you can't, well, it still looks like a good piece of equipment.

Don't neglect all the other stuff you'll need for CrossFit . . . parallelettes, rings, medicine balls . . .

03-15-2006, 03:25 PM

Kirsten,

I don't know about the rest of europe, but the C2 is overwhelmingly the top dog in the uk, both in gyms and for the fanatical home user base.

It is also what the English rowing olympians (Steve Redgrave et al) train on - which must mean something.

Regards,
Dan

Dave Campbell · 03-16-2006, 10:51 AM

Being able to compare my time with others is not an important benefit to me. If you're happy with the Johnson rower, stick with it; you'll get a great workout either way. On the other hand, service could become an issue.
I was lucky enough to pick up a Concept II Model C recently for $200. My young kids were playing and broke a couple of plastic pieces on it. I was stunned at how cheap the replacement parts were and how quickly they were shipped.

03-16-2006, 03:54 PM

Thank you to everyone who responded to the Johnson W7000 rower vs. Concept 2 questions I posed. Now I have a lot of constructive food for thought. I wish I found this site prior to purchasing the Johnson rower. I'll definately ask questions here before purchasing any more equipment.
Regards,
Kirsten

Eugene R. Allen · 03-16-2006, 04:38 PM

Kirsten - you will find that there are kooks here on this website who live to buy every type and variety of training equipment that comes out. It seems to be a compulsion with some, a pathological need to have multiples of all that there is to buy. I'm not one of them, I could quit any time. I just do it because I like it. But just to chime in on the rowing machine topic, when I get another one it will be a C2.

But only because I want to, not because I neeeed to. I could stop really.

Where's my credit card?

Ebay, PayPal, Craig's List.

I gotta go.

Keith Wittenstein · 03-16-2006, 06:03 PM

My practical advice is to use what you got. If it means not training for a month until you get a C2, then I say use the Johnson. When it breaks or stops being useful, then get a C2. In the end, you're better off training whether it's on a Johnson or rowboat.

That being said, if you have access to a C2, it seems to be the gold standard. I would try to get one if I had the $$$ or £££.

David Wood · 03-16-2006, 06:25 PM

Ok, there's a clear and simple solution here . . . sell it to Eugene.

Eugene, you know you gotta have a rower that's different from what everybody up and down your block is using . . .:happy:

03-15-2006, 12:59 PM	#1
Kirsten Dawn Arnold **** Profile:** Posts: n/a	I just got what I believe is a great deal on a new, still in the factory sealed box, Johnson W7000 rowing machine. I paid $800.00 and I believe this item generally retails for in the $1300-$1500 range. I'm wondering if I shouldn't sell it though and get the Concept 2 rowing machine instead. I have read as many reviews as I can get my hands on about both items but I can't find any discussions that compare the two. I'm honestly not sure which is better. I would be grateful for any advice anyone has to offer. It is my understanding that the Concept 2 is the top dog at gyms in the US and the Johnson W7000 is previlent in Europe. I just want the best machine possible for my home gym. I intend to use the heck out of it. I trained in Gyms for the last fifteen years but now I'm at home with two little ones so I'm looking for equipment that hits the whole body. The rower seems like a good pick. I just don't want to have any regret that I purchased the wrong one!
Kirsten Dawn Arnold **** Profile:** Posts: n/a

03-15-2006, 03:25 PM	#5
Dan Carter **** Profile:** Posts: n/a	Kirsten, I don't know about the rest of europe, but the C2 is overwhelmingly the top dog in the uk, both in gyms and for the fanatical home user base. It is also what the English rowing olympians (Steve Redgrave et al) train on - which must mean something. Regards, Dan
Dan Carter **** Profile:** Posts: n/a

03-16-2006, 03:54 PM	#7
Kirsten Dawn Arnold **** Profile:** Posts: n/a	Thank you to everyone who responded to the Johnson W7000 rower vs. Concept 2 questions I posed. Now I have a lot of constructive food for thought. I wish I found this site prior to purchasing the Johnson rower. I'll definately ask questions here before purchasing any more equipment. Regards, Kirsten
Kirsten Dawn Arnold **** Profile:** Posts: n/a

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03-15-2006, 02:08 PM	#2
Dennis Yiatras Departed Profile: Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 152	just the fact that concept2 has there own website meant alot to me. Also there tech support is awesome and really helped me out with some questions I have had. So they get a grade of A in my book. I have never heard of a johnson rower. I can say I am glad I made my choice c2 all the way..

03-15-2006, 02:30 PM	#3
Paul Findley Member Profile: Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Longmont CO Posts: 1,257	You might be able to sell it for a profit, then buy a C2. (Message edited by paul on March 15, 2006)

03-15-2006, 03:15 PM	#4
David Wood Departed Profile: Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,303	Kirsten: Welcome to CrossFit! Getting a rower as a home aerobic trainer is certainly a good choice. I've never heard of the Johnson (not that that means much). Googling it comes up with lots of UK sites selling it, so it does appear to have a presence in Europe. Based purely on the appearance, it looks very solid, with a combination of inertia and wind (air) resistance similar to the Concept II. You're right that that's a good price . . . they seem to retail for 800 pounds (about $1300 US, as you said) . . . although $850 is all you need to spend to get a new Concept 2, too. Maybe some of the Brits on the board can chime in with what they know of it? The only issues I would see are: a) you're likely to have a harder time getting it serviced here in the states than you would the C2 (although, hopefully, that wouldn't be an issue with either machine). b) the C2 gives you an automatic "club" with thousands of other people using comparable equipment worldwide . . . allowing you much more ability to compare and share your results. The lack of anything similar on-line for Johnson makes me wonder . . . I would say, if you can offload the Johnson at or near the price you paid, you can have a top-level C2 for $850 new and quite a bit less used . . . and I think I would do that. If you can't, well, it still looks like a good piece of equipment. Don't neglect all the other stuff you'll need for CrossFit . . . parallelettes, rings, medicine balls . . .

03-16-2006, 10:51 AM	#6
Dave Campbell Member Profile: Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Albany NY Posts: 344	Being able to compare my time with others is not an important benefit to me. If you're happy with the Johnson rower, stick with it; you'll get a great workout either way. On the other hand, service could become an issue. I was lucky enough to pick up a Concept II Model C recently for $200. My young kids were playing and broke a couple of plastic pieces on it. I was stunned at how cheap the replacement parts were and how quickly they were shipped.

03-16-2006, 04:38 PM	#8
Eugene R. Allen Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Tacoma Washington Posts: 1,715	Kirsten - you will find that there are kooks here on this website who live to buy every type and variety of training equipment that comes out. It seems to be a compulsion with some, a pathological need to have multiples of all that there is to buy. I'm not one of them, I could quit any time. I just do it because I like it. But just to chime in on the rowing machine topic, when I get another one it will be a C2. But only because I want to, not because I neeeed to. I could stop really. Where's my credit card? Ebay, PayPal, Craig's List. I gotta go.

03-16-2006, 06:03 PM	#9
Keith Wittenstein Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: New York New York Posts: 945	My practical advice is to use what you got. If it means not training for a month until you get a C2, then I say use the Johnson. When it breaks or stops being useful, then get a C2. In the end, you're better off training whether it's on a Johnson or rowboat. That being said, if you have access to a C2, it seems to be the gold standard. I would try to get one if I had the $$$ or £££.

03-16-2006, 06:25 PM	#10
David Wood Departed Profile: Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,303	Ok, there's a clear and simple solution here . . . sell it to Eugene. Eugene, you know you gotta have a rower that's different from what everybody up and down your block is using . . .:happy: