Capital Sports Flow M Water Rower Review
I have to admit when I first came across the Capital Sports Flow M Water Rower, I wasn’t quite sure how it worked. The innovative design is unique, especially with the water tank below the 80 cm long rail slide, but what you actually get is one of the most space efficient indoor rowers on the market. The frame of the Capital Sports Flow M water rower is solid steel, which explains why the machine comes with an impressive maximum user weight capacity of 150 kgs. For its price range, this definitely puts it ahead of other water rowers in the UK in its class. The compact design does make up for the fact that the frame of the Flow M rower is not foldable, although vertical storage is available. Capital Sports markets the Flow M Rower as a design element that can be a part of your home decor. While I think the design is unique, I wouldn’t go as far as to say it would be a decorative piece of your interior design style.
Unlike other indoor rowing machines, the Capital Sports Flow M water rower is built with space-saving in mind. With dimensions of only 156 cm L x 51.5cm W x 95 cm H, the Flow M rower is definitely a machine to keep in mind if you live in a smaller apartment, or have your home gym in a basement. Without water, the Flow M water rower weighs about 32.5 kg, but of course when you add water to the tank it will add another 10-15 kg on top of that. This is something that will always plague water resistance rowers, so if you would like something a little lighter, I recommend checking out a magnetic resistance rower instead. In this price range, something like the Men’s Health/Women’s Health Bluetooth Magnetic Rower would serve you well.
The heart and soul of any indoor rower is its resistance system, and the Capital Sports Flow M certainly prides itself on the massive 13L tank that provides eight different resistance levels. The ergonomically shaped water paddle provides a realistic feel that I was surprised by. I’m still not sure if it’s the position of the water tank on the machine, or the resistance system itself, but it was genuinely one of the most realistic rowing sensations that I have felt on an indoor water rower. My only pet peeve with most water rowers is the variable resistance system, which means those eight levels that are marked on the tank are for manual adjustment. What does that mean? You choose your resistance level based on how much water you fill the tank with. It’s not terrible, but given the smooth transition of magnetic rowers, replacing the water can be cumbersome. Maintenance of water rowing machines is low-touch, just make sure you change the water now and then, as well as adding in a cleaning tablet for the tank.
One area where the Capital Sports Flow M Water Rower did not blow me away is with the technology that is included. Granted I wouldn’t expect cutting edge technology for a low to mid priced machine, but the only thing you really get with the Flow M is a small digital LCD monitor. The monitor is good for measuring distance, calories burned, rowing cycles per minute, and time, but don’t expect to integrate your smartphone as there is no Bluetooth or WiFi connectivity. Luckily Capital Sports included a tablet or smartphone holder so you can be entertained as you row, but a little more connected technology would definitely have been nice.
Assembly of the Flow M Water Rower was surprisingly straightforward given the slightly complex design of the machine. Everything was included in the box, and although I am not the handiest guy in the world, it only took me about 40 minutes to build. Capital Sports even included some bonus items including a water pump and hose which makes filling and emptying the water tank easier, as well as a vial of lubricating fluid. In terms of shipping, I always tend to shop around for prices, and Amazon usually returns the cheapest total price including shipping, with the fastest delivery times.
You should be wondering how much the Capital Sports Flow M Water Rower will cost you, and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. On Amazon, it lists for £599.99, although on the Capital Sports website it lists for €599.99, so like I said shop around the cheapest price. Overall it isn’t an overly expensive water rower, but I would have liked to see some more technology integration. In terms of warranties, it looks like Capital Sports may have different agreements in different countries. For instance the warranty on the website for Germany, cites that within the first 24 months, Capital Sports will agree to repair most defective parts.
Capital Sports Flow M Water Rower Pros
- Innovative design of the frame and tank placement
- Solid steel frame with 80 cm long slide rail
- Eight different water resistance levels
- Tablet holder will help keep you entertained
- Decent price for a quality machine
- Warranty is good but vague
- High maximum user weight capacity
- Compact and space saving design
- Water pump included
Capital Sports Flow M Water Rower Cons
- Next to no technology integrated into the machine
- Variable resistance system can be cumbersome to refill
- Frame is not foldable, although it is compact
- Exercises can be repetitive unless you add or remove water
Hi, my name is Sayed Hamed Hosseiny. I am a professional health and fitness trainer with nearly 20 years of experience using ellipticals, rowing machines, and spin bikes. I also have my own EU-based Rock Fitness Pro fitness brand where I design, import and sell exercise equipment such as rowing machines and spin bikes. I and writers on my team also often receive fitness equipment to review and evaluate their functionalities and performance from tens of different exercise machines manufacturers. Fitness equipment tips, guides, reviews, and comparisons on this website are my opinion (and opinions of my fitness expert colleagues) based on tens of criteria. I never accept payment to write reviews of products or say positive things about fitness equipment products. If brands are interested to have me review their rowers, ellipticals, or spin bikes, they can get in touch with me via email provided on the contact page and send a sample of their product.
