Update: The $440 AMEX Offer ends today!
I love kayaking.
Nearly 13 years ago, Mimi and I kayaked to a sandbar off Oahu’s Windward coast on our month-long Hawaiian honeymoon:
A year later we kayaked and hiked to Kauai’s Secret Falls:
In 2015 I checked off a bucket list item when I flew the Island Hopper with DDF member AJK, where we kayaked the stunning waters of Palau:
2016 in Maui, with whales and turtles popping up to give us a show:
In 2018 I got to check off another bucket list item when I kayaked past penguins and whales in the icy waters of Antarctica together with DDF member aussiebochur:
It’s also a great way to exercise, but alas, I don’t live in Hawaii, Palau, or Antarctica.
When I saw an AMEX Offer for $440 off $2,199 at Hydrow I did some research into it.
It’s an immersive rowing machine with a built in screen with instructors that row in scenic spots that will convince you that you’re right there with them.
The machine isn’t cheap and there’s a $38 monthly fee to boot for access to live and recorded classes.
I never thought I’d be the target market for something like this, but with a 30 day free trial and free return shipping, I took a flyer on it. If it can make exercising fun enough for me to use it daily, then it will be worth the expense.
The purchase will also trigger a $5 Shop Small credit. Hey, every penny counts 😀
If you don’t see the $440 AMEX Offer, try using the desktop site and if you have 100 AMEX Offers available, try saving random offers to your account to get under 100 available offers. I did that, logged out, and logged back again, and then the Hydrow offer showed up on my preferred AMEX.
My card was charged the same day as the order was made, so you shouldn’t have an issue getting the credit.
I’ve only had the machine for a week, and so far so good. It really does feel like you’ve been transported onto a scenic river. You can’t dip your hands into the water, but this is definitely the next best thing and it keeps you coming back for more.
It’s also gamified, so you compete against fellow rowers and you can earn rewards for meeting milestones. If I’d earn frequent flyer miles instead of water bottles, I’d have hit 100K meters in no time 😀
Will I keep it? That depends if I’m still using and enjoying it in 3 weeks, but it’s looking pretty great so far.
Do you use a Hydrow, Peloton, or Mirror? Do you find it worth the expense?
I have a treadmill that i hang clothes on
Isn’t that what treadmills are made for?
I’ve long mocked exercise equipment with a monthly fee, but there’s no denying that the gamification of it creates the enjoyment and incentive to keep using it.
Same for call centers. Gamification can turn around agent performance. If you have any underperforming call centers you can get me in touch with….I offer all sorts of technology for customer and agent experience. We pay residual commissions for referrals to boot. Off topic… but if an at home kayak launched you into all kayak vacations… I figured I may be okay off on a tangent on gamification! 😉
Get into Costco.com please. Over 2 hours on hold today for a lost order 😡
So that’s what you’re busy with….
How good is the return policy?
30 days from the day of delivery, with free return shipping. They’ll also refund the monthly fee and all accessories.
Use a Concept 2 rower. Best rower around. Have tried the water based and magnetic rowers and nothing beats the catch on the fan based.
Without the screen putting you somewhere exotic and the gamification/competition, I wouldn’t have the motivation to use it.
Listen to a shiur
I’m going to guess you’ve never used a rower before….
+1 for Concept2
Agreed 100% and the rogue echo bike
It can be the best bike in the world, but it’s the gamification that gets people to actually use their Peloton and Hydrow.
Any peloton membership coupons?
Bummer, only on my Plat, would have worked nicely toward hitting 6Mo/$10k/100kMR SUB on Biz Plat (6mo Covid).
The wall mount – seems like a space saver – I prefer elliptical/rowing machines over treadmills -better core, low impact and can use for anaerobic HITT workouts.
Do you have 100 offers available on Biz Plat?
Just 81 – but I since noticed that I had added it to a different Plat – I think I probably added it when it popped up as expiring soon – to stay under 100 offers on that card
The $38/mo is a bit offsetting – gym at work is $9/mo
The gamification is kind of cool we bought our eldest [20 yo] a 2019 hybrid and it scores you on breaking for regenerative breaking as she’s upto 40+ mpg – I could have never been able to to get her “to not come in hot” to a light or stop sign as “dad” but the gamification – has lightened her lead foot and she’s less aggressive of a driver – but I did cap her speed at 80 MPH (70 MPH/75MPH OR/WA top limit).
I digress.
We kayaked off La Jolla in San Diego a few years ago. Needed to rent wetsuits because the water was quite cold. Pretty much everyone had fun, especially the younger ones that didn’t row too hard and left most of the rowing to the adult in their kayak. And I have to say, we all slept REALLY well that night (after dinner at the kosher Ralph’s store near La Jolla). It’s got to be great exercise!
Looking to buy a treadmill. Email yoni at greatyanktix@yahoo.com
Please reach out to @Michael above
then i wont have a place to hang my clothes
I’m more interested in deals on donuts
Not sure why the tangent on why you love kayaking so much… It’s not at all the same workout as rowing… You could just as well have told us how much you like surfing…
Perhaps not, but I’m not particular. I like being on the water as it doesn’t feel like hard work and this machine puts you into that mindset with the immersive water scenery.
I bought one to try it is a great machine if you will do it
You need to pay $39 a month for service
it also needs internet or wifi to run….
you really need to think twice about the cost….
I am returning mine
Nothing beats getting your a** outside and biking real road miles, kayaking on real water or running or hiking a real trail. Ask Mimi about the fate of the NordicTrack.
Agreed, but living in a city with a harsh climate for most of the year doesn’t make that possible.
This new generation of equipment also does a lot better at motivation.
Go snowshoing?
Just ordered, gonna try it, but I will return if I don’t feel I will be using it allot after trial
Any update? Do you still have it/use it?
Is there an update on it now? Do you still have it and use it?
@Dan, you kept it? Still like it/use it?