The BodyCraft VR100 looks impressive and for the price tag you would hope it can deliver on its looks. But unfortunately it doesn't. It is a solidly built machine and feels sturdy enough when you sit on it. But you don't buy a rowing machine just to sit on.

The seat is reasonably comfortable but the fact that the foot braces move makes it difficult to use. You need a solid base under your feet to push against but even on the lower resistance levels these proved unfit for the task. The flywheel is very close to the track (the column you slide up and down on) which means you often bump it on the catch at the start and finish of the action (see rowing technique).

Of the six resistance levels we found only two that replicated anything like a good rowing action. The higher resistance settings are far too tough for even an experienced rower and therefore don't allow you to get into a rhythm necessary for a good workout.

The Console/ Monitor
The best thing about the display unit is that it can be adjusted for easy viewing. However, we question whether it's worth reading what it displays. It doesn't appear to display accurate information. We rowed 1000 meters using different resistance levels and it made no difference to the number of strokes it took to complete the distance. You would expect to row that distance with fewer long and powerful strokes than shorter, light strokes with no power - but it doesn't make any difference? So whether it's easy to read or use is not important as it won't give you accurate data about your workout. 

Summary:
The BodyCraft VR100 looks good, but that's about it. The price is too high in our view for the machine you get. It's not comfortable to use and the display will not tell you much about your performance. The features we like have nothing to do with using it - which defeats the object of buying a rowing machine. For around $200 more you will get a far superior rower with the Concept2 - see below.

  

 

 Our overall rating: 40%