Customer Reviews

Stamina Body Trac Glider 1050 Rowing Machine

5 star:		(108)
4 star:		(118)
3 star:		(28)
2 star:		(16)
1 star:		(35)

 

 

Length:: 1:16 Mins

So far, so good. I was a little upset that there weren't any video reviews for this product, (youtube, from the company itself etc.) so I promised myself that I'd make a video demonstration for others to judge.
The basic stuff you need to know: There are 12 levels of resistance (I was using resistance level 8).
The computer tells you how many complete rows you have performed, time performed, calories burned or you can scan through all three (My computer didn't work when it first arrived, but after a solid punch it woke up and started working). The resistance is nice. You'll get a good workout with this inexpensive machine. Storage is convenient, but don't be fooled, 35 pounds is heavy to move around from room to room. Keep the machine close to where you plan on using it. Finally, the footstraps were a major complaint. My complaint about the footstraps is that it doesn't hold your feet securely against the footrests. The clicking noise you hear in the video (at the end of each rep) is my heel clicking against the footrest. The footrest issue is not as bad as others have made it seem (in my opinion), although strapping the footstraps on properly isn't an easy task.

I have had this rower for a week now and it has been working great. The first rower I bought (a different brand of rower) broke down after 15 min of use, but the Stamina Body Glider is well built and very easy to use. The instruction booklet is very clear. It only took a few minutes to put the machine together.

The amount of resistance is adjustable and the machine is very quiet. The only noise you hear is from the shock absorber type device which provides the resistance. It looks and feels like a more expensive piece of equipment, but provides the same type of workout that those higher priced models provide. Relatively lightweight, the Stamina Body Glider comes in at around 35lbs. The light weight makes it easy to move the machine around. I am thoroughly satisfied with this machine so far and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a rower.

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PROS:
a. Real rowing (oar-like) action, rather than just pulling on a single T-bar.
b. Comfortable even with tall people (I'm 6'1').
c. Adjustable rowing tension.
d. A very sturdy, rigid, and well-built frame.
e. Easy to assemble.
f. Takes little room to use.
g. Very low cost (one hundred twenty dollars).

CONS:
a. The seat is not well padded.
b. The unit creaks and squeaks a bit until it is warmed-up.
c. No instructions explaining how to actually row properly. (I found some great videos and info on the Web, however, that instruct as to how to use rowing machines).

You simply cannot beat this Stamina Body Trac Rowing Machine at this very low cost -- it is an amazing deal!

I bought this machine after quite a bit of research into various rowing machines. I am not a rower. My goal is to lose weight and get a good aerobic exerciser. I did not care too much whether the machine approximated actual rowing. I was looking for a rower that was smooth and challenging. This one fills the ticket for a VERY REASONABLE price. (Most rowers are $500 and up.)

Packaging

The Trac Glider comes in pieces that you have to assemble. Be careful that you don't lose any parts, because I did not get any extra screws or pieces in my package. The machine is fairly simple to put together. It only took about 15 minutes.

The Machine

I noticed immediately that the materials for the rower are pretty solid. However, I found the plastic for the monitor to be pretty flimsy but serving their purpose. Another quality issue is the nylon and velcro foot straps that may break over time. My feet slip into the foot stirrups easily but if the straps aren't tight they can and do slip out occasionally. The monitor conveniently measures time, estimated calories, and number of rows. You can set it to scan through this information while you are rowing so that you don't have to stop to change what is shown. The monitor also cuts on and off automatically, saving power.

The rower was not silent. When I first got it, it squeeked fiercely. But a few squirts of WD40 and the annoying noise was taken care of. The pistons hiss and the seat rolls back and forth making a sound similar to what a skateboard makes.

The seat is cushioned. This is very important for anyone wanting to row for long aerobic workouts. The row arms move nicely...similar to an outrigger but not quite the same movement.

I am six feet tall and immensely pleased that I chose the Body Trac Glider because it has a longer track than most rowers. I am able to extend my legs fully with each row and my arms can go through a full range of motion with this machine.

Storage

The arms fold underneath the track and the machine stands on its 'head' for storage. I live in a small condominium and need that space. The design is quite effective. The monitor is not touching the ground as it appears to be in the picture. The T-style ends make a 3 point stand when tilted up.

On the whole, I don't think anyone could find a better rowing machine than this anywhere near this price. It provides an effective workout and is made of sturdy material. This is a five star machine. I considered 4 stars only because I wish the monitor was made of better materials. --But, I would have bought this even if it didn't have any monitor.

I usually find the reviews to be really helpful here and have never felt compelled to complain about a product but this machine is just too big for me. I'm 5'4" and wear a 7 1/2 shoe, my feet absolutely will not stay in the pedals. My knees felt stressed and painful after using the machine for a few minutes and my knee constantly hit the middle track. No matter what I do I cannot seem to get this machine to work well with mw.

My husband is taller, 5'11", and it seems to be fine for him but if your a smaller woman I do not suggest getting this machine.

i researched different rowing machines for months before finally settling on this particular one. the best rower on the market is an american made concept II, which uses a fan system and has a very sophisticated computer for tracking and comparing progress. at about $900, it seemed like a steal when compared to other european rowers that used either water or air fans, like tunturi, priced between $1100 and $1600. i decided then to compare on amazon to see what comments people were leaving about the less expensive rowers. as expected, most of them received pretty bad reviews, except this one. at $120 with free shipping and handling, i decided it was worth the risk. it's adjustable resistance hydraulic pump seems to work better and quieter than more expensive models and it can store in a more compact space, but the pump can get extremely hot and sometimes smells like it's burning. i think the biggest downside is that it's fairly obvious that most of the parts aren't going to last very long (why i only gave 4 stars), but even if you buy 10 of these over 10 years you're still not going to spend as much as you would on the upscale models.

I put this together as soon as it came, well with the help of my husband!!!! very easy to put together, he had it up and running in 20 mins. it came with its own tools to put together, the main part of this machine was already together, you mainly put together the seat, pedals and arms. The seat is soft which is a plus I think, it has a digital meter to track the calories you burn, keeps time, keeps track of how much rowing you have done. You can adjust the setting from easies to hardest. So far we love this machine, we have been using the stamina from the moment it got here a week ago, the entire family that is, let you know in a month from now how is going......

Length:: 6:30 Mins

I know I said I would review "soon" and here I am nearly a month later. But I've been preoccupied...Anyway...

The video was probably pretty enlightening about the build quality and the general appearance and function of the machine. I hope to cover what was not covered in the video with this written review, starting with my later impressions.

For starters this is a reasonably priced rower with decent resistance settings. The shock has 12 different resistance levels, and if I had to equate the first 7 levels to lifting pounds I would do so as follows (and some might disagree):

Level 1 = 2-3 pounds
Level 2 = 5 pounds
Level 3 = 8 pounds
Level 4 = 13 pounds
Level 5 = 17 pounds
Level 6 = 20 pounds
Level 7 = 25 pounds

These are approximates of course, but they give you a sense of how incrementally the resistance goes up as you go up in level, up to the peak 12 which I would rate at a good 50-60 pounds, possibly a little more, but not too bad. Now you might be wondering: "That doesn't seem like a lot of pounds to lift!" and you'd be right, except for the rowing motion. Anyone of a decent build can dead lift 10 pounds, but the question is could you do so repeatedly, rapidly (not so fast that you injure yourself, mind)? Maybe. More pounds and you'll feel tightness in your muscles. The target zones I specified in the video...pecs, triceps, shoulders, are all going to get a good strain, but one area I didn't mention is your forearms, specifically near your inner elbow. Doing a Level 5+ workout for 25 or more reps and you will definitely feel the tightness in this area.

For a machine like this, I will normally do 2 sets - where a set would be 25 rotations - at Level 7 resistance. Of course, you should not overstrain your muscles; if you know you're out of shape or you have a smaller frame, you should start smaller and work your way up as your body gets adjusted to the resistance. Don't overexert yourself because you will definitely pull something.

Some negatives, things I would like to see improved:

- The seat. Not only its looseness (which I think should be addressed definitely for a leg workout), but also how hard it is. The padding is a really hard foam and is extremely uncomfortable.

- I did notice how challenging it is to keep your feet in the stirrups, but what I found is that it really didn't matter so long as I used the ball of my foot...the area right beneath my toes, to push as opposed to the temptation to use my heel.

- The handgrips are just as uncomfortable as the seat, so much so that I had to buy gloves to protect my palms.

- The count meter is counting based on the number of times the seat moves backward and forward, not how many true revolutions you've done. This throws off counting, because of the lack of resistance on the seat. I might push all the way back before the revolution is completed.

- Would like to see the rear foot have multiple height settings so that you can incline the unit, which would add resistance for your legs as they would then be lifting the weight of your body, resulting in a full-body workout.

- Simple indigo backglight for the screen to be able to see it in low light conditions.


So...do I recommend it? Yes. As long as you realize that this is not the top of the line, this is a great deal for a great machine. It does have issues, but it's well worth a try.

I'm an old hand at exercising. This rowing machine is really a bargain. It is durable, functional, easily assembled, and easily stored. It is a great alternative to walking everyday and provides variety in your workout program that is beneficial. Works numerous muscle groups. I highly recommended it as an aerobic exercise for those on the go. Also, it is compact and can be used while watching television. OVERALL. A GREAT BUY.

If you are looking for a rower to use on an occassional basis, than this machine is for you. If you use it every other day, which I did, than I suggest you look elsewhere. My machine broke down after three months of continuous use. The shock absorber began breaking down slowly, first occassionally losing resistance around the 30 minute mark of working out , to eventually giving out completely.