ReviewFinder Rowing Machines

Sunny Health Obsidian Surge

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10 Verified Hands-On Reviews

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Expert reviews [10]

84
Total expert reviews: 10
  • with a score: 4
  • without a score: 6
Highest score by Jay's Home Gym
90
Average score based on 10 reviews
84
Lowest score by rowingmachine-guide.com
75

Score distribution:

80-100
60-80
40-60
20-40
0-20
ReviewFinder: authentic product reviews summarized by a powerful AI engine.

Expert consensus

The Sunny Health Obsidian Surge is a water rowing machine that offers adjustable resistance levels, a comfortable seating experience, and a space-saving design, making it a great option for home gyms.

The Sunny Health Obsidian Surge is a water rowing machine that offers a unique and dynamic rowing experience. It uses water resistance, with a flywheel and 16 fan blades that interact with water to provide instant resistance. The resistance is adjustable, with six different fill levels, allowing users to customize the intensity of their workouts.

The rowing machine also comes with adjustable foot straps, providing a stable and secure foot placement. It features a fitness meter called the R2 fitness meter, which tracks and displays essential workout data. The monitor is easy to read and well-organized, making it convenient for users to track their progress.

The rowing machine is designed to be space-saving and versatile, with a folding design that allows for easier storage when not in use. It is suitable for various home gym setups and does not require any additional accessories or attachments. The Sunny Health Obsidian Surge offers a comfortable seating experience with its molded and padded seat.

The seat is positioned higher off the ground, which can be beneficial for individuals with back, hip, or knee issues. Adjusting the resistance levels is relatively easy, and the rowing motion is described as smooth and natural. The rowing machine is praised for its sturdy and durable build quality, with a steel frame and anti-corrosion paint.

It can safely hold customers weighing up to 300 pounds. While it may not be on par with more expensive water rowing machines in terms of durability, it is suitable for regular home use. Overall, the Sunny Health Obsidian Surge provides a comfortable and realistic rowing experience, making it a great option for individuals looking to incorporate a rowing machine into their home gym.

Features and Technology

The Sunny Health Obsidian Surge is a water rowing machine that offers a challenging yet smooth workout with adjustable resistance levels and a convenient fitness meter.

The Sunny Health Obsidian Surge is a water rowing machine that offers a unique and dynamic rowing experience. It uses water resistance, with a flywheel and 16 fan blades that interact with water to provide instant resistance. The faster the fan blades spin, the higher the resistance, creating a challenging yet smooth workout.

The resistance is adjustable, with six different fill levels, allowing users to customize the intensity of their workouts. The rowing machine also comes with adjustable foot straps, providing a stable and secure foot placement. It features a fitness meter called the R2 fitness meter, which tracks and displays essential workout data such as time, strokes per minute, calories burned, heart rate, and ambient temperature.

The monitor is easy to read and well-organized, making it convenient for users to track their progress. The Obsidian Surge is described as the closest you can get to the feel of actual rowing without being on a lake, making it suitable for users who want a realistic rowing experience at home.

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Size and Space

The Sunny Health Obsidian Surge rowing machine is a space-saving and versatile option for home gyms, with a folding design and no need for additional accessories.

The Sunny Health Obsidian Surge rowing machine is designed to be space-saving and versatile, making it suitable for various home gym setups. It has a folding design that allows for easier storage when not in use, reducing its length by more than half. When stored upright, it is only about 33-1/2 inches long, making it convenient for those with limited space.

It does not come with any accessories or attachments, so there is no need to allocate additional space for them. The rowing machine itself is long at 80 inches, but this can be easily folded and stored when not in use. It is recommended to have a few feet of space around the machine for comfortable usage.

The rowing machine does not have any special requirements for ceiling height, as long as there is enough headroom to row without hitting the ceiling. Overall, the Sunny Health Obsidian Surge is a space-saving option for those looking to incorporate a rowing machine into their home gym.

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User Experience

The Sunny Health Obsidian Surge offers a comfortable seating experience, easy resistance adjustment, and a smooth rowing motion, making it a suitable choice for individuals with back, hip, or knee issues.

Based on the expert reviews, the Sunny Health Obsidian Surge offers a comfortable seating experience with its molded and padded seat. However, for longer and more intense rowing sessions, it is recommended to use a rowing machine seat cushion for added comfort. The seat is positioned higher off the ground, which can be beneficial for individuals with back, hip, or knee issues.

The seat itself is described as large and padded, providing additional comfort.

Adjusting the resistance levels on the Obsidian Surge is relatively easy, according to the reviews. The rowing machine uses a water tank for resistance, and users can adjust the resistance by adding or removing water from the tank. The machine offers 6 different fill levels, allowing users to customize their workout intensity.

While more expensive water-resistant machines may have a lever for easier resistance adjustment, the Obsidian Surge provides similar features considering its price point.

The rowing motion on the Sunny Health Obsidian Surge is described as smooth and natural. The water-based resistance system with an aluminum flywheel submerged in a full tank of water aims to replicate the feeling of rowing in real life. Users can expect a fluid and seamless rowing experience, as mentioned in the reviews.

Overall, the Sunny Health Obsidian Surge provides a comfortable seating experience, easy resistance adjustment, and a smooth rowing motion. It is suitable for individuals with back, hip, or knee issues, and offers a realistic rowing experience.

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Durability and Build Quality

The Sunny Health Obsidian Surge Rowing Machine is praised for its sturdy build quality, although it may not be on par with WaterRowers or solid wood water rowing machines.

The Sunny Health Obsidian Surge Rowing Machine is praised by experts for its sturdy and durable build quality. The frame is made of lightweight steel, which provides stability and longevity. The steel framework is further reinforced with black anti-corrosion paint, enhancing its durability.

Reviewers mention that the rowing machine can safely hold customers weighing up to 300 pounds, indicating its solid construction. The weight of 91 pounds also contributes to its overall stability. However, experts note that the build quality of the Obsidian Surge is not on par with that of WaterRowers, which are known for their exceptional durability and sturdiness.

The weight capacity of the Obsidian Surge is also lower compared to solid wood water rowing machines. Nonetheless, for regular home use, the build quality of the Sunny Health Obsidian Surge should be sufficient.

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Position in ranking

We maintain a monthly ranking that sums up expert recommendations for all rowing machines.

Rank Change Price Rowing Machine
greatist
The Trend Spotter
The Strategist
Popular Mechanics
Healthline
SELF
CNET
Business Insider
Verywell Fit
The Home Gym
1
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Concept2 RowErg
The Concept2 RowErg is a highly regarded indoor rowing machine known for its durable build, ergonomic design, and versatile features, making it suitable for serious rowers, Olympians, CrossFit enthusiasts, and athletes at all training levels.
7
5
1
1
1
-
-
1
7
-
2
- $1550
NordicTrack RW900
The NordicTrack RW900 is a top-of-the-line smart rowing machine that offers a premium rowing experience with its wide touchscreen display, adjustable resistance levels, and immersive workout options.
3
-
4
3
6
7
-
7
10
5
3
- $2195
Hydrow Rower
The Hydrow Connected Rower is a durable and high-quality magnetic resistance rowing machine that offers a smooth and comfortable rowing experience for users of all skill levels.
2
-
3
8
-
2
-
4
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1
4
- $195
Sunny Health SF-RW5515
The Sunny Health SF-RW5515 rowing machine is a magnetic resistance machine that offers smooth and quiet operation, adjustable resistance levels, and a compact design, making it a reliable and efficient option for users of all fitness levels.
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14
6
2
2
3
-
3
-
12
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Sunny Health Obsidian Surge ranks #19 out of 17 in this month's ranking:
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