Sunny Phantom Hydro Review – A Closer Look at the SF-RW5910

Sunny Has Been Making Affordable Fitness Gear for Years

What I like about Sunny Health & Fitness is that they are one of the only companies that can produce well made, durable fitness equipment at an affordable price.

They’re not some company that’s here one summer trying to sell budget gear on Amazon and gone the next. These guys have been around for over two decades, and in my opinion, they’re the go to company when looking for low cost fitness equipment.

An 88lb Water Rower for Under $400

I’ve reviewed a ton of their gear over the years, and their rowers are some of the best out there for the price. One of my favorites is the Sunny Phantom Hydro Water Rowing Machine. This is a seriously sturdy water rower. It weighs well over 80lb, so there’s plenty of weight there to help keep it planted while you’re rowing.

And priced just under $500, you’re getting a lot of rower for your money.

It’s certainly one of the best value water rowers out there right now, and I think it deserves a much closer look. So in today’s Sunny Phantom Hydro Rowing Machine Review, we’ll take a close look at everything it has to offer, including any drawbacks.

Also, at the end of the review I thought it might be interesting to compare it with one of the best budget solid wood rowers the Merach R28. We’ve got an old school steel frame water rower going up against one of the newer wooden rowers, so it’ll be interesting to see how they match up.

But first, a quick look at the Sunny Phantom Hydro’s specs, pros, and cons!

Specs

Why Do We Like The Sunny Phantom Hydro Rower?

As I mentioned in the intro, what really sells the Sunny Hydro Rower for me is that heavy steel frame. It adds weight, and with weight comes stability. This machine is solid.

You also have those wide front and rear stabilizing feet that add to the overall stability. Put everything together, and it’s such a sturdy, well made rower for the price.

The 60° Angled Water Tank Adds Something Different

I’m liking the angled water tank too. The tank sits at a 60° angle rather than lying flat, so you’re not just pulling the paddles through the water, you’re also having to push some of that water upwards as they rotate.

It adds a little extra resistance to each stroke. Not so much that it completely changes the feel of the rower, but enough to make the angled tank more than just something Sunny added to make the Phantom look different.

Still, I wouldn’t buy the Phantom just because it has an angled tank. For me, the heavy 88lb build and overall stability are much bigger reasons to like this rower.

Dynamic Resistance Gives You That Rowing-on-Water Feel

And it’s the dynamic resistance system that’s another major selling point of the Hydro. You get that rowing on water feel: the harder and faster you pull, the stronger the resistance, just like rowing on actual water.

Ease off your rowing pace and the resistance drops with you. You don’t need to stop halfway through a workout to change resistance levels. You control the resistance simply by how much effort you put into each stroke.

Plus, you get the sound of those 16 paddles pushing through the water with every stroke, which adds even more to that rowing on water feel.

Click here to check price of the Sunny Phantom Hydro on Amazon

Wide 42″ Slide Rail

The slide rail is pretty decent on the Phantom Hydro. It’s nice and wide, which adds some extra stability to the seat, and it’s fairly long too. The actual rail measures 42″, with around 40″ of usable inseam, which should make the Phantom suitable for users up to around 6’4″, depending on leg length.

That’s about what I’d expect in this price bracket. It’s nothing unusually impressive, but it’s long enough for most people to achieve a full rowing stroke.

And I really like the seat. Sunny has contoured it just right. The back lip is raised, which helps stop your butt slipping too far back during the push phase of the stroke, and the padding isn’t too hard to be uncomfortable or too soft that it causes stability problems.

It’s one of those small things Sunny tends to get right.

Large LCD Monitor

I like the monitor. Yeah, it might seem basic, but it’s nice and easy to set up and use, and it tracks all your essential workout data.

Okay, it is a little dated. There’s no Bluetooth or any of the other high end features you find on more expensive rowers, but Sunny needed to cut somewhere to keep the price of the rower down.

If you want the more advanced version with Bluetooth and access to Sunny’s excellent free app, you’ll need to pay extra for the Smart version, and it’s quite a lot extra. Depending on where you buy, you’re looking at around $200–$300 more.

Is the Smart version worth it? I’d say only if you’re someone who loves virtual rowing workouts, scenic rows, and training classes, because if you’re not going to make the most of the app, there really isn’t much point in paying all that extra.

The standard monitor is good enough for most people. It tracks all your essential workout data, including time, distance, strokes, SPM and calories. You also get your 500m split time, which I always like to see on a rowing monitor, plus 15 racing programs if you want to add a bit of competition to your workouts.

And everything is shown on a nice, large LCD that’s easy to view while you’re rowing.

Drawbacks of the Sunny Phantom Hydro

There’s not a lot I dislike about the Phantom Hydro, especially when you consider how solid this thing is for the price. Still, it’s an older design now, and there are a few things worth knowing before buying.

• No Bluetooth on the standard model. You can’t connect the rower directly to SunnyFit, Kinomap or other training apps. If app connectivity is important to you, you’ll need the much more expensive Smart version
• It’s a heavy rower. I love the 88lb weight for stability, but you probably won’t love it quite as much if you regularly need to move it from room to room
• The design looks a little dated. There are some great-looking solid wood water rowers around now for less money, and they certainly look more at home in a living room
• Heart rate chest strap isn’t included. The monitor supports wireless heart rate monitoring, but you’ll need to buy a compatible strap separately

Will I Need a Rowing Mat?

The Sunny Hydro Rower has capped feet front and rear, which means your polished hard floors should be protected from scratches. You may need a rowing mat to prevent slippage, but I’d test the rower first once you’ve assembled it before spending money on one.

The one time I would recommend getting hold of a rowing mat is if you live in an apartment or shared housing. A good rowing mat will help absorb some of the vibrations from your workouts, which is a great idea if you want to keep your neighbors happy.

Easy Storage

All you need to do is uncrew one screw, and the Sunny Hydro folds in seconds; it really is that easy. Unlike so many rowers I’ve reviewed, it’s not a fiddly folding system, this one is nice and simple.

And once folded, the rower’s overall footprint is more than halved, great for any of you who are tight on space.

And if you simply want to move the rower from room to room, you have built-in transport wheels, just tilt and roll.

Final Verdict

There really wasn’t much I could fault about the Sunny Phantom Hydro Rowing Machine. What stands out most about this rower is the weight. It’s a heavy beast for under $500, and you really do get a lot of rower for your money.

And that weight is a good thing because it keeps the rower firmly planted on the floor when you’re rowing hard. It’s a seriously solid, well-made machine, but the tech is starting to feel a little dated.

Yes, I know Sunny had to cut costs somewhere, but I really would have hoped to at least see Bluetooth on the monitor so you could sync with apps like Kinomap. It’s something even some $300 water rowers offer now, so I think Sunny really needs to have a look at this. Charging around $300 extra for the Smart version is just too much if Bluetooth and app connectivity are what you mainly want.

But yes, tech aside, if you want a solid, durable rower made by a company you can trust, the Sunny Hydro is certainly a rower I’m happy to recommend. It’s been around for years, has stood the test of time, and people are still praising it years after owning it.

How Does The Sunny Hydro Compare To The Merach R28?

Merach R28 Water Rower

I think what really stands out about the Merach R28 is the price. This solid wood rower costs under $300, and it’s not a cheaply made rower. This is a sturdy, well-made machine.

Merach is another company known for delivering quality at very affordable prices, and surprisingly, even their budget rowers like the R28 get all the essentials right.

The Merach is a 50lb solid wood rower. It’s got a long dual slide rail, belt-drive system, contoured seat, easy to use folding system, and a decent monitor. But what’s best about the monitor is that it connects to the Merach app, which includes real-time rowing workouts, training classes, scenic rows and even some rowing games. It’s one of the best free apps I’ve come across.

So yes, for the money, the Merach R28 really has a lot going for it. It’s my favorite budget solid wood rower right now. Still, it’s not as heavy or as solid as the Sunny Phantom Hydro, and that’s really the main difference between these two rowers.

The Sunny weighs nearly 40lb more, and you can feel what all that extra weight brings to a rowing machine. It’s going to sit firmly on the floor even when you’re rowing hard.

So which one would I choose? If I wanted the heavier, tougher rower, I’d spend the extra on the Sunny. It’s an 88lb steel rower that’s been around for years, and people are still praising it years after owning it. There’s a lot to be said for that.

But $220 is a lot of money to save, and that’s where the Merach becomes very tempting. For $279.99, you’re still getting a sturdy solid wood rower that gets all the important stuff right, plus Bluetooth and that excellent free app. You don’t feel like you’re buying a cheap rower just because you’re paying a cheap price.

Still comparing rowing machines? Read Next: Best Water Rowing Machines

Sunny Hydro Water Rowing Machine FAQs