SkiErg vs RowErg: Mechanical, performance, physiological, and coaching comparison
Executive takeaways
Bottom line. Both machines use the same Concept2 air-braked flywheel principle, the same PM5 logic, and the same damper concept: more damper means more airflow into the fan housing and a heavier feel; less damper means less airflow and a lighter feel.
The machines do not feel identical, and damper numbers are not transferable one-for-one. On new machines, RowErg drag factor is roughly 90-200+ across damper 1-10, while SkiErg is roughly 55-150+ across damper 1-10.
Mechanically, the RowErg is a seated, horizontal, leg-led stroke with a sliding seat. The SkiErg is a standing double-pole pattern with a downward pull, a hip hinge/trunk crunch, and an arm finish.
From a performance and physiology perspective, the RowErg usually supports higher absolute power and a larger whole-body aerobic demand; the SkiErg is more dependent on upper-body and trunk strength-endurance, force transfer, and double-poling efficiency.
For athletes and coaches, that means the rower is usually the better tool for sustainable whole-body power and large aerobic loading, while the SkiErg is often the better tool for upper-body power-endurance, trunk stiffness under fatigue, and conditioning when you want low impact with less knee and ankle demand. The most important programming rule is to benchmark each machine separately instead of assuming the same heart-rate or pace relationships across run, row, and ski modes.
System, air dynamics, and movement pattern
| Aspect | SkiErg | RowErg |
| Resistance system | Air-braked flywheel with cord handles; PM5 recalculates drag factor on every pull. | Air-braked flywheel with chain handle and sliding seat; PM5 recalculates drag factor on every stroke. |
| Damper and drag | Same damper principle as the rower, but a lower drag-factor range; a given damper number feels lighter than the same number on a RowErg. | Same damper principle as the SkiErg, but a higher drag-factor range; damper changes feel, not the validity of measured work. |
| Athlete position | Standing, feet fixed, body 18-24 in from flywheel, slight knee bend, arms bent around 90 degrees at the top. | Seated with feet fixed and seat moving; shins near vertical at the catch, torso hinged forward from the hips. |
| Primary force vector | Downward and slightly backward cable pull; force is transferred through trunk flexion/hinge into the handles. | Horizontal handle path; force travels from foot stretcher through legs, trunk, and finally arms into the chain. |
| Stroke sequence | Core and lats initiate, hips hinge, body mass drops forward, then arms finish the pull to the thighs. | Legs initiate the drive, trunk opens through vertical, then arms finish to the lower ribs. |
| Lower-body role | Important but supportive: legs help stabilize, preload, and reposition the body; they are not the main engine. | Primary engine: large knee and hip extension drive most of the stroke power. |
| Typical rhythm | Usually brisk and continuous; recovery is controlled but closer in length to the pull than on the rower. | Classic drive-to-recovery rhythm around 1:2; efficient athletes are forceful on the drive and patient on the slide. |
| Most common limiter | Local fatigue in lats, triceps, abs, grip, and the ability to keep technical shape under repeated pulls. | Global cardiovascular demand plus force transfer from legs through trunk to handle, especially as fatigue accumulates. |
Summary based on official Concept2 product, PM5, and technique documentation together with rowing and double-poling biomechanics literature.
The air dynamics are therefore similar in principle but not identical in expression. On both machines, the damper controls airflow into the fan cage and changes the inertial feel of each pull or stroke. The PM5 then uses drag factor to account for fan load, so effort data remain comparable even when environmental conditions or damper position change. Practically, a damper 5 on the SkiErg should not be treated as the same 'resistance' as a damper 5 on the RowErg.