Review... Row-Data Cox-Amp Pro

1) Battery life.

The unit managed to stand up to three outings without any of deterioration of the battery meter. I like the fact that it has an indication as to much power is remaining, and it's apparent stamina is excellent. This feature will really pull its weight, say, on an intensive training camp.

2) Function.

The unit performs all of the tasks one would require of a coxbox. It has a rate meter (always visible) a stroke counter and a timer. It also has an easy to use recall memory function. The mute function is also very useful. I did, however, have a few criticisms of the unit design. Since the screen isn't very big (approx 6cm x 1.5cm) it is incapable of displaying the rate, stroke counter and timer on the same screen. This flaw only became apparent in pieces when I wanted a counter for my short bursts. Admittedly, I could just have leant over and flicked one of the easy to use switches, but in the middle of a piece I have many things on my mind, and my equipment shouldn't be one of them. It also poses the problem that the figures themselves are quite small and not easy to read at a glance, which is very often all the time one has in a fast paced regatta for example. I won't comment on back-lighting, as this is available for an additional £25.

3) Appearance

The outside is very funky. The blue looks very cool. It is well designed to fit into the NK slots in a boat. The facia of the unit is very pleasant, except that it lacks display space compared to its NK counterpart.

4) Headset

The crew commented that initially, the clarity of voice was excellent. It felt "like I was there talking to them" and they were very impressed. However, when the wind picked up, the mic was extremely sensitive to this. Maybe this problem could be alleviated by a foam mic cover. I think the flexible boom is an excellent idea as it allows for users with differing head shapes. However, the device itself is not as comfortable as its NK counterpart - the plastic side tended to rub above my ear after long outings, and the foamed side (similar to that of a headphone) covered my ear, making coxing difficult for those with hearing impediments. It can also be quite itchy and uncomfortable, especially when wet with rain / backplash.

I also had a reliability question with regards to the headset. When I received the unit, the headpiece was apparently new. After 5 or so outings, just before our big ‘dress rehersal' race piece, the clarity and voice transmission failed almost completely, which didn't impress us. Not quite sure what happened or why, but it was a minor disaster!

Conclusion

Though my report seems quite negative at time, this unit boasts a lot of impressive functions. Comparing it to the NK CoxBox, it has a significantly improved battery life and some useful extra features (mute and battery meter). It performs all the functions of the Cox Box, although arguably some not quite as well. The only two things that really let the unit down are the headset and the display size (and resulting inability to display all the data on one screen and at a larger size). These, however, are matters of taste. If money weren't an issue, I would probably choose the NK on balance of these factors. However, at £350 (including back-lighting, which for me is an absolute essential) the unit is extremely competitive when compared with the £505 for an NK, although it is slightly less competitive when a £60 case is factored in.

Another thing that has not been discussed in this review is the availability, cost and speed at which servicing and repairs can be undertaken. Having had no experience on either side, I can not really comment on this. However, in the short time I've had the unit, the NK's voice transmission seems to be more reliable.

Final words...

If the £350 RowData is the difference between having a working unit and not having one, this unit is excellent value for money, offering everything one would typically expect from a coxing unit at a greatly reduced price. However, personally speaking for such a large sum of momey, I'll try and scrape together the extra £100 or so for the NK on the grounds of reliability and screen design. There's also the issue of re-sale. Currently, if you decide to sell your NK Coxbox on, you'll get more for it than your second hand CoxAmpPro.

Special thanks go to RowData UK for letting me borrow a CoxAmp Pro for 2 weeks, and for making this review possible. If you would like to try their unit for yourself (which I can HIGHLY recommend for anyone considering purchasing a coxing unit), their website is www.rowdata.co.uk .

Gigi Florentin-Lee

Red Wellies Cox

RedWellies

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