Ergonomic office equipment and gaming share a lot of things in common. Unless you’re playing something that demands you stand up and flail your arms about, most of the time you are going to be sitting stationary for long periods of time. And, much like sitting in an office all day, the one thing you want to make sure is that your body doesn’t pay the price for it.
I’ve grown accustomed to sitting down for most of the day. At one point in my life, I was a territory sales rep for a company. This also meant sitting in my car for hours at a time, only to do more sitting once I got home. After that, I was at a more traditional desk job but was free to move about whenever I needed to. Then, it was like going from 0-90 when I hit the gym to train for powerlifting meets. I say this because all of these have contributed to my chronic lower back injuries and pain.
The company Ewin had reached out to me a few weeks ago and expressed interest in having me do a review for their Hero Series gaming chair. Up until that point, the only chairs for gaming I knew were one of those rockers you can get from Target, a $200 office chair, and an L-shape sectional couch. I wondered, could this chair really provide a more ergonomic option for lengthy gaming sessions? Honestly, I was fearful that it would contribute more to the lower back pain that I had continued to experience.
The setup process
The entire setup process took somewhere around forty-five minutes to an hour. The instructions that come with the chair that I received are a general pamphlet. So, not everything aligned exactly as described in the booklet. This led to a few frustrating moments mostly due to differing chair brackets and cloth covering a few screw holes below the armrest.
The biggest difference between the Ewin chair and most other office chairs that I’ve pieced together (I actually did one from Costco just a few months ago) was that most of the mechanical parts were already assembled. Really, it was only placing the brackets that hold the back to the seat, and then applying the base portion with the hydraulic tube that allows the chair to raise and lower.
Material Quality
I will say that the choice in material from Ewin delivers an overall sense of sturdiness. The base of the chair utilizes a five-star design, much like other office chairs. However, the aluminum bars extending from the center are much broader than most that I’ve used.
The chair itself has a steel frame that’s wrapped in cold-molded memory foam. The method for creating this foam (thanks, internet) is essentially to provide a more durable and sturdy lifespan. The lower lumbar and head cushions are wrapped in the same foam, with the whole chair itself covered in polyurethane leather (PU leather).
Design
When I responded to the inquiry regarding a possible review unit, the one thing I didn’t even consider was the chair’s height. Most of the time, when I use an office chair, I ower it as much as possible. It usually fits under my desk and accommodates my wee, little legs. The Ewin Hero chair does stand a bit taller than most, sitting at 53.6″ at its lowest. This was only a minor setback considering the armrests swivel outward, inward, and slide back-and-forth. A button can also lower them, allowing my chair to slide under my desk further.
On the right side of the chair, there are two levers to tilt the chair back and adjust the height. A circular tensioner near the center hydraulic can limit or tighten the chair’s tilt.
Comfort is suggestive
If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s a mushy mattress. I have to have two flattened pillows, a comforter half-draped over one leg, and a mattress that you can jump on and possibly injure yourself because of its firmness. I say this because, for most people, this doesn’t sound like a place they want to count sheep. But for me, it’s the bed of my dreams, quite literally.
The first thing that I did notice about the Ewin gaming chair was its general firmness. The memory foam, for me anyway, is better than something you would plop down in at any corporate office. I’ve removed, adjusted, and fit the back cushions to fit what I find comfortable. And for the most part, my back has thanked me for it.
I guess what I’m getting at here is there are ways to find a comfortable setting in the chair to fit your needs. It just so happens that moving the backrest to about 105 degrees, tilting the armrests pointed inwards, and relaxing the tension made it a chair well-suited for lengthy hours gaming. This includes using it with the Nintendo Switch undocked, allowing me to play with my arms rested. I also spent a number of hours holding a Switch controller like this, not to mention playing on PC with mouse and keyboard.
Usually, when I get up from sitting down these long periods, my body will attempt to adjust in order to stand upright. However, there was a huge difference between any chair I’ve used and the gaming chairs. The habits I had before, like tucking my right or left leg under me, aren’t accessible given the chair’s design. That may have played a role in it, along with the new cushion, back, and arm features I now have access to.
The one thing that I can suggest to anyone who is going to be making an investment: do your research.
Look up models and compare brands. Find out what features and materials are used. In this case, it was a lucky surprise that worked out great.
Note: This is a review post from www.nintendoenthusiast.com
