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Ultimate Gaming Furniture Playtest - Part 2
If you’re reading this article right now odds are you are a gamer. Gamers are many ages, both young and old, and also come in many shapes and sizes. The types of games they like can vary from First Person Shooters all the way to the other end of the spectrum with Japanese developed Role Playing Games … yet no matter how different gamers are, we all have one very thing in common …
We all need something comfy to sit on while playing our beloved games.
Like most of you out there I own a couch, and while it is certainly serviceable as gaming seating, I had found that lately my back was hurting as I leaned into the screen. I thought that if I’m having this problem I’m sure there are other folks out there having this problem too. It was with this thought I contacted several different “alternative” furniture companies in search of the perfect seating to enjoy hours of Xbox360 bliss.
Both “Fatboy” and “Lovesac” answered my clarion challenge, and so we will be looking at both chairs in two separate articles, to see if either company has come up with something that will fit an Xbox360 gamer’s hectic lifestyle of 12-hour game-a-thon sessions.
In part 2 of our Ultimate Gaming Furniture Playtest, we take a look at the PlayerSac. Lovesac, a company that professes to be the creator of the “ultimate in hardcore leisure alternative furniture”, puts out the PlayerSac. A lofty claim indeed, one which MSXBOX-WORLD planned to put to the test.
The PlayerSac is the 2nd smallest of the Lovesac line, however as I was soon to find out small is a “relative” term. The thing is still HUGE, and a gamers’ dream chair.
When the packages arrived, I tore into the boxes like a kid in a candy store. The first box contained a beautiful suede throw pillow and a suede “cover” for the PlayerSac. The second box was much bigger and had the actual PlayerSac inside.
When I finally got the bigger of the two boxes open I was somewhat dumbfounded. The PlayerSac looked like a lumpy rock!
Mike Shelton, LoveSac’s Manager of Public Relations, had explained to me over the phone that all LoveSac’s are filled with a material known as “DuraFoam”, and then shrunk for easy shipping. DuraFoam expands when exposed to air, and “fluff” up to create ‘one of the softest substances known to mankind’. I have to admit I was somewhat worried about the lumpy rock thing in front of me but I reassured myself everything would be ok if I just followed the instructions.
With this in mind I went straight to work. The instructions inside stated that I would need to break up the DuraFoam material either by massaging or hitting the bag, allowing oxygen to expand the material. Flipping the PlayerSac around would also help it fill with air. After about a half hour to an hour of massaging, kicking, punching and flipping the sac, I ended up with this:
I have to admit the “naked” sac was pretty comfortable, far more comfy than my couch. The reason I think the Sac is so much more comfortable than a couch is simple … it surrounds your entire body, engulfing you in its cushiony DuraFoam. The feeling of the Sac could be best described as if you are sitting in a cocoon of comfy couch cushions surrounding every part of your body, not just your bottom. Combined with an Ottoman I had lying around I had what I felt would be a really great chair for gaming … but only time would tell as the instructions stated I would need to leave the Sac for a couple days to let it expand as much as possible.
After waiting about 24 hours I dug out the PlayerSac Cover that LoveSac had sent. Lovesac offers a number of different styled covers for the Playersac which can all be viewed at: http://www.lovesac.com/shopping/view.php?cat=490.
The idea behind the Sac covers is to give you a protective layer that both protects the naked sac and can be machine washed. Given how messy I can be, I thought this was a rather good idea. The Sac covers are also meant to add some class to your PlayerSac … the perfect ploy to get one’s wife or girlfriend to agree to the purchase in the first place.
The cover sent by Lovesac was called “Espresso Plush Suede” and I have to admit looked stunning once I got it zipped on over the naked PlayerSac. The feel of the suede matched perfectly with the ultra comfyness of the PlayerSac itself.
As an added bonus LoveSac also sent a throw pillow and Cup holder that buttons right onto the side of the PlayerSac itself. Very neat and very handy when slurping down a bottle of cola. I’ll be honest though I’ve found that the Cupholder also makes a great remote control holder as well.
So finally I had the Sac fluffed, cover put on and accessories buttoned on. It was time for the most important part of the Ultimate Gaming Chair Test – namely to plop myself down in the PlayerSac and play some games! I got comfortable and turned on my 360, booting up the Call of Duty 4 Multiplayer demo. (editor’s note – MSXBOX-WORLD has taken the liberty of replacing Scott with his somewhat cuter wife Kristina).
One of the first things I noticed while playing is that the Throw Pillow was an absolute necessity for those that prefer head support while playing. The Throw Pillow allowed me to lean my body back into the PlayerSac and still have good neck and head support. I therefore recommend anyone getting a PlayerSac specifically for gaming to very seriously consider adding on either the Throw Pillow or the TubeSac Pillow that buttons right into your LoveSac. Without the throw pillow I found myself engulfed in the PlayerSac almost like a reclining bed … and I found this position very comfy for watching movies on my 360’s HD DVD player. The only problem with the “TV/Movie” position as I call it, is that it’s just too darn easy to doze off!
Another add on I consider a “Must have” would be some sort of Ottoman. While I had my own Ottoman I substituted for this review, I believe that LoveSac also sells their version of the Ottoman (Called a Squattoman) with matching cover. PlayerSac, Ottoman and ThrowPillow together all combined to create the most luxurious experience available to man (and woman!)
I was able to spend multiple hours gaming in the PlayerSac and found that for optimal softness I needed to re-fluff the sac every 3 hours or so. In terms of comfort you really couldn’t ask for anything better it’s literally like having a semi upright memory foam mattress that cocoons around your body providing you with the ultimate lounging experience while gaming.
I want to be clear on this … the PlayerSac is one of the most comfortable pieces of gaming furniture I’ve had the chance to use for gaming and it is the best movie chair I’ve ever watched a movie in period. The sac itself is HUGE as you can see from the pictures, with comfy natural armrests to lay your arms down on while playing. They say the PlayerSac is only meant for one person but I was able to squeeze in my wife for a couple movies as well. After awhile I even managed to convince her to give me a turn in the PlayerSac too!
In terms of pricing I’m not going to pull any punches here, LoveSacs are expensive. You need to buy the naked Khaki Sac itself and then the naked sacs need a cover. While you can technically use the naked Sac itself, one spill of your cola and it will be all over but the crying. Luckily for those of you out there on tight budgets, LoveSac offers a wide range of covers. As a matter of fact right now some larger models of LoveSacs are being offered with a FREE Sports Utility Cover included! You can check out this deal here: http://www.lovesac.com/shopping/view.php?cat=618 .
For those of you who have spouses you need to please the Sports Utility Cover may not cut it in the living room. LoveSac also offers higher end covers such as the Espresso Plush Suede seen in this PlayerSac review.
While we are on the subject of spouses and girlfriends, I can easily see wars being fought over who gets to sit in the LoveSac. My wife was skeptical at first but after the 2nd week of having it in the house, she has been won over. I find her constantly in the PlayerSac watching TV and even she has come to admit how much she likes it. We like the PlayerSac so much we’re both thinking about getting an even bigger Sac in the future, so we can share the LoveSac experience together while we play Carcassonne, Bomberman Live and Pac Man Versus over Xbox Live Arcade.
For those of you in Canada and the US, thinking of picking up a Sac, some good news! The PlayerSac Khaki insert is on sale right now at $169.00 US and a nice twill cover to go with it will only cost an extra $60 bucks.: http://www.lovesac.com/shopping/view.php?p=5842 .
LoveSac has also recently started shipping to Canada as well, meaning that for the first time ever Canadians can get their hands on “the Sac”. To order a LoveSac go to:
US: www.lovesac.com
Canada: www.lovesac.com/shopping/view.php?cat=613
Australia: www.lovesac.com.au/
As for those of you in the UK it may be worth your while to give LoveSac an email or call to see if they can make a shipping exception or at least to let them know you desperately want a Sac as well.
In closing, the PlayerSac is hands down the most comfortable gaming chair you will ever play games in. While LoveSac’s are fairly expensive, the quality and comfort of the seating really can’t be compared to anything else out there on the market. Yes they are expensive, but no less so than a 360, a HDTV, or a Surround Sound System. After putting out so much for the optimal Home Theatre Experience it just makes sense to spend that little bit more for the best seating possible. You will after all be spending hours enjoying your set up, you might as well be doing so comfortably. And in the comfort department LoveSac delivers.
Posted By: Scott Strickland
Date: 2007-09-11
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