I wasn’t overly familiar with Sumo Lounge products prior to taking on this review.  Most of what I knew came from my fellow Pure Nintendo coworkers Tristan Meiman and Alex Schramke, both of whom reviewed Sumo bean bag chairs in earlier issues of PNM – The Sultan in Issue #12, and The Gigantor in Issue #16.  The Omni Reloaded is something quite different though.

Sumo Omni Reloaded unboxing

The box is sizable but thankfully the weight isn’t.

Although the giant shipping box towered above me, the Reloaded itself is surprisingly light weight. This is the opposite of the Sultan (the only other Sumo product I presently own) whose moderate sized box hides fifty pounds of condensed material.  Unlike the former, the Reloaded comes ready to use as soon as it’s unpacked, and is also designed with easy transport in mind.  I’d never travel with my bean bag due to its sheer size, but have already done so with this new chair.  It folds up into an included storage bag, which is wide but still easy to carry.

As big a hit as the bean bag is at our house, sometimes I prefer to sit up more rather than just flop.  This is where the Reloaded with its foam covered supporting steel frame comes in handy.  It clicks into place at various positions, and takes out the element of shuffling around to get comfortable.  I can’t say I prefer it more than my Sultan overall, but it definitely has the edge in certain respects.  If you’re looking for a more versatile style chair, look at the Reloaded.

A transport bag comes packaged with the chair.

A transport bag comes packaged with the chair.

The Reloaded has become an eye-catching piece in the Gould home.  Most who’ve seen it have wanted to try it at least once.  It is available in five colors at the time of this writing, with at least two more on the way.  It’s been fun testing it out over the past month or so, and showing it off to friends and family.  Much like bean bags, this is still ideally suited as a younger person’s chair – you need to be somewhat limber when getting in and out of it.  It was amusing seeing some topple over when first trying it out!  Nevertheless rest assured that the chair is quite sturdy when correctly in place, and never buckled despite some of us having a bit of girth – I really need to use Wii Fit U more often!

An ideal chair to use when playing the Wii U.

An ideal chair to use when playing the Wii U.

Getting down to the nitty-gritty, I’ve had the opportunity to put the Reloaded through its paces so to speak.  I’ve used it to watch movies, and remained thoroughly glued for their duration.  I didn’t even have the desire to shift about.  I’ve used it to play video games, and definitely prefer it over my usual couch.  I even had a chance to test it out as a bed when we entertained some out of town guests for a weekend wedding –  the Omni Reloaded came in handy as a sleeping option, and left favorable impressions.

The only real negative I can charge against the Reloaded is that there were times after adjustment when it seemed to sit just a bit crooked.  It varied by position (and which position I was adjusting from) but it may take some experimenting before you learn to get it just right.  Thankfully the adjustments themselves are pretty quick, and the chair is quite comfy when sitting right.  If you’re like me, you may end up leaving it in your favorite position anyway, as a permanent fixture of your home.

Everyone, and I do mean everyone, wanted to try out the Sumo Omni Reloaded.

Everyone, and I do mean everyone, wanted to try out the Sumo Omni Reloaded.

The Reloaded is an interesting chair for sure.   With its striking appearance, very light weight, adjustable positions, portability, and above all comfort when properly positioned, there are many reasons that make it warrant consideration.  Be that as it may, the chair costs approximately $200 so you’ll definitely want to make sure that this is a chair you would use often.  If you’re reading this though, you’re probably a gamer – rest assured you are part of this chair’s key demographic.  You’ll get a lot of use out of this quality piece, that’s designed to last.

The biggest challenge facing the Sumo Omni Reloaded might be deciding whether to choose it over Sumo’s other fine chairs.  It does plenty to stand out however, making it a unique new product amongst its chair family.  It was a privilege not just to review this chair, but learn more about Sumo Lounge in general.  I hope I have a chance to check out more of their products in the future.  In the meantime my Sultan has company as the Reloaded sits alongside it as the premier chairs I own.

Sumo Omni Reloaded