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If there's one thing that the LiberNovo Omni's Kickstarter campaign has taught me, it's that people really aren't satisfied with the current designs of office and gaming chairs. This newly invented, ergonomic, posture-supporting chair had an original goal of $49,000, and with 38 days still to go in its campaign, it's already surpassed $3,000,000 worth of crowdfunding.
Fractal Refine | $599.99 at Amazon
Razer Iskur V2 | $649.99 at Amazon
Corsair TC500 Luxe | $491.52 at Amazon (was $549.99)
How has that happened, I hear you ask? The LiberNovo Omni has garnered a lot of attention of late as the first-ever chair with a dynamic backrest support system. In short, the backrest adapts to you as you move around in it, supporting the natural curvature of your spine no matter if you're reclining, sitting upright, or changing your seat position. I've seen plenty of chairs with floating lumbar systems, in fact, I'm testing one right now, but a fully dynamic backrest is definitely a first in my book.
The LiberNovo's Bionic FlexFit Backrest has been created with ergonomics in mind, so much so that Chiropractors have given their endorsements. As you'll see from images of the chair, it features horizontal strips that mimic the vertebrae that make up your spine. On top of that, the Omni has electric support that, in theory, aligns with your back shape and supports it even when you change position, without the need to mess around with lumbar scroll wheels.
Most gaming chairs feature some kind of lumbar support, but there are few that cater to the fact that people's sitting position is constantly changing, so even the adjustable lumbar support in the Secretlab Titan Evo, or the Corsair TC500 Luxe will only really help your posture if you manage to sit in the exact same position while using them. The Fractal Refine is one of the few chairs I've tested that makes lumbar support a bit more adaptive thanks to its changeable seat depth.
I must say, when a gaming or office chair starts talking about massage features, I start to see red flags, mainly because this feels like a gimmick designed to capitalize on back-pained shoppers. The LiberNovo Omni does have massaging features, but it isn't trying to be your gran's rumbly massage chair that shakes her dentures out of her mouth. The Omni's motorized features have been inspired by the yoga cat-cow stretch, which helps to loosen up your lower back.
Some of you may be worrying about those electric features since having a chair you plug in does not sound ideal - it certainly doesn't to me. Thankfully, LiberNovo has designed a hot-swappable battery that slots in and out of the seatbase, meaning you can take it away, charge it wherever is convenient, and slot it back into the Omni when you need to use it. The Kickstarter page says it takes 3.5 hours to charge, and that will provide 30 days of power.
As you might expect if you're familiar with gaming chairs these days, the LiberNovo Omni features 4D armrests that you can line up with your desk height and the angle your arms sit at. What's interesting is that although most chairs have free recline features, the Omni has four set reclining positions - my guess is that to maintain that ergonomic s-shape in the backrest, they have to control the angles a bit more than usual.
You still have plenty of time to pledge your support to the LiberNovo Omni, which is available in black and white. The project only launched on Kickstarter on June 24, and in just six days, it had already achieved a stretch goal for surpassing $1,900,000. Now, with $3,000,000 in the rear view mirror, supporters can claim lots of added extras and accessories with their chair purchase, like an eco-friendly bag, a sleeping mask, a coffee cup, and more. There also seems to be a few bundles available that get you the chair along with its partnering footrest, so if you know you're going to be reclining in the Omni, that might be the option for you.
I'm told I'm on a review list for LiberNovo's upcoming seat, and I can't wait to try it for myself. The Kickstarter page says that chairs will start shipping in July, and local deliveries will begin right after the campaign ends.
Not convinced? Check out some of my favorites gaming chairs:
The Fractal Refine is our current top pick in the gaming chair market. If you want the ergonomics and posture support the LiberNovo is touting, I'd say this is currently your next best bet until we can try it the Kickstarter seat out for ourselves.
The Razer Iskur V2 has some of the best lumbar support you'll find, and it's floating backrest isn't too dissimilar to the LiberNovo Omni, detailed above. If you like the idea of a chair that moves with you, then this is one to consider.
The Corsair TC500 Luxe has a unique look, but its width is why I think it's a worthy recommendation here. With more depth and width in the seatbase, you have more space to find seating positions that are comfortable for you.
There's more gaming furniture out there. Check out the best console gaming chairs, the best gaming desk, and the best standing desk.
