Topic: Chair Review: Sumo Air Lounger

[NWR_Neal]

We kick back and sit down on a self-inflatable chair.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/43247/chair-review-sumo-air-lounger

When I first opened up the Sumo Air, I was baffled. I don’t think I truly did my homework on what exactly this new chair from expert beanbag makers Sumo Lounge. The durable, waterproof shell, which comes tightly rolled up when you buy it, features two compartments that you have to self inflate. The instructions are displayed on a scrap of paper that could stand to be a little more in depth. After staring peculiarly at the deflated chair, I slowly put together how exactly to inflate it.

I found a few methods to work best. First, just hold open one of compartments and run like an idiot, doing your best to capture as much air into the compartment as possible. Then, on your way back to your starting point, do the same for the other side. The second method was to wait for a natural gust of wind, which is easier said than done if you’re on a beach, but a little harder to come by elsewhere. The third way was to eschew the self-inflating nature and just use an air mattress pump or some other air blower to inaccurately fill it with air.

The way you fill up the chair doesn’t matter much at the end of the day, though. All that matters is how comfortable it is. When properly inflated, the Sumo Air is a wonderful, lightweight chair. I used it inside my home, lounging around to watch TV and play video games. I camped with it, and while finding a way to inflate it was a little hard, it was a great space-saving chair to bring with me in the wild. I even brought the chair to a pool, where it made for a comically oversized float. To date, I haven’t brought it to the beach, which honestly seems like the ideal use case for this.

I did notice through my use that, if you get up after sitting on it, it loses a decent chunk of air. You can remedy that without refilling it by rolling up the opening so it becomes a little smaller (but still filled with air). It’s similar to an air mattress in that regard. You’re going to have to deal with it slowly losing air.

The Sumo Air has a ton of nice bells and whistles, with a cup holder, bottle opener, and pocket. It even has a space for a stake so you can make sure the wind doesn’t blow it away. Having a bottle opener with you while camping or at the beach is fantastic, and while the cup holder could stand to be a little more taut, it’s nice to have as long you’re not moving around too much on your chair.

I came away from my time with the Sumo Air very content, though. The self inflating can be a bear, but the comfort and portability of the chair makes it a great addition to your beach, camping, or home supplies. It can store easily and then just as easily unfurl whenever you need it. Sumo’s background might be in luxury beanbags, but this beachy chair is great.