To call the Sumo Sway a “beanbag chair” is sort of a disservice, because it’s not really a bean bag.
Sumo has come a long way since their original Sumo Omni, which we reviewed back in 2007. We still have a couple of Omni bags here at ICHQ, and they make great chairs for crashers and just lounging around, but as Sumo improved their filling, people tend to prefer the Omni Plus and the Sumo Sac that we have here. It’s because the filling is memory foam (the stuff that retains its original shape no matter what kind of abuse you put it through.)
The ultimate problem with any of those bags, though, is that they don’t provide great back support. Sumo attempted to resolve the problem a couple of different ways: The Omni Plus (which is no longer available) had straps and clips to turn it into a sort of “C” shape, and then there was the prototype-only unit we received that had a metal frame (never made it into production…) called the Sumo Rocker.
Well, they finally solved it; they call it the Sumo Sway, and we have one here at ICHQ.
A chair, not a bag
The first thing to note about the Sumo Sway is that it is, indeed, a chair. It’s shaped like a chair with a fat bottom and a short back. Because it is shaped, it doesn’t flatten out and mold into your body the way the Sac does. It actually keeps your back supported no matter how long you sit in it.
There are two cover materials available: Microsuede (like the Sac) and Corduroy. The corduroy is an awesome material; soft and sensuous. It feels a lot better on the skin than the microsuede does—at least to me. This is probably one of those personal preference things.
My only complaint about the Sumo Sway is that the back isn’t high enough to fully support a totally upright position. However, if I’m gaming or watching a movie, I just throw a pillow behind my head and it becomes the perfect chair.
Many of you have had a chance to visit ICHQ and hang out in the Sumo Lounge we’ve got going on here. The Sway is our newest addition and, yes, people fight over who gets it.
The Sumo Sway is pricey at $299 for the “Couple” size (the one we have) and $279 for the Single; but as a piece of furniture, it works very well in a modern and young lifestyle. Especially if you’re a gamer.
The Sumo Sway is available now from Sumo Lounge Furniture.
Disclosure: Sumo has compensated us for this review by allowing us to keep the Sumo Sway they provided for the review. Thanks, Sumo!
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