GoNintendo Reviews Sumo Sway Couple Bean Bag

GoNintendo review: Sumo ‘Sway Couple’ beanbag chair

If you guys have been reading GoNintendo for awhile now, you know that we’re strangers to the Sumo brand of beanbag chairs. The gang at Sumo has been nice enough to send us some products for review over the years, and I couldn’t have been happier to tackle them. Since I’m pretty much a man-child, I love the idea of beanbag products for adults. Why should all the fun of beanbags be left to the little kids? I’m a grown man, and I do what I want! If I want to sit down and play some video games in a beanbag chair big enough for a guy with an ample frame, damnit…I’m going to do it! Thankfully, Sumo creates all sorts of products that provides more than even room/comfort for even the biggest boys and girls.

Luckily, Sumo keeps putting out quality products, and coming up with new, and equally fantastic ideas. I’ve had the ‘pleasure’ of working with some game companies that provided software that was less than stellar, and when I reviewed their work with a heaping helping of disappointment, they stopped working with me. What companies would those be? Well, it would be unprofessional of me to say! The point is, I don’t hold back my honest opinion just because I get a press perk here or there. You’re going to get the full truth on everything that hits the GoNintendo warehouse, Sumo ‘Sway Couple’ beanbag chair included. Thankfully, I have nothing but praise for the seat. Sumo knows how to improve upon their quality lineup with every iteration!

That brings us to the Sumo Sway Couple beanbag chair. It’s one hell of a beast, and I mean that in a very good way. By just looking at the chair, you may not get what the big deal is. How is this any better than other beanbag chairs that Sumo has put out? Well, the Sway Couple comes with a curved back, and I cannot tell you what a huge difference that makes when sitting, especially for extended periods of time. It’s funny to think that one design change can manage to make for a completely different experience, and one that’s better than the previous Sumo beanbag lineup. I didn’t think it could get any better than the other Sumo products I’ve received, but I’m wrong every time.

Think of the Sumo Sway Couple beanbag chair as a cradle for your body. You sit down in the ‘seat’ area, and the chair kind of forms around you. The butt section lets you sink in to a comfortable spot, and the back stays there to support you as you sit. It’s not a hard metal frame or anything like that. It’s a soft curve that keeps its form. Obviously, almost all beanbag chairs lack any support for your back, unless they are of a very huge variety. While Sumo does offer beanbag chairs that size, the Sway Couple still gives you more support than those. Basically, it’s a big beanbag chair in a traditional chair form. It just doesn’t retain the hard angles and backbones that most chairs have. You lean back and get enveloped by the chair, instead of hitting a hard surface. To tell you the truth, it’s the perfect mix of support and comfort.

I have a few different options for gaming chairs in my house, including some other Sumo products. While those are great for sitting/laying down to watch TV, you and I both know that you take a different ‘sitting stance’ when gaming. You need something that better flows with your body while you’re in your gaming positions. I’m not saying that the other Sumo chairs are bad for gaming, as that’s far from the truth. What I am saying is that the Sway Couple is the best option by far. Without a doubt, this is the best gaming chair that I’ve had the pleasure of sitting in. For most of my life, I say on the floor, cross-legged style, when playing games. It wasn’t too comfortable, but it got the job done. Happily, now I don’t have to do that anymore.

Want some proof that this chair has been getting a great gaming workout? Those that listen to the podcast know that I’ve been putting in some time on games the require a lot of sitting time. First off, I’m doing my first playthrough of Mass Effect 2, and I’ve had the Sway Couple chair at my butt/back the entire time. I’m a good 14 hours into that game, so that means 14 hours of Sway Couple action. I’ll sit with my legs on the ground, or even cross-legged style within the bag, and it’s absolutely perfect. I never struggle to find a position that supports my back/neck. I often find myself leaning forward when I play games, but the way the curved back in the Sumo Sway works, it naturally supports me in a position where I feel like I’m ready for action.

I’m also putting in a lot of time with Mega Man Zero Collection, and I make sure to hop in the Sway Couple for that game as well. For some reason, I always sit cross-legged when I play portables. I think it has to do with the fact that I am looking down, and my natural body position for portable games just makes more sense like that. So, now I sit in the Swap Couple with my legs crossed, and it just kind of sucks me up. I still have support for my butt and back, but obviously my neck is in a bit of a different position. Usually I throw my neck/head back when I’ve died for the 20th time, and the Sway Couple is right there to help me out. I may be having a really tough time with MMZC, but at least the Sway Couple is there to make my mistakes a bit more comfortable!

I happen to have the Corduroy Sway Couple chair, but there’s also the option of getting Microsuede. The Corduroy on the chair is ridiculously comfortable, as it’s made of thicker corduroy threads than what you would find on a pair of pants. You’re not going to be able to make that funny corduroy noise on the chair, but you’ll definitely be more comfortable. You don’t usually sit in corduroy, you’re wearing it on the outside. Let me tell you, sitting in it is pretty damn nice! I’m sure the microsuede is nice as well, but something tells me that the corduroy is just a bit more lush.

Another small but great feature worth mentioning is the very bottom of the chair. Rather than having corduroy all around, the chair has a different, rougher material on the bottom. Obviously, this helps keep the chair steady when you’re shifting around. As you know, beanbag chairs tend to shift around quite a bit while you’re wiggling around in them. Thanks to this different type of base, you’ll be able to wiggle around to find your optimal comfort spot, and the chair won’t get awy from you. I want to make it very clear that this portion of the material is not a hard base or anything like that. It’s just a different bit of material that is sewn into the corduroy, specifically made for the bottom. As I said, it’s a little feature, but it provides a big help.

As you can tell, you’ll probably be spending a ton of time in a Sumo Sway Couple if you decide to pick one up. That’s probably why the Sumo guys decided to put a pocket on one side of the chair! I don’t need to tell you how helpful having a chair pocket can be. There are plenty of things you could cram in there to make your living room experience a bit better. Throw your TV remotes into the pocket and never lose them again. You could cram a DS in there like I did, and then’ll you’ll always be ready to game! (I left the DSi sticking out of the top of the pocket so you could see. If you look, you’ll see the pocket is much deeper) I’ve also thought about sticking some magazines in there for some easy reading. Maybe a TV guide, Nintendo Power, WWE magazine and Playboy. You know, only the essentials. For a brief moment, I thought I could stick a cup in there…and then I realized how horrible of an idea that is.

After all these years of support from Sumo, I’ve come to realize just how dedicated they are to creating a quality product. One product after another, they’re always working to create the most comfortable seating options possible. Year after year, I’m always impressed with the ideas they come up with. The Sumo Sway Couple is one of the most welcome additions to our Sumo farm at the warehouse. This is the single chair I pull over to game in, and it’s also the chair that everyone fights over for our weekly movie nights. With the range of colors available, you can make the Sumo Sway Couple work in any of your rooms. Sumo has proved that beanbag chairs aren’t just for kids. As a matter of fact, if you do pick one of these up, you’ll probably have to fight the kids for some sitting time! Trust me, if you’re looking for the perfect chair to accent your living room, a Sumo Sway will offer enough comfort and style that anyone will be able to enjoy it.

Grab your own Sumo Sway Couple beanbag chair here

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