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February 16, 2006
Sumos And Nostalgic Fun (Product Review)

I grew up in the 1970s, a strange decade where plastic seemed everywhere all at once -- we wore it, we ate and drank from it, we lived in it, and for a little while we sat in it. One of the more enjoyable gifts I recall receiving were beanbag chairs from my parents, one each for my sister and I. Mine was blue and hers was red, I believe, and we dragged them out whenever we watched TV. They were comfortable and made for slouching, a favorite teenage pastime, but mostly they were just wildly odd.

I used mine as often as possible, which eventually was its downfall. The plastic bag itself just couldn't hold up to the strain, and the styrofoam pellets started leaking everywhere. Duct tape got deployed in a last-ditch effort to save my teenage recliner, but to no avail. Eventually both bags met their doom, at the insistence of our parents, who didn't sign up to turn their house into a snowscape comprised of little styrofoam balls ... with static cling to spare.

When Andrew at Sumo Lounges offered to send me one of their new line of supersized chairs for free in return for posting my honest opinion, I was somewhat skeptical, especially with a granddaughter and two dogs around. He sent it anyway, promising that the duct tape would not be necessary, and a couple of weeks later, I came home to an enormous box sitting in the living room. (First good sign: it was not marked Fragile.)

So how is it?

It's a big improvement over my last beanbag. The material is much sturdier, as promised; I've been plopping into this for several days, and no problem. The Little Admiral has had a couple of chances to use and likes it, although I'm not sure she really grasps the concept; she put it on our bed to sit in it and watch TV. I put it in a more traditional setting, as you can see here. I put my Sony Vaio laptop in it so you can get a sense of the dimension. (Click on the photo for a larger look.)

It's been a fun new addition to my blogging. I sit and relax, and it provides just the right level for my computer so that my hands find the keys easily. The FM has mostly been amused about it, and hasn't tried it out yet. That may be because she was around when I made another, less pleasant discovery: I'm no teenager any more.

Getting into the Sumo Omni Bag is a snap. Being in the bag is a blast. Getting out of the bag ... well, that's been a humbling experience. I seem to recall easily snapping to my feet when I had my first beanbag chair, vaulting upward with nary a strain. Now when I try to get up and out of my Sumo, I have to roll out onto my hands and knees and slowly pick myself up off the ground. Cory, the FM's retired guide dog, inevitably makes the mistake of trusting me when I'm sitting in the bag and curls up right where I need to land. The exit usually irritates the dog and doesn't do much for my ego, either.

All in all, though, I liked and recommend the Sumo Omni Bag for those who have more of their youthful agility -- or those who, like me, just like to wax nostalgic for it. They're on sale at the Sumo Lounge website, and they have pictures of more attractive people than Yours Truly demonstrating them.

Note: I mentioned it above, but in the interest of full and clear disclosure, this was given to me free of charge by Sumo Lounge. I'm planning on thanking them for it, too.

Also, the above pictures were taken by me with a new Fujifim FinePix 5200 digital camera. I lost my old Canon A70, which I loved, and went for a little bit of an upgrade to a 5 megapixel model. I paid for the camera myself, and when I get a chance to learn more about it, I'll let you know what I think.

Sphere It Digg! View blog reactions
Posted by Ed Morrissey at February 16, 2006 8:52 PM

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