Good chair, bad chair

[melanie {SPACS}]

I'm looking for a chair.  Please tell me what you feel are good and bad points of your chair.  Also, is the investment worthwhile? ???

 

[Melly<3]

I'll go first:   How often do you plan to use your massage chair?  Some therapists work their chairs hard and often, while others seldom, if ever, use theirs.  I fit the latter caeforum.xxxory.I bought an inexpensive Lifegear chair because I didn't think I would use it much.  If I wound up needing it more than I though, I could always buy a better chair later.  It is heavier than other chairs, but I have only used it on two occasions.  Therefore, I think it was wise for me to go this route instead of blowing unneccessary money here when it would be better used on something else.Now, if you plan on using your chair often, I would go with something lighter, maybe with a case w/wheels for ease of transport, and not skimp on price.  Many people seem to like the Earthlite Avila for this purpose.  I am sure you will get some good recommendations from the board.  

 

[schwer]

I use the portal pro 3 and like it.  Easy to use and adjust (after some experimenting), lightweight for me and doesn't flex when I work on someone.  

 

[Major Gmed]

I'd be using the chair as much as weekly at a rock climbing gym.    I'm looking at the stronglite versus the quicklight but I'll check out the portal pro 3.  I'm just just sure if its worth paying a hundred dollars more for the quicklight becuase it weighs fourteen pounds compared to 22?  

 

[adeu_love-2009]

I use the Earthlite Avila.  When first starting my business I used it a lot.  Dr. offices, dog shows, holiday bazaars, you name it.  It's light weight, and very easy to set up.  Once you figure it out it takes less than 10 seconds to set up.  Very easy to adjust, clients can stay seated while making height adjustments.  Another feature to look for is can you get replacement pads if you blow one out.  It can be ordered with carrying case on wheels also.  Good luck in your search!  Take your time, spend wisely, it should last your career.

 

[Answer King]

Good chair, bad chair

First, may I ask if you could give me a link to the "quicklite"?  I don't guess I have heard of it, or if I have, it doesn't jog my memory right now.

I have the stronglite http://www.stronglite.com/home/sl1/page/10/3 and I really like it.  On average, I have used it five to ten hours per week for the past 2 and 1/2 years now.  I am pretty hard on equipment, and it still looks like brand new.  Each session I do on the chair is ten mins., so there have obviously been a LOT of bodies on the chair.  The only "use" it has seen is on the plastic tabbies that cover the "feet" of the chair.  Otherwise -- just wonderful.  

Cons - I did not like the breast cushion it came with.  It was just too hard.  So, I never use one, and actually have never needed to.  

However, the Oakworks chair has a nice breast cusion, if they still make them like they did about 5 years ago. http://www.rehaboutlet.com/Massage%20Chair.htm

I do a lot of deeper work on my chair, so the use is definitely not "light".  Hope that helps!

PS -- if it were me, I would definitely look into something that weighed 14 lbs though.  That does sound NICE!  

My chair has definitely paid for itself and it was worth it.  I can say I would buy another if something ever happened to it.

 

[Andrea in La la Land]

I've trained over 1,000 professionals in chair massage. Over the years, I've tested almost every chair that's come onto the market. The perfect chair hasn't been invented, but there are some that come close. My favorite pick of the bunch is the ErgoPro Chair manufactured by StrongLite. It strikes one of the nicest balances between customer comfort and ease of use. It has a wide range of independent adjustments and fits people of all sizes and shapes. It sets up and folds away in seconds. Even though it only weighs 19 pounds, it can hold some really giant people. I believe it has the highest tested weight tolerance of any chair on the market so you can be sure it won't fall apart. It comes with wheels so that you can easily pull it behind you.  Other great features: An independent height adjustment for the practitioner, so that you can adjust the chair to the best height for you. This is the only chair on the market that has this type and range of height adjustment. As well, it is the only chair that has removable shin rests which allows the person to put their feet flat on the floor without having to spread their legs. This is a great feature when you are doing work with people who have knee problems, like recent surgeries or osteoarthritis, and is very useful if you are doing massage for the legs and feet while the person sits in the chair. I like the little attention to details. For example the corners of the seat are cut away so that even if you don't tilt the seat enough, the seat won't cut into the back of your customer's thighs. It's something that you wouldn't necessarily think as important, but if you've ever lost sensation in your legs after getting a seated massage in a chair that was poorly designed or adjusted, you'll understand how important little details like this can be. StrongLite also produces a similar model with a wooden frame called the ErgoNatural. There are some small differences in design, but they are not really all that significant. The wooden chair is essentially just as strong as the metal frame. So more than anything, choosing one over the other is largely a matter of esthetics. I would happily endorse either of these chairs. I'm not paid for this endorsement, I just love the ErgoPro.Cheers, Eric BrownPS With regards the mention of the 14 pound chair. Most of these light models are knock offs of the QuickLite. The biggest problem with these is the support bar for the chest piece that runs between the legs. Skirts essentially get pushed up to the crotch for an embarrassingly immodest massage. The StrongLite ErgoPro and Oakworks PortalPro have an open design and skirts are not a problem in these chairs.

 

[Maz]

Good chair, bad chair

Hi.  Well Eric *points up there* made a few points I failed to mention, so I'll give you my thoughts on them too.  That way you have more input.As for the wheels on the stronglite: I can take or leave them, only because they aren't big wheels and if you hit a bump on concrete, an asphalt drive or a sidewalk dip, they really only make it so the chair gets off balance and then you are doing funky hand tricks to keep the chair upright.  If I could make a suggestion to stronglite, it would be to find a way to use wider and better wheels (maybe like the ones on the new travel bags that are coming out now-days -- you know, the thick, wide hard plastic ones on your luggage for travelling on an airplane, etc.)  Of course, if you have a really smooth surface, the wheels are wonderful.  I have never used a chair without wheels for any amount of time, so maybe I am taking them for granted and I use them more than I think I do.  It is hard to say.   Second:  I have only used the removable shin rests once, but they are nice to have when you need them.Third:  I never knew other chairs would cut into the thighs like he mentioned, but I do know that no one has ever complained of such a thing with my stronglite.Fourth:  I also never thought about the whole "bar - dress to crotch" issue with other chairs ---- but I do perform a lot of chair massages at a bank where many of the employees wear skirts, and we have never had a problem with any "flesh showing" that would be stressful for the client or unprofessional.  So obviously my chair is doing a good job with something I never even researched in the other chairs.Last:  I have the metal chair, and not the wooden one.Hope this helps a little more!