Sumo Gamer review

Beanbags aren’t something we usually review on Expert Reviews. In fact, this may well be the only one we ever review, but we couldn’t resist trying out Sumo’s enormous creation, particularly as it’s aimed at gamers.

Sumo is a US company, but it ships for free to the UK. When you first clap your eyes on the Sumo it’s obvious from the sheer dimensions that it’s designed for American houses: it’s simply massive. It measures 42x42x34in – or 106x106x86cm for those that can work only in metric. Essentially, you’ll need to measure up before you buy one, as it’s not something you can simply tuck away in a corner. It ate most of the spare floor space in our living room, and immediately antagonised the other half.

It’s seriously heavy, too, so you’ll want to leave it in one place, rather than putting it away when you’re finished. There are four colours to choose from – Pitch Black, Fiery Red, Funky Brown and Khaki. This is a much narrower choice than Sumo’s Omni, which is also available to buy in the UK.

Unlike the cheaper Omni, which costs £99, the Gamer has a ‘micro suede’ cover which is softer than the Omni’s rip-proof Nylon, and has a high-quality finish. It’s also removable and washable, which is important for those inevitable spills. The Gamer is also filled with shredded furniture-grade foam, rather than traditional polystyrene beads. This means it stays fluffed up and won’t go flat.

It also feels much softer and more akin to sitting on a pile of sofa cushions than a normal beanbag. Sit right in the middle of the gamer and you sink down as it envelops around you. Don’t think that it’s a replacement for a chair, though. It’s difficult to get it to mould around you and provide back support – you tend to lie back in it instead. This is the only real niggle with the Gamer, as it’s hardly an alert and upright position for gaming, but you could always remove some of the foam pieces inside to create more of a chair shape.

If you do decide to buy one, bear in mind that it will take a few days to arrive from the US and – as it comes vacuum packed, you’ll need to leave it for a day or so for the foam to expand before putting the cover on it. For those that have enough space and money, the Gamer is undoubtedly the ultimate beanbag.