Sumo’s Omni Combo review

38

Official Website
Price: $239 U.S.
Size: 4.5′ x 5.5′
Weight: 18 lbs
Beads: Virgin ESP Polystyrene Foam
Fabric: Specially coated ballistic nylon (rip-proof)

Styled after the beanbag chairs from the 60’s, Sumo’s Omni is a retro-looking sight for sore eyes. The design is utterly simple, and that’s exactly why the Omni Combo (a beanbag chair that comes with a beanbag ottoman) is so charming; it’s the kind of furniture that’s as good in a swanky loft as it is in your kid’s rec room.

So is it worth your hard-earned buck? Will it fit your home? That all depends on what you’re looking for, so check out our quick guide to see if the Omni is right for you.

Look

When it comes to the look, the Omni is sweet and simple, and perfect for almost anywhere. With eight colors to choose from (Pitch Black, Charcoal Green, Platinum, Midnight Blue, Fiery Red, Tangerine, Pure White and of course, Hot Pink) anyone should be able to find a look to suite their space, and because it’s effectively just a large square, you really don’t have to think about how it will look in your home – you just have to rearrange it until it looks right.

About the only real concern that any buyer should have is, will it fit in my home. Lets face it, if you hadn’t already noticed, this thing is huge. It’s about twice the size of your average person and most bachelor pads just may not have the room to accommodate it. That said, if you have a decent 10-foot wide space to show off your new furniture, this may be the item you’ve been looking for, especially if you want something to relax in.

Feel

Sitting down in the Omni for the first time, and putting your feet up on the ottoman, is the point where you’ll probably decide that this was the best purchase you’ve made in years. The Omni is a tad awkward at moments, but once you settle into it you will definitely find it comfortable.

The rugged exterior of the Omni is also really impressive and while it doesn’t resist water or stains, it is tough enough to take a lot of punishment and cleans up quite easily.

You won’t settle into the beanbag and marvel at how much it feels like sitting on a perfect feather bed of course, that’s just not the style, but you will sit down and realize that you could easily nap in it for an afternoon, or read a book, or just veg in front of the television. It’s more of an active piece of furniture that shapes itself to you.

Because the Omni was designed to be adjustable you can also open it up using a very tough strip of velcro to add or remove stuffing – which can be bought from Sumo as well. I found it pretty much perfect with the level that it comes with however.

Function

Finally, the most important aspect of the Omni is of course the functionality. The Omni is very stylish, it feels just right for relaxing, and it’s bound to survive almost any rough treatment you can throw at it, but will it actually work well as a crash mat, lounge chair and loveseat?

The answer is a big yes.

For me, I think I enjoyed it most as a crash mat, spread out flat over the floor and with maybe a pillow or two on it to read or watch TV, but it works very well as a lounge chair and certainly can pull off the loveseat option too. My only complaint with it might be perhaps that it isn’t entirely easy to arrange into the different styles. Because the fabric of the whole Omni is quite thick, and because it’s so big, it doesn’t move around very easily, but once you get it the way you want it, you also probably won’t have to think about it again.

Overall

In the end that means that I would highly recommend Sumo’s Omni Combo (or even just the Omni on it’s own), but I would caution anyone buying one to consider the space they have for it as you can’t really enjoy it otherwise. It may be adjustable, but when it settles it does tend to take up a good chunk of floor.

Families will probably go nuts for the Omni since they make a perfect addition to almost any kid’s room, play area, or rec room, but it’s also an awesome purchase for anyone looking for a piece of furniture that won’t bore you to death. Since I got mine I’ve spent at least a couple hours a night sitting in it watching TV, reading, or pretty much just finding an excuse to nap. (I also highly recommend checking out Sumo’s new Outdoor Omni which is a notch more expensive but is also completely waterproof and built for cottage and summer life.)

To order visit www.sumolounge.com or call Sumo at 1-866-340-SUMO (7866).

Image Courtesy of Sumo.