We review Yogibo’s “Max”
Shopping for furniture is a drag, especially when you’re a student. Normally you have two options: shell out big bucks for some nice furniture that may end up ruined after an all night rager, or browse sites like Craigslist and run the risk of inviting who-knows-what into your house after it hitches a ride on someone else’s old, disgusting furniture. Luckily, for those of us who enjoy comfort, cleanliness, and affordability, there’s Yogibo. Yogibo is a company that specializes in comfort. More pointedly: bean bags. Sure, they do pillows, bedding, tables, and ottomans, but if you’re looking for a place to rest your rump, focus on the bean bags. Recently, Yogibo sent me their “Max(http://j.mp/1DtaBVC),” a behemoth of comfort, allowing me to catch up on most of the naps I skipped as a child. Testing this stuff is hard work, ladies and gentlemen.
It’s important to note that it’s not called “Max” for no reason; this thing is huge. It measures a little longer than six feet and, while it’s stuffing causes it to be more cigar-shaped than square, the width and height goes to about two feet by two feet, though it tapers a little bit on the ends. Standing it up is ideal for storage, as it takes up most of your floor space in a dorm. Even in an apartment, if it’s not your primary piece of furniture, it’s big. Yogibo says that their Max weighs about 19 pounds, but the design makes it feel like far less, always a good thing.
To say it’s comfortable is an extreme understatement. Based on hours of testing, I’ve concluded that the comfort comes from two particularly genius engineering ideas. First, Yogibo overstuffs their beanbags. The Max gets the aforementioned “cigar shape” from the fact that it’s got so many beans inside of it. The fabric itself is also responsible, thanks to the stretchiness, something similar to spandex or yoga pants, only you’ll appreciate the Yogibo Max’s plumpness and won’t make snide comments when it’s not looking.
The fabric and overstuffing work together to make an amalgam of awesome that is inviting of your backside. When you finally sit down on it, you’ll sink into it, but not to the point where you’re resting on the floor, which ensures you have support at all the right spots. As you move, the fabric, a sort of cotton jersey material, is constantly pushing the beans back to their original location. Most beanbags have to be readjusted every time you get up or move, but not the Yogibo. As you move, adjust, get up, and sit back down, you’ve always got something there ensuring comfort and support. It’s deliciously simple in concept, but must be painfully difficult to accomplish because I’ve yet to find a beanbag to match it.
At six feet long, most anybody can lie on the Yogibo Max and not worry about limbs hanging off of it. Even if you’re slightly taller, it will stretch a bit to compensate or complement your sitting style. If you’d rather not lie down, flip the Max on its side and have multiple folks sit on it like a couch. The more people, the better, but you’ll still not have your butt on the floor, regardless of the side you sit on. It’s not waterproof or stain proof, one of the few downsides, but aside from magic, making it so without losing the wonderful texture and resiliency of the fabric might be impossible. Additionally, the more you use it, the more the fabric tends to loosen up, losing only a little of the elasticity, but still losing it. I’m confident that it won’t get completely slack though, as my testing included two children, ages six and three, bouncing on it like a jackhammer on many, many occasions.
If it can stand up to those two little monsters, it can stand up to anything.
At $239.00, the Yogibo Max is a value. It’s reliable, the cover can be washed, and the comfort is unmatched at this price range. If you’re looking for a seat for gaming, studying, reading, writing, browsing Facebook, or just watching television, the Max is it. It should come with a warning though, “DANGER! Spontaneous napping may occur.”
