03 May DXRacer Review: Part 1 of 2
Recently, I had the opportunity to try out a DXRacer Drifting Series chair. After a thorough chance to use it, my assessment is that overall, it’s got plenty of features going for it–but they didn’t necessarily work for me. My review follows. And if you want to check out DXRacer chairs for yourself: Click here 🙂
DXRACER – CONSIDER YOUR POSTURE AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
Like many gaming chairs, it’s a bucket seat with a high back that can tilt anywhere between 90 and 135 degrees. In addition to the back angle, the seat angle and seat height are adjustable.
As we’ve discussed in previous articles, your setup should support a good upright posture, somewhat like this:
However, there’s a range of angles that fit “upright” comfortably for different people. The tilt mechanism makes that possible. Shorter individuals might need to either set the seat height at its lowest or, alternately, at its highest with some form of support under their feet (as shown in the graphic above). Taller folks might do the same, only without the extra foot support.
Additional points of adjustability are available for the armrests, which might be my favorite feature for this chair. Their height, forward/backward position, and inward/outward rotation can all be adjusted. This lets you keep your arms close to your body, relaxed, and at the right height–not so high that your shoulders are raised and tight, not so low that you have to slouch to rest your forearms on the armrests.
The chair also comes with optional lumbar and neck pillows that can be attached or removed depending on comfort.
DXRACER – A REVIEW FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AND SIZE
All in all, what’s available from this chair sounds ergonomically ideal. Unfortunately for me, this chair was designed for a recommended height and weight of 5’9″ and 170 lbs., significantly larger than my 5’2″ 120 lbs. As a result, my review of how this chair works for me is not as good as I’d expect it to be based on the ergonomic features above.
For someone of my size, the bucket seat is too deep for me to keep my feet planted unless I move so far forward that my back remains unsupported; the other option is to use the backrest, but with my calves jammed against the front of the seat. The seat is significantly wider than I am, which means my arms are far out to the side and putting stress on my shoulders if I use the armrests. The tighter curve of the upper portion relative to the lower caused my shoulders to be rounded and pushed forward if I managed to lean back far enough to actually touch the backrest.
The lumbar pillow and neck pillow were also too thick for me. The lumbar one pushes my back into an excessive arch, which is significant strain over time, and the neck pillow pushes my head forward out of alignment with the rest of my spine.
As a matter of personal preference, I found the seat cushion to be too dense. It does make for a good reminder to get up and move frequently, but that’s probably not the intent.
Given that my review would otherwise be limited by the mismatch between my size and the chair’s designed size, and since I know I’m not the only one who’s had to make do with a not-quite-right chair, the second part of this review will include two useful components: how to make DIY adjustments to a too-large chair, and what information DXRacer could provide to help consumers pick the chair fit that’s best for them.
Interested in a DX Racer Chair? Check out their Gaming chairs here
No Comments