Customer Reviews

Health Mark BT20000 Swiss Ball Chair

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The chair is great for promoting good posture and the wheels are a definite asset. It does take time to build up the muscles to use the chair for extended periods of time. I like the chair a lot, but find that I frequently hit the wheel locks by accident and have to figure out which one is locked. To me this is a design flaw. The chair moves well when all the wheels are unlocked (as it should). I highly recommend this chair over using a ball without wheels.

The ball that comes with this chair IS the right size. It just needs to be pumped up all the way. The pump that comes with the kit may be able to do the job ... eventually. I quickly gave up and used my air compressor. This is a well built set, and really is worth the price. Using it, however, is something else. It is a good tool to pump up the core. Looks easy, give it some time. WORTH THE PRICE.

I purchased the ball chair a few months ago and am excited to use it. The only signficant downfall is that ALL FOUR wheels are LOCKING wheels. So in your daily routine of getting up sitting down, inevitably your foot hits one of the tabs and 'locks' the wheels. Leaving you potentially trapped OR having to fight against the locked wheel so that you can bend over again and again to unlock them.

My solution - find an old chair in our 'desk chair grave yard' and switch out the wheels. Works GREAT now!!! Couldn't be happier or with better posture!

I bought this 3 years ago. My wife still uses it. The ball has long since expired. Now it has a valeo ball in it, but I recommend gofit because they are the thickest I have found with the highest weight limit (2,000lbs) and it's the same price. See my reviews on valeo/gofit if you're interested in whats the best ball to put in it.

Basically, this is a unique product, and it does what is says, it looks exactly like it's pictured, but I'm sorry this thing is insanely overpriced. The bottom is molded plastic and the metal retaining wire is useless. The wheels are plastic. The only reason the price is high is because yoga balls are hyped and they have little competition. I mean you are paying close to $100 for 10lbs of plastic. For $10 you can get a ball stabilizer ringBall Stabilizer Ring, Black and it basically does the same thing.. holds the ball in place. Ironically it is the ball shifting under you that makes sitting on a yoga ball so beneficial to your core muscles, constantly having to shift your weight and compensate for a dynamic chair. This base, and any other base, removes that benefit.

So basically I recommend just getting a nice ball.

The ball pictured is not at all in any way the ball that comes with the chair. It is so tiny it doesn't even reach the brackets. Unless you plan on using it for a kids chair at a kids table, plan on buying a new ball that actually fits in the base and can be used by an adult.

I am going to just buy a new ball and use the base because its what I need but I do not plan on buying anything in the future from this company "Health Mark" as they have shown a lack of integrity with their dishonest sales picture.

The base is great if you already have a ball and you're looking for a good base. Otherwise, budget for a new ball.

The picture of the ball on the chair is NOT the actual size sent in the package, the ball sent in the package is about half the size of the ball pictured. I had to go to purchase another ball separately, irritating.

The picture shows an exercise ball large enough to fill the base, that fits snugly in the retention rods that extend from the base. Just like a McDonald's hamburger on TV looks like a great burger. Neither is accurate. The base is great, but they sent a teeny, little ball with mine that was two-thirds the diameter of the base. Sitting on it put my head barely above the edge of my desk. Had to go out and buy the right size ball. Only complaint about the base is the location of the wheel locks. When you're sitting on the chair and move your feet, they often engage the wheel locks accidentally, requiring you to bend down and disengage the locks. That's not a big deal when you get used to the chair, but until you do, there's a risk of the ball and base shooting backwards at enormous speed, so be careful. It would be better if only two of the wheels had locks and you could place them in the back.

I love my Swiss Ball Chair! It's exactly what I wanted, a ball on wheels, much better for my back...but there is one problem with it, and that is the size of the ball provided...much too small! Ridiculously small actually,made for 4 ft tall people. However, once I got the right sized ball, it's perfect.

Iv had this chair for over a year and i love it! its really helped with my back pain and my posture. I would say the wheels can be annoying but i mainly leave them locked and they stay out of the way if i do that. I did have to get a bigger ball like a 65cm or 75cm because the one that comes with it is like 35cm. So unless you just like feeling like your sitting on the floor you will need to go get a bigger ball. It will accomodate a bigger one. Although i have to say that the ball i got, busted one of the metal brackets because i had to nuts on there too tight. It wouldn't have been a problem if i had not over tightened them. SO great chair but lock the wheels and don't over tighten the nuts. :) Also i am 5'2 and my desk is ~3feet high, so being a short person this chair works well for me, but im not so sure if your 6 foot or taller this would be the right fit for you.

The primary benefit of using a Swiss ball as a chair - in any context - is that it is inherently UNSTABLE. The point is that your abdominal muscles must be activated to overcome this instability and thereby become stronger. By placing the ball in "the middle of a stabilizing cradle," creating an "ultra-stable exercise ball," this primary benefit is much reduced. The only benefit here is to Health Mark's bottom line. Do yourself a favor and buy an appropriately sized exercise ball (like one of these), inflate it thoroughly, and sit on that alone. Your body and your back will thank you.

Bottom line: more money, less benefit.