This is my second ErgoErgo stool.  I bought it a few months ago after having my first one for a few years. I have never had to pump it up even once in all that time. I love that one so much I wanted to replicate it in another house.  Unfortunately, this one fails miserably!  It consistently looses air, and no amount of pumping it up and then putting layers of duct tape over the air intake valve works!!  I can pump it up three times in one day and it still looses air.  I currently have 5 layers of tape sealing the hole and it still leaks.  I am completely upset because my other one is so SO SO perfect!!!!!!!  What happened to the manufacturing process between my first one (bought about 6 years ago) and this current one?  Are we cutting back necessary steps, using less plastic and making the walls thinner, WHAT??  What a ripoff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!