They work - but not as well as I hoped.
I am a college student taking classes at Harvard. The chairs in the library don't have cushions or the cushions have gone flat. This makes studying for long periods of time difficult /painful.<br /><br />So instead of going to the library to study, I purchased new chairs, but after a few months the cushions and the chairs had gone flat. This was frustrating and I got tired of purchasing new chairs, so I decided to purchase cushions as a more cost-effective approach to purchasing new chairs.<br /><br />I wanted a cushion that would allow me to study for 14 hours a day. Not knowing which cushions to purchase and not wanting to spend time trying out a bunch of different cushions I decided to try out a dozen or so different cushions, all of which had an average rating above four. I called Amazon to see if they would have a problem with me purchasing a bunch of items and then returning them as well as to make sure that my Amazon prime account would not get canceled.<br /><br />Below is a list of the cushions that I purchased and the experience I had.<br /><br />1.) CONFORMAX Anywhere, Anytime Gel Car/Truck Seat Cushion<br />This was the most comfortable cushion of all of the questions that I tried and the one I would recommend the most. I am able to sit for an entire day without my rear end or back getting sore. I previously had to take two Aleve before using this cushion to be able to sit down and study for an entire day. It has a layer of high density foam and a very thick gel which provides a great deal of support without going flat, even if you are a big guy. I am 6 feet tall and about 210 pounds and even at the end of the day, it is just as soft as when you first sit on the cushion.<br /><br />A couple of other things, this is a large cushion and covers the entire seat which allows you to move around your seats comfortably. The top side of the cushion is a foamy type of cloth, and the bottom side of the cushion has a rubber-ish type of cover to keep it from sliding around on the chair.<br /><br />The only downside is that it is a large cushion that is also kind of heavy, so it is not a cushion that can be carried around or is transportable.<br /><br />2.) CONFORMAX &#34;On the Go&#34; Gel Travel Seat Cushion<br />This was the second most comfortable cushion. I bought the ConforMax “On The Go Gel” cushion because the ConforMax Anywhere cushion was too big to carry around so I got them both. The ConforMax “On The Go” cushion provides the same amount of support as the “ConforMax Anywhere” cushion but is portable due to its smaller size. While it is still too large for me to get inside my backpack, I am able to get it inside my duffel bag/gym bag and take it with me without any difficulty to the computer lab or library. It would also fit inside a large briefcase or a small suitcase.<br /><br />The ConforMax “On The Go” cushion also allows me to sit for up to 14 hours a day at the library without my posterior or my back getting sore. The only down side is that, because it is smaller due to it being portable, it does not cover the chair completely, so you can not move around as much on a chair.<br /><br />If you want a cushion that is portable, this is the best cushion.<br /><br />3.) Nova Ortho Gel Foam Cushion for 18 Inches X 16 Inches Wheelchair, Medium, 3 Inch, Black<br />After the ConforMax cushions, this was the next most comfortable cushion. The Nova Ortho Gel Foam Cushion has a layer of gel encased in a layer of high density foam.<br /><br />During the time that I used it, the cushion did not go flat, and provided a great deal of support. By posterior or back did not get sore and I was able to study for 14 hours a day, only getting up to eat or use the restroom.<br /><br />The cushion really is not portable do to it’s size, but I was able to slightly fold it and get it into my duffle bag so I could take it with me to the library /computer lab at the university.<br /><br />Overall, I was really happy with the Nova Ortho Gel Foam Cushion and would highly recommend it Especially for folks on the heavier side since it did not flatten out when I used it. I am giving this product a five star rating. With that said, I ended up returning this item. The reason for that it is, the ConforMax cushions were more comfortable.<br /><br />It should be noted that the ConforMax cushions cost $20 to $25 more than the Nova Ortho Gel Foam Cushion, so if you are on a budget or do not want to spend as much money on the Comformax cushions, this is the next best cushion and the best cushion under $40 that I tried.<br /><br />4.) Drive Medical Deluxe Skin Protection Gel &#34;E&#34; 3&#34; Wheelchair Seat Cushion, Dark Blue, 18&#34; x 16&#34; 3&#34;<br /><br />This cushion also provided good level of support and kept my posterior and back from getting sore. The cushion also did not flatten out during the time that I used it. I was able to hold this cushion, put it in my duffle bag and take it with me to the library, but it should be noted I only used it for two days before I returned it.<br /><br />While the Drive Gel Seat Cushion provided a good level of support, I did not find it comfortable. The reason for that is because the gel is liquidy and moves /slouches around. You get the same type of feeling you get when you sit on a waterbed. I would recommend this product, but with reservations. You are better off with the either of the Comformax cushions ($30 more) and if you are on a budget, the Nova Ortho Gel Foam Cushion ($11 more).<br /><br />5.) WonderGel Extreme Seat Cushion<br /><br />I tried three different Wondergel cushions, and they all work, but not as well as I would like them to. For reference purposes, the other five star reviews are accurate. These cushions work and will not go flat. I was able to sit and study for 14 hours per day, only having to get up to eat or use the restroom. With that said, while I was able to study for 14 hours per day and my back did not get sore, but my posterior did get a little sore after sitting for a couple of hours and moderately sore after sitting for 14 hours.<br /><br />I think the problem was my size. I am 6’ and 210 pounds. My weight just pushed into the walls of the cushion after sitting for a few hours, and I got the same feeling that you get when you have a sock that is bunched up underneath your foot when you are walking.<br /><br />Of the three Wondergel cushions I tried, this one was the most comfortable for me.<br /><br />With that said, I returned these cushions after a week. I found the two Comformax cushions and the Nova Ortho Gel Foam Cushion more comfortable and the the Comformax cushions were a little bit cheaper.<br /><br />One side note – out of all of the large cushions, I found this cushion the easiest to carry around because it folded easily and I could easily get it into my duffle bag.<br /><br />6.) Wondergel Doublegel Gel Seat Cushion NEW Model - 2&#34;<br /><br />Please see the review of the WonderGel Extreme Seat Cushion.<br /><br />This is very similar to the WonderGel Extreme seat cushion but with more gel cushioning. Dispite the extra thickness, I still found the WonderGel Extreme more comfortable.<br /><br />7.) Wondergel Roll & Go - Gel Seat Cushion<br /><br />Please see the review of the WonderGel Extreme Seat Cushion. This is similar to the WonderGel extreme, but has a smaller footprint and is not as thick, so it is easier to carry around.<br /><br />This cushion significantly reduces the amount of pain you would experience if you did not have this cushion and it did allow me to study up to 14 hours a day, but my posterior was sore at the end of the day.<br /><br />This was the only cushion I could fit into my backpack and did not have to put it in my duffle bag. I was barely able to squeeze it into the laptop section of my backpack. If you are a student and want something that can fit into your backpack, this is your best option.<br /><br />As previously mentioned, while the cushion significantly reduces the pain and soreness on your posterior, my posterior was still sore at the end of the day. It just reduced the soreness enough for me to be functional all day.<br /><br />After a few days, I ended up returning the Wondergel Roll & Go and just decided to lug around the CONFORMAX &#34;On the Go&#34; in my duffle bag. This was despite a higher level on inconvenience of lugging around the CONFORMAX &#34;On the Go&#34; in a duffle bag versus of greater level of convenience of carrying around the Wondergel Roll & Go in my backpack.<br /><br />8.) Duro-Med Polyfoam Wheelchair Cushion, Poly/Cotton Cover, Navy, 3 Inch x 16 Inch x 18 Inch<br />Despite the large number of 5 star reviews from other reviewers, I found this item to be junk and would not recommend this item at all. After sitting on this cushion for 30 minutes, the cushion went flat. I can not recommend the Duro-Med Polyfoam Wheelchair Cushion.<br /><br />Summary:<br />The Wondergel cushions work, but I found the Comformax cushions to do the best job of keeping my back and posterior pain-free. If you are on a budget, the Nova Ortho Gel Foam Cushion is the next best cushion and the best cushion for the price.
Rating: 4 stars