Overview

Kyle is a UK software developer working from home at a sit-stand desk, splitting an eight-hour day between sitting, standing, and time on a treadmill behind his desk, with long uninterrupted sessions on weekends when he's gaming.

At 5'10" and 185 lbs, he found himself between the LiberNovo Omni Pro and the LiberNovo Maxis Manual on the sizing guide he used. He tried both, found real trade-offs in each direction, and ended up keeping both chairs, the LiberNovo Maxis Manual for himself and the LiberNovo Omni Pro for his partner, whom it fit far better.

He rates the overall experience 6 out of 10, a number driven almost entirely by sizing: parts of the experience he'd call a 9.

The Person Behind the Setup

Can you introduce yourself and what you do?

I'm Kyle, a software developer, so I spend a lot of time at the desk, and I also play a lot of games at the desk. I'm about 5'10" and around 185 pounds, which put me right in the middle of your sizing guide between the LiberNovo Omni Pro and the LiberNovo Maxis Manual.

What does a typical workday look like?

I work from home with a sit-stand desk, so I switch between sitting, standing, and using a treadmill behind my desk. A normal day is basically eight hours at the computer, moving between those three.

How long do you usually sit in one session?

I try to switch things up every couple of hours during work. But if I'm gaming, I can be sitting for hours straight. That's actually what sent me looking for a new chair in the first place.

Before the Change

What were you using before LiberNovo?

A Secretlab Titan XL, the bigger size, for about four or five years. It's a really solid, hard chair, nice to sit in but not very customizable. The arms were my biggest complaint. They didn't go low enough. When I'm playing a game on a controller, I like to drop my arms off the armrests entirely, and the Secretlab didn't give me that option. I also have fairly broad shoulders, and the Titan XL's back was already the bigger size. My partner has the smaller Secretlab and I can't fit on it at all.

Did you try anything else?

During COVID, I also bought a Herman Miller Aeron and got rid of it within two or three weeks. It just didn't work for me. I like mesh chairs for the airflow, but something about the Aeron never clicked.

What's your definition of a good ergonomic chair?

One where you don't feel any of your body while you're sitting in it. If you notice your lower back or legs slowly building up discomfort, that's a problem. It should just feel natural.

Why LiberNovo

How did you first hear about LiberNovo?

I was looking around online for a new chair for a new office setup, specifically hunting for good armrests, and came across LiberNovo while going through a bunch of brands. I started seeing a lot of ads after that. The marketing is aggressive, but it clearly works.

How was installation?

Really easy. Both chairs together took me about fifteen minutes, mostly just double-checking I hadn't done anything wrong. I'd also had the seat replaced on the LiberNovo Omni Pro at one point, and that swap was just as simple.

A New Way to Sit

You found yourself between LiberNovo Omni Pro and LiberNovo Maxis Manual sizing. What was that like in practice?

I used the sizing guide on the website, and it put me right in the middle. The LiberNovo Omni Pro maxes out around 5'10". The LiberNovo Maxis Manual starts there. I tried the LiberNovo Omni Pro first. I really liked parts of it. The Neck Support fit perfectly into my neck. But with broader shoulders, mine went outside the back of the chair, and the 48 cm base still felt short for my legs. So I tried the LiberNovo Maxis Manual, and got the opposite problem. Some parts fit great, some felt too big. I'm at that odd point where the LiberNovo Omni Pro runs a little small on me and the LiberNovo Maxis Manual runs a little large.

So you ended up with both chairs?

Yes, I kept them both. I gave the LiberNovo Omni Pro to my partner since it actually fits her really well, and I kept the LiberNovo Maxis Manual for myself. I also went back and sat in the Herman Miller Aerons at my office after getting used to the bigger LiberNovo Maxis Manual, and the Aeron suddenly felt small, which surprised me.

What did you think of the LiberNovo Omni Pro's electric features and the fan?

I really liked the electric adjustment. It was quick and easy while I was still figuring out how I wanted the chair set up. The fan I expected to be a gimmick, but I get sweaty easily and it cooled me down faster than I thought it would. It was genuinely more useful than I expected.

And the recline?

That's one of my favorite things about the chair, honestly. It's easy to move between angles. My old Secretlab was locked into one position I never touched. Same with the Aeron. It felt awkward to adjust. Here, it's one switch and you're reclining. I mostly live in the first two positions. The one thing I'd want is a way to lock a position in place.

Built to Fit

How's the lumbar support worked out across the two chairs?

Much better on the LiberNovo Omni Pro. It's electric, so I actually used and adjusted it. On the LiberNovo Maxis Manual, it's a manual knob, and for the first month I just left it off entirely because I couldn't tell if it was positioned right. I've only started playing with it in the past week. By the time I reach around, find the knob, turn it, and sit back, I've basically lost how I was sitting. I'd love to see it made electric, or at least adjustable up and down the way the Neck Support and armrests already are.

Did you notice a difference in materials?

Yes, pretty clearly. The LiberNovo Maxis Manual material felt cheaper than the LiberNovo Omni Pro's when I compared them side by side, more like a memory-foam mattress than the LiberNovo Omni Pro fabric. It also runs hot. We've had a few heat waves in England and I was genuinely sweating in it. The LiberNovo Omni Pro's Danish fabric breathes noticeably better.

What would your ideal chair look like?

Honestly, I'd love almost a midpoint chair: the height of the LiberNovo Omni Pro but the width of the LiberNovo Maxis Manual. I actually swapped the LiberNovo Omni Pro's Neck Support onto the LiberNovo Maxis Manual just to see, and it worked. It still rode the same rail system. It just felt a little different since it wasn't built for that height.

Any concerns going in, given LiberNovo is a newer brand?

The warranty, mainly. Two years on the electronics felt a little short next to five years on the frame, especially given how much the LiberNovo Omni Pro moves. Being a newer brand also made it harder to judge which reviews online were genuine versus just marketing.

What's behind the 6 out of 10 rating?

It's really a sizing story. Some parts of the experience are close to a nine: the Neck Support on the LiberNovo Omni Pro, the recline, the fan. Other parts land closer to a four because of how the fit worked out for my size specifically. The first batch of chairs felt good overall but had its share of issues. It's been a slow but steady process getting things sorted.

Their Words

Looking back, what would you tell the product team?

That it would be worth figuring out a way to serve people exactly at that line between the LiberNovo Omni Pro and LiberNovo Maxis Manual, since the gap between the two is bigger than it looks on the sizing chart.

"I'd love almost a midpoint chair: the height of the LiberNovo Omni Pro but the width of the LiberNovo Maxis Manual."

Fast facts: Software developer, WFH with a sit-stand desk and treadmill, UK · ~8 hours a day between sitting, standing, and the treadmill · 5'10", 185 lbs, between LiberNovo Omni Pro and LiberNovo Maxis Manual on the sizing guide he used · Previously used a Secretlab Titan XL for 4–5 years, and briefly a Herman Miller Aeron · Found LiberNovo through online ads while researching chairs · Bought a LiberNovo Omni Pro and a LiberNovo Maxis Manual via Amazon UK; kept the LiberNovo Maxis Manual and gave the LiberNovo Omni Pro to his partner · About 2 months on the LiberNovo Omni Pro, 1 month on the LiberNovo Maxis Manual, at the time of the interview · Rated the experience 6/10, driven mainly by sizing fit · Top requests: an electric or height-adjustable lumbar support, and a chair split between the LiberNovo Omni Pro's height and the LiberNovo Maxis Manual's width