Summary
I remember the moment I received my firstSecretlabchair in 2018; I had been sitting on mesh-based office chairs for the better part of 15 years, chairs I thought were helping my back pain but, in reality, were causing more harm than good. Within a week of receiving my Secretlab chair I was hooked. The Secretlab 2020 TITAN provided the firmness I didn’t know I was seeking while offering a handful of ergonomic adjustments that allowed me to find the right settings for my personal needs.
Four years later, I was trading in my 2020 model for the2022 Secretlab TITAN Evo. The company’s newest chair provided a better front waterfall that placed less pressure on my knees and legs, a more robust set of back supporting adjustments, and a new magnetic pillow that allowed for better placement against the back of my neck. It was another huge step forward for the gaming chair company and an appreciated upgrade to my home, which now includes six Secretlab chairs used by my entire family.
I was incredibly excited when the company reached out last month and asked me to test the newSecretlab Ergonomic Recliner Add-On. I’m currently using the fabric version of the 2022 Secretlab TITAN Evo alongside a Secretlab professional footrest. The one component I’ve long thought was needed to complete my gaming chair set up was a full traditional recliner function.
Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner Add-On Installation
Several weeks ago, my new recliner add-on arrived. Secretlab claims that the recliner takes just three minutes to install, a claim I can now verify is absolutely true.
If you’ve installed a Secretlab chair, you probably remember how simple it was to build. The Secretlab recliner add-on is no different, featuring just a few rubber inserts and a simple clamp down system and push-on lever installation. The entire installation guide can be seen in the photo above. As you can see, there are only four steps for the product’s basic installation.
I started by flipping my chair on its side, using the included base protector on the floor to avoid scratching the wheelbase of my chair.
The installation process involves simply installing the four rubber inserts shown below.
Once the rubber pieces are installed, the recliner base is put into place, attaching directly to the rubber protectors. You’ll start by lifting the attachment bar, before pushing the bar into place, and then removing the velcro safety holder.
After you complete the steps above, push the recliner’s handle into place, and the installation is complete.
Once I flipped my chair back over, it was ready for use.
If you have longer legs, you may also want to also adjust the forward placement of the leg rest which is shown in the installation video below.
Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner Add-On Assembly Video
The Secretlab Recliner Add-On Works Just Like Standard Recliners
Secretlab is known for over-engineering its products and the ergonomic recliner add-on is no different. Built with solid steel and other high-end materials, the product matches the strength and sleek design featured across the entire Secretlab product line.
Pulling up the recliner handle allows the footrest to move quickly to your chosen position. I was pleasantly surprised at how reactive the recliner add-on is when moving from zero degrees into its maximum 80 degree position.
Pulling on the handle and adjusting the leg rest with my leg requires a little bit of pressure being applied with my legs while the actual component quickly locks into place when I let go of the handle.
When I’m sitting upright, I allow the leg rest to sit slightly open. My main goal in this position is to allow more of my body to come in contact with the chair. Creating more points of contact with the chair is the best way to reduce stress on my body. I have also found that this position keeps my legs from bouncing around as I sit, a problem I experience with every chair I sit in and which often ends up causing knee discomfort as the day progresses.
Secretlab says the leg rest features an infinitive number of adjustments, and while that may be technically true, I quickly found that I was adjusting the leg rest into 4 or 5 main positions during use. I also discovered that those choices were based almost solely on the level of recline I was using with my chair. In this regard, the leg rest creates an endless number of positions for the chair overall, providing a very cool new dimension to sitting in a Secretlab chair.
After a few days, I started combining the Secretlab ergonomic recliner add-on alongside mySecretlab professional footrest. I allow my legs to fully contact the recliner add-on while my feet remain firmly planted on my footrest. This has become the optimal sitting position for me during both office work and gaming time.
The Secretlab ergonomic recliner add-on is seamlessly retrofitted onto the base of any Secretlab TITAN Evo Series or Classics chair.
A Plush Piece Of Comfort For My Secretlab Chair
I’ve been using the Secretlab professional footrest for the past few months, and one of my favorite parts is how the plush material feels. So I wasn’t surprised that the plush design on the ergonomic recliner add-on is just as comfortable. The recliner is firm, much like the company’s chairs, but offers just enough bounce to feel like a traditional recliner chair.
As Secretlab notes, the leg rest utilizes the company’s well regarded plushcell memory foam which is perfectly balanced and known for standing up to years of body weight. Knowing that the plushcell memory foam is used on the leg rest makes me believe the product will last for years without any real sign of wear and tear, of course, only time will tell.
If there’s one complaint I have, it’s that the leg rest doesn’t quite extend the width of the entire chair, and the ends are not as solid as the middle, causing my legs to sometimes slide off the end of the leg rest or turn outward. At the same time, the design forces me to keep my legs in a more neutral position, which is better for my body.
Secretlab claims that every aspect of the leg rest has been engineered to maximize comfort by focusing on pressure relief and I agree that my pressure points felt perfectly supported when making contact with the product’s surface. However, I have long legs and when the leg rest is fully extended to 80 degrees, I find that the bottom of my legs hangs off the end of the leg rest, leaving a big point of contact untouched, even with the leg rest set to the maximum allowed extension. Thankfully, full extension is really only needed when I’m fully reclined, and I rarely recline that far with my Secretlab chairs.
Secretlab is known for over-engineering its products and I noticed that the company’s over-engineering also applied to the recliners fabric design. The stitching for the base of the product is hidden underneath the hardware, ensuring that the product will not tear, even with regular use. The only exposed seams are also expertly stitched for a strong hold. The design on the top of the unit is also perfectly level, which means my legs can’t feel the lines that are featured diagonally across the surface.
The Secretlab Ergonomic Add-On - Founder’s Edition
The big difference between the regular recliner add-on and the Founder’s Edition is that the Founder’s Edition features an additional layer of cooling gel on top of the company’s plushcell memory foam that sits underneath the product’s quilted pattern embroidered surface. The Founder’s Edition recliner add-on also offers an exclusive Founder’s Edition metal plated tag.
The Secretlab Ergonomic Add-On will arrive in early 2025. The standard Recliner Add-on will be $199/£159, while the Founder’s Edition is a bit more pricey at $249/£199. You can check out both of the add-on recliner options on theofficial Secretlab website.
