The Back Thing Review

The Back Thing Review

The Back Thing
Manufacturer’s Site
Grade: A
Teacher’s Comments: Just what my old back needed

I come from a long line of lower back pain sufferers, so it comes to me as no surprise that I too suffer from occasional, debilitating pain.

Lifting weights has helped a lot. I have had much less frequent — and less severe — episodes since I started a thrice weekly weight routine. Another thing that I’ve found that really helps is using a lumbar support when I sit in my desk chair or car. Typically, I have used a foam pillow.

I was pleased, therefore, when the manufacturers of The Back Thing offered to send me one for testing. The unit is a rectangular, one-inch-thick pad that sits between you and the back of a chair. The PR rep suggested that I could use it on a golf cart, whose seats are not exactly ergonomically designed.

The Back Thing comes in three versions: The Original, which is 11 inches wide ; the Traveler, which is 11.5 inches wide and the Recreational, which is 13 inches wide. I received the Recreational model. All three are 14.5 inches tall.

There’s no golf now — thanks to the Coronavirus — and I’m a dedicated walker at any rate, so I decided to test the Back Thing out in my antique banker’s desk chair.

The Back Thing was designed by a neurosurgeon to provide the proper lumbar support. Instead of squishy foam, it uses vertical pine slats to keep the back properly positioned. The slats are encased in foam and breathable poly-vinyl. The vinyl actually feels like a lightweight canvas.

A seat flap keeps it fixed in place.

I admit that I was skeptical about the wood slats, but they are remarkably comfortable and effective. It hits my back in the right places and I can stand without stiffness after a long writing session.

Build quality on The Back Thing is excellent. Stitching seems solid. The fabric is tough. The wood slats should prevent it from losing the strength of its support. Even better: it’s made in the USA. You can’t say that about too many products these days.

The only problem is that at 13 inches, the Recreational model is bit too wide for my bankers’ chair. But it works well enough that I am thinking of investing in the Traveler and Original models.

The Back Thing Retails for $39.99

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