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On the surface, Moon Pod is a beanbag chair. It promises “zero-gravity weightlessness” for maximum comfort with a few added benefits including better sleep, less anxiety, stress relief, better circulation, and even improved creativity. Big if true, especially for its $299 price tag. After a week of intensive use of most of the Moon Pod line of beanbag chairs, I’ve compiled my thoughts on these claims. Here’s a thorough review of the Moon Pod zero-gravity beanbag chair.
What is the Moon Pod?
Specifications
- Dimensions: 50-56 inches L x 20-24 inches H x 20-24 inches W, depending on how one sits or lays in the Moon Pod
- Weight: 12 pounds
- Materials: High-density beads and dual membrane shell
- Available Colors: Indigo, Ash, Gray, Blue, Quartz
Touting itself as “The Beanbag Reinvented,” Moon Pod is one of many successful Kickstarter stories, raising more than $1.2 million from a meager $21,500 pledge goal. It’s a premium-build chair engineered to deliver a feeling of weightlessness no matter what position you’re sitting or laying in it. You know, sort of like taking a siesta on the moon, hence the name. One of the stark differences between a Moon Pod and a standard beanbag chair is its morphing capabilities. Depending on where you sit or lay, you can utilize its modularity as a chair, a recliner, or a bed.
High-friction EPS beads provide much more in the way of ergonomic support, giving your body a feeling of weightlessness when you lay on Moon Pod. In fact, this bean bag chair is engineered to mimic the same rest one receives from Flotation Therapy, which studies say can help reduce anxiety, depression, insomnia, and a host of other common maladies.
When Moonpod is shipped to you, the boxes are covered in warnings not to open them with sharp objects. I don’t have Hulk-like strength to tear through the packing tape, but I did use a blunt knife and utmost care when it came to unboxing. Further warnings were given when it came to stuffing the bags of high-density beads into the membrane shell. Following the suggestions provided, I carefully stuff the bead bags into the shell and pulled the zipper up using a paper clip. It seemed daunting, but luckily setting up the Moon Pod was fairly simple.
Moon Pod Review: Is the bean bag chair worth it?
Reclining in Moon Pod = Cozy AF
Jaime Carrillo/Daily Dot
." class="wp-image-1261772"/>After the warnings on the box the Moon Pod arrived in, my mind went to two variables in my home I simply can’t control: Jodah and Charlie. My rowdy cat sons have laid waste to boxes, Ikea bags, and entire couches, so a sensitive piece of furniture like a bean bag chair would likely not last hours between them. After consulting with Moon Pod customer service (which was speedy, I might add), I was reassured that its furniture is totally safe for claws and paws. The stretchiness of the outer fabric and the chair’s general malleability keeps cats from using it as a scratching post. I wouldn’t put it above my large furry sons though. I am happy to report that neither cat has brandished their fangs or nails when napping on the Moon Pod.
While I am the type to hurl myself at a piece of furniture, I used restraint when I first used the Moon Pod as a bed. I sprawled my body on it and the feeling was a familiar one. However, the lining of this bean bag chair was far cozier than the one I utilized in grade school decades ago. Laying on my stomach, much of the beads spread towards my head, providing a surface that was firm, but not so stiff as to be uncomfortable. The same effect happens if you’re the type who likes laying on your back. Better yet, if you shift your weight slightly toward the bottom, the top of the chair will elevate your head making it a great companion for your next lazy day streaming binge.
Triple Duty Chair
Before truly putting the Moon Pod through the wringer, I fetched a cozy pillow and my favorite faux fur blanket that I usually break out once California summer ends—late October. Laying on it for a quick 20-minute stretch would only provide a fraction of insight compared to a full eight-hour sleep. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it was different and not in a bad way. Despite my preference for my usual mattress, I didn’t wake up with the usual minor backache. I won’t be replacing my bed with the Moon Pod, but it’s for sure going to become my new favorite place to nap.
Aside from a place to grab a few restful winks, the Moon Pod has a fair amount of versatility compared to a standard bean bag chair. If you prop the chair up and perch near the bottom half, it will serve as a chair, perfect for gamers who like comfort but not so much that their reflexes suffer when jumping into a game of Overwatch 2. This also works great as a perch to snack from if there’s a nearby coffee table and a good flick on.
As far as a favorite position, the reclining angle couldn’t be better. Whether I’m reading some random Wiki on my iPad or playing my Nintendo Switch OLED, this position blends the comfort and versatility of a “favorite chair.” The sort of chair a dad or father figure hogs to themselves, whether they are in a room or not. Like any beanbag chair, the Moon Pod is lightweight, topping out at 12 pounds. It travels from room to room whether you decide to pick it up or simply drag it.
Incredibly Cozy, But Not a Miracle Worker
There’s no doubt that the Moon Pod’s engineering is inspired. My spouse, an actual engineer has more or less hogged the Moon Pod from me after my initial testing. “That’s good gravy,” they say after relaxing in it for hours. This sounds like gibberish, but translated, it’s one of the highest marks of approval they’ve ever bestowed on a product. Moon Pod touts that its high-density microbeads that mimic Flotation Therapy can help reduce stress and anxiety. Perhaps for some, but it’s a lot of pressure to put on a humble chair, no matter how well-designed it is. I wouldn’t say that the Moon Pod affected my stress or anxiety levels directly after a week of intense usage, but I didn’t expect it to. That doesn’t mean that I came away from my Moon Pod review without a few surprises.
What truly makes Moon Pod stands out are the simple things. For one, it’s as low profile as a bean bag chair gets. When it’s not in use, I’m able to tuck it into a reading nook in the living room, where it blends in fairly well. And considering the ergonomic support that Moon Pod provides in any position, you can bet it’s better on your back than many other offerings on the bean bag chair market.
Moon Pod Review: Final Thoughts
Look at your chair. Now, look at your living room recliner. Lastly, look at your bed. Now take all of these outdated 20th-century relics and toss them in your nearest dumpster, for Moon Pod is the way of the future. This is an exaggeration of course of my love of the Moon Pod and its sister products the Crescent and the Lunar Lift. But I truly did not expect to come away from my first bean bag experience since 4th grade shocked by Moon Pod’s comfort and protean nature. The Moon Pod experience combines weightlessness with ergonomics, a beanbag chair that doubles as a bed, and triples as a recliner. For space-age coziness that truly hits, Moon Pod comes highly recommended.