Standing desks have a lot of benefits. Some proponents have praised standing desks for lessening fatigue, while also keeping them alert. However, most people cannot bear to stand for long periods of time, even on carpeted floors.
This is the reason why there are several standing solutions available now. From polyurethane mats and anti-fatigue mats like the Wurf Board, to balance boards like the FluidStance, people who love their standing desks now have a variety of choices.
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Wurf Board
The Wurf Board (Full review here!) is one of the first products to come out for those who work using standing desks. Here are some of the benefits the Wurf Board offers:
- Because of its air spring design, it improves blood circulation by making you do micro-movements.
- It improves your posture, allowing you to stand for a much longer time and be more comfortable while standing.
- It reduces stress.
- It helps you burn calories, even more than when you are just standing.
- It is very lightweight at only two to three pounds. This makes the Wurf Board easy to move even with just your feet.
- It is adjustable. You can set your Wurf Board to be firm, bouncy or soft.
- It makes your feet, legs, and back a whole lot stronger.
Design
There are four sizes available for the Wurf Board. Their capacities and dimension are as follows:
| Size | Small | Medium | Large | Maui |
| Weight capacity (pounds) | 200 | 250 | 300 | 350 |
| Dimensions (inches) | 28.3 x 14.2 | 30.9 x 16.7 | 32.9 x 17.7 | 30.6 x 16.6 |
These Wurf Boards are available in a variety of colors, too, including ocean blue, dolphin grey, kona coffee, white and dark brown, tan and dark brown, and tan, light brown and dark brown.
The Wurf Board looks like a miniature surfboard, and it looks really great. The Wurf Board is made by JumpSport, which is known for their trampolines. If anything, the company made the Wurf Board very durable, using aerospace-grade materials and giving it a patented drop-stitch build.
Wurf Board is serious about helping you get healthier that they have made more than 160 “deskercises” or exercises you can do while standing on the Wurf Board at your desk while working. These exercises can help strengthen your feet, calves, and ankles, or give you relief from heavy shoulders. There are also exercises that can help you relieve back and neck pain, or stretch your legs, among many others.
Pricing
The Wurf Board started out with a considerably expensive price tag. Right now, these boards sell for a decent price, depending on the size that you want.
What you would love about the Wurf Board
Aside from the many health benefits that the Wurf Board claims to give you, it also has several uses. It is not just for those who like to work standing up. It also serves as a prop to many exercises that you can do while working. You can also buy resistance tubes for your Wurf Board, helping you do more exercises with it.
What could be better
For some reason, the Wurf Board has air plugs right in the middle of the board, which means that it will be between your feet when you stand on it.
Also, the Wurf Board is inflatable, and it suffers from the same problem as all inflatable products: air leakage. This means that you would need to put in more air after using it for a while.
The manufacturer does not recommend the Wurf Board for women wearing stiletto heels. In that regard, you would want to make sure that the Wurf Board stays away from any sharp and pointed objects.
Lastly, the Wurf Board is not meant to be jumped or bounced on. In fact, the manufacturer cautions against these, and children are also advised not to play with the Wurf Board. You can trip and fall while on a Wurf Board.
FluidStance
The FluidStance is a range of balance boards that can keep you comfortable while standing at your desk to work. It was first introduced through Indiegogo, where it raised more than $500,000 – 805% more than its funding goal.
Design, dimensions, and weight capacity
FluidStance has several models out right now. The Original, the Plane, and the Level.
The Original comes in a variety of colors, including blue coal, army green, taxicab yellow, apple red, and mushroom white. It measures 26.5 inches long by 12.2 inches wide and is 2.5 inches high. It weighs 7.69 pounds and can accommodate users up to 300 pounds.
The Level is much more affordable, depending on the wood finish you choose. Weighing 7.75 pounds, it has the same measurements as the Original. The Level, however, can accommodate only users weighing 250 pounds or less.
If you still find the Level too expensive for your budget, do not fret because you have the Plane – Scandi models. The Plane – Scandi comes in three color schemes: Stockholm, Oslo, and Helsinki. The Plane is notably more compact, measuring 24 inches long by 12 inches wide, and 2.5 inches high. It is also lighter at only 5.69 pounds. The weight capacity is rather limited, only allowing users of up to 200 pounds.
What you would like about FluidStance
FluidStance’s balance boards have steadily improved over time. From introducing the Original deck, it then came out with the FluidStance Level to address concerns that the former was too expensive. However, the FluidStance Level had some problems for users that liked to wear socks, because, without shoes on, it was quite slippery. So the company came out with the Plane, which not only cuts the price further but also has a rougher deck top. The problem with the slippery deck is solved.
The FluidStance Plane is a great option, even if you consider that it’s only a third of the Original’s price. It does not really have too many tradeoffs because of the lower price, only that it could be a bit bigger and its capacity is only up to 200 pounds.
FluidStance earns high marks for letting you move more at a more natural angle for your ankles. FluidStance will not strain your ankles by keeping it in a neutral position, but it also allows you to balance, fidget, and even pivot while standing on it.
These balance boards are very easy to stand on without being boring. What’s more, you would really love how FluidStance uses recycled materials and environmentally friendly processes in its products, especially with the Plane. The Plane is made out of recycled materials and you can also recycle it if it wears out after years of use.
More than that, the company also works with the First Descents charity, giving them 1% of their equity, as well as 1% of sales. Their employees are also required to volunteer with the charity on a yearly basis.
Lastly, this is also the only balance board line that has a wide range of accessories, such as holsters, mats, and racks, among others.
Wurf Board vs. FluidStance: What should you buy?
If you are looking to save money and still have a comfortable time at your standing desk, then go for a Wurf Board. This is especially true for those who are taller and heavier. For instance, if you weigh 300 pounds, your choice would be narrowed down to FluidStance’s Original deck or Wurf Board’s Maui Medium or Santa Cruz Large, respectively.
However, if you are looking for something that is guaranteed to make you feel more comfortable, longer, then go for a FluidStance. This balance board allows for more movement, more subtle exercises, and less strain on your feet and ankles, without much of the safety issues of the Wurf Board. It helps that FluidStance also put a lot of thought into creating an eye-catching design for their decks, especially when compared to the “plastic-ky” look of the Wurf Board.
FluidStance is definitely worth the splurge. And if you are under 200 pounds, you might not even splurge that much because you can get the FluidStance Plane which costs a little bit more than the small-sized Wurf Board.
Patrick Sinclair is a geek; make no mistake about that. He runs All Home Robotics in his spare time so he doesn’t have to think about his depressing cubicle and it gives him an excuse to buy expensive gadgets to review!
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