The reason that gaming chairs are popular even with those that don’t game, is that they are incredibly comfortable to sit in for long periods of time. I’d take a gaming chair over even a big leather executive chair for comfort anyday. I actually use one when working from home at my desk.
Secretlab is one of the biggest names in gaming chairs, with its flagship Titan and Titan Evo chairs maintaining the top spot in our best gaming chair guide for years. If you really want to complete your set up, the company also offers a range of accessories but its latest edition is extra clever.
Rather than a standalone device, this new accessory fits on to your existing Secretlab chair to offer leg support, like the bottom section of a La-Z-boy chair. With a less than snappy name of the Ergonomic Recliner Add-on, it transforms your chair into a recliner, letting you sit back with your legs up or lay yourself almost horizontal and get some rest.
For those that game hard, having a chair that allows you to lie back in a comfortable position is essential for long sessions. Equally, if you’re just needing some thinking time between meetings (or games), then a recliner would certainly come in handy. I tried out the new accessory on my Secretlab Titan SoftWeave to see how it worked.
How much is the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner Add-on?
The Founders Edition launches today priced at $249 / £199 and is available from the Secretlab website. This version features an extra layer of cooling gel, has a quilted pattern embroidered on the sides and features an exclusive metal plated tag.
The standard edition will be available in early 2025 and priced at $199 / £159. This is still not an insignificant amount, compared to the total price of the chair. However, as it can be added to your existing chair, it’s much cheaper than buying a whole new one. It gives your existing secretlab chair a new lease of life.
I’m sure there will be offers in the future if you were to buy the attachment with a new chair, or other accessories such as the skins or add ons.
Features of the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner Add-on
This attachment is rather an ingenious piece of design that both changes the features of the chair, and yet fits perfectly into it without adding much bulk. The unit is a simple combination of a soft memory foam cushion and a sprung bracket.
Once attached to the base of the chair, the extra lever allows the pneumatic gas spring to extend the leg rest up to 80 degrees, providing full support for your legs when leaning your chair back into a more relaxed position.
To return the leg rest back to its original position, you simply hold the lever and push it back down with your legs. When fully folded back it’s barely noticeable from a normal sitting position.
I did find I would normally tuck my legs slightly under my chair when working, and it does restrict that slightly. It’s not a big change though and it’s something I’ve got used to on my chair.
The leg rest cushion is covered with Secretlab’s PlushCell memory foam. This is the same that is used in the Premium Footrest and the memory foam armrests. The fabric also feels the same soft finish as the headrest pillow cushion.
Installing the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner Add-on
Perhaps the cleverest part to this Ergonomic Recliner Add-on is how easily it attaches to any of the Secretlab Titan Evo and Classics series chair ranges. The installation process is quick and simple and comes with all the tools you need in the box.
There’s a foam sheet to put down on the ground to protect your chair and the floor during the installation process. You then need to make sure the chair back is all the way forward and the tilt option is locked, then lay the chair back, so the back is on the floor and the base is on the mat.
On most chairs, there’s no screws to adjust – only if you have the small Titan Evo or the Omega 2020 model do you need to widen the arm rest positions first. You simply pull off the tilt and height adjustment levers and place the four rubber clips on the bars underneath the chair.
The recliner cushion bracket then just hooks over these four clips and the lock mechanism clips and locks it into place. Then you can slot the new plastic recliner lever on and replace the tilt and height adjustment levers.
There’s a safety strap around the pneumatic spring, which can then be removed, and then the chair can be placed back in an upright position. I have installed this unit onto two different Secretlab chairs and each time it has only taken me a few minutes.
Using the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner Add-on
Perhaps the biggest difference between this recliner add-on and a regular recliner chair is that you need to use two separate levers to recline the chair back and the chair leg supports. In the scheme of things, that’s not really a hardship.
Plus, there are certainly times when you’d want to adjust one and not the other. For me, I like adjusting both my leg rest and back rest slightly so I can sit back when I’m watching a video on my computer. It’s also great for getting comfy when using a VR headset like the Meta Quest 3 or the Apple Vision Pro to watch films.
With the tilt, you are able to take the chair almost fully horizontal, and that’s where the leg support can really help. Without this, it felt strange tilting the back too far, but the recliner add-on helps to support your whole body – I think I could probably get a good nap sat like that too.
Should I buy the Ergonomic Recliner Add-on?
If you regularly sit back in your chair to game or watch videos, this recliner add-on really does transform how your Secretlab chair feels. You can really lie back and get comfy in a way that isn’t possible without the leg support.
The solution is certainly a lot cheaper than buying a new gaming chair, and though far from budget, is a price I’m sure many Secretlab owners will be willing to pay. The question is more, do users need this feature enough to buy it? Especially at this price, it’s not quite an impulse purchase.
Arguably the recliner add-on offers features that you didn’t know you really needed from a gaming chair. However, if you do like to sit back to game or watch movies, then it certainly makes doing so a lot more comfortable.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this becomes a popular add-on for those buying a new chair, especially if there are deals around it for Black Friday. If you already have a Secretlab chair that you’re happy with though, adding this recliner feature is a great way to upgrade it.
