u/BoyPanda88

I just unboxed the LiberNovo Maxis, and my first impression is that this chair is huge, it honestly feels much more like a spacious lounger than a standard office chair. It feels like I'm a kid again sitting in my dad's big leather office chair again. For context on fit, I’m 5'7"–5'8", 175 lbs, with an average North American Asian build and a bit of a stomach. Coming from the Omni SE (which was a bit too small for me, so I passed it along to my wife), the Maxis gives me significantly more room to breathe.

I’m definitely in a bit of a Goldilocks situation: the Omni SE was too small, and the Maxis is actually a tad too big. But surprisingly, I really don't mind the extra size. If the seat was 2cm shorter, it would be perfect. The extra space lets me shift around and change positions freely without feeling cramped. In the Omni SE, every time I adjusted my posture, I felt like I was being penalized for not sitting in the "optimal" position. On the Maxis, I can slouch a bit without feeling like I'm sliding out of the seat, and the taller backrest provides way more shoulder support. The back of my calves does touch the edge of the seat, but that doesn't bother me at all. I actually prefer knowing the seat is right there beneath me for a solid, secure feel.

Pairing it with the LiberNovo footrest is an absolute must for me, though. Without it, my feet would definitely be dangling, but with the footrest in place, the whole setup feels incredibly comfortable.

Note: I wrote out my raw thoughts and used AI to organize and clean up the formatting for readability, but all the experiences and opinions are 100% my own.

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Context & Tester Info

• Me: 5'7", 180 lbs
• My Wife: 5'3", 110 lbs
• Model Tested: LiberNovo Omni SE (48cm)
• Previous Chairs: Steelcase Leap, OG LiberNovo Omni 48cm (returned)

After about a month’s wait (the first batch sold out fast), my LiberNovo Omni SE 48cm finally arrived. Both my wife and I tested it, and despite our size difference, we shared the exact same experience: she found the original Omni just as uncomfortable as I did, but felt every bit of the ergonomic improvements on the SE.

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1. Unboxing & Build Quality

Right out of the box, the Omni SE looks and feels more or less the same as the original on the surface, but with key structural upgrades:

• Secured Backrest Mounting: The brackets where the backrest connects to the frame are now screwed directly in. The OG Omni used a snap-on mechanism held together with a rubber clip, so this is a major upgrade in structural integrity.
• Overall Aesthetics: The rest of the setup and aesthetics remain largely familiar, but the structural refinements are immediately apparent.

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2. Sit Test & Ergonomics (vs. OG Omni)

The second I sat down, the difference between the SE and the original was night and day:

1. Seat Pan & Support: The seat offers significantly better support. I don’t sink in as deeply, and that annoying "sliding off the front" sensation from the OG model is completely gone. Temperature-wise, it gets warm as any cloth chair does, but never uncomfortably hot.
2. Tailbone & Butt Comfort: On the OG Omni, the forced seating angle gave me numbness and butt pain after a short while. With the SE, that issue is entirely resolved.
3. Neutral Backrest & Lumbar:
   • OG Omni Issue: The original felt like the lumbar area protruded way too aggressively, forcing an unnatural posture that pushed me forward out of the chair.
   • SE Fix: The backrest now has a much more natural curve. In fact, I actually had to adjust the lumbar support outward to meet my spine. Once dialed in, I felt immediate pressure relief on my spine, with weight distributed far more evenly across my sit bones.
4. Recline Locking: Recline positions feel far more granular and dialed in. I easily found the sweet spot locking angle that was missing on the OG model.

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3. Size (48cm) & Cross-Legged Sitting

• Cross-Legged Compatibility: On my 48cm model, sitting cross-legged is a bit tight compared to my Steelcase Leap (where extending the seat depth makes cross-legged sitting effortless). It’s not impossible on the SE, just a tad restrictive.
• Footrest Pairing: I kept the footrest from my original Omni order, and pairing it with the SE works great to offset this.

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4. Early Concerns & Final Takeaway

• The One Potential Caveat: The seat cushion is slightly softer than I’m used to. Coming from the firm seat of the Steelcase Leap (which I’ve always relied on for lower back support), I’ll have to see how the softer cushion holds up over long working sessions.

Bottom Line: So far, my first impression is extremely positive. The seat is comfortable, the posture fixes are massive, and I haven't experienced any of the "bottoming out" issues that some other reviewers mentioned. Huge improvement over the original.

Feel free to ask me any questions!