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- Verified Buyer
This thing is a game changer for me! I have a degenerative disk disease issue, and it gives me considerable neck pain for which I refuse to take pain meds. And, I write at a desk for many hours a day (I'm a graduate researcher, and writing research is my main job). I spend at least 5 hours per day at my computer, and I often sit there for 10 hours at a time when I get in a zone. But my neck pain was making this a serious problem. Enough so that I was considering surgery just so I could continue doing what I love. So, I started searching for solutions.I knew part of my problem, which was pain and numbness, was due to reaching for my mouse and typing on a keyboard on a desk that was less than ergonomic (you should see grad student desks! It's a joke!). I started looking for things to bring the keyboard closer to me. However, there are drawers on the front of my desk, so I couldn't mount a keyboard tray. So, a lap desk or doing something with the chair was all I could think of to do. That's when I stumbled upon this. I was pretty skeptical for a couple of reasons. First, other reviews stated it was built with inferior materials. Second, considering those reviews, the price seemed steep (grad student pay is even worse than the desks!!). Considering that this solution seems obvious, I am surprised other manufacturers haven't made a cheaper item like this. I only found one other similar item, and it was more costly than this one, and the mounting options were more restrictive. So, I bit the bullet and bought this one. I do not regret it.I can confirm that in 2016 when I bought this, the materials are still plastic, which probably is inferior considering that there are stronger materials out there. So that hasn't changed. But, I have not had a problem with that to date.The arms on my chair are very weird. They curve a little, and have an uneven surface for mounting this item. But that wasn't a problem. They send so many different size screws with this that I can't see how it wouldn't fit on a variety of chair arms. Additionally, if a chair has a steep curve, they provide some additional hardware to correct for that. I didn't need that, but I kept it in case I need it in the future.Mounting took me a little bit of time. I mounted them once, and then determined I used a set of screws that were too long. That didn't appear to be a big deal until I snagged my new shirt on the part of the screws that were sticking out of the bottom of the mount. So, I changed those out. Getting everything lined up with my weird chair arms was the time consuming part, but I think it took less than 30 minutes in total.Since I got everything squared away, I couldn't be happier. When getting up and down from your chair, you do have to find a place to put the tray that holds your keyboard. I don't mind that, but some might. But, when sitting down and using it, I am completely satisfied. The area where the mouse sits (and it's also the tray holder) flips out and folds in for when you get up and down. It has a nice, non-slip surface that has been comfortable for me to use and my mouse doesn't slide around unnecessarily. The tray is a bit slick, but I have an older mouse pad that is quite big (roughly 15" x 15"), and it sits under my keyboard. Now that it's there, I have no problems with the tray. Because of the surface for the mouse area and the non-slip area thanks to the big mouse pad, I can even use the reclining function of the chair and lean back to type! It's a huge relief for the arm pain and numbness! I don't walk away from my work each day feeling like I've tortured myself!I do use a wireless keyboard and mouse (Microsoft Sculpt wireless with mouse), and I highly recommend that. If you're going to free yourself from your desk, it's best to not have cords that can be yanked out of the computer. I've had no trouble with wrist pain from the position of the tray or the mouse. I type fast, and sometimes the tray gets some bounce. But it hasn't hindered me in any way. If you find that annoying, it may bother you, but I barely notice it.I can see where you could accidentally snap the mouse area/tray support if you don't remember to fold them up when you get up from your chair. I use a bit of cognitive trick (I'm a research psychologist), to remind me to fold those up. I only get up from the right side of the chair (the mouse side), and I've repeatedly reminded myself to fold the arm when I move the mouse to a different surface. It becomes a habit after a while. Just try to remain cognizant of the fact that you should fold those up every time you get up. Eventually it will be a habit for you, too.I purchased this item through a seller (MegaRetailStore), as it wasn't eligible for Prime. For the record, I have no complaints regarding the seller-everything was exactly as described. I couldn't recommend this item more!! It has been worth every cent I spent on it and I would live on ramen noodles for a month just to get this kind of relief!
