The first Monday Night Football of the season, although an exhibition game only, has now come and gone.  September is nearly upon us and the cold weather will soon find us relaxing lazily in our homes until Spring appears.  My favorite place to spend the winter?  You guessed it…  my recliner.  When I’m not doing other things around the house, that is…  or getting ample exercise.  Ahem.

Recliners and large furniture presents less of a challenge than many other common issues for Big Guys, and comfort is generally assured in this realm.  Perhaps not perfect comfort, but comfort nonetheless.

However, Big guys are always looking for that custom fit, that perfect size just for us, and normally it’s very difficult to find…  Especially when it comes to furniture.  In a recliner, as a Big & Tall guy, you need to be looking at certain things that will help you determine whether the chair is right for you.  We’ll cover these in this article, and then tell you about the chair that I personally own and like…  and the problems I’m now experiencing with the chair after nearly six years of use (and abuse).

What to look for:

Seat Width – The seat should be wide enough to accommodate your derriere with an inch or two to spare on either side to allow for changes in seating position and weight distribution.  Too wide will make a strain on our shoulders because your arms will be resting too far away, too narrow and it’s an uncomfortable squeeze which can affect your shoulders and hips, also affecting your ability to find a comfortable seating position.

Footrest – Most footrests are fixed, and on normal recliners will hit on the calf or just to the lower half of the calf, which is usually fine…  however, I find that some recliners (we’ll show you a few in just a minute) have footrest extensions which push out to just above the ankle, leaving my my feet free to flop about and not putting undue pressure on the back of the heel.  For me and folks of similar build this is quite comfortable, however your mileage will definitely vary here, so think about what is most comfortable for you when shopping.

Backrest – On the average recliner, the backrest is tall enough to support the head and neck of most people.  On someone who is over six feet two or three inches tall, you’ll find your head and/or neck unsupported causing fatigue over time and making difficult to truly relax.  Finding a chair that is tall enough to support your height is difficult, so pay attention to dimensions when shopping online and (as always) try it out (a lot!) when shopping in the store.

Armrests – Armrests should be high enough that they don’t force you into an uncomfortable position for your wrists, elbows and especially your shoulders.  Too low and your shoulders will slouch, putting tension and stress on your upper back from the additional pull.  Too high and it will put your elbows at a sharp angle that is uncomfortable for anything more than short amounts of time.

I would stress that making sure that the chair has the right amount of support and cushioning, however this is really down to individual taste.  Don’t buy same day, go back and try them out multiple times without allowing yourself to give in to pressure from commission driven sales people…  they’re only going to see you once or twice, but you’ll be living with this choice for many years.  And don’t forget to bring your significant other along to help with choosing, they will have to live with the color and upholstery for just as long.

Two chairs that I have found are both in the La-Z-Boy line.  No, I’m not getting paid, those were just the two I’ve come across that are meant for the big guys.  In fact, I have a complaint about La-Z-Boy and the documentation / marketing of their furniture lines.  Finding these took a fair bit of research as the company DOES NOT put any marketing into directing the Big & Tall crowd towards these chairs and their website barely mentions at how accommodating they really are.  So, without further delay, here are a few examples:

La-Z-Boy Atlas model, Style # 354

I don’t personally own the Atlas model, therefore I can’t comment on specifics of this chair as I’m still trying to find one locally (my nearby La-Z-Boy Gallery closed recently, however there are many other local furniture stores who still carry the full La-Z-Boy line).  I do, however, own the following chair:

La-Z-Boy Crandell model, Style # 433

For this find, I must credit my lovely wife for purchasing me what she has, in the past, proclaimed as the “world’s worst Christmas gift” to me.  Why does she consider it the worst Christmas gift?  Because she’s always sitting in it.  I’m sure there are other brands, but it’s easiest to review and talk about what you own, and I am fortunate enough to own a La-Z-Boy that I actually fit and feel comfortable in.

Bad review for leather model:  http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/crandell-recliner–official-la-z-boy-website

Good review:  http://www.expotv.com/videos/reviews/12/131/LazboyBigManRecliner/67881

The version I have of the Crandell is an upholstery model rather than the leather model shown, and was purchased for about 40% less than the leather model.

After six years of use and abuse, a few items are starting to show their wear, but the issues are mostly benign.  The chair’s mechanism works great to this day, however the padding in the seat cushion is starting to break down badly and even push through in a few spots if you flip the chair over and take a look underneath.  This is probably something that a competent shop could fix quickly and put the chair’s seat back in like-new condition, however I won’t do this until it’s absolutely necessary as the comfort level of the chair has not yet been affected.

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With the economy shriveling up day by day, we’re faced with many bad things and a a few good (lower cost of gasoline, but that can’t last forever).  You can tell things are kinda rough right now, even Knicks player Eddy Curry is being sued by Casual Male Retail Group for neglecting to pay his bill… Ouch!

Being Big & Tall presents some challenges when things get economically tough, as specialty stores with thin margins tend to get hit hardest of all retail outlets.  In times like these, it’s pretty common for some outlets and small shops that carry a limited but necessary supply of apparel and shoes to see a drop in business as people tighten up the purse strings for the tough days ahead.

I employ several gnomes to scour the internets for information on all things Big & Tall, and some of the articles we come across are downright depressing.  News article after news article from hometown newspapers around the country mentioning shops with big and tall sections are closing thanks to the current economic climate.  Some places seem to be thriving, though…  (Even Casual Male posted a Q1 profit)  and I’m very happy to see that.

The drawbacks of being Big and Tall are such that finding good clothes that last can be fairly difficult.  I’ve tried spending less money on clothes shopping at places like Wal*Mart, Kmart and the like…  nothing I get there seems to work after the first or second washing, and that’s only IF I find anything at all.

With less local shops and retailers around to support us, only larger retailers like Casual Male, Rochester Big & Tall, etc. will have an actual brick and mortar presence for us to try on clothes and find the perfect fit.  The closest big and tall store to me is a Casual Male XL, and it’s about an hour and a half away.

Some unfortunate business tactics are also taking a lot of choice out of the market…  I recently spoke to a friend, Scott, who happens to be new to the world of Big & Tall shops.  Scott commented about his first ever visit to Dahle’s, a local Big and Tall shop in Osh Kosh, Wisconsin near where he resides…  Dahle’s is closing.  They didn’t really appear to be in financial distress, but apparently Casual Male (who have a store about 15 miles away) has made an offer that the owner of Dahle’s couldn’t refuse.  Casual Male Retail Group purchased the business and is closing out the store with no plans to reopen, forcing locals to travel to their store that is a good distance away.

What truly suffers when shops like this close is that we lose choice.  Choice that is already limited to begin with.  Supporting local shops and stores with Big & Tall sections may make all the difference in having future availability and choice.  A lot of companies are going the mail-order route, but most big guys I speak to agree that they have to try on EVERYTHING before they buy…  paying for shipping back and forth only to try things on can be wasteful and time consuming.

Perhaps small shops offer less selection than online retailers, however that allows for a narrow focus and makes it easy to find things that fit properly and look good.

Categories: Big & Tall Lifestyle
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Things have been quite crazy around here, but I plan to make with the regular posts again in short order.  I’ve got a few new articles coming your way in the next few days!  Thanks for sticking with us, let’s see if we can get things back on track.

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