GT Omega Racing EVO XL Office Chair Review

Introduction

Since the company’s inception back in 2009, GT Omega Racing has become one the world’s most famous manufacturers of gaming chairs & racing simulator cockpits, renowned for providing products of superior comfort, and unrivaled build quality.

However, with new players entering the gaming chair arena on an ever increasing basis, are GT Omega still one of the front runners in the market?

In for test today we have a model from the EVO XL range. A chair that promises the same level of comfort & performance, whilst providing the dimensions suitable for larger and heavier users.

Specifications

• Tilt Locking mechanism
• 85-160 degrees angle adjuster
• Height-adjustable gas spring cylinder
• Height adjustable and rotatable armrest
• Black aluminium star base
• Easy to move casters
• Orthopedically and ergonomically designed
• Black and Red Synthetic Leather material
• Headrest pillow and lumbar cushion are included
• Load capacity up to 150kg

Closer Look & Assembly

The GT Omega Racing EVO XL comes in a HUGE box, so you will need a bit of space to unpack the contents prior to building it. With the box opened, it’s apparent that every individual element of the chair, right down to the last nut & bolt, has been carefully protected & packed to ensure it reaches its new owner in perfect condition.

First up is the backrest, which is contained within a huge GT Omega branded thick plastic bag, and wrapped in foam. The lumbar pillow comes pre-installed on the seat back, within the bag.

Lifting that out, our next element is the aluminium 5 legged, star base…again, all very neatly packaged in bubble wrap, and something that resembles a foam string vest!

Finally, at the bottom of the box, we have the seat base itself, along with a box containing the remaining fixtures required to build the seat (including the gas cylinder, and reclining mechanism). The arm rests are already attached to the seat base, so there really does look like there is minimal assembly required.

As you can see from the picture below, even with all the individual parts laid out on the floor, the construction of the seat doesn’t look daunting at all.

Assembling the EVO XL really is straightforward, and can be completed by one person for the most part.

First up to put together the base that the chair will sit on. This consists of pushing the five castors onto self-retaining pegs on each leg of the 5-point base. Flip that over, and insert the gas spring cylinder.

Next up, it’s time to attach the seat back, to the seat base. The screws required for this were already located in the side of the seat back; therefore, all that was required was to remove them, then slide the seat back in between the two struts from the hinges on the seat base. The instructions point out that the brackets must be at a 90-degree angle to the seat base, otherwise your assembled seat will be twisted. Once attached, screw down the plastic covers that will hide the nuts & bolts of the hinge.

With your EVO XL nicely taking shape now, it’s time to flip it over and attach the reclining angle adjuster. Unsurprisingly, this is again very straightforward…4 bolts, 4 holes, tighten down! It’s worth noting that whilst here, we get a good view of the underside of the seat pad. The construction is all extremely solid, with high-quality materials & components. The elasticated resistance bands are extremely thick, and the thickness of the foam in the seat pad is also very substantial.

The Finished Look

That’s it! All that’s left to do is flip the seat element back over, and slide it onto the gas cylinder that we inserted into the base just a few minutes ago. At this point, it does help to have a second person to help you slot the two together, but one person could do it themselves if you didn’t have any help nearby.

Stand back, and admire what is an absolute beauty of a chair…the GT Omega EVO XL!

Taking a closer look at the finish on the upholstery, and it’s easy to see why GT Omega remains one of the big players in the gaming chair market. Every millimetre of stitching is perfect…no flaws, nothing. Everything perfectly crafted to give an unrivaled finish. The quality of the materials used is also superb. Yes, before you say it…it is synthetic leather…but gaming chairs in this price bracket cannot possibly use a good quality leather, that would be a better substitute to the man-made material on offer here.

The concealed stitching where the different panels meet is also flawless, and it’s hard to take pics that do the EVO XL justice unless you see it in the flesh. Finally, the stitching of the logo’s that adorn both pillows, as well as both sides of the headrest is spot on.

There are just a couple of points that I’m not 100% happy with so far, and that’s to do with softness. The seat itself is very stiff to begin with. I have used it for a month now, and it shows no sign of softening up. A number of people who have owned GT Omega chairs though do assure me that it will soften, so fingers crossed. The arm rests are also quite hard. There is a little give to them, but the material is that dense, I doubt that will ever soften. This is just personal choice though, and my previous daily chair had thick padded armrests, so I am noticing the difference more.

Conclusion

I never really had any doubt that I wouldn’t be impressed with the GT Omega EVO XL, but seeing it in the flesh, replacing my existing bland, dull chair in my office, was a sight to behold. It does take some getting used to, but that’s probably because I had worn in my old chair, to fit my backside perfectly. It really does make a statement, it’s that damn good looking.

The quality of finish really is second to none, and the assembly was extremely straight forward…even more so than the office chair from Ikea it has replaced! The style of the chair is right on point too, and it really does make a huge amount of difference to your desk setup.

I do appreciate that £230 is a lot of money to spend on a chair, especially if you are on a budget. However, I purchased a chair costing £60 for my son, and in a matter of months, it was worn out and had to be replaced. Buying a GT Omega Racing chair is an investment, and like all good investments, you will reap long term rewards from them. I expect this chair to last an extremely long time.

Taking all of this into account, the GT Omega Racing EVO XL gets the Play3r Gold Award.

The biggest problem I have is stopping the kids sitting in it when I’m not there, and changing preferred seating position! The 180-degree recline function is a personal favourite of my 11-year-old daughter!

Given the huge amount of colour options available in the GT Omega ranges, she has stated that I should buy her a pink one…so she doesn’t have to sit in mine!!! I can’t say I blame her…the GT Omega EVO XL is a mighty fine chair, and if you decide to buy one, you will not be disappointed.

Purchase from GT Omega Racing UK/EU: £239.99
Purchase from GT Omega Racing USA: $349.95
Purchase from GT Omega Racing CA: C$458.01

Use code PLAY5 to get 5% discount on the purchase price from GT Omega Racing

Massive thanks to GT Omega Racing for sending the EVO XL in for review.