While there are no rules towards how a hybrid upright seat needs to look, the Focal Upright Locus can be as close as possible to this imaginative design. It combines elements of standing and sitting into a type of solution which is reliable enough to be used at the office. In a complex way, all of these elements work together and they can help sustain the standing desk revolution and all of its benefits.
Beyond material characteristics such as weight capacity or adjustability options, the Focal upright Locus seat is actually made as one of the truer versions of seats which think long and hard about the right posture. Since nothing can negatively impact a person’s posture such as the seat which is used for work, it goes without saying that the result of the Focal Upright Locus seat is as dependable as users would hope for.
Summary of features
- Designed by Martin Keen
- Made with aluminum, steel, plywood, and polymers
- Designed with an anti-fatigue mat
- 15 degrees of seat motion
- Designed in the USA
- Suitable for standing desks
- Made to improve proper posture
- Available in different colors
The good side of the Focal Upright Locus seat
Even the most avant-garde designs can be compared to the Focal Upright Locus seat. The seat’s impressive structure makes it feel like one of the few truly futuristic options to seat or leans on. From a technical perspective, it is situated somewhere at the crossroads between sitting and leaning.
The concept is somewhat unclear to new users. But to make it easier, it seems that the seat needs to be imagined without its platform. It is this platform that actually makes it look complicated when this is not the case. The seat itself is based on a principle which has already been proven. The leaning seat is one of the few ways in which those working at a standing desk can actually rest for a bit, even if not fully comparable with a fixed seat.
The platform is then added to make the entire experience more comfortable. It offers pressure relief and even proper traction across various surfaces. What we know so far is that even with this platform, there is a maximum weight limit which will not damage the plywood materials. At 300lbs, these limits are suitable for one person.
Furthermore, there is a better understanding of how the seat works, as it is also height-adjustable. So instead of feeling isolated and uncomfortable at a certain height, users can enjoy their own level, according to their height. Of course, the adjustments are not unlimited. They are mainly made to serve those between 4′ 11″ and 6′ 8″.
Height adjustability is easy to maneuver. The practical level is used in the same way it would be on a regular height adjustable desk. But there are other smaller types of adjustability options. Better said, they are actually freedom-giving movements which are supported by the seat.
The platform is then added as a better way of sitting on the seat. Of course, there are those who argue that the platform defeats the purpose of the seat. To an extent, this is actually true. Even more, it is also important to note that some of the best results are often seen without a platform, as it forces users to be more active, to be more engaged and even to improve focus or productivity as a result.
However, the Focal Upright Locus seat is in a class of its own. It combines what would have been a standing mat and an upright seat in a hybrid design. From this point onwards, its results are not linear, but rather user-defined. This means that depending on how it is actually used, the seat can come with various results. From the worst possible posture to the correct working posture, it can support all types of results.
There is a catch, however. If the seat is mainly used for a standing desk, it may still not be used for the entire duration of the working day, as it would be too demanding. For this reason, it is actually used in alternation withstanding. So for this reason, the seat is not particularly advisable for hours of leaning and this is also why it comes with thin cushioning. For most users, it is also one of the most interesting options, especially as it can be used by active users or those who like to get moving as soon as possible.
With a weight capacity of up to 300lbs, all types of users can use the seat and its platform. Since it allows rocking movements, the seat is actually suitable to engage core muscles and to actually force proper posture. Of course, this posture may not be maintained for hours as the muscles get sore but it can be maintained for shorter periods of time, which might even be enough to prompt a straight back.
The foot platform also plays an important role. As it is rounded towards the front, it is actually one of the simplest and most efficient designs in its class. For this reason, it allows users to rest their feet against the plywood materials and actually get a bit more help in maintaining the nearly upright working position.
While the seat is not the most attractive design, it may still be slightly customized. But the main customization option is actually the color of the seat, which is not thick in cushioning by any means. So there is no customization in the seat, but rather with its cover.
The bad side of the Focus Upright Locus seat
Since there are no perfect standing seats, the Focal Upright Locus is no exception, even if many would see it as the perfect hybrid. However, there are a few areas which can see improvement with future releases.
The main complaint users have comes from the thin seat cushioning. It might not do justice to what the seat is capable of, especially with such a high weight capacity. But even if it is not made for days of sitting, the seat is actually truly capable with the mention that it might not be sat on for hours at a time. But in a way, this is not even its purposes. So it can’t really be a full negative aspect.
Another consideration to make is with the size of the seat and its platform. One of the benefits of a standing desk is that it maximizes office space. But for most users, this might still be a problem. It is why so many modern offices might simply not have the luxury of fitting in multiple seats of this caliber.
If the manufacturer did a good job and the materials themselves, the aspect of ergonomics is highly debatable. The platform might actually encourage sitters to lean back too much. This issue is becoming increasingly visible when the seat is set to a lower position.
The bottom line
If there are a few takeaway points about the Focal Upright Locus seat, they actually need to be based on the advice that all people should try it. For some, it might even be hard to imagine how such as skeleton-looking design could work, not even speaking about benefits such as improving posture. This is why all those looking to use a standing desk might actually need to use the Focal Upright seat.
One of the first things to notice about it is just how important its weight-reducing benefits are when standing for the entire day. Even if not properly seated by traditional standards, lowering the pressure on the spine while keeping it straight is valuable.
Focal upright locus seat Review – Why constant movement is a staple of the Focal Upright Locus seat
With height adjustability from 31” to 41”, the movement options with the Focal Upright Locus are diverse. Users can move from left to right, forwards and backward as well as up and down. The results of this freedom are what actually makes the Locus seat valuable.
Constant movement means more calories are being burned every day. It also means all the postural muscles are activated, even if not for a full day. At the same time, users are still able to find their way into a comfortable position in relation to the standing desk and the height of the monitor and keyboard. Typing at the desk is not impossible while sitting on the adjustable seat. This is why, at any moment of the day, users can bring it in to take a different type of break from standing.
Keeping the right posture with the Focal Upright Locus seat
The biggest benefit of the seat comes with the impressive freedom of movement. It might not be the simplest to use in its class due to its bulky platform, but this is what actually starts improving the posture.
Hunching over the keyboard with rounded shoulders is not beneficial in the long term. It is why all users actually need to keep in mind that the right posture actually starts in the head. From here, micro-adjustments need to be made with a conscious effort on a continuous basis to see some type of results. For most users, the Focal Upright Locus seat can be the tool to achieve this.
The standing desk adaptability
With a 5-year warranty on the seat and a 10-year warranty on the seat base, there are reasons to expect long-term performance. But some of the most important aspects of the seat can include the adjustability options. Height adjustability allows users to work a desk from a completely different perspective.
If a standing desk usually comes with an adjustable profile, it is only fair to also consider an adjustable seat. There are still those who argue that seats are not needed. But the debate is not actually if these seats are needed with a standing desk but rather how they are made and what they are capable of if users decide to give them a try.
The adaptability and freedom of movement with its angles is what can see the seat as one of the simplest and most impressive options in its class. These features are not new. But they certainly work well together. For example, the fact that the seat can be raised lower and higher is immediately met with the response of the ergonomic seat which does not cut circulation in the back of the legs. Such small details are actually based on practicality and on what actual users would want in the first place.
Conclusion
The Focal Upright Locus seat is one of the most intriguing designs in its class. Even if standing seats are actually hybrids themselves, the Focus Upright Locus seat is another type of hybrid, with its included feet platform. For most users, it comes with the impressive characteristic of offering total freedom of movement, even if it seems that the platform is restrictive.
However, all users should also know the seat is not made to be used for an entire work shift. Their impressive results come with high energy and better posture. These results are boosted by standing and sitting alternations. For a number of users, it is also important to see the seat as a permanent option, rather than a type of trend which is going away. Standing desks are not going away.
It is why mastering the seat to its full potential is important. At the same time, the seat is also easy to master and within a few weeks, it already comes with results such as an active core and better posture. Because it might not be as laid back as a classic seat, it also comes with the benefit of improving balance, which can only be seen as an extra benefit to better posture.
