Kabooti Cushion Review: My Experience With Tailbone Pain & Recumbent Bikes
Product Review
Kabooti Cushion Review: The Cushion That Let Me Resume Using a Recumbent Bike
I’ve used the Kabooti in several different situations, including long
car rides and my office chair. But the reason I consider it particularly
valuable is something I didn’t initially expect: it allowed me to resume
using a recumbent exercise bike after I’d stopped because the seats were
aggravating my tailbone.
during long periods of sitting elsewhere. It’s shown positioned backwards in this photo just to help illustrate the cutout region.
At a Glance
Kabooti Cushion
- Best for
-
Recumbent bikes, car and truck seats, office chairs,
and other wide seats - Firmness
- Firm and supportive
- Tailbone clearance
- Very good when positioned correctly
- Heat retention
- Low in my experience
- Grip
- Secure without making repositioning difficult
- Value
- Good value for the price
What I Like Most
-
It let me return to using a recumbent bike:
This is the biggest benefit I’ve experienced with the Kabooti. -
Excellent tailbone clearance:
The cutout lets me find a comfortable position without simply
putting a soft layer between me and the seat. -
Works well for extended sitting:
I’ve been comfortable using it for long car rides and at my desk. -
Easy to adjust:
The grip keeps it from sliding while still allowing me to scoot it
into a better position with one hand. -
Doesn’t make me excessively hot:
Breathability has been good in my experience.
Quick Verdict
The Kabooti has worked very well for me, but its biggest advantage
isn’t simply that it makes a seat softer. The cutout provides clearance
around the tailbone while the rest of the cushion supports you.
That distinction turned out to be especially important on a recumbent
exercise bike. Regular pillows and cushions I’d tried didn’t solve the
problem because they simply sat on top of the seat’s center ridge.
The Kabooti did.
I’ve also found it very comfortable in the car and at my desk. It is
relatively firm, and the indentation could be wider, but once I find
the right position I have no problem sitting on it for extended periods.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Allowed me to resume using a recumbent exercise bike
- Provides useful clearance around the tailbone
- Very comfortable for me during long periods of sitting
- Works well in cars and office chairs
- Grip keeps the cushion in place
- Still easy to reposition with one hand
- Doesn’t make me excessively hot
- Good value for the price
Cons
- The cushion is fairly firm
- The tailbone indentation is relatively narrow
- It takes some experimentation to find the ideal position
- Not practical for narrow conventional bicycle saddles
Why I Bought It: My Recumbent Exercise Bike
The Kabooti wasn’t originally something I bought specifically for my
exercise bike. I was looking for a cushion that would make sitting more
comfortable, particularly during situations where I couldn’t easily
change the seat itself.
I use a recumbent bicycle for exercise, but I had run into a problem.
The recumbent bikes at the gyms in my area have relatively wide seats
with a raised center section. Unfortunately, that center ridge puts
pressure in exactly the wrong place for me.
Eventually I stopped using the bikes because the seats were aggravating
my tailbone.
I tried using a regular pillow and other cushions, but those didn’t
really solve the problem. They added padding, but they didn’t eliminate
the center ridge. I was essentially just sitting on a softer version of
the same shape.
allowing the center cutout to provide clearance where I need it.
The Kabooti Changed That
The Kabooti’s design is different from a conventional cushion. Instead
of simply adding another layer of padding over the seat, the cutout
provides an area where the pressure from the seat can be reduced.
Once I positioned the Kabooti correctly, the center ridge of the
recumbent bike seat was no longer creating the same problem. I was able
to exercise on the bike comfortably again.
This is probably the most significant reason I would recommend the
Kabooti based on my own experience.
A cushion that simply makes a seat softer is useful, but the Kabooti
solved a problem that other cushions I’d tried hadn’t solved.
One Important Limitation
I would not expect the Kabooti to work on a conventional road or
recreational bicycle. Those seats are much too narrow to support the
entire cushion.
The wide seat on a recumbent exercise bike is what makes this possible.
The Kabooti can sit across the seat and remain properly supported while
providing the clearance I need.
One Small Mechanical Adjustment
There is one minor consequence of adding the Kabooti to the bike: it
raises the sitting position.
I had to move the seat slightly farther backward so that my knees
wouldn’t get too close to the console. This wasn’t a significant
problem, and once I made the adjustment, everything worked normally.
Something Else I Noticed
Before using the Kabooti, I had also noticed that my feet would
sometimes be numb when I finished a bike session. Since I started using
the Kabooti, I haven’t noticed that problem.
I don’t know why that changed, and I wouldn’t claim that the Kabooti
specifically caused it. It could be related to taking pressure off my
tailbone, or it could be related to the slanted front of the cushion
changing the pressure on my thighs.
Whatever the reason, it’s another difference I’ve personally noticed
since using the cushion.
Using the Kabooti in the Car or Truck
The Kabooti isn’t just useful on the exercise bike. I’ve also used it
during a long car ride and was completely comfortable.
I’m not a truck driver, but I have a friend who’s used the Kabooti during
long-haul trucking and has found it useful as well.
The cushion provided enough support without making me feel like I was
sitting on something excessively soft or unstable.
The grip on the bottom is also nicely balanced. It keeps the cushion from
sliding around underneath you, but it isn’t so sticky that you can’t
reposition it.
I can easily scoot it into a slightly different position with one hand
when I want to adjust where I’m sitting.
Using the Kabooti in an Office Chair
The Kabooti also works very well in my office chair, where I’ve used it
regularly.
The cutout gives me some flexibility to move around until I find the
position that provides the right amount of clearance and cushioning.
I also appreciate that it doesn’t make me excessively hot. Some cushions
can become uncomfortable simply because they trap heat, but that hasn’t
been an issue for me with the Kabooti.
surrounding cushion continues to support the rest of the seat. It’s shown positioned backwards in this photo just to help illustrate the cutout region.
I haven’t personally tried it on the couch yet, although I don’t see
anything about the design that would prevent it from working well in
that setting too.
Do You Need the XL?
I originally purchased the XL Kabooti with the extended seat. At 5’11”
and 275 pounds, I assumed I would need the wider version.
As it turned out, I didn’t.
I returned the XL and replaced it with the regular Kabooti, and the
regular size fits me just fine.
So I wouldn’t automatically assume that you need the XL simply because
you’re a larger person. Of course, everyone’s proportions and seating
preferences are different, so this is just my experience.
Is the Kabooti Too Hard?
One criticism I’ve seen from some people is that the Kabooti is too hard.
I understand where that criticism comes from: this isn’t an especially
soft, sink-into-it type of cushion.
Personally, though, I don’t find it uncomfortable. I actually like the
firmness because it provides stable support rather than allowing me to
sink deeply into the cushion.
There is one aspect of the design that I think could be improved. The
tailbone indentation seems somewhat narrow. Interestingly, it is the
same width on both cushion sizes.
If I don’t sit fairly precisely in the center of the cushion and
accidentally miss the indentation, the firmness becomes noticeable in
the area where I need the most clearance.
Fortunately, it is easy enough to reposition the cushion or myself until
I find the right spot.
Build, Grip, and Breathability
Overall, I think the Kabooti strikes a good balance between cushioning
and support.
The grip on the bottom is particularly well done. It keeps the cushion
from wandering around while still allowing you to make small adjustments
without having to pick the whole thing up.
The cutout areas are probably the most important part of the design for
me. They allow you to move around slightly and find the position that
gives you the clearance you need while still supporting the surrounding
area.
Breathability has also been good in my experience. Even after sitting on
it for extended periods, I haven’t found that it makes me noticeably
hotter than the seat underneath it.
Who Is the Kabooti Best For?
Based on my experience, I’d particularly consider the Kabooti if you:
- Spend a lot of time sitting in a car or truck
- Frequently use a wheelchair and need extra support
- Work at a desk and spend hours in an office chair
- Find conventional cushions don’t provide enough tailbone clearance
- Use a wide-seat recumbent exercise bike
- Prefer a firm, supportive cushion rather than a very soft one
If your primary need is a cushion for a conventional bicycle with a
narrow saddle, this probably isn’t the right product.
Final Verdict
For me, the Kabooti has been an excellent cushion and a good value
for the price.
I’ve used it successfully in my office chair and during long car rides,
but its real value became apparent when I tried it on a recumbent
exercise bike.
I had stopped using those bikes because the seats aggravated my tailbone.
Other pillows and cushions I’d tried didn’t solve the problem because
they didn’t eliminate the pressure from the seat’s center ridge.
The Kabooti’s cutout did something different. It gave me the clearance I
needed while still supporting the rest of me. That allowed me to resume
using a recumbent bike.
It isn’t a soft cushion, and I think the tailbone indentation could be
somewhat wider. You also need to spend a little time finding the right
position.
Once I do that, however, I find it very comfortable.
If you’re looking for a cushion specifically because you need some
clearance around your tailbone rather than simply wanting a softer place
to sit, I think the Kabooti is worth considering.