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A (nearly) Perfect Seat Cushion

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by efusco, Mar 8, 2004.

  1. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    For those who've cared to listen I've had a big issue with the comfort of the driver's seat in my Prius. I've been looking for a seat bottom cushion, preferably of the heat sensitive foam type for several months, but no one seems to make anything quite like I wanted.

    The other day I came across something in the Sharper Image http://www.sharperimage.com catalog. It is a seat 'back'/lumbar support pillow made of the heat sensitive foam. But I thought the shape looked exactly like what I've been looking for. Sort of a long tear-drop shape to be thicker in front for thigh support and thinner at the back so as to not raise me up too much and to accentuate the thigh support.

    Anyway, the item is Item Code ME810

    Heat-Sensitive Foam Back-Support Pillow http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/catalog/...&catid=43480500

    It is about $70 (+shipping if you don't have a Sharper Image locally to go to, + Tax) I had a $10 off code at the time so it came to right at $70.

    It could be a little wider and maybe a little longer (~3" longer and 4" wider would be ideal), but shape is nearly perfect. As it is it offers great thigh support, molds to your butt and legs after about 3-5 minutes and is quite comfortable, I didn't have to do any major leg shifting to remain comfortable. It does raise you up in the seat a bit so I had to adjust the mirrors, but for me it also increased the distance to the pedals slightly, which was a plus. It is also only available in gray. I can deal with that and I think those with gray interiors will find it perfect, but it does stand out. I'm hesitant to make a cover for it both b/c it would be difficult to make it fit nicely and also b/c as it is it doesn't slide around much, the cover material is very similar in texture to the upholstry in the Prius.

    I'm very very pleased because the leg comfort was such a major issue for me and b/c appearance is a secondary issue. If someone made a custom fitted cushion for the Prius seat I'd probably buy it, esp. if the color/material was the same as my Ivory, but for now this is a perfect solution for me.
     
    #1 efusco, Mar 8, 2004
  2. Danny

    Danny Admin/Founder
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    #2 Danny, Mar 8, 2004
  3. Tempus

    Tempus Senior Member

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    Thanks, I may wander by a store and check one out. Though I'm going to have to ponder the whole "Molds to your Butt" concept before deciding. Sounds almost like a Rolling Wedgie.

    On a related note though, I was wandering through Wal-Mart the other day, and they appear to be carrying a variety of Memory Foam items too, including Lumbar, Seat, and Neck pillow type things. I can't vouche for their quality or applicability, but the prices were a good bit less than the Sharper Image apparently. Ranged from like $14-$30.

    They were in the pharmacy, next to the heating pads and ben-gay.

    Also, I know from Experience with my Mom when she was wheel-chair bound that Medical Supply houses carry a wide variety of memory foam seat and back cushions in many shapes and sizes. Prices there are probably at the high end.
     
    #3 Tempus, Mar 8, 2004
  4. Tempus

    Tempus Senior Member

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    Hmm, I got curious so I Googled Memory Foam Auto Seat Cushion

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    http://www.magellans.com/jump.jsp?itemType...ID=2583&afsrc=1

    [Broken External Image]:http://www.magellans.com/images/us//local/products/detail/IF415_dt.jpg

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    Found Sharper Image Cushion Online for $50 http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/catalog/...ndx5ntLkBwD%2Ag but you'd probably have to pay shipping?

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    This one appears to have both a Back and Seat together and folds for carrying http://www.igadget.com/th-335.html

    [​IMG]

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    Another One, cheaper
    http://www.astarhealth.com/asdrsecu.html

    [​IMG]

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    Bunch of Seat Cushions http://www.vitalityweb.com/backstore/memory-seat.htm

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    You didn't say what the dimensions of yours was, but this one is 18" x 18" http://www.seniorssuperstores.com/cgi-bin/...08?zm8zwsVJ;;98

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    And Finally, maybe I should just buy a bulk block of it and hack one out to fit exactly, hehe http://www.memoryfoam.com

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    #4 Tempus, Mar 8, 2004
  5. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    The thing with most other cushions I've seen is that they're either flat or designed backward from what I wanted. I wanted it thicker in the front and thin in the back. I didn't so much need a cushion for my butt as a support for my thighs. I didn't really want to be raised up in the seat and actually designed something I would have prefered to have, but have no idea where or how to get it made.

    Good ideas, and checking out Wal-mart might be a good idea..even a flat piece of raw foam you could probably roll one end over to double the thickness, glue it there and sew a quick and dirty cover for it.
    --evan
     
    #5 efusco, Mar 8, 2004
  6. tappel

    tappel New Member

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    This has been one of my concerns for when I get my car. Years ago I would roll up a towel when driving my wife's Stratus for any distance. At 6' 4", unless you have a lot of leg room, too much weight ends up on your heels.
    Evan - Your solution looks to be a seat only...I can see how this helps the front/thighs, but what about lumbar? (that the lower back)

    Tom

    "and sew a quick and dirty cover for it. " why dirty?
     
    #6 tappel, Mar 8, 2004
  7. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    I didn't have any problem with the actual comfort of the seat...you could use another one of the kind I recommended for lumber support if you need it, but I don't.
     
    #7 efusco, Mar 8, 2004
  8. Hybred

    Hybred New Member

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    Sorry to bring this topic to the forefront again, but several months have passed since the last posting and I was wondering if anyone has come up with a comfortable solution to the lack of thigh/lumbar support in the Prius. For those that had their seats recovered in leather was it possible at the time to have extra foam contoured around key areas beforehand? Also I spied a brand new unplated prius from Hollywood Toyota today in the Costco parking lot with comfy charcoal leather seats that appeared to be professionally recovered. Is anyone familiar with who supplies HT with their leather?
     
    #8 Hybred, May 17, 2004
  9. artie

    artie Member

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    when i had my seats redone in my own tie-dyed deerskin (accents only) and the Katzkin kit, i had the installer install a lumbar support in the seat itself!
    it works great, there were 3 choices, a pneumatic tube with a bulb that you pump up to where you want it, a metal cage-like affair with a knob that is installed in the bottom side of the seat, just like a factory lumbar and when you turn the knob, the cage starts "lumbarring", and then the same metal device but powered electrically. the tube and hand cage were $40 each plus install, another few bucks, the electric was an additional 200, so i went for the hand metal cage, and it is super. when not "extended" you cannot tell it's there or feel it thru the seat.
    these devices are available thru any upholstery shop, i'm sure.
     
    #9 artie, May 18, 2004
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