If you are planning on buying a new gaming chair, you may have done some research and come across some phrases and types of features that are completely new to you.
The likelihood is that you have probably come across the words ‘cold cure foam’. And you are probably wondering whether cold cure foam is actually better for gaming chairs than normal padding.
Because of this, we have put together an informational guide to help you to understand a little better what cold cure foam is, and why it could be better than regular foam padding.
Firstly, there are some different combinations of upholstery and padding that gaming chairs tend to be made of. Here is a brief list of some examples, and also some chairs that showcase these padding and upholstery combinations.
Types of upholstery and padding combinations in gaming chairs:
- PU leather and foam padding.
- PU leather and memory foam padding.
- PU leather and cold cure foam padding.
- Mesh and any type of previously mentioned padding.
- Leather and any type of previously mentioned padding.
- Polyester and any type of previously mentioned padding.
What is cold cure foam?
If you are still a little lost as to what cold cure foam even is, we have done some research so that you don’t have to.
The appeal of using cold cure foam in a gaming chair is that it maintains its structure for longer thanks to the air pockets inside the foam that are dispersed throuhgout the material to promote a spring-back like reaction when you are finished sitting on the seat.
Cold cure foam, unlike normal foam, is molded to a specific shape. Because of this, gaming chairs made using cold cure foam, as opposed to regular foam that is cut from a larger piece, a far more structured and fuller of shape.
Since the cold cure foam is molded, it keeps its shape and structure for a far longer period of time, which is ideal for a gaming chair which will likely be used every day. The reason cold cure foam has that name is because there isn’t any application of heat in the process.
The components to make the foam are mixed together and allowed to foam up, then when the shape reaches the mold limits, the foam that comes out is a cold cure foam with more compressive strength than regular foam for padding.
Cold cure foam is also available in a high-density version. This is one of the heaviest foam materials and therefore can sustain more weight, making it perfect for use as padding in a gaming chair.
Because of all of these features, cold cure foam, both regular and high-density, are great for using on a gaming chair because they are durable and can sustain greater weights.
How will cold cure foam benefit the aesthetics of the chair?
In terms of the chair’s aesthetics, having a gaming chair with cold cure foam versus regular foam may not be that obvious from a first glance.
But the proof will come with time, when the chair with the regular padding loses some of the shape in the seat padding. Over time, cold cure foam will last far longer than regular foam in terms of keeping its structure and maintaining an aesthetic shape.
Since cold cure foam tends to be used on more expensive gaming chairs, it is also worth considering that some of the better chairs in terms of aesthetics are likely to be using cold cure foam.
If you have to budget to buy a more expensive chair with cold cure foam, it is definitely going to maintain that structured aesthetic over time.
How will cold cure foam benefit the ergonomics of the chair?
The ergonomics of a chair are the most obvious change when it comes to cold cure foam and its use as a gaming chair padding. Since cold cure foam has a 200% higher density than regular foam, it is likely to feel firmer but more structured than normal foam.
Ergonomically, this is better for you because, although cold cure foam is denser and firmer, it softens when pressure is applied like normal foam, just in a more strategic way.
Examples of gaming chairs that use cold cure foam:
Here are some examples of some top gaming chairs that are padded with cold cure foam to show you what we mean about the quality being better both aesthetically and ergonomically.
Atlantic Dardashti Gaming Chair
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This gaming chair is one of the more expensive ones on the market. But the aesthetic quality of it definitely shows that.
The seat cushion and backrest are padded using cold cure foam and are quilted using a diamond stitch in a contrasting colored thread. The cold cure foam padding is a 5 inch thickness, providing you with a comfort like no other when you are sat gaming.
AKRacing Masters Series Max Gaming Chair
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The AKRacing Masters gaming chair is also padded with cold cure foam.
This gaming chair is also on the expensive side of the gaming chair market. The cold cure foam is used for the seat, backrest, and even the detachable lumbar pillow and head pillow that come included in the price.
WPJ E-Sports Gaming Chairr
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Still in the expensive gaming chair region, the WPJ E-Sports gaming chair is also padded with cold cure foam.
With a thick seat and heavily padded backrest, it is no surprise that this chair is one of the more expensive gaming chairs on the market.
Examples of gaming chairs that use high-density foam:
To compare to the cold cure foam padding chairs, here are some gaming chairs that are padded with high-density foam.
Musso Ergonomic Gaming Chair
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The Musso gaming chair comes in at the lower end of the gaming chair market in terms of price. It is definitely a more budget friendly option.
But, because of that, there is no cold cure foam. This chair is padded using a regular high-density foam. So, it is still good quality, but not as good as it would be had it been padded with cold cure foam.
The seat is just as thick aesthetically as some of the cold cure foam chairs, but it is more likely to lose its shape and structure over time since it is not padded with cold cure foam.
AutoFull Gaming Chair
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Similarly, the AutoFull Gaming Chair is padded with high-density foam. Around the same price range as the Musso Ergonomic Gaming Chair, the choice of padding makes sense.
But the AutoFull does not seem to have suffered aesthetically, since the upholstery is quilted in a similar way to the Atlantic gaming chair, giving it a luxurious feel even if it is on the lower end of the price spectrum.
FantasyLab High Back Massage Gaming Chair
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This gaming chair is padded using high-density foam too. But, like the AutoFull, the FantasyLab gaming chair has a plush looking seat and backrest thanks to the way that the padding has been married with the upholstery and stitching.
This gives off a more expensive look to the chair, even though it is more of a mid-range price for a gaming chair.
Nokaxus Gaming Chair
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Similar to the FantasyLab gaming chair, this Nokaxus one is at a mid-range price. It is padded with high-density foam and, thanks to the shape and silhouette of the chair itself, the padding makes this chair look the part of a racing gamer chair.
There is no fancy quilting stitching on this chair, so the foam does not look as plus as it does on the Atlantic gaming chair.
Final Thoughts
The general consensus seems to be that cold cure foam is generally better for padding gaming chairs with than regular foam.
However, the one setback for a lot of prospective buyers of a gaming chair with cold cure foam, is the price.
Since cold cure foam is more expensive than regular, or even high-density, foam it tends to be reserved for the luxury gaming chairs. Therefore, they can be unattainable for someone who is looking for a chair on a budget or someone who can only look up to the midrange price range.
Although cold cure foam is the best for gaming chairs because of its longevity and how it maintains its structure over time, high-density regular foam is also a viable option for a lot of people who are buying a gaming chair on a budget.
So, in conclusion, if you can afford to buy a gaming chair that uses cold cure foam as padding, you are likely to be making a useful investment, as cold cure foam is likely to last a lot longer.
But if you are on a tighter budget, or simply don’t want to spend that much money for cold cure foam, then regular high-density foam is still a great second option, and will be nearly as comfortable when you are gaming for hours on end.
