Affinity portable flexible (is it really portable)

[Kaye B]

Hi been looking at the Affinity tables which look fab really good quality want to get one but can anyone tell me from experience if the AFFINITY PORTABLE FLEXIBLE TABLE is light enough to be taking mobile?

 

[Whip Your Cream x)]

I googled it and think I've found it on the IPM website. From the specifications the weight is 37 pounds (16.8 kilos).

That's kinda heavy to be doing mobile work. Getting it into and out of your car may not be a problem but carting it up and downstairs won't be good for your back.

My massage couch is 26 pounds and I still find this heavy on the very rare occasion that I do a home visit.

 

[Arturo]

Yes I know it's 16.8kg this is where I have no idea as this will be my first couch I was just comparing it to my daughters weight (15.5kg) and she's v-light for me (probably not the best comparison lol) If I had a foldown trolley do you think this would be managable then?

I had found a company called feel good massage on ebay they do a lightweight couch 12kg it has everything I want from a couch and very good price http://www.feelgooduk.net/product.php?id_product=40 firslty does anyone know if this company is any good and when I asked if the beds were UK manufactured he said they were manufactured in China is this a warning sign as I have heard beds made in china are not v-good quality (some do not have safety features we do) I need help can't decide?

 

[jaraAbassygab]

I think the affinity is too heavy for mobile work. You have to consider carrying it up and down stairs at a clients home. You may have to climb stairs before getting to your clients front door. Also you might not be able to park right outside your clients home.

The one by feelgood looks nice and the weight is ok. Mine is 12kg and is an Earthlite Luna which IPM used to sell, they got them imported from the USA. I don't know if there are any uk manufacturers of massage couches.

Whatever couch you get I think it a good idea to buy a travel cart for it. Unless it's really light like a starlight 7.5kg (£700+) one it will make your back hurt if you try carrying it on your shoulder.

 

[Maria O]

Hi

I got a really good lightweight couch from www.taobook.com/ it weighs about 10kgs and I still find that a bit heavy when I'm going up stairs! But it was the lightest one i could find and it does have safety wire supports on the legs. Hope that helps!

 

[MIADani]

Yeah i got mine from tao as well based on this forum, i presume mines the same as yours .. but your right 10kg is heavy enough with your headpiece and maybe a towel or 2 in your bag as well

 

[zguaeyek]

The Portable Flexible is designed to be Semi Static - i.e. 1-2 out calls per week, not per day. The bag with wheels is designed to take the strain on the flat but it does not help with the lifting in, and out of the car. (I am the product manager for Affinity so I will declare an interest straight away!) The most suitable item in the Affinity range is the Aluminium with a lifting back, or the Affinity 8 for a flat table.

If you have a lifting back section, it nearly always adds 2-3 kgs to the weight of the "flat equivalent" so if weight is a big factor you need to think long and hard about whether you need this feature or not.

The Tao 10Kg couch is OK, but two major factors might put you off. 1. to acheive the lightweight design, the base of the table is made from trampoline material. I have not tested this one, but I remember testing a similar item from Master and found that I sank into the table in the centre of the two pieces, and at the fold my hips dug into the hinged area. 2. If you are doing seated treatments the metal bar accross the legs could get in the way which if you are leaning forward will put strain on your lower back.

The Feel Good product, something is wrong. With massage tables the more you pay the more lightweight or more feature packed they become. This table claims to be light, strong and cheap. This is the holy grail for massage equipment suppliers and I'm not sure that a company that also specialises in chicken coops and training tunnels could have cracked this nut! Be careful. If you buy it - pay on your credit card (in the case of chargebacks you are covered) and fully understand the returns policy. Get the bathroom scales out and check the spec. This will be the weight without accessories e.g. face cradle, armrests etc.

To check the strength/rigidity of the table go to a corner and push accross it. it should be rigid with only 1-1.5" of movement. Any more and it will not be suitable for massage.

 

[ignucdye]

I agree with guru on this. stick with reputable companies who are specialists in massage and who have years of experience selling massage tables and preferably where the people working there have experience as therapists themselves. Unless you are in the market for a chicken coop aswell!!

I have bought a number of couches over the years and I religiously stick with one retailer