Simulation racing seats are a minefield: a sliding scale of comfort versus convenience that makes it impossible to find the sweet spot between the two… at least that’s what I thought.
You see, I’ve seen the big trucks. Hell, I tried them out at several shows and got jealous. I would love to have a stunning setup with a full cockpit with a plush leather seat and a hard mount for the steering wheel, pedals and a monitor.
However, I run into the same two obstacles as many people: space and money. My apartment is small, and even though I run daily, my bank account would suffer a very sudden heart attack if I tried to buy one.
So I find myself moving back down the convenience scale, which led me to a rickety, uncomfortable option in the form of the Next Level Racing GT-Lite: a seat that becomes uncomfortable after an hour and is almost impossible to fold. As announced.
However, there is another option. One I instantly fell in love with because he struck the perfect balance between comfort and convenience, handles cable management well, and can be compressed and stored in a closet in a matter of minutes. That’s the Playseat Challenge
The big problem
Picture the scenario: You’re entertaining guests, whether they’re friends, family, or even someone you’re dating. You’ve worked hard to create the right mood in your small apartment, from cleaning and setting up the Nanoleaf lights to a quietly pulsing recreation of the Northern Lights, to turning on the slow cooker to make delicious butter chicken.
Everything is apparently in its place, but his racing seat is impossible to store in any closet, and it sticks out like the sore thumb Charles LeClerc often gets when pressing the team radio button when Ferrari’s strategy is sub-par. . He perts attention from his hard work fixing the place and gets those usual questions that are full of judgment. Anyone who is interested in this hobby will know them.
“So you think it’s fun?”
Following your detailed response to try to explain why sim racing is actually some of the most fun things you can have in video games, you get the obligatory “oh… that’s interesting.” And you know that from that moment on, you will be judged for life for having what normals feel is just a toy displayed in the living room.
The GT-Lite was supposed to fix that, but folding it like the pictures show requires zen-like patience and a physics degree. Simply put, Next Level may have overstated how easy it is to fold and store this.
I mean there’s a reason a friend called my old setup AVPS (Adult Virginity Protection System). Of course, this is 100% said in jest, but you get the point. You can’t help but feel a little embarrassed when someone walks in and sees what amounts to a plastic wheel and pedals attached to a sun lounger.
endurance champion
But this is the beauty of the Playseat Challenge X. In just 2 minutes, I can go from fully set up to folded, ready to store in a closet. Only two levers stand between me and eliminating the social awkwardness of having to explain sim racing. The only downside is that at 25.6 pounds, it’s certainly lighter than ride-on platforms, but it will require a bit of lifting to move it to storage.
And what’s more, this seat is versatile and also very comfortable. With the ability to adjust to six seating positions, you can adjust to whatever position is most comfortable for you or (if you’re an idiot like me) move it to sit in the right position for whatever car you’re in, whether it’s the tallest one. seating position of a passenger car or sinking into the F1 bucket.
The pedals can also be positioned at two different angles to get the optimal position for full throttle and brake control, which really helps to grasp the subtleties of trail braking. Then you settle in and prepare for an endurance effort in the Assetto Corsa Competizione, and the breathable Actifit knit fabric on the seat feels impressively padded and well-ventilated to prevent your back from getting too hot.
Add to that the flexibility of steering wheel and shifter placement on the faceplate, and you’ve got an impressive simulation rig that feels great to sit on, but is also very easy to store.
Perfect for small inhabitants
Yes, this is my new daily driver (literally), and it should be yours too if you’re a sim lover and don’t have room for the beefy rigs you see your favorite content creators using.
The price is right, the adjustability is absolutely right, and it strikes the right balance between comfort and convenience. And after rubbing 2021 in Max Verstappen’s face by destroying him in a long-running F1 23 grand prix, I know in my soul that whether you like fast sprints, time trials or endurance challenges, this it will work.
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