dolphinII or essence TravelPro??

[delphispolaris]

I finally narrowed it down to these two chairs, and I am wondering if anyone has any advice. I'm choosing between the dolphin II and the Essence TravelPro. pkelley50 is selling the dolphinII for about the same price as the Essence, so the price isn't an issue I really like the idea of the dolphinII's telescoping design. I don't think that the reported bulky size of the folded dolphin will be an issue as my trunk is roomy (as long as I take my table out !) I don't have chair massage clients yet, so I'm not exactly sure what to look for-under twenty lbs. is definitely important, though. Any advice is greatly appreciated! (Also, if you have a better suggestion...)

 

[heartland_hopes]

Dolphin Chair

I've used the DolphinII chair twice and am not terribly impressed. It is suppose to be more "user friendly" in that the ability to have the client in an almost prone position is suppose to provide more access to the lower back. Perhaps this would be true if I could have figured out how to get the chair prone for all body types. When I was able to get it in the right position to allow access to the lower back, I had to bend over the client in a very poor body position for myself resulting in me needing a massage afterward! LOL.

The numerous adjustments that must be made for each client were cumbersome and time consuming. Also, there's a velcro strap that I guess is suppose to help lock the chair into position (once you finally do get it there). It doesn't work very well and I found the chest plate and face cradle "wobbling" because of it.

On top of all that, you have to be a rocket scientist to get it back in the carrying case. :roll:

Conclusion: Not what it's cracked up to be, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Janice R]

thank you very much for the info. do you own a chair? if so, which one and how do you like it? thanks again!

 

[kori p]

No, I don't own the chair, thank God (given the price I've heard my employer paid for it). I'm actually just starting out and haven't yet purchased a chair (only a table). I have used the Earthlite chair before and found it to be a better deal, not just financially but mechanically. Unfortunately, I don't recall which model it was. Sorry!

Good Luck!

 

[kingers1988]

I use the dolphin II. I love it. It did take a little getting used to in terms of set up and take down. Once I set it up for my corporate clients, I tend to not adjust it too much. I adjust the head rest for hight, and angle, and occassionally if I am doing low back stuff I will get it to lay flat. I love it, I have been told by my clients they like that it is more comfortable, and adjustable, even though I don't adjust it much.

 

[Yahoo! Answers Team]

I own a Dolphin and am very happy w/it. Yes, the first couple of times using/adjusting it can seem confusing, but the extra adjustments allow you to conform to different clients more comfortably. After practice, the adjustments are second nature. I also like the open bottom (no bar) that allows easy access for clients wearing skirts or elderly clients.

 

[jflmt]

Thank you all for your input! I think I am going to get the dolphin II and just practice maneuvering it around (and hope for the best . Just can't pass up the discounted price. I appreciate all of you offering your '2 cents'!

 

[jazzmaster]

Did you end up getting the dolphin? I am having the same delima with this and the portal pro.

 

[Henry]

I have the Dolphin II and I love it. I am 5'3" so having the ablilty to make adjustments to the position of the client is a huge plus for me. With a tall client in a typical chair, I would have to stand on my tip toes (sacrificing good body mechanics) to use my elbow on their rhomboids or upper traps, go with all thumbs or knuckles (which at the end of a long day would be crying for a slush bath), or use a tool with little or no body weight behind it. With the Dolphin, I can lower the torso, so that it is much easier to reach the upper back and neck and stay in good body mechanics.
Also, the people at Piesces are really nice. When I was looking, they tried to find a retailer in the area that had one I could try out. They couldn't, but Kim Griffin at Piesces assured me that if I did not like it, I could return it at no cost to me. I have her e-mail, but am unable to post it with this message since I am a new member. Let me know if you would like it and I will get it to you.
Please let me know if you have any specific questions I can answer about the chair. I was in your same position in Feb.

 

[Heather H]

I ended up getting the dolphin II and I love it! When I originally posted this topic, I was looking at the dolphin II b/c I found an incredible price on the forum classified listings (couldn't afford it otherwise). After a lot of research and helpful advice from you all, I finally decided on the dolphin and went to finalize the deal. To make a long story short, the 'deal' turned pretty ugly and fell apart. Luckily I did not lose any money, but I lost out on the chair that, by that time, I really had my heart set on. Extreme as it may sound, the whole thing was really upsetting, and I really didn't want to think or hear about massage chairs anymore! Just as I was ready to abandon buying a chair at all, my amazing family and boyfriend offered me the additional money to buy the dolphin full price !! I ordered it in cappucino for $510(I believe) and it arrived in about two weeks. I did not buy the bag for now, but so far, it's very easy to transport (comes with strap) and I don't think I'll need the bag. The company recently updated the design of some of the levers & headrest, which eliminated some of the problems people have shared. I find it very easy to adjust and generally prefer it now to working on the table! Everyone who sits on it has commented on how comfortable is (many different body types-very short, average, bodybuilder, large breasted, overweight,etc.) and it is much easier on my body as well. Despite the roller coaster of buying this chair, it was definitely worth it!