In partnership with Blacklyte
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About Blacklyte
My old desk chair and I had an understanding. It held me up for an hour or two, and after that I’d start shifting, slouching, and propping a rolled-up hoodie behind my lower back. For someone who works from home during the day and games most evenings, that’s a lot of hours spent negotiating with a chair.
Blacklyte kept coming up again and again as I started looking for something better. The Canadian brand, launched in 2021 by founder Alex Liu after years of back pain from long hours at a desk. Today it makes gaming chairs and desks for professional esports, and its gear sits under players at BLAST tournaments and on teams like Team Liquid and Team Vitality. More than 200,000 gamers use its products.
The Kraken Pro caught my eye for one reason. Its lumbar support sits inside the backrest and adjusts to your spine, which sounded like the end of the hoodie trick. Add a magnetic head pillow and armrests that move in four directions, and it looked like the chair I’d been missing.
I set it up in my home office and used it for several weeks of workdays, late-night gaming, and everything in between. Here’s how it held up.
Highlights
- Blacklyte is a Canadian gaming furniture brand that launched in 2021 and is trusted by more than 200,000 gamers.
- Professional esports names like BLAST, Team Liquid, and Team Vitality use Blacklyte chairs and desks.
- The brand’s designs have earned a MUSE Gold award and a 2023 International Design Awards Bronze.
- The brand holds a 4.5 out of 5 “Excellent” rating from more than 540 reviews on Trustpilot.
- The Kraken Pro sits on a full steel frame and a 665 mm aluminum alloy wheelbase.
- Its floating lumbar support adjusts in both height and depth.
- A magnetic memory foam head pillow snaps onto the backrest and slides to the right spot.
- The 4D armrests move up, down, forward, back, and side to side, with magnetic detachable covers.
- DuraGen leatherette resists UV fading and peeling, and spills wipe off with a damp cloth.
- The backrest reclines from 90° to 149°, with a 14° rocking range.
- Height adjusts with a Class 4 gas lift, and 60 mm PU casters roll smoothly on hard floors.
- The chair is tested to 100,000 seating cycles and 300,000 tilt cycles.
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Blacklyte Kraken Pro Review
The Kraken Pro is for anyone who spends most of the day in one chair and wants it to fit them, not the other way around. Remote workers, gamers, and streamers are the obvious crowd, and it’s especially good for people who do all of it from the same desk.
Unique Features
1. Floating Lumbar Support That Adjusts in Height and Depth
Most gaming chairs hand you a strap-on lumbar pillow and leave you to wrestle with it. The Kraken Pro instead puts the support inside the backrest. You set its height to match the curve of your lower back, push it in as deep as feels right, and lock it there. From then on, it moves with you as you shift, so it stays comfortable when you lean forward to type.
For buyers, that means support that fits your back specifically. Taller and shorter people can each find their spot in seconds when sharing one chair.
2. Magnetic Memory Foam Head Pillow
The head pillow snaps on with magnets, so there are no elastic straps to thread through the backrest or fix every time you lean back. Slide it up or down and it stays put. The memory foam cradles the neck during a recline and springs back after hours of use. It comes in the box, and Blacklyte values it at $65 on its own.
3. 4D Armrests With Magnetic Covers
The armrests move up and down, forward and back, side to side, and pivot inward or outward. In practice, you can tuck them in close for typing and swing them wide for a controller without getting up. The padded tops have a soft feel and lift off magnetically, so a proper clean takes about a minute.
4. Steel Frame and Aluminum Base for Years of Daily Use
Under the leatherette sits a full steel frame on a 665 mm aluminum wheelbase. You feel it in how planted the chair stays when you lean back or push off the armrests to stand. Blacklyte runs the design through 100,000 seating cycles, 300,000 tilt cycles, and 120,000 swivel cycles, which is the kind of testing you want behind a chair you’ll use for years.
5. Easy-Clean DuraGen Leatherette
DuraGen is Blacklyte’s own eco-certified PU leatherette. It resists UV fading and the peeling that cheaper PU is known for, and spills wipe off with a damp cloth. For anyone who eats lunch at their desk or keeps a drink beside the keyboard, that’s a practical win. The quilted backrest panel adds texture and keeps the look clean and modern.
6. Recline, Rocking, and Height Control
The backrest goes from upright at 90° to a relaxed 149°, and the rocking mode adds 14° of gentle sway. A Class 4 gas lift handles height. Put together, one chair covers a focused work posture, a laid-back gaming position, and a mid-afternoon stretch. The 60 mm PU casters glide quietly across hardwood.
Benefits of the Blacklyte Kraken Pro
Better Back Support Through Long Workdays
You log off at six and realize your lower back never once asked for attention. That’s the payoff of lumbar support that sits right in the curve of your spine and stays there as you shift. No rolled-up hoodie behind you, and no slow slide into a slouch by mid-afternoon. For remote workers stuck in back-to-back meetings, the end of the day feels a lot more like the start of it.
More Comfort When You Lean Back to Unwind
Think about the moments between the focused work, like waiting in a match queue, watching a stream, or taking a call with your feet up. A lean-back in the Kraken Pro feels like settling into a recliner, with the head pillow right where your neck wants it and a gentle rocking motion to take the edge off a long day. Breaks start to feel like actual breaks.
One Chair for Work and Play
Consider how different the morning looks from the evening at the same desk. Workdays call for sitting upright with your arms close to the keyboard, and game nights call for leaning back with a controller in your lap. The Kraken Pro switches between both in a few seconds, so there’s no need for a second chair or a slumped couch session.
A Comfortable Fit for Everyone in the House
Most chairs fit one person well, and everyone else just puts up with it. The Kraken Pro adjusts fast enough that each person can find their own height, armrest position, and lumbar spot in under a minute, so it fits whoever sits down.
Easy Cleanup in a Busy Home
Think about what a desk chair goes through in a year. Coffee spills, crumbs fall, and pets hop up the moment you stand. The leatherette wipes clean with a damp cloth and the armrest covers pop off for a quick clean, so the chair keeps looking new without special cleaners or a weekend of scrubbing.
Long-Term Value for Everyday Use
Consider how many hours someone who works and games at home spends in a desk chair. It can easily pass 2,500 hours a year, which makes it one of the most-used things you’ll ever buy. Spread $519 over the three-year warranty on the frame and mechanisms, and it works out to less than 50 cents a day, less than most people spend on a single coffee.
Unboxing and Assembly
The Kraken Pro arrived in a big, sturdy shipping box, and inside was a sleek black inner box with the Blacklyte logo and a QR code on top. It felt more like opening a piece of premium tech than a piece of furniture.
The first thing I pulled out was a large fold-out instruction sheet with clear illustrated steps. Underneath it was a pair of grippy installation gloves, which I’d never seen included with a chair before, and a black card printed with “Tap, Unlock, Unleash.” The parts sat in their own cutouts in a thick foam tray, from the wheelbase and casters to the gas lift and a neat set of tools. The seat and backrest came wrapped in protective bags printed with the Kraken name, so nothing had a scratch on it.
The official estimate for assembly is 15 to 20 minutes, and the fold-out sheet breaks it into seven numbered panels. On my own and taking my time, I had it standing in about half an hour. My favorite tip was in step 6, which says to fold the chair down to attach the base and then stand it upright, so I never had to hoist the full weight. The gloves helped me grip the heavier pieces, the included T-handle and L-handle wrenches were all I needed, and I never reached for a power drill.
Design and Build Quality
Assembled, the Kraken Pro looks sharp without shouting. It’s all black, with clean white Blacklyte logos on the side bolsters and the head pillow, and a quilted geometric pattern down the center of the backrest. In my home office, it looks just as at home on a video call as it does during a late-night match.
The build feels solid in a way I noticed right away. There’s no wobble when I lean back, the armrests feel sturdy when I push off them to stand, and the aluminum base gives the whole chair a planted, grounded feel. The leatherette has a smooth, premium hand to it, and the stitching along the bolsters is clean and even.
Comfort Over Long Sessions
Comfort is what won me over with the Kraken Pro. The seat is wide, with a medium-firm cushion that supports without feeling like a board, and the curved backrest wings keep my shoulders in place without boxing me in.
On a typical day, I’d sit down for work around nine, break for lunch, and come back for a few hours of gaming in the evening. With my old chair, my lower back would start complaining by mid-afternoon. With the Kraken Pro, I’d look up at the end of a long session and realize I hadn’t shifted around nearly as much. The floating lumbar support kept my lower back supported without me having to think about it.
The head pillow became my favorite small detail. When I leaned back to watch a stream or wait in a queue, it was right where my neck wanted it, and because it’s magnetic, I could slide it up or down in a second.
Dialing In the Fit
The Kraken Pro took a few minutes to adjust to perfection, and once it was set, I barely touched it again. I raised the lumbar support slightly and pushed it a bit deeper, set the armrests level with my desk so my shoulders could relax, and slid the head pillow down to sit just under the base of my skull.
The recline gets a lot of use too. Between matches or during a long call, I’d tilt back to around 120°, let the rocking motion take some pressure off, and lock it back upright when it was time to focus. The 4D armrests swing inward when I’m typing and back out when I’m holding a controller, which made the switch from work to play feel natural.
Living With It Day to Day
A few weeks in, the little things are what I appreciate most. I knocked over half a cup of coffee one morning, and a damp cloth took care of the seat in under a minute, with no stain left behind. The magnetic armrest covers pop off for a proper wipe-down, then click right back into place.
The chair rolls easily across my hardwood floor, so sliding from my desk to the shelf behind me takes one quick push. When friends come over to play, they always end up asking to try it, and the height adjusts fast enough that swapping seats takes a few seconds. It’s the most-used piece of furniture in my place now, and it still looks as clean as the day I built it.
How Much Does the Blacklyte Kraken Pro Cost?
The Kraken Pro sells directly through the official website, with free shipping across the contiguous US.
Price: $519 at blacklyte.com, down from $649, for the Kraken Pro in black DuraGen leatherette with the magnetic memory foam head pillow, 4D armrests, installation gloves, and assembly tools included. Shoppers can also split the cost into six interest-free payments of $86.50 with Affirm.
Blacklyte Kraken Pro Review: What Do Customers Think?
Blacklyte holds a 4.5 out of 5 “Excellent” rating from more than 540 reviews on Trustpilot, with most owners giving it five stars. Comfort during long hours comes up repeatedly, along with the chair’s premium feel.
“Very comfortable and high-quality construction and materials.”
Several Kraken Pro owners spend most of their day in the chair and say it holds up to that kind of use.
“I spend 90% of my waking hours (and some non-waking) every day in my Kraken Pro.”
Others point to the overall experience, from the materials to how it feels after weeks of sitting.
“super premium feel and has been a joy to sit in”
Customer service gets credit as well, with owners mentioning helpful support after their purchase.
“First of all i have to appreciate the support blacklyte provides post sales.”
Is Blacklyte Legit?
Yes, Blacklyte is a legitimate gaming furniture brand. The Canadian company has been making chairs and desks since 2021 and supplies gear to professional esports events and organizations, including BLAST, Team Liquid, and Team Vitality. Its designs have won a MUSE Gold award and a 2023 International Design Awards Bronze, and it holds a 4.5-star “Excellent” rating on Trustpilot. Chairs also come with a tiered warranty of up to three years on the frame and mechanisms, plus lifetime technical support.
Is the Blacklyte Kraken Pro Worth It?
Yes, the Kraken Pro is worth it, and the clearest proof is that I stopped thinking about my chair. My old one made itself known every afternoon, usually with a hoodie stuffed behind my lower back. A few weeks into the Kraken Pro, I’d finish a full workday, play a couple of matches after dinner, and look up to find it was nearly midnight.
At $519, you’re paying once for what most people end up buying in pieces. Most start with a lumbar cushion, add a neck pillow, and eventually replace the chair anyway. The Kraken Pro has the first two built in and makes the third unnecessary. Free shipping, six interest-free payments of $86.50, and a three-year warranty on the frame and mechanisms take the sting out of upgrading.
If you spend most of your waking hours at a desk, the Kraken Pro is the upgrade I’d point you to first. It’s the chair my friends ask to try whenever they visit, and after several weeks of daily use, it’s the one I’d pick for any long session.
Blacklyte Discounts and Promotions
Blacklyte runs regular promotions on its website, and a few are worth checking before buying the Kraken Pro.
- Halloween Sale takes $130 off the Kraken Pro, bringing it down to $519 from $649.
- First-order savings give new customers $30 off their first chair or desk after signing up for the brand’s emails.
- Free shipping covers all orders across the contiguous US.
- Affirm financing splits the price into six interest-free payments of $86.50.
- Warranty extension adds up to five years of coverage on the frame and foam when owners share a photo or video of their setup and tag Blacklyte within 30 days of shipment.
Where Can I Buy the Blacklyte Kraken Pro?
The Kraken Pro is available directly from blacklyte.com, where the current sale price, financing, and the warranty extension all apply. Orders usually ship within one to two business days and arrive in two to five business days by FedEx or UPS. International orders ship to Canada, the UK, the EU, Japan, and Australia.
FAQs
How long does it take to assemble the Kraken Pro?
The official estimate is 15 to 20 minutes, and the instruction sheet splits it into seven numbered panels. It took me about half an hour working alone with the included tools and gloves.
What height range does the Kraken Pro fit?
The Kraken Pro is recommended for users roughly 165 to 190 cm tall, or about 5’5″ to 6’2″.
Does the Kraken Pro come with a head pillow?
Yes. The magnetic memory foam head pillow is included with every Kraken Pro, and it slides up and down the backrest to match your neck position.
Is the Kraken Pro good for working from home?
Yes. The adjustable lumbar keeps the lower back supported through long workdays, the armrests tuck in close for typing, and the all-black look fits right in on video calls. A quick recline turns it into a gaming chair once work is done.
What warranty comes with the Kraken Pro?
The warranty covers the frame, mechanisms, base, armrests, and gas lift for three years, the seat foam and backrest for two years, and the head pillow and casters for one year. Owners can extend frame and foam coverage to five years by sharing their setup on social media and tagging Blacklyte.
What is the return policy?
Returns are accepted within 30 days of receipt for chairs in their original packaging. Customers can start a return by emailing [email protected].
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