Officially licensed and approved by the FIA, the new Next Level Racing ERS4 and ERS5 Elite Recling Seats are available for sim racing, priced at £299 and £249 respectively.
The ERS5 is actually the cheaper of the two new seats, available in either PU Leather and Suede, or Fabric and Simearo Mesh. It has a double recliner mechanism designed to keep things strong and stable even when you’re using a heavy-duty pedal set-up. So you should be able to focus on driving in the more fitted seat, using cold-molded foam for support and durability.
You get the seat, seat sliders and mounting hardware in the box, and it’s compatible with the Next Level Racing Elite Series cockpits, along with the GTtrack cockpit and frame, GT Racing cockpit, and the GTSeat Add-on. For the F-GT Cockpit you’ll need to use the sliders that come with the cockpit itself, and remove the shifter plate.
The ER5 will support heights from 120-210cm (3’9″ to 6’9″), and a max weight of 150kg or 330lbs.
In terms of specifications, the ERS4 appears to be identical with a slightly more fitted motorsport design for an additional £50.
There’s an old adage that you should invest in good shoes and a nice bed, because you’ll spend most of your life in them. And the same is definitely true for sim racing seats, having recently upgraded from an old office chair myself. Whether you choose to buy something from a specialist sim racing manufacturer, fit a motorsport seat, or utilise something salvaged from a real car, a good seat will make your sim rig much more comfortable and immersive.
It also helps your driving when you don’t sink backwards everytime you hit the brakes hard. Or end up with back ache or a sore posterior during longer sim racing stints, especially if you’re driving in endurance events.
You can find the Next Level Racing ERS4 and ERS5 Elite Reclining Seats on the company website, and their products are stocked by various retailers, including Currys and Overclockers. Check out all of our coverage on the latest sim racing rigs and seats, here. And all our previous articles about Next Level Racing products, here.
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