I bought my original backfriend in 1995, following spinal surgery. It enabled me to visit a friend in Paris later that year. 26 years later I am treating myself to a new one!! It is wonderful in the car, and anywhere with soggy seats!

Excellent service. Very prompt delivery and delighted with product. Highly recommend MEDesign

Had my Back Friend Seat since 1993/4 and always keep it out on a chair so it is there if I need it, would not be without it. Have had to order new Hinges and they have arrived within 48 hours from ordering to processing to delivery. Thank you for efficient service.

fast and secure service highly recommended

I've suffered with spine pain since breaking my back in 1991 and the subsequent 4 level fusion to repair it. Shortly thereafter I purchased my first BACKFRIEND & wouldn't have survived this long without one! I've even purchased a second one, with the double padding, to help with the bone pain & I use it religiously everywhere I go! July 2022

I received my Backfriend today.
Ordering was easy and delivery was quick.

I have used my new Backfriend for over a week now and the relief was noticeable almost instantly. I move it from chair to chair both dining chair and armchair easily. My lower back is so much better. I wouldn't have bought one on speck, my friend let me use hers first so I was lucky. For me and my lower back it works and can recommend.

I am so pleased with this Backfriend which I will be using in my car. It's so comfortable and supports the back and lumbar region completely, recommended by a friend.

I've had one of these for well over ten years, nearer fifteen I think and it is brilliant. I never get back pain in the car which was always a problem for me. Normally left in the car it works just as well on any chair, upright or easy. Anthracite is an excellent and servicable colour. Very robust and hardwearing. The underlying material of the backfriend - fibreglass, I think - is virtually indestructable. My only complaint were the devices used to link the seat to the back - awkward to fit, inflexible and prone to split. When mine broke for the second time I replaced them with some synthetic rope which has proved a highly successful modification. I am interested to see if these devices have been improved on current models. I am about to order a new backfriend now that the cover has finally worn out in the areas that rub together. The old one will be kept in my wife's car to save swapping from one car to the other. There is still loads of life left in it..

Brilliant service, order received well packed, undamaged and within 3 working days.
Thank You
B.Sutton
(order ID: 14748)

Bought standard backrest about 18 months ago for use in car. Noticed the benefit after about 2 weeks. Back pain when driving substantially reduced. Ordered padded version a few weeks ago for sitting indoors. Now starting to feel the benefit with greater comfort. I suffer with age-related spinal wear and tear.

I have just received a fleece cover for the seat of my Backfriend. It adds so much comfort for when I am sitting watching tv. I like it so much I have now ordered another one for my office chair !

Having tried many things to help with my lower back pain I was sceptical this would be any better. When I first sat in it, it felt uncomfortable but after a few minutes I began to feel the benefit. I recommend it.

I have used the seat now for about 5 months. I had mixed feelings about the seat during the initial few weeks. Hence the reason I have not given you a review before.

I have suffered many years with not only lower back but also upper back pain. In other words, the whole of my left side is troublesome. I have undergone osteopathy treatment and this pain is now reduced to a manageable discomfort. The seat when driving caused the upper back pain to return and being left sided, gear changing was very uncomfortable. However, since the seat has removable links, I removed the links and used only the bottom part of the seat. This has really been a comfortable setup for me and the upper back pain has now settled down.

Few weeks back during gardening I have unfortunately done something to my lower back again and now the sciatic nerve on the right is giving me a lot of pain and some numbness in the toes. But the base of your seat is the best thing for this. The only place I can currently be comfortable and pain free is when driving the car! Superb seat and very well constructed and strong and I am so glad I found a solution.

Given 4 stars as I couldn't use the whole seat and I am left with an unused back rest. Otherwise it would have been 5 stars.

Many thanks for this product.

Reply from Neil Walkingshaw, General Manager at MEDesign:

Many thanks for your post on the subject of hingelocks and older Backfriends. Your comments are greatly appreciated but just to clarify the new hingelocks WILL fit all Backfriends (even very old ones).

On very old Backfriends such as yours there is a slight amendment to the standard fitting instructions. Take the two pronged part of the hingelock set. At the base where the prongs are connected, there is a small v shaped grove/snap line. Flex the prongs (or you can carefully cut along the grove with a pair of scissors) until they separate into two parts - remove any sharp edges created from the separated parts.

Insert prongs through the backrest and then fit as per instructional video on the website product page but using the upper groove on the locking component.

This information is also posted on the hingelock ordering page on the website.

Hope this advice helps.

Original post from Customer:

It all arrived safely & well with in the 5 working days. The only thing I wish to say is that the hinge locks do not fit my back friend as the holes are too wide for the lock to fit. I imagine they are only useful for a newer version of my seat which wasn't mentioned on the web site. Fortunately I only needed to replace the hinges & still have the metal screws.
I have nothing but praise for my back friend which I purchased back in the mid 1990's after suffering a slipped disc & do not go anywhere with out it. It is FANTASTIC Thankyou

Brilliant service, order received well packed, undamaged and within 3 working days.
Thank You
B.Sutton
(order ID: 14748)

The Back friend certainly works at easing back pain. My original back friend over 10 years ago did that. I have found the original chair I bought so helpful that since my back is better I used it every time I used my car since it was great support when driving. Recently my original chair has aged and I've just bought a new chair, and I was amazed that it took only 36 hours to be delivered from the time of ordering. Love my chair, keeps my back strong and healthy.

Found it completely impossible to make corrections to address on the ordering form. Also East Yorkshire as a sub-division of Yorkshire not included whereas West is. All annoying.

Portable, lightweight, solid, sturdy, just the job.

The product and ME Design service was first class. Parcelforce not so much - a very rude delivery person banged on our glass front door ignoring the bell: then as i opened the door, dumped the parcel on the step. It fell down and damaged the cardboard box (luckily no damage to item). No apology of course.

This product is great for me. my problem is not my back but a muscle in a Butt cheek. which is painful when sitting on a sofa or armchair as they are usually too soft. I can now place the Backfriend wherever I sit and am almost pain free while using it.

Reply from Neil Walkingshaw, General Manager at MEDesign:

Dear Mr MacNicol,

Many thanks for your post on the subject of hingelocks and older Backfriends. Your comments are appreciated but not strictly accurate.

The new hingelocks WILL fit all Backfriends (even very old ones) and the information on the web page is indeed correct.

On very old Backfriends such as yours there is a slight amendment to the standard fitting instructions. Take the two pronged part of the hingelock set. At the base where the prongs are connected, there is a small v shaped grove/snap line. Flex the prongs (or you can carefully cut along the grove with a pair of scissors) until they separate into two parts - remove any sharp edges created from the separated parts.

Insert prongs through the backrest and then fit as per the diagrams on the fitting instruction leaflet (enclosed with the parts) but using the upper groove on the locking component.

Hope this advice proves useful to you and indeed other customers.

Original post from Nigel MacNicol:

Beware of ordering the "Hingelock" accessories, which are stated to be suitable for older versions of backfriend, but which do not actually fit, because older Backfriends have holes too widely spaced. The original brass screw fittings which were used on very old Backfriend should therefore be retained, thereby saving ?2.75!