I Bought one and it leaked on the seam in a week. I couldn't see the hole but it deflated and it only took a few days afterwards to have it leak during use and hole enlarged. Used several repair strips but it won't hold on the seam. Great Idea bad product material at least when it comes to holding air. At least they aren't making boats or we would all be bailing to save our lives. Sorry but I had to add that.

The Bean slides all over the floor/mat/carpet; it also tips over; basically, it felt very unstable. The instructions on the video are not clear enough; nor are the visuals repeated long enough to learn. Finally, I felt nothing in my workout--just rocking along with no feeling in the abs, legs, etc. I work out in a gym, so I'm used to a great session and knowing I have worked out; I wanted to try this for at-home exercising to supplement. Instead, I gave it away and use workout videos. Save your money.

What caught my eye on the box of the Bean Deluxe was, "No back pain." I have bulging lumbar discs and at times have had excruciating back pain. The Bean featured in the above photo is not the newer bean which is the Bean Deluxe. The Bean Deluxe is wider and the same height on both ends. What is confusing is that they just include the old DVD from the original Bean. You have to refer to the instruction book for the right way to do the side leg lifts which are on the flip side of the newer Bean. After two days I notice a relief of pressure on my lower back. The one back stretch that really seems to stretch out my lower back is the squat prayer stretch also just lying prone over it when it is flipped seems to help my back. If you use it for nothing else, it is nice as a back relaxer, but I do recommend doing the workouts as they are good and do not harm the lower back. I have read many reviews saying the seams do not hold up. I can not say that but it is too early. Maybe the original bean was faulty and this one is stronger, I hope. The best thing is that I have not had to take ibuprofren for two days because I don't need it. I don't think the Bean would hold up to someone who is very heavy, say over 200lbs. I don't know if it would be good for people with herniated discs. I guess you have to know what you can do and take care with your back. May you find pain relief. Good luck. --Bernadette

You can buy the Multi Flex Core Home Gym for anywhere between $29.95 to $59.95 (plus shipping and handling of approximately $12.00). It does exactly the same thing as The Bean, but with many advantages. First is the price, as I've already mentioned. Secondly, it's made of metal and plastic, thereby getting past the most mentioned problem of The Bean (losing air, total deflation because of rips or holes), and last of all, you can grasp the sides with your hands to remain steady or not slip off (another problem people have with The Bean).

The Bean Deluxe arrived with a hole & the included the patch kit worked fine. I also topped the air via large spout & it held the air without a problem. I purchased my Bean Deluxe the end of February used it 5-10 times a week & by May it totally lost it's shape. The Bean Deluxe is definitely easier on the back & neck; however the product needs to be updated as I will not spend $50+ every 3 months to add to a landfill. I will research other products.

I purchased this equipment months ago after being sucked in and conned by their infomercial. The phone representative even convinced me to by the additional equipment that attaches to the bean to help with resistance exercises. Honestly, I worked out with this equipment once the first day I received it, and have not yet tried working out with the bean again, nor have I ever tried the resistance devices. Don't get me wrong though, my workout with the bean was actually pretty good. It does workout your abs really well, without feeling any strain on your neck or back! So, I don't agree with the other reviewers that you can't get a decent workout from this equipment--because you certainly can! But, the downside of this device is that: 1) It takes at least 10 minutes for you to inflate manually with this cheap plastic, accordian-like pump that you have to step on repeatedly to inflate your bean. I guess that's part of your warm-up, because I'm telling you it really takes a long time to inflate. 2) It slides along your carpet/floor. So, you're constantly having to reposition in front of your tv screen to follow along with the tv instructors. (My recommendation is to place a non-slip (yoga-like) mat underneath to help keep it in place.) 3) It's BULKY. For those with a small place, you will find that there's no way to really store it without having to deflate this "balloon" and God only knows how long that will take; and then, of course, you'll have to reinflate the next time you're ready to use it again. I guess one could use it as an additional chair. LOL!:) Personally, I have it stored on top of my wardrobe with the rest of the attachable equipment. And, it has not lost much air in it--which is a plus, because I can place it on my floor when I'm ready again to use it. I've been meaning to work-out with it again, but just haven't gotten around to it. The one good thing about it, is that if you have children, like I do, then you don't have to worry about them bumping into it and getting hurt, because it's just like a big balloon or ball. And, I guess they can use it to sit on as well. LOL!:) Honestly, I would like to sell this damn thing, because it's just not worth the money that I paid for it, which at that time was $120! Now, I feel foolish for allowing myself to get sucked into the infomercial because now I see the cost has come down to as little as $40 on Amazon. Wow! Save your money.