LifePro Infrared Red Light Therapy Mat

Subtitle: I hope you like cords
Sub-Subtitle: (and being frustrated whilst trying to relax)

This is a quality product overall, but the cord design (as with literally every other LifePro product I own) makes me want to throw it off the roof.

You’ll note it still gets 4 stars – that’s how good the rest of the product is, aside from a few other minor gripes.

*** The Good: ***

* Heavy-duty construction
* Densely packed, strong lights
* Ability to fine-tune the light intensity desired
* Tube design (versus closed-end bag) keeps it from becoming too hot inside
* It can be fully unzipped so two people can use it for one side of their bodies at a time
* Science backs up LifePro’s claims
* Helps me sleep like a baby

*** The Bad: ***

For reference, I am 5’6″ tall, 135 pounds; pretty average. The bag is both too short and too narrow for full coverage, which leads me to believe many men and taller women will find it far too small. Lying flat with my legs extended and the top of my shoulders at the top of the wrap, my feet and ankles stick out from the bottom. This would be great if I could operate the remote with my toes, but we’ll cover that later. If I bend my knees to get my feet inside, that means the backs of my legs are quite far away from the lights.

The width is also too narrow for anyone larger than a pixie. My shoulders are of average width for my size, but take up every last centimeter of width, which means the sides of my shoulders/deltoid muscles receive no light whatsoever because they are up against the unlighted side panel fabric.

It comes with a thin plastic film liner… which is stitched into the hecking fabric! What?! If one pulls it out without painstaking care, it leaves little pieces stuck in the stitching. Folks with OCD would probably have to spend significant time with tweezers to remove it all.

I really wish it had vibration to help with better connective tissue repair.

**** The Infuriating: ****

THE REMOTES ARE UNREACHABLE WHEN IN THE BAG. Again… WHAT?!!?!?!? Every, and I mean every, product I have from LifePro is obviously well-constructed and of good quality, but has the most asinine cord design I can imagine. I have the other sauna bag from LP and it has this exact same problem: The power cord (which is also the cord for the remote) comes out the bottom of the bag and is designed so it cannot be reached (unless one is lucky) or used while using the product.

From the photos, it might look like one could slither one’s arm out of the bag and juuuust reach the remote. This is likely true except for one thing: Moving one’s feet (which is gonna happen at some point) pulls the remotes out of reach.

If one gets into the wrap and wants to change something or have it go another cycle (it cannot go longer than 30 minutes per session,) one must get out of the bag and flounder around at the foot of the bed to retrieve the controls. Because the cords attach at the very bottom, anytime one moves one’s feet, the remotes get flung to the floor. If you’re using it on the floor, maybe this would be less of an issue. If you stick some Velcro to the bag and to the remotes, that might be a sub-optimal fix, too… but we shouldn’t have to do this! Especially at this price point. Just make a hecking design that makes sense, Team, please – for the love of everything sacred and holy, please revisit this atrocious implementation.

The two power cords each go from the bag to the remote, and then from the remote to the wall, which is just nonsensical. I am not an electrical engineer, admittedly, but come on: There is AMPLE cord length on the section that goes from the remote to the power supply, which just makes me more annoyed – all they would have to do is make the first section longer and the second section that much shorter and it would be the same cost to manufacture, but no. OR, make some kind of retaining system that allows us to attach the remote in easy reach. Again, no.

Another option would be to have the cords come out from a higher place along the side, within reach of the average homo sapiens.

Their product design team (who probably either a.) have never used the product, b.) are orangutans, proportionally, or c.) are sadists) should expand beta-testing their work before releasing it to the public. Why even have a “remote control” if it can’t be reached whilst using the product?

*** Is it worth the slightly jaw-dropping price? ***

Probably? While I did tend to sleep better right away, and after a month of use I’m feeling reduced lower back pain to a degree, it is not a miracle cure by any means. It does seem efficacious for certain things, and there are NIH and other studies indicating positive results overall using red/NIR light (not this product specifically.) If purchasing the product will considerably tax your budget, think about it carefully, talk about it with your doctor, and so on. It may be great, but it may also just be a heavy, bulky item taking up space in your house while it sits unused and resented. I eventually stopped using their non-red light sauna/spa bag because I hated the hassle of hauling it out, fighting with all the cords, having the same remote problem, et cetera.

If you have plenty of funds to throw around, then it’s probably worth taking the risk. My budget is not extravagant by any means, but I decided to take the leap after researching the science – I’m still not sure about long-term results and whether I’ll end up regretting it in a few months, but I’m hopeful.

Excellent product for in home use with lifetime warranty, easy to use and so convenient. Works as described!

UPDATE: The company contacted me after my initial review & went above and beyond to make things right for me. I now have a working unit & love the way it makes me feel. I do believe it will provide relief to my chronic pain. It also is a great stress reliever…I use it in a quiet, dark room with white noise playing & it is 30 minutes of relaxation. The only reason I’m not giving it 5 stars is due to the issues I had getting service. Hopefully they are improving their systems.

I purchased this & loved it for the one week I used it before one of the remotes stopped working. It has 2 remotes, one for each side. I immediately contacted the company to request a replacement part per their lifetime warranty. That was 3 weeks ago. I’ve contacted them several times since & still have no confirmation they will replace the part. I decided to just return it but, thanks to their delay, the return window is closed. Now I’m stuck with a very expensive item that only half works.
Once they have your email address they will fill your inbox with sales offers but won’t take care of the product you already own. I would only give this one stare based on customer service. The second star is because I think it’s a good product if they would just honor their warranty.

Love this red light therapy. Makes me feel so much better, more upbeat and energized.