Table of Contents
Inner Balance Jin 2.0 Massage Chair Review
Pros
- 51.25'' L-Track Allows For Extended Massage Coverage!
- 2'' Space Saving Makes For Easy Chair Placement
- Kneading Calf Airbags Provide More Than Just A Typical Compression Massage!
Cons
- Poor Value For Money
My First Review Of An Inner Balance Massage Chair!
Welcome back to yet another massage chair review post! Today we’ll be looking at the Jin 2.0 from Inner Balance. As this is my very first review of an Inner Balance product, I think a few fun facts are warranted!
With 14+ years of experience, I expect really good things of the Jin 2.0. Now it’s time to see if it lives up to my high standards, so without further a do, let’s look at 4 key features of this chair!
Inner Balance Jin 2.0 Massage Chair: 4 Key Features To Talk About!
#1 2D Rollers w/ A 51.25 Track!
The Jin 2.0 comes equipped with 2D quad rollers. Quad means there are a total of 4 rollers, quad rollers are what you can expect to find on 95% of massage chairs.
2D is short for 2-dimensional. In the massage chair world, there are 3 types of rollers you can find today: 2D, 3D, and 4D. The more dimensions, the more advanced the rollers, and therefore the more effective the massage.
4D is better than 3D which is better than 2D. But that does not mean you should only buy a 4D or 3D chair!
2D rollers have been around the longest, so manufacturers have tons of experience with them. Because of this experience, 2D rollers are highly effective and even though they are less advanced than 3D/4D, they still provide a solid massage!
This is purely for information. The images below depict how each roller system works. As we move from 2D to 3D, there is an additional inward/outward dimension present with 3D rollers. This allows for deep tissue massage. Moving from 3D to 4D you get an added dimension of automatic speed control on a 4D chair.
That’s really all you need to know about massage chair rollers. Now you’re pretty much an expert!
Let’s talk about roller track since it’s also a very important consideration. What is the roller track? Rollers need to be able to move from point A to point B. For example, point A might be the top of the neck and point B might be the lower back.
Rollers are typically mounted on a roller track. The roller track is a contraption that allows the rollers to effectively move from A to B!
There are a few different rollers tracks you can find on massage chairs today, but the 2 main ones are:
The Jin 2.0 comes with a 51.25” L-Track, which all things considered is pretty good for coverage!
Note: SL-Track is the exact same thing as an L-Track. Someone thought it would be a good idea to confuse the heck outta consumers so they tossed this term “SL-Track”. L-Track is the exact same thing!
#2 Wall Hugging Design!
There’s many words for this: wall hugging, space saving, sliding base are all commonly used to talk about one thing. A chair’s ability to be placed in tight spaces without clashing with the wall.
The way this technology works is simple: as you recline backwards, the chair slides forward on a base. Essentially this means you no longer need to have a ton of clearance from the back of the chair to the wall.
In many ways, this sort of design improvement is a game-changer because it opens up the possibility of owning a massage chair for most homeowners, even those with small houses and apartments! Previously space was always a challenge, and you couldn’t buy a massage chair not because you couldn’t afford to, but because you simply did not have enough room in your home to properly place it!
We see this on many chairs, and it’s no different on the Jin 2.0. You only need about 2 inches of clearance from back of headrest to the wall. Pretty impressive I would say!
#3 5 Massage Techniques, 6 Auto Modes
Most people mistake massage techniques for auto modes. They are not the same.
The Jin 2.0 can perform 5 massage techniques: kneading, tapping, shiatsu, knocking, and a combination of kneading and tapping. These are all basic strokes your massage therapist employs during a typical massage session. There might be slight variations, but otherwise it’s the same.
In terms of massage modes, the Jin 2.0 has 6 pre-loaded options to pick from. Below is a short description of each mode!
All 6 modes can be activated directly from the remote control, as each mode is a separate button.
#4 Foot Rollers
The lower extremities are very often forgotten when considering a massage chair. I made the same error when I decided that foot rollers were not important when buying my chair. Needless to say, it’s something I live to regret!
Sit in a chair without foot rollers, and then sit in a chair with foot rollers. Notice the difference!?
What’s neat about the Jin 2.0 is not only does it come with foot rollers, it’s also got foot/calf airbags. What piqued my interest most is the design of the calf airbags. The calf airbags have been designed to pulsate in an oscillatory manner, inside of an “in/out” manner. If you ask me, this is a big improvement because it allows the calves to not only be subjected to a compression massage but also a kneading style massage.
Inner Balance Jin 2.0 Massage Chair Specifications
- Inner Balance Jin 2.0 Massage Chair Specs
- Roller Type: L-Track
- Roller Length: 51.25 Inches
- Total Airbags: 42
- Upright Dimensions: 60.2L x 29.5W x 44H in.
- Recline Dimensions: 68.5L x 29.5W x 35.4H in.
- Chair Material: Synthetic Leather
- Height Range: 5'0" - 6'3" ft
- Maximum Recommended Weight: 297 lbs
Inner Balance Jin 2.0 Massage Chair Pros & Cons!
- The Ultra Long L-Track!—51.25” of coverage is phenomenal, and not something you can expect to find on other chairs. That being said, there is a trade off with L-Track chairs, and that is that you loose out on having a comprehensive stretch routine because the ultra long track can only allow so much of the chair to recline.
- 2” of Space Saving!—It’s rare you see massage chairs that only require 2” of space saving. Most chairs typically require 4” and more even with space saving. That being said, kudos to Inner Balance for making this possible on the Jin 2.0.
- Calf Airbags Work Well!—As mentioned earlier, the calf airbags are designed to provide a kneading, oscillatory style massage on the calves. This is a step up from the conventional in/out compression airbags. The only thing that would make this even better is if it came with calf rollers! Alas, you can’t have everything.
- Not Liking The Price—Currently retailing for $2,999.99 on Prime Massage Chairs, the Jin 2.0 is quite expensive for what it offers, if you ask me. $3K for a pretty basic 2D L-Track chair is quite expensive, all things considered. It might not make sense to you now, but when we get to the comparison section, it will!
Comparison Case Study: Inner Balance Jin 2.0 Vs. Kyota E330 Kofuko Vs. Osaki OS Champ!
We compare massage chairs because we want to understand how much “value” a massage chair offers. Value is about assessing price and seeing how much one chair gives you versus another. It’s a great way to get a feel for the market and to understand what the baseline/average price is for a specific chair.
That being said, we will be comparing the Jin 2.0 to 2 similar 2D L-Track chairs: one is the Kyota E330 Kofuko, and the other is Osaki’s OS Champ. Both are phenomenal when it comes to pricing and features!
- Inner Balance Jin 2.0
- $$$$
Price - 51.25″ L-Track
Roller Track - 6
Auto Modes - 42
Airbags - 5’0 – 6’3 ft & 297 lbs.
User Height/Weight - 2 Inches Clearance Required
Space Saving Recline
- Osaki OS Champ
- $
Price - 49″ L-Track
Roller Track - 5
Auto Modes - 22
Airbags - 5’0 – 6’0 ft & 260 lbs.
User Height/Weight - 9 Inches Clearance Required
Space Saving Recline
- Kyota E330 Kofuko
- $$
Price - 43″ L-Track
Roller Track - 9
Auto Modes - 24
Airbags - 4’8 – 6’0 ft & 305 lbs.
User Height/Weight - 2 Inches Clearance Required
Space Saving Recline
So what’s the final verdict? What should you buy?
What about the Inner Balance Jin 2.0? Is it not worth considering?
I have no major qualms with the Jin 2.0 as a chair. I think it’s a great product with a lot of cool features. However, my problem is the way it’s priced, and that’s something I don’t agree with. For about $3K, it falls short of my expectations. The way I evaluate chairs on these reviews are the same way I would evaluate them if I were buying one for myself.
The way I see it, the Jin 2.0 is not good value for money, and that’s as simple as that.If you disagree, drop a comment down below. I’d love to hear from you!
Please Share If This Was Useful!
And with that I bid you farewell and good luck in your quest for finding a massage chair. It’s really not that hard once you’ve researched and done your homework. If this post was useful to you, please consider sharing on the social platforms.
Otherwise, feel free to leave your comments down below if you have any questions about this or any other massage chair. Ciao, see you next week!
I bought the Jin 2.0 for several reasons.
1. Local Johnson Fitness where I tried display in store to determine if it is a good fit for my needs, are also authorized service techs who will service this chair if the need arises.
2. 5yr P& L warranty for $300
3. They have the chair in stock at their Wisconsin warehouse. Other local stores quoted me a 4-6 month delay in delivery.
That’s awesome to hear Angie, thanks for dropping by to share your experience! What has been your experience of the chair? Does it function well? What about the features, are you satisfied with them? Really look forward to hearing back!
Thanks for all the great reviews. I recently resolved to get a massage chair and started to research them. Yikes! Too many notes! (From “Amadeus,” the movie.) After several days of immersion in the topic, I now think too much emphasis can be placed on 2D/3D/4D. Space efficiency, reliability and service after the sale, looks of the chair and the actual feel of the massage mean more to me. Today I went to the regional Johnson/Synca warehouse and tried the flagship JP1100, the little Synca CirC and CirC+, and this bad boy, the Jin 2.0. The Jin 2.0 wins on price performance and space efficiency, comes in close to the Circ+ on aesthetics and rivals the JP1100 on massage feel. I was also considering two Costco models that I haven’t seen in person – the Kyota Kaizen M680 (maybe too short for my 6’1″ frame) and the Osaki LT Hiro (butt-ugly and bulky – but it does have brushless motors). Turns out these companies are in New Hampshire and Texas, respectively. Better for me to have local access to techs here in SoCal, just in case. I think it’s the Jin for the win! FWIW, YMMV.
It’s not often I get comments like yours! It did make me chuckle, so thank you for that. Haha I just recently reviewed the Hiro, and I gotta say I’m not digging the price. Do these chairs actually physically exist in Costco for you to try out? Did you end up pulling the trigger on the Jin 2.0? I think whatever you decide on, you’re definitely headed in the right direction. Let me know if I can help with anything!
Sadly, Costco is online-only for the chairs. Two were in the same price range as this one. There was a lot of online angst about how difficult they are to wrestle into place and assemble. I did pull the trigger on the Inner Balance Jin 2.0. The chair was delivered 2 days later by 3 burly, cheerful guys in a big Johnson Wellness truck. They had it inside, positioned and assembled in just a few minutes. My whole family has been enjoying it for more than a week now. Those outside of a local Johnson/Synca/Inner Balance service area might feel less pampered. Yet we are very happy, and a lot less sore. The only people sad about it are the nice, but expensive, massage therapists at our local spa.
Hahahaha that’s awesome! The most important thing is that you and your family found a chair that you’re happy with. The rest is all secondary, right? Are you still planning to make occasional visits to your therapist?
Home Depot has a Jin SL Track chair on sale for $2k now, now relatively priced to the Osaki OS Champ. Does that make this a great chair, price considered?
Hi Jeff, thanks for stopping by and dropping a comment! If it’s priced at $2K, then yes, I think the Jin 2.0 is worth considering. As mentioned in my post, it’s not a bad chair, just overpriced for my liking.
Also, one thing I’ve been noticing is that 2D chairs are pretty expensive for what you get compared to their 3D counterparts. I think at this point in time I’d be more inclined to opt for a 3D chair instead of 2D.