Back in August of 2007 I wrote about BriteObjects's Webble, an ergonomic, hard-shell footrest. Well, I'm happy to report that the Webble is (finally) out of production and ready to be shipped to restless feet everywhere.

The Webble isn't an ordinary footrest, mind you; it enables free motion, provided by the integrated wheels. That's right, this stylish footrest is on wheels. "When we looked at the best footrests available today, we saw a huge opportunity for innovation in both function and form," said Steve Vassallo, founder of BriteObjects. "Upon investigating the category further, we became encouraged by the research that pointed to the physiological benefits of leg activity while seated ... "

For several weeks I took the Webble for a spin, revelling in the ability to easily move my legs around while working at my desk. You don't realize how stationary your legs remain at your desk until you start using the Webble. My hands-on (or shall I say, feet-on) account, after the jump.

The Webble weighs 4.5 pounds and measures 4.6 by 19.5 by 11.2 inches (HWD), so it won't take up a lot of room under your desk. It rests on four smooth gliding casters with a spring suspension, which resembles that of a skateboard. It comes in three styles: Black (black body, black cushion, black mesh), Red (black body, red cushion, black mesh) and Silver (black body, black cushion, Silver mesh).

On a typical work day before using the Webble, I would cross my legs at my desk, not really moving them around except to get up for a break. We all know that this can be detrimental to your health, keeping your legs still without circulating the blood while sitting. When I began using the Webble, I noticed a dramatic difference: My legs felt rested—not achy—at the end of the day. That's because I not only rested my legs on the footrest, I also moved the Webble around with my feet, getting in some much needed exercise.

Unfortunately, there's a drawback: the Webble costs a whopping $200. I asked the company why so it costs so much (I was expecting it to be around $25), and they had this to say: "While we are absolutely thrilled with how the final product has turned out (our early adopters tell us it's unparalleled in every dimension), we were ourselves surprised with how the costs stacked up when all was said and done ... We certainly hope to sell enough Webbles that we can reduce our costs and make the product even more accessible (though $25 would be an impossibility) in the future." Basically, for $25 you're probably going to get something made from a cheap plastic material that will break in a year; however, the Webble seems very durable and built to last.

While the price may steer you away, I highly recommend using it. Besides, how often can you say that you got a work out—at work?

An updated (10/10/08) commentary from the Webble designers:

"The Webble is no doubt a premium product, though in our opinion, it is by no means over-priced. If you check out the various static or semistatic premium footrests available from the likes of Herman Miller or HumanScale, you will find that the Webble is actually priced quite competitively. Point being: the Webble offers far more functionality, ergonomic performance, and quality than any other footrest on the market, and as such, we wouldn't expect it to be compared to $29 products that, in our opinion, don't offer much more user benefit than a plastic waste basket turned on its side. By way of another example, if you look at the relative price of high-quality ottomans, they are typically 25 percent of the chair price, which puts the $200 Webble price tag on target in relation to an Aeron chair."