Case Study: An IT Pro's 5-Year Journey with X-Bows | User Review

For some people, a keyboard is just a keyboard. For David Chan, a Help Desk Manager with over 20 years in technology, it's the single most important tool he uses.

David is a "keyboard purist," a professional who grew up with the satisfying feedback of mechanical switches. For years, he found a compromise in the non-mechanical Microsoft Sculpt, which offered an ergonomic shape he loved.

But when that keyboard was discontinued, his search began. "I started researching," David said in an interview, "Are there any type of ergonomic mechanical keyboards?"

That search led him to a small Kickstarter campaign for a radical new design: the X-Bows. He decided to "try it out."

That was years ago. David has been a loyal customer ever since, placing 5 separate orders.

From One Keyboard to a Full Collection

David's journey shows a user who doesn't just use a product, but engages with it.

• His First: He started with one of the original RGB models from Kickstarter.
• The Workhorse: In 2020, he bought a Knight Plus for his IT work, loving the detachable numpad.
• The Upgrade: In 2021, he bought a second, updated Knight Plus, this time with the pass-through RGB keycaps he wanted.

As a true enthusiast, he's customized his boards, hot-swapping switches and keycaps to get the perfect feel. He loves the X-Bows layout because, unlike "massive" competitor boards, it keeps a "standard keyboard" footprint while delivering real ergonomic benefits.

The True Test: The "Lock-In" Effect

When asked if he could return to a normal keyboard, his answer was immediate.

"I can't," he says. "I actually find myself typing slower and making more errors."

He's candid that it wasn't an instant switch: "It's a learning curve, right? Absolutely. It took about a week to two weeks to kind of remember your keys again."

But after that initial adjustment, his posture and muscle memory have completely changed. He's no longer "forcing [his] arms to go straight" in an unnatural position. The X-Bows layout has become his new normal, and the old way now feels broken.

This is the most powerful endorsement: an IT professional, a keyboard purist, and a multi-purchase customer who, after years of use, is so fully adapted to a healthier way of typing that he can't go back.

Watch our full interview with David Chan below:

Ready to find your new 'normal'? Shop the X-Bows Knight Plus