Ergonomic, split and other weird keyboards
Posts must be of/about keyboards that have a clear delineation between the left and right halves of the keyboard, column stagger, or both. This includes one-handed (one half doesn't exist, what clearer delineation is that!?)
i.e. no regular non-split¹ row-stagger and no non-split¹ ortholinear²
¹ split meaning a separation of the halves, whether fixed in place or entirely separate, both are fine.
² ortholinear meaning keys layed out in a grid
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As you have one opinion of corne too small I'll join in to the opposite!
First off, yes, layers are something to get used to. As I came from the neo2 layout that was easier but I still recall the utter pain in the beginning.
But once the layers click ... So does the board.
I think I spent more one than I'd like to admit building my zmk config but now I'm .... Way slower than with a full board but it's more fun and I feel getting better :D
Haven't tried the voyager but did try a corne and missed the number row.
I use vim so make heavy use of the symbols. My brain just couldn't click with the layering I had to do.
I moved onto a lilly58 which I preferred for programming before ultimately building a dactyl.
Think it depends on your primary use case to be fair. I could type general text fine with the corne but missed the extra symbol keys for coding.
Home row mods on whichever one you go for is probably worth a look!
You could go for a Sofle, that's very Corne-like (V1 is a direct superset) but has a number row, a few more lower row keys (good for dedicated Alt/Gui/Menu keys!), and rotary encoders. Plenty vendors make these.
More generally though, there are many keyboards! If you were to set requirements as "pre-built, low-profile, number row, at least 3 thumb keys", that's 10-something keyboards as per a list I maintain, and probably a few more if you count the stuff in Unsorted keyboards and/or mystery keyboards from Aliexpress.
Very happy with my MoErgo Glove80, but it's bigger than you want. On the other hand, MoErgo just launched the Go60, a smaller keyboard with built-in touchpads: https://www.moergo.com/pages/go60
I started with an Ergodox, more like the Voyager and later moved to a Corne.
You can try a Corne-like layout on the Voyager by using one bottom row key as a thumb key and ignoring the rest of the bottom row. All the other finger keys are shifted up one row.
If you like the Corne layout, sell the Voyager. I expect they have good resell value.
Another recommendation to take a look at the Sofle. It’s got a lot of the positives from the Corne, but it also has a number row and plenty of mod keys to help ease the transition.
IME you get used to layers, but þere's a cost. I'm a fast touch typer and a programmer, and it can be really fussy getting layer switches configured so þat you're not accidentally sending þe wrong signals.
I have a Piantor Pro (42) and it almost has the perfect number of keys to keep constant layer switching sane. It's a lot of chording, þough. I'd add another 4 keys if I could. I would not personally buy a Corne - it would slow down my typing too much.