How easy is it to go back to using staggered keyboards?

I use both regularly, no big issue switching. Don't worry.

It took me a month to get used to my Corne, mostly because I went split, and 40% (dependent on layers for everything). This was during the pandemic, so I was also WFH and didn’t need to use the laptop keyboard for a couple years.

When my company returned to office, and I started using the laptop occasionally, it took a couple hours to wake up my row-stagger muscle memory, but I’m able to switch between ergo and my laptop without issue.

I have three different kinds of keyboards. Regular, Alice and split ergo with columnar stagger. It always takes a little while to get back to speed when I switch boards. But I think that the layouts are different enough so that a distinct muscle memory forms for each one. I guess that the most important thing is that you should be fairly proficient with touch typing on a regular board before trying a different layout. If you are still in the phase of learning, I imagine that it gets really frustrating.

If you are switching regularly back and forth it's not a big deal. However, if you go for a few months or longer without using a row-staggered keyboard, then you may be in for a bigger adjustment when switching back.

I've been almost 100% colstag for a while and now every time I need to use a regular keyboard, it's a real shitshow.

Initially there was a difference for me, but now I can switch from one to another without a problem if I need to work on laptop keyboard for some reason.

As someone who only types a few words on staggered now and then, I have no problem as long as I look at the keyboard. I would probably need some learning period to write blind again.

I have no trouble at all switching between my 34 key weirdo ergo board and my laptop. When I was first learning the ergo, I did, but once I’d mastered it, no problem.

You’ll be fine. Just be patient as your muscle memory adapts.

Your brain is way more adaptable than you think. I go between 3 or 4 different keyboard layouts regularly and can use them all just fine. I think the secret is just to force yourself to recall locations from memory even if it takes a moment, only look up the layout if you are totally stuck. It's also kinda fun to see how weird of a layout your brain can get used to. E.g. one-handed layouts, morse code, stenography etc.

At first it was pretty hard, but I found that it became easier once I built up muscle memory for my Colemak-DH column stagger split keyboard. Suddenly switching between the split and my MacBook keyboard started working again.

no one wants to come back, as well as mastering the optimal layout, e.g. ColemakDH... Unless you have to - it depends on your practiced skills and muscle memory. I once heard a good comparison that it's like driving two different cars - a good driver can switch cars and drive each one without any problems.

I had difficulty to begin with, but now I can switch between them with no issues.

I have a few ortho boards, an horizontal staggered one and use a vertical stagger with strong pinky stagger (+ another with light pinky stagger) ; I can type on all of them but I'm now faster on split vertical stagger, and have to look often at the horizontal stagger one when typing.

On a normal board I was at 90wpm before using split vertical stagger boards full time, now only at 50ish but that's only because I use those very rarely now. It's a learning experience, don't feel afraid to be slower, you can relearn anything in no time

This was also my concern. When I first got an ortho, I spent 3 days 30 minutes each training how to use the ortho and then it just clicked. Then, I used only ortho for a couple days, then went back and forth between ortho and staggered for a few days. And... now I can switch back and forth with ease. It's surprisingly natural. There is a slight learning curve at first, and then it's easy.

I switch all the time between QWERTY, Colemak-dh, staggered, split, ortholinear -- basically every variation you can think of. Aside from a momentary: "Which keyboard am I on?" I have no issue switching.