Lookin for a quality chair...

[Blazestorm]

So as I see it, I spend a lot of time in front of the computer, and know my school/job will be in front of a computer in the future as well.

I had a $80 chair from office-depot which seemed fine but was low quality and fell apart quite often, they were good about shipping replacement parts but it was a pain to have to replace them every other month.

So finally I bought a $350 chair from Staples, I sat in a few and this one was the most expensive/comfiest of the bunch for the short period I tested them out. But now I'm starting to feel it might not be enough. It seems back pain has gotten worse even if it is comfortable and seems well built, just might not be right.

Now I'm thinking of returning it and getting something ridiculous, but if ridiculous is going to last 10+ years it might be worth it eh? I know my Dad got a Herman Miller Aeron chair back in the late 90's and still uses it. So when I went searching I found the Herman Miller Embody Chair and it's starting to grow on me.

Just wondering what everyone else's thoughts are... spending $1000+ on a chair sounds ridiculous until you realize how much time you spend in a chair and how nice it would be to have comfort the entire time. Like spending $900 on a 30" Monitor or $100 on a nice keyboard (DAS Keyboard for me, actually got it for less then that, but not the point). You spend so much time in front of the computer depending on what you do, why not have the best? That's my logic atleast...

 

[sirmonkey1985]

i couldnt ever see my self spending a grand on a chair.. i mean heck.. i've replace my chairs once a year for going on 15 years now.. and i still havent spent anywhere near a grand total.. that chair looks nice but im not a fan of the narrow back on it.. but then again my body build probably isnt the same as yours since i have quite broad shoulders.. and for me atleast. i like having the arm rests attached to the back of the chair.. so that i can lean back in my chair and not have my arms sliding off the back of the arm rests..

honestly.. if it was me.. id just go around all the various stores that sell computer chairs.. find a design you like.. and then browse the web for a chair with a similar design thats a little more comfortable..

 

[sayu]

Just wondering what everyone else's thoughts are... spending $1000+ on a chair sounds ridiculous until you realize how much time you spend in a chair and how nice it would be to have comfort the entire time. Like spending $900 on a 30" Monitor or $100 on a nice keyboard (DAS Keyboard for me, actually got it for less then that, but not the point). You spend so much time in front of the computer depending on what you do, why not have the best? That's my logic atleast...

I like your logic there, I feel the same about these things. The only experience I have had with Herman Miller is with the Caper chairs since my uni has them and they are terribly uncomfortable, but the build quality is great. I'd say go for the chair if it works for you.

 

[Blazestorm]

The point of the narrow back is so that you can rotate your body and move your arms, without rotating the chair. and I can kinda see that being useful, the sides of your body don't need support as much as the spine does. And are you buying $50 chairs? Even then that just sounds terrible... honestly, I don't mind spending that much if I know it's going to be well used and going to last, but that's why I'm asking here because I think a lot more people have jobs related to computers on this forum and would have experience with this kind of stuff eh? Or atleast play a lot of games...

And yea, I saw some cheaper herman miller chairs at costco and thought "This looks like a $50 chair" I realize it was probably really well built, but it just seemed so cheap.

I'm 6'2, pretty big guy... this is currently what I got from staples... Stratton

It's not bad, just after using it for a few days not sure if I'd want to spend next few years sitting in it... it has a 14 day return policy so I gotta decide soon... I did get a $60 coupon on it only for the July 4th weekend though...

Sure I could keep the $1,000 and use a folding aluminum chair, spend that money on upgrading the computer or a new TV eh?

 

[evilsofa]

Short story is that it's between the Herman Miller Aeron (the famous one), the Steelcase Leap and the Humanscale Freedom.

Don't buy this class of chair sight unseen - go into some showrooms and try them out. Then buy them used - there are many of them in the business clearance stores, after so many businesses (particularly financial) have gone bankrupt.

 

[Devil24]

I got me a new chair today... a fully featured (adjustable everything) Herman Miller Mirra.

Bought it used, but it is on excellent condition. Got it at a business clearance store (which I found while checking Craig's List) for $175 (the basic model sells for $500+ online, the fully featured $650+).

 

[obobski]

I had Aeron chairs at uni and a friend's dad's house (he got like 3-4 of them from work for whatever reason), not the most comfortable thing ever, especially for over a grand, honestly I'm quite happy with my ~$200 chair from Staples

generally if the shape of the chair is agreeable (i.e: lumbar support and it comes up around my shoulders like a chair should), adding a pad to the sitting part (if needed) is no problem, you can get them at most home type stores (like Bed Bath & Beyond or whatever)

another thing that will make a chair more comfortable, including the aeron, put some sort of lightweight fabric over it (like a bedsheet or a t-shirt)