New Computer Chair ~$500

E

Eocene

Limp Gawd
Joined
Nov 21, 2004
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I'm looking for a new computer chair around $500. My current chair ($100) fell apart.

I've been looking at things like the Leap chair, the Freedom chair.. and I've had my eye on the Ergohuman w/ highback for a while now.... I might even consider the Mirra.



I was just going to buy the ergohuman but I've heard it might not be the best for people around 5'6-5'7.... (something about the armrests not lowering much and other annoyances).



(I can go for a bit more.. but I think $500 for a chair is good enough for now.. tho maybe there is something really great out there)


Thanks
 
Good chairs are hard to come by in my region so a short summery of what I've tested.

Only used the Humanscale Liberty for an extended period of time (but the Freedom have the same recline system).
The Liberty is comfortable (really great back) when sitting upright, but when reclining there's always the feeling it wants me to slide off (can create very uncomfortable tension between pants and their containments after reclining a few times (recline, recline, recline, adjust, recline...))

Had the Mirra a while long, upholstery wasn't available at the time, and the hard plastic back was uncomfortable against my scapula after extended periods of time (if there are enough fat deposits the plastic back would also be ok). Other than that very nice chair, but don't get it without upholstery.
Generally prefer the Aeron/Mirra recline over the Humanscale stuff. (use an aeron at the moment, it's a bit restrictive in possible sitting positions but nice if you sit normally and get one in the right size.)
Couldn't resist ordering an Embody (great offer due to pound/euro exchange rate could probably sell it at a profit).. but haven't yet used one and delivery time is so long I even forgot what color I ordered.. should arrive in a few weeks but it's probably over budget anyway, but will let you know how it compares if you like.

Steelcase,
Leap, nice chair, never used it for extended periods of time though (to me the recline was not as relaxing as the (rocking chair-ish) miller stuff , but really comfortable as a whole, can't think of anything bad about it once set up properly.)
Think, a bit flimsy, ok but not great.
Please old versions were uncomfortable (round mid part), the new ones (angular mid part) are nice.

Chadwick back too low for relaxed computer use, edge dug into my scapula.. wouldn't want to sit on it leaned back for more than an hour.

Ergohuman isn't available over here. (at least haven't seen it)

With a chair depends a lot on the person sitting on it...
if you got the option it'd probably be best if you could try them for 60+ minutes at a local dealer before deciding. Closing the eyes, sitting still. When testing you'll just have to remember that everything that will be a little uncomfortable after 30 minutes will be painful after a whole day.
 
Thank you for your great post...

I've never heard of the embody chair.. hmmm... at first glance it seems very tempting... what has been your experience with this chair (did it just blow the others away?)


Thanks
 
Tai said:
Forget those crappy chairs at office depot, staples, regular consumer office furniture and pick up this steelcase chair
http://cgi.ebay.com/BLACK-STEELCASE...ms=65:1|66:2|39:1|240:1318|301:0|293:2|294:50
Click to expand...

Eocene said:
I'm looking for a new computer chair around $500. My current chair ($100) fell apart.

I've been looking at things like the Leap chair, the Freedom chair.. and I've had my eye on the Ergohuman w/ highback for a while now.... I might even consider the Mirra. ...
Click to expand...

:p I agree, the Leap is nice.
 
As an eBay Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
At this price range, the Ergohuman would be your best bet. I have the highback one with the neck support and it's AMAZING. Comfortable for hours whether sitting up and working or leaning back and relaxing. I have a small apartment, so this is both my work and lounge chair and I wouldn't change it.
 
Eocene said:
I've never heard of the embody chair.. hmmm... at first glance it seems very tempting... what has been your experience with this chair (did it just blow the others away?)
Click to expand...

so far haven't got any experience with it... still waiting for the delivery (will take another 2 to 3 weeks, ordered two months ago..), never seen one in person. ^^;

One addition to the Humanscale products, some really like the way they recline, some hate it. You might need to test it for yourself. If you settle for one of those, get the gel seat upgrade or how they call it. You won't feel a large difference when sitting on it for short, but it really helps at the end of the day.
 
I would stay away from mesh chairs. Yes, they look modern and cool but it's not as comfortable as you would think.
 
Tai said:
I would stay away from mesh chairs. Yes, they look modern and cool but it's not as comfortable as you would think.
Click to expand...

Depends on where you live and if air conditioning is available..
Low end mesh chairs can be terrible but the humanscale liberty back is one of the nicest I've used.
It's hard to get pressure distribution right with a mesh chair (especially on the seat pan which can, literally, be a pain in the ass) but it's not completely impossible.
But the main problem of mesh is that the chair size has to fit to your body, since the frame holding the mesh can get really uncomfortable if you end up sitting on it..
One of the biggest complaints about the aeron char was the front of the seatpan digging into the legs.. which happens if you got a too big chair size.
 
Hmm yeah.. I've been looking at the Aeron given that it is quite cheap on ebay and craigslist now....


I guess I'll have to try the leap and Aeron
 
Some additional things about the aeron.
The standard lumbar support thing is uncomfortable, and you probably won't want to use it. (it's easily taken out so it's not a problem.. and lumbar support will still be ok)
Posture fit is nice.. but I wouldn't call it an absolute necessarity.

Also the armrests on some models are fastened with a wheel (which can loosen and has to be rotated in different directions to fasten for left and right.. which is a bit confusing at first)
http://www.ultimatebackstore.com/images/main/aeron-lumbar-pad.jpg
Whereas newer models are clipped in place. (I'm sure about the gray model that I've got and the one with polished aluminum.. but no idea if they also changed all the graphite ones.)
http://www.theiceteam.com/docs/aeron_files/aeron32sm.jpg

And the new textiles are more comfortable than the classic.
 
I should mention my other option would be a swiss ball.. I'm wondering what kind of research has been done on that and why nobody talks about it.



(I did use a swiss ball for a while.. I now forgot why I stopped using it.. I do know my older ball burst...
 
Eocene said:
I should mention my other option would be a swiss ball.. I'm wondering what kind of research has been done on that and why nobody talks about it.
Click to expand...
there are some odd balls out there.. http://sitincomfort.com/palbalchair.html and some other chairs that are deliberately unstable for keeping muscles occupied, but forgot the name..

I guess no one mentioned them cause most of us like to sit on something we won't fall off when getting sleepy in front of the screen ^^;
Same with kneeling chairs.. (my knees would hurt after sitting on a cheap one I once had for a while, maybe those with tempur/viscoelastic upholstery would be ok though..)
 
Those kneeling chairs...they are basically just like a massage chair. I was thinking that if I took the massage chair and removed the face holder that thing would be the best PC chair ever.
 
I wonder if the swiss/fitness ball is bad for you at all... (besides not being able to sleep too comfortably while on it).
 
Actually some strongly advocate a dynamic sitting position for training the muscles as prevention for back problems. (Swopper, SpinaliS http://www.backinaction.co.uk/spinalis)
As long as you keep a good upright sitting position on the ball and don't sit on it like a monkey eating banana slices off the keyboard (true for any kind of chair), there's nothing wrong in using one as computer chair.
There's extremely interesting stuff on the market, and chairs are as different as the ideologies they represent ranging from "sitting sux, I want workout" (swiss ball/swopper etc.) over "I like to sit normally and make the best of it" (Embody, leap worklounge, etc.) to "let's not be restrained by conventional sitting positions" (which range from normal stuff like the hag capisco all the way to to the Stance Angle Chair)
 
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