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geekhack Community => Ergonomics => Topic started by: thegunner100 on Mon, 12 November 2012, 15:39:06

Title: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Mon, 12 November 2012, 15:39:06: A guide to high-end ergonomic task chairs!

This is a basic guide to ergonomic task chair features that you may find helpful in deciding which chair to get. If there is anything I can do to improve this guide, please post here or PM me directly and I'll update the guide to the best of my ability. We spend hours of our day on a chair, especially if that's for our job. It is important for us to be able to sit comfortably in our chairs, as this will save us from potential back problems in the future. Not every chair may fit you, so it is important for you to try the chair out if possible. If you can't do that, then try to buy from a store or reputed online retailer with a good return policy.

If you own or have sat in any of these chairs, please post your comments in this thread and I'll update this post accordingly. I'm listing the most popular chairs here; if you've sat in the less known high-end chairs, post your opinions here!

Old Threads:
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=34779.0 -mkawa
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=31633.0 -me

Online Retailers: SmartFurniture (http://www.smartfurniture.com/), TheHumanSolution (http://www.thehumansolution.com/)

I highly recommend purchasing from SmartFurniture. Their customer service is great, and I got a 5% discount through their offer system. They are also having a 10% off Steelcase sale near the end of November if anyone is interested in purchasing a chair from them

Herman Miller - 15% off from Nov 19 to Dec 10
Aeron (http://www.hermanmiller.com/products/seating/work-chairs/aeron-chairs.html) - $629.00 base, no arms
[attach=1]

Embody (http://www.hermanmiller.com/products/seating/work-chairs/embody-chairs.html) - $1,099.00 base, no arms
[attach=2]

Mirra (http://www.hermanmiller.com/products/seating/work-chairs/mirra-chairs.html) - $599.00 base, fixed arms
[attach=3]

Sayl (http://www.hermanmiller.com/products/seating/work-chairs/sayl-chairs.html) - $399.00 base, fixed arms
[attach=4]

Steelcase
Leap (http://www.steelcase.com/en/products/category/seating/task/leap/pages/overview.aspx) - $769.00 base, no arms
Most expensive of the steelcase chairs, with the most features, and also the most well known by Steelcase.

[attach=5]

Amia (http://www.steelcase.com/en/products/category/seating/task/amia/pages/overview.aspx) - $519.00 base, no arms
The little brother to the Leap, with most of its features for only about 2/3 the price. It has a slightly different curve on its back, compared to the Leap.

[attach=6]

Think (http://www.steelcase.com/en/products/category/seating/task/think/pages/overview.aspx) - $629.00 base, no arms.

[attach=7]

Humanscale

Freedom (http://humanscale.com/products/product_detail.cfm?group=FreedomTaskChair) - $899.00 base, w/ arms
[attach=8]

Liberty (http://humanscale.com/products/product_detail.cfm?group=LibertyTaskChair) - $879.00 base w/ arms
[attach=9]

Diffrient (http://humanscale.com/products/product_detail.cfm?group=diffrientworldchair) - $659.00 base, no arms
[attach=10]

Knoll
Generation (http://www.knoll.com/products/product.jsp?prod_id=865) - $711.00 base, no arms
[attach=11]

ReGeneration (http://www.knoll.com/products/product.jsp?prod_id=932) - $541.00/$643.00 base, no arms
[attach=12]

Others
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide
Post by: thegunner100 on Mon, 12 November 2012, 15:39:47: RESERVED POST #2

Guide to choosing the right chair for YOU.

parts of a ergo chair, from the ground up
(leg portion)
Leg type - Casters(wheels) vs Legs
Generally you'll want castors so that you can move around your workstation without having to get up.

Castor type - Soft vs Hard
Very important! Soft casters are used for carpeted surfaces whereas hard casters are used for hard floors. Pick the caster that will most fit your floor type, to prevent your body from straining itself to move around.

Adjustable height pneumatic (yes/no) - You're obviously going to want a height adjustable chair. It's important that your chair is low enough that your feet are flat on the ground, and that your thighs make a 90 degree with the floor. Also important for the relationship between your arms & keyboard, and your eyes to the monitor.

(seat portion)
swivel (yes/no) - Almost every task chair will swivel, meaning that you can spin the chair around without having to actually get up to turn it.

seat material
plastic (lawn chair) - Task chairs generally don't come in just plastic, obviously for comfort reasons.
leather - Very nice feeling and smooth. Easier to clean and maintain than fabric imo. Does tend to get hotter than fabric or mesh though.
fabric (like couch) - Generally the standard option. Breathable and comfortable usually.
mesh - Will better conform to the shake of your body, and provides a lot more airflow than either fabric or leather. Can possibly be more comfortable than either, depending on the person.

Seat adjusts for depth - You'll want to have about 2-3in between the back of your knee and the seat. A seat that is too far forward will lack proper lower back support, and a seat that is too short will cause blood circulation problems.

Seat adjusts forward/backward tilt - Used to adjust for reclining or sitting forward. Usually an extra option on chairs. You'll want your feet to be flat on the ground even when you're reclining or leaning forward.

Reclining Features - Generally chairs will recline backward, but many chairs have different reclining features. You'll want a chair that has tilt tension control, so that you may adjust the tension to your preference. Reclining is important as you'll want to change your sitting position throughout the day to relieve stress on your muscles.

Some chairs will have a tilt lock option, which is not always necessary if the chair has an auto-lock like the Amia.

(back portion)
lumbar support - This is usually an extra add-on feature on HM chairs, or built-in for the Steelcase chairs. Your lumbar region of the spine is curved inwards, so the lumbar support should push out the portion of the chair where your lumbar is.

lumbar support depth adjustment - Personal preference between pronounced or subtle lumbar support

lumbar support height adjustment - Helpful in that everyone's spine is different, and thus you should adjust the lumbar support's height so that it supports your specific lumbar section.

Head rest
head rest tilt /and/or height adjustment -

(arm rests)
arm rests - If you have the space for it, then get it. Arm rests are very important for supporting the shoulders.
arm rests height adjustment - You'll want the arm rests low enough so that your elbow forms a 90 degree angle. You'll also want the arm rest high enough so that it lines up with your keyboard tray. Your wrists should be relatively flat, not curving upward or downwards while resting.

arm rests lateral adjustment (left right, and depth) - More of a convenience factor. Highly recommended if you can afford the extra option. This will help you with sitting in different positions throughout the day, as well as making sure that your elbows are tucked near your body properly.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide
Post by: thegunner100 on Mon, 12 November 2012, 15:40:19: The Ergonomic Task Chair Club
thegunner100 - Steelcase Amia
mkawa - Herman Miller Aeron
ripster - Steelcase Leap
Amarok - Herman Miller Aeron
sordna - Herman Miller Aeron
Lanx - Ergohuman
Trent - Herman Miller Aeron
xcelerate - Humanscale Freedom
Glod - Herman Miller Embody
ChaoticKinesis - Herman Miller Mirra
Kurplop - Steelcase Leap
CPTBadAss - Steelcase Leap
mistakemistake - Steelcase Leap

Chair counts:
Steelcase - 5
Herman Miller - 6
Other - 1
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Lanx on Wed, 14 November 2012, 11:29:03: [copy/paste and adjust to fit the guide if you want, i'm just listing off the top of my head what i know, also some of this is either not apply or all built in like a leap chair so while not THE guide, it's a starting point]

parts of a ergo chair, from the ground up
(leg portion)
stationary (legs) vs.
rolling

adjustable height pneumatic (yes/no)

(seat portion)
swivel (yes/no)

seat material
plastic (lawn chair)
leather
fabric (like couch)
mesh

Seat adjusts for depth

Seat adjusts forward/backward tilt

(back portion)
lumbar support
lumbar support depth adjustment
lumbar support height adjustment

Head rest
head rest tilt /and/or height adjustment

(arm rests)
arm rests
arm rests height adjustment
arm rests lateral adjustment (left right, and depth)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: alaricljs on Wed, 14 November 2012, 11:49:58: I think seat cover and cushion should be broken out... altho for most mesh chairs they are one in the same, standard upholstered chairs will have both and the cushion itself can be a major part of comfort.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Wed, 14 November 2012, 18:54:21: Thanks Lanx!

alaricljs, what do you mean by "broken out"?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: alaricljs on Wed, 14 November 2012, 18:56:03: Listed separately.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: mkawa on Wed, 14 November 2012, 22:59:32: one might note that my aeron is fully adjustable + arms + posturefit, and i would not use any other aeron variant (i would go with a fully adjust + arms mirra instead)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Thu, 15 November 2012, 12:51:42: Still in the process of testing out the Amia. The one feature that I like most is the adjustable arms. Now my shoulders aren't sore any more from having to be suspended in the air while I use my computer.

I find that the chair supports my lower and mid back very well, but I still find that my upper back gets tight sometimes and then I have to straighten/crack my upper back. I've been stretching a bit more, and it's helping a bit. I'm hoping that it's just me, and not the chair that's causing my upper back to be tight. I know that my previous bungie chair that I used at school caused me some severe upper and lower back pain.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Wed, 21 November 2012, 12:46:50: Chair adjustments section mostly finished, I'll need to write up a section on posture/stretching as well, since it is just as important, if not more important than ergonomics.

Will fix up formatting later when I have more content.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: TheGreatAmphibianPling on Sun, 03 February 2013, 22:21:03: I use a Hu-scale Freedom and it has worked very well for me. The main advantage is that it's the simplest to adjust to fit - you get your seat height right and then the back and you are done. Some of the other's require a vast range of adjustments for a complete fit - 20 for the Leap? - and intuition is a dangerous guide: what feels immediately right is often very bad for you, especially if you do have a postural problem.

Other strong points of the Freedom: the thin but very high tech foam is perfectly supportive and doesn't create the circulation hotspots that deeper foam can; the spine support is perfect.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: TheGreatAmphibianPling on Sun, 03 February 2013, 22:34:08: Quote
arm rests - If you have the space for it, then get it. Arm rests are very important for supporting the shoulders.

The most important thing with an armrest is that it should be able to move completely out of the way - ie close to seat level. Not everyone needs them, someone people are harmed by them - and virtually no one should use them all the time. Poorly fitting armrests can do a lot of damage - and width is important as well as height:

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/computerworkstations/components_chair.html
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: TotalChaos on Mon, 04 February 2013, 09:45:54: After years of abusing my body, tendons and nerves by using my computer in an antiergonomical manner I developed hypersensitivity to everything and became allergic to sitting in chairs. Especially I just can't type or mouse with an armrest touching my arms or elbows all the time. Years of sitting in a chair with hard armrests and mousing and keyboarding frantically irritated the hell out of my ulnar and median nerves.

At that point it became an emergency for me to find a chair that caused me the least pain possible. This was years ago.

I went to Office Depot and tested out all of their chairs. The first thing that terribly distressed me was that every single chair in the whole store had arm rests! Argh! I simply cannot tolerate touching armrests ever again! And most of the chairs had HARD armrests. Ugh. But then the nice salesperson told me that certain chairs would function perfectly if I simply did not attach the armrests in the first place. I don't understand why that information was not clearly stated on the label or the box.

What is important to me:
Height adjustable to as low a height as possible. Even though I am a tall dude. I picked out the chair that went the lowest in the whole store. It still was not low enough for me. Pressure on my sciatic nerve kills me so I compensated for this by placing a large seat cushion from a couch under my feet to lift up my feet and keep pressure off my sciatic nerve.

Shape of seat should be what I call "normal". Some/many chairs have a seat that lifts up toward the knees. This mashes a lot of pressure into my sciatic nerve. I never liked seats like that even before I developed all this chronic pain. I always had Restless Leg Syndrome and my legs never liked being mashed into like that.

I was once given a $700.00 really fancy office chair. But due to the seat pointing upwards I just can't use it. (Also it has FIXED Armrests argh!). It is now the guest chair. My guests love that chair. :)

High Back I have a bad back so I need a high back chair. I simply can't tolerate low back chairs.

It has to give. The chair must have give. In the seat and in the back. In other words it has to be the exact opposite of concrete. It has to flex and squish and have some elasticity. The difference in comfort level between a hard ungiving chair and a soft giving chair is tremendous.

I prefer a chair with springs in the seat for suspension. But they didn't have any at Office Depot or Wal Mart so I had to give up on this. :(

Mesh Back This is not necessarily a dealbreaker. But a Mesh Back sure is nice. The one on the chair I got gives and stretches quite comfortably. Aaaahhhhh... And it is so much cooler than a solid back! I live in Texas where we have 4 seasons: Hot Humid Summer, Hot Humid Summer, Hot Humid Summer, Warm Humid Fall. :p So the mesh back just really works great for me.

Wheels. Wheels are great.

I think the only adjustments on my chair are height adjustment and back can be locked or not locked. AFAIK it has no other adjustments.

Thank God I was able to get this chair! Without this chair there is no way I could be here typing this message!

And the best part was, it was ON SALE for only $199.00. Holy crap! No wait, the best part was, they tried really hard to give it to me for free! They seemed very confused. I picked out the chair and they just took it out to my car. I was like "uhmmm what are u doing?" and they were like "taking your chair out to your car for u" and I was like "uhmm ok but shouldn't I pay for it first?" And they were like "but u already did" and I was like "Crikey! I know I am on serious drugz but I just can't remember paying for it..." So I went back in and paid for it. Maybe I paid twice. But I think I only paid once. Who really knows.

I have had the chair for about 4 years now. It still rolls quite well despite being abused and rolled across the parking lot each month to do the doctor visit.

The upholstery is all cracked and ikky looking, partly from being jammed into the back of my Escort's super small car. The very first time this chair was jammed into a small chair it developed a crack. The crack got bigger each time.

I do not know the make or model of my chair. I can try to find the instruction manual some time if anyone wants to know.

My fave chair of all time was a long time ago: the seat in my beautiful Pontiac Bonneville. It was sooooooooooo soft! It had lots of springs. Imagine that! They put springs in a chair! Who would ever think to do that!? And it was super duper mega hydraulically adjustable. You could adjust every little aspect of that seat hydraulically. It was Awesome! It actually fixed a lot of my back pain back then.

I would love to have a chair like that again! Only in my house this time!
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: keymaster on Mon, 04 February 2013, 15:48:08: I have this chair from Tigerdirect: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5086228&CatId=1541

For the price, it's definitely worth a buy for those who don't have $500+ to spend on a computer chair. It's especially well-suited for big/tall people because of the high back and headrest.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Lighthouse1 on Mon, 04 February 2013, 15:59:36: I am but a junior noob here but am sitting in a rather nice Steelcase Leap in dark brown leather which came originally from Lehman brothers (bank went to the wall Ebay seller had hundreds of them in a warehouse - I collected this one and then went back for another for my other half and there were Leaps as far as the eye could see. It has a service record sticker a bit like buying a car, made me chuckle). I did loads of research on chairs and this one is a lucky find.

I am really impressed with it. It's exactly not just randomly the right height, the seat comes forwards to ensure you can have feet flat (or not too dreadful if you cross your legs now and then. The adjustable swingy arm rests are great and avoid too much pressure and the flexible back is a bonus for stretching and changing position. It took me a while to get used to it and adjust it (it has a manual and enough settings to keep a geek going for a while) but now my problem will be what happens when it breaks or something! It felt really odd and quite uncomfortable the first few times I used it until I realised it was trying to stop me slouching. Sitting properly its very comfy and I don't get stiff after a few hours working at home.

It's heavy though, you could rupture yourself moving it down a flight of stairs.

We have Steelcases at work too, but not the Leap, so its luxury first at home.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: TotalChaos on Mon, 04 February 2013, 16:58:45: Quote from: keymaster on Mon, 04 February 2013, 15:48:08
I have this chair from Tigerdirect: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5086228&CatId=1541

For the price, it's definitely worth a buy for those who don't have $500+ to spend on a computer chair. It's especially well-suited for big/tall people because of the high back and headrest.
The price is awesome!

But can the armrests be completely 100% totally removed?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: CPTBadAss on Mon, 04 February 2013, 17:05:19: Like Lighthouse1, we have Steelcase Leaps at work. I like my work chair so much that I'm going to buy one for myself at home. The armrests are adjustable, the back has a nice tension on it so I get support but I can lean back if I please, and the cushion on the bottom never seems to deflate.

I'm probably picking mine up at a local office furniture store that has second-hand one. The price is considerably cheaper than buying a new one.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: keymaster on Mon, 04 February 2013, 17:07:00: Quote from: TotalChaos on Mon, 04 February 2013, 16:58:45
Quote from: keymaster on Mon, 04 February 2013, 15:48:08
I have this chair from Tigerdirect: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5086228&CatId=1541

For the price, it's definitely worth a buy for those who don't have $500+ to spend on a computer chair. It's especially well-suited for big/tall people because of the high back and headrest.
The price is awesome!

But can the armrests be completely 100% totally removed?

I had to put the chair together, so yes, the armrests are removable. However, I find them very comfortable as they align my elbows and hands nicely with my keyboard. I got the chair for $120 on sale, but even at $140 it's a great buy. :)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: TotalChaos on Mon, 04 February 2013, 22:41:07: I forgot to mention that with my cheapo $200.00 Office Depot chair I "custom modded" it by placing a standard memory foam pillow on the seat from WalMart and then I added a "Coccyx Cushion" from Walgreens on top of that. And that is quite comfortable. The chair would still be better if it had springs tho.

The Coccyx Cushion from Walgreens is a memory foam pillow cut in a triangular shape (to keep pressure off my sciatic nerve) and it also has a hole cut it in where your coccyx goes. Its the most intelligent butt-pillow(tm) I have ever seen. It isn't 100% perfect as I wish it was a bit thicker. But I still give it a 90% rating. In fact I think I will buy a spare one.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: DamienG on Tue, 05 February 2013, 01:01:53: I had a Herman Mirra at Microsoft which I loved.

Later had a Herman Aeron at Netflix which I didn't love.

When I left to setup my own company I drew a deep breath and forked out for a Mirra of my own. It's definitely the most comfortable task chair I've used.

[)amien
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: singaporean123 on Tue, 05 February 2013, 01:17:43: I think these will do well for people with back problems. I have a slipped disc and am contemplating to spend money a good chair like this -.-
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Lanx on Tue, 05 February 2013, 02:09:30: i love memory foam, to the point that when i had my dog, memory foam mattress pads for dogs didn't exist so i made one for my dog, he wasn't a 20lb dog either a 50lb shepherd so i had to buy a twin sized memory foam mattress, cut it up and stuff it in his bed. You know it sounds silly, and i sound like a dog lover, but i really appreciated it, when his cancer came back with a vengence, and he just laid on the kitchen floor for 2 days(before i put him down) that it was enough to create elbow sores (his elbows and knees were rubbed raw from trying to get up so much, i didn't notice this until he was put down). If just two days can damage an animal to that extent (cuz i know he was perfect before), i take ergonomics very serious.

But even then i don't have a memory foam seat, i find it too, hot, it creates a lot of moisture. (i like the mesh)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: TotalChaos on Tue, 05 February 2013, 03:37:38: I have white pillow cases on my memory foam pillows. Keeps things cool. Or maybe I am just such a k00l guy :cool: that I can handle the heat :p
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: LifeIsGooD2 on Tue, 05 February 2013, 08:49:52: I have an aeron chair that came with no lumbar or posture fit ... are they worth ordering ?

is the chair even ergonomic without them ?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Lanx on Tue, 05 February 2013, 19:57:18: if you've ever had lumbar before, then no it's not worth ordering, cuz you'll just keep on missing the lumbar support, if you've never had it, then maybe, you'll just get used to the way the aeron tilts.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: mkawa on Tue, 05 February 2013, 21:55:51: Quote from: LifeIsGooD2 on Tue, 05 February 2013, 08:49:52
I have an aeron chair that came with no lumbar or posture fit ... are they worth ordering ?

is the chair even ergonomic without them ?
imo, the chair is not ergonomic without one of the kits. maybe i'm just a fatty with bad posture, but the mesh back itself gives me zero back support. i tried both the lumbar lump and the posturefit and the posturefit was vastly superior, supporting from the base of the spine instead of just jabbing into my lower back.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: alaricljs on Tue, 05 February 2013, 22:40:02: I'm trying to picture you as a fatty and it's just not working.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: TotalChaos on Wed, 06 February 2013, 01:07:35: My brother just uses a pillow of the right shape and size for his lumbar support.

When he comes to visit me he just mashes together a towel and an old shirt into the right shape and size and uses that. Works perfectly for him.

I never use lumbar support myself. Doesn't work for me so great.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: jwaz on Wed, 06 February 2013, 01:13:07: I've got an Aeron at work but I think for home I want something else...
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: LifeIsGooD2 on Wed, 06 February 2013, 09:48:40: has anyone installed a posture fit to the aeron ?

is it easy or difficult ?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: mkawa on Wed, 06 February 2013, 10:44:35: posturefit install is super easy as long as you own a pencil (seriously) and are reasonably careful.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Lanx on Wed, 06 February 2013, 12:29:43: adjustable lumbar for me is pretty essential, to the point that sitting in a fold out chair (when i visit home, my computer desk is a makeup desk [don't judge usually your old room gets turned into some project your mom does, and mine happens to be a second closet!] and a fold out chair i guess for space reasons) and working, i can barely do it for more than 2 hours. Now don't get me wrong i can relax in a foldout chair or kitchen chair just fine, play cards, talk for hours, no problem, but if i have to focus on a task like computer work, i get aggitated after 2hours.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: LifeIsGooD2 on Wed, 06 February 2013, 13:59:38: so probably a good idea for me to order the posture fit for my chair ?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Wed, 06 February 2013, 14:41:39: Didn't realize that this thread was revived recently! I still feel a little bit iffy about the amia. Its a fairly good chair but my back still gets stiff after a while even with some breaks and stretching. Might just be because I
Sit in it for like 8+ hours each day. I actually kinda wish that there was a tilt lock on the amia rather than a resistance lock.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: mkawa on Wed, 06 February 2013, 15:07:24: Quote from: LifeIsGooD2 on Wed, 06 February 2013, 13:59:38
so probably a good idea for me to order the posture fit for my chair ?
i could not use my aeron without it, but ymmv
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: longweight on Wed, 06 February 2013, 15:11:31: I have a Humanscale chair, love it!
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Lanx on Wed, 06 February 2013, 19:03:44: someone should do an ergonomic desk guide!
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: LifeIsGooD2 on Thu, 07 February 2013, 08:38:17: anyone have this headrest for the aeron ?

http://www.amazon.com/VendorGear-Headrest-Herman-Miller-Aeron/dp/B005L9ATK6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360247853&sr=8-1&keywords=aeron+chair+headrest

pretty good reviews ... is it good ergonomically though ?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Lanx on Thu, 07 February 2013, 13:28:03: i can't vouch for that one, but i've spent years w/o a headrest, and my current ergo chair has a headrest and i wouldn't live w/o one now. (plus it's mesh, so it gives that little mesh bounceback)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: LifeIsGooD2 on Thu, 07 February 2013, 17:56:07: ok the reviews are good might have to try it out when I order the posture fit :D
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: TotalChaos on Sat, 09 February 2013, 11:58:36: Quote from: thegunner100 on Wed, 06 February 2013, 14:41:39
Didn't realize that this thread was revived recently! I still feel a little bit iffy about the amia. Its a fairly good chair but my back still gets stiff after a while even with some breaks and stretching. Might just be because I
Sit in it for like 8+ hours each day. I actually kinda wish that there was a tilt lock on the amia rather than a resistance lock.
You are allowed to get up and walk around for 6 minutes every hour.

And when I say "allowed" I mean "required" ;)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Saturn on Thu, 21 March 2013, 10:28:59: Does anyone know about a line/brand of chairs called Bodybilt?

My own chair was in bad shape, so my dad brought me chair from his workplace. I didn't give much thought to it at the time, figured it was just some cheapo chair from office depot, but later looked it up and apparently it's known as the Bodybilt K2502, a fairly expensive ergonomic office chair. Despite being a high-end "ergonomic" chair, I find it quite uncomfortable.

In fact, it's one of the least comfortable chairs I've ever sat in. And there's nothing about the chair that seesm to suggest it's a high-end chair. It's build quality doesn't stand out to me in any way.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: WarNutts on Thu, 21 March 2013, 21:28:57: damn id love to sit on one of these chairs
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: rarar on Sun, 24 March 2013, 12:01:48: I have this gigantic IKEA chair that looks somewhat like those chairs you posted, in the background of this picture http://i.imgur.com/UL9EOqPh.jpg
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: SmallTomato on Mon, 25 March 2013, 07:33:32: I actually work for a major office furniture seller. I have sat in almost all those chairs.

One of my personal favorites is the Nightingale 6200D CXO
(http://www.ugoburo.ca/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/n/i/nightingale-cxo-6200d-angle__97494_zoom.jpg)

I prefer it to the Aeron. The seat is like a mesh knit instead of a traditional mesh/mesh chair. The CXO/LXO are both good chairs.

Some other vendors to look at are Allseating, their Inertia collection is pretty good ( stay away from the guest chairs though) for a cheaper price tag. Allsteel and Chromcraft are also decent, but Chromcraft doesnt win out on any of the others listed in this thread. I can give more specific recommendations later but I am late for work.

Another thing important is find the type of mechanism you like best. Multi tilt gives you more control while something like syncro tilt you give up some control for automatic adjustments. Or if you need something like knee tilt
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: aggiejy on Mon, 25 March 2013, 22:04:53: Quote from: Saturn on Thu, 21 March 2013, 10:28:59
Does anyone know about a line/brand of chairs called Bodybilt?

My own chair was in bad shape, so my dad brought me chair from his workplace. I didn't give much thought to it at the time, figured it was just some cheapo chair from office depot, but later looked it up and apparently it's known as the Bodybilt K2502, a fairly expensive ergonomic office chair. Despite being a high-end "ergonomic" chair, I find it quite uncomfortable.

In fact, it's one of the least comfortable chairs I've ever sat in. And there's nothing about the chair that seesm to suggest it's a high-end chair. It's build quality doesn't stand out to me in any way.

Yeah, these are made in a little town in middle-of-nowhere Texas (Navasota). I went to college nearby (at Texas A&M) and knew a few people that worked there. They sell a lot into offices. I sat in a few from time to time as the university bought them for administrators (and I kept their computers running). The shapes and sizes vary so much that I found some comfortable and some not. But that was over a decade ago. I know they are all made custom and in the USA though.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: berserkfan on Tue, 02 April 2013, 09:46:30: My chair is a $515 ergohuman. I think ergohuman is a UK brand.

I actually went to the HermanMiller showroom where they let me do a 'sit test'. I read a book for 20 mins each in 3 chairs!

I DID NOT LIKE Herman Miller long enough to sit any longer! This is so damn subjective!
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: SmallTomato on Tue, 02 April 2013, 10:58:15: I personally like Herman miller but it is the most overrated chair imo. It is so successful it has been copied to death even by direct import. Its not hard to find comparables for much cheaper now. Another thing to note is the best ergonomic chair might not be the most comfortable :p. I personally like mesh knit fabric seats w absorb foam because they are more comfortable in multiple positions and don't run into issues with the seat frame. But this comfort lets me cheat the proper way to sit.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Saturn on Fri, 05 April 2013, 02:52:20: Quote from: aggiejy on Mon, 25 March 2013, 22:04:53
Yeah, these are made in a little town in middle-of-nowhere Texas (Navasota). I went to college nearby (at Texas A&M) and knew a few people that worked there. They sell a lot into offices. I sat in a few from time to time as the university bought them for administrators (and I kept their computers running). The shapes and sizes vary so much that I found some comfortable and some not. But that was over a decade ago. I know they are all made custom and in the USA though.

Very interesting. Thanks for the information.

Sometimes I wonder if the whole corporate and ergonomic design world would be thrown into chaos if they were made aware that standing up is more ergonomic than any chair and also 100% free of charge.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: tp4tissue on Fri, 05 April 2013, 18:19:06: I don't think anyone actually needs an "ergonomic chair"

the only difference between comfortable and back-pain is "feet on the floor, and a pillow in the right place"
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: pby on Sun, 07 April 2013, 18:08:45: Quote from: tp4tissue on Fri, 05 April 2013, 18:19:06
I don't think anyone actually needs an "ergonomic chair"

the only difference between comfortable and back-pain is "feet on the floor, and a pillow in the right place"
What works for you might not work for everyone. I've used one of those lumbar support cushions for a bit, it isn't too bad if you're only sitting for an hour or two, my neck and back can't stand it for longer periods.
I don't think you truly appreciate a chair that actually fits and supports you. I tried about a dozen of ergo chairs and even then I've bought three different ones before I found the right one. Now happy with the humanscale freedom.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Sun, 07 April 2013, 18:22:40: Unfortunately it's a bit expensive to buy different chairs to try and then return. I find that even sitting in a chair in-store for an hour isn't enough to indicate if it's comfortable in the long run or not. Part of the chair's comfort also depends on your desk as well. For example, arm rest height. If your keyboard tray or desk is too high for your arms, the chair will help with that but then your arms will be slightly higher than optimal too.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: pby on Sun, 07 April 2013, 19:22:28: Yea I totally agree with you, trial and error isn't exactly wallet friendly. Could suggest buying used then reselling if they chair didn't work out.

Have to say the chair will not fix a desk or keyboard too high/low for you. You only adjust the height for your legs, you're looking at another problem if desk height is causing discomfort.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: aggiejy on Sun, 07 April 2013, 19:48:35: Sit4less.com used to have a 356 day return policy on most of their chairs, including Herman Miller. I guess it was too good to be true, but something like that is ideal for trying out a chair. You could sit in the store for a week and still not have an experience indicative of long term effects.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: mkawa on Sun, 07 April 2013, 19:59:33: sit4less used to have all kinds of shady and too-good-to-be-true policies. i believe that, because of this, last time i called them they were purchased by another firm (i believe officedesigns.net) and no longer do anything shady (although their prices still look pretty good!). the good news though is that the new owners are not shady and will actually take care of you, so i think overall it's a win-win.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: aggiejy on Sun, 07 April 2013, 21:51:27: Not sure about all that... I bought an Aeron from them in 2002 and did occasional maintenance on it for 10 years through them. Then, I bought an Embody from them and used it for 6 months and actually took advantage of the 365 return policy! I only paid for shipping. And then I ended up getting another Embody from a friend that worked at a Herman Miller show room for half price... felt kind of bad. :) But regardless, the old sit4less treated me pretty good.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: PointyFox on Sun, 07 April 2013, 22:48:53: My office has a ton of those Steelcase Leap chairs. I use some generic chair because I think it's more comfortable :P
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Saturn on Thu, 09 May 2013, 15:52:48: Anyone know anything about this vendor?

http://www.madisonseating.com/leap-chair-by-steelcase.html

That leap looks pretty cheap. Supposedly an open box model, but otherwise new. But it does say in big bold print that they're not authorized
Steelcase dealers.

Does this look legit? I'd love to be able to save several hundred bucks, if I know the retailer can be trusted.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Thu, 09 May 2013, 15:56:01: Quote from: Saturn on Thu, 09 May 2013, 15:52:48
Anyone know anything about this vendor?

http://www.madisonseating.com/leap-chair-by-steelcase.html

That leap looks pretty cheap. Supposedly an open box model, but otherwise new. But it does say in big bold print that they're not authorized
Steelcase dealers.

Does this look legit? I'd love to be able to save several hundred bucks, if I know the retailer can be trusted.

I would not recommend buying from them.

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Madison_Seating
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Saturn on Thu, 09 May 2013, 16:00:16: Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. Thanks for the info.

any authorized dealers that actually come close to that in price, though? Cost is a major limiting factor for me.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Thu, 09 May 2013, 16:05:14: There aren't any authorized dealers that would sell chairs for that low. The closest you'll get is from the annual/seasonal sales that steelcase and HM have for 10-15% off. The Amia or Sayl would probably be the best chairs for a lower budget.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: kurplop on Thu, 09 May 2013, 23:18:33: I bought a Steelcase Leap from Madison. It did take longer than usual to ship but did finally arrive after about four weeks. Would I buy from them again? I don't know. The ratings sure don't look encouraging.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: CPTBadAss on Thu, 09 May 2013, 23:26:34: I just bought a SteelCase Criterion on Monday. I had some Serta Leather chair from OfficeMax and thought it was amazing until I sat in Steelcase Leap or Criterion chairs at work. I was also getting shoulder pains from the Serta chair. Now my Criterion has adjustable armrests, reclining back, soft fabric cushion that won't deform/be flat after 6 months, and I can actually put my feet flat on the ground.

Oh and there's a shop in town that buys old office furniture, refurbishes them, then sells em at a discount. I got the Criterion at almost 1/5 the cost ^__^
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Dyslexic on Fri, 10 May 2013, 10:53:07: Quote from: CPTBadAss on Thu, 09 May 2013, 23:26:34
I just bought a SteelCase Criterion on Monday. I had some Serta Leather chair from OfficeMax and thought it was amazing until I said in Steelcase Leap or Criterion chairs at work. I was also getting shoulder pains from the Serta chair. Now my Criterion has adjustable armrests, reclining back, soft fabric cushion that won't deform/be flat after 6 months, and I can actually put my feet flat on the ground.

Oh and there's a shop in town that buys old office furniture, refurbishes them, then sells em at a discount. I got the Criterion at almost 1/5 the cost ^__^

Long time lurker who registered to reply. :) I got a SteelCase Criterion yesterday as well. I'm in Ottawa and sleuthed kijiji for deals on a nice ergo task chair and found a Steelcase Criterion in amazing shape for $150. I was replacing a piece of crap chair I bought from Staples 3 years ago, and the difference so far is incredible. Getting a $900 chair for $150 is a nice feeling too! The biggest thing for me is being able to flip the switch for leaning back. I'm always supported whether I want to slouch of maintain proper posture.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: CPTBadAss on Fri, 10 May 2013, 12:41:28: I totally agree Dyslexic, the back support on this chair in incredible and I just had to replicate it at home.

Also side note but, a fellow Converge fan?? Jane Doe and Axe to Fall are incredible albums. :D
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Dyslexic on Mon, 13 May 2013, 12:16:25: Quote from: CPTBadAss on Fri, 10 May 2013, 12:41:28
I totally agree Dyslexic, the back support on this chair in incredible and I just had to replicate it at home.

Also side note but, a fellow Converge fan?? Jane Doe and Axe to Fall are incredible albums. :D

Yeah, I'm now in an ergo setup at home and work and the consistency is showing in my reduced back and leg pain.

Converge are where it's at man, All We Love We Leave Behind has been on constant rotation since it dropped. :D
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: mkawa on Tue, 04 June 2013, 00:20:00: there's a 15% off HM sale at officedesigns.com right now as well.

also sit4less has relaunched as sit4somethingelse with pretty reasonable prices. i believe it's the same owners as officedesigns.com
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: agodinhost on Fri, 07 June 2013, 16:35:55: damm, I were just trying to save money ...
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Fri, 07 June 2013, 16:38:13: Quote from: agodinhost on Fri, 07 June 2013, 16:35:55
damm, I were just trying to save money ...

Unless you buy used, don't skimp on a good ergonomic chair imo =/. You'll learn the hard way if you have to return your chair >.>.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: n0rvig on Fri, 07 June 2013, 16:42:58: Aeron owners, I've got a Aeron with the Lumbar back support and I've been wondering if it would be an improvement to switch to the Posture fit. Any advice?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: aggiejy on Fri, 07 June 2013, 18:48:08: Quote from: n0rvig on Fri, 07 June 2013, 16:42:58
Aeron owners, I've got a Aeron with the Lumbar back support and I've been wondering if it would be an improvement to switch to the Posture fit. Any advice?

Yes, I thought the Posture Fit was a great upgrade. (I started with lumbar too) Mine did break and had to get another one... the plastic didn't seem as strong as it could have been. I forget if HM paid for the replacement of if I did. Either way, moving the pressure down to your lower back/butt area is a big deal. I think that's kind of a "solution" to a problem they discovered over the years. (Since the original Aeron came out so long ago.)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: n0rvig on Fri, 07 June 2013, 22:48:45: Quote from: aggiejy on Fri, 07 June 2013, 18:48:08
Yes, I thought the Posture Fit was a great upgrade. (I started with lumbar too) Mine did break and had to get another one... the plastic didn't seem as strong as it could have been. I forget if HM paid for the replacement of if I did. Either way, moving the pressure down to your lower back/butt area is a big deal. I think that's kind of a "solution" to a problem they discovered over the years. (Since the original Aeron came out so long ago.)

Great to hear. Thanks Aggiejy. I'll snag the next one I see on amazon. It's fun to have a chair with so many knobs and tweaks..
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: actionbastard on Mon, 05 August 2013, 23:30:33: Does anyone have a HaraChair?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: mkawa on Tue, 06 August 2013, 01:00:32: POSTUREFIT. ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES

the lumbar pad thing is a joke. it's pretty wildly ineffective.

is this the harachair?

i would like my buttocks to be pleased..

actually, realtalk. my grandmother has a really bad back. nerve damage and two crushed discs. she tried one of those vertically split chairs and it did absolutely nothing for her. the reason why was actually that it was just too big. the most important thing isn't some gimmicky design element, but that the chair is adjustable to _your_ body and workflow.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: actionbastard on Tue, 06 August 2013, 01:56:43: Quote from: mkawa on Tue, 06 August 2013, 01:00:32
POSTUREFIT. ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES

the lumbar pad thing is a joke. it's pretty wildly ineffective.

is this the harachair?

i would like my buttocks to be pleased..

actually, realtalk. my grandmother has a really bad back. nerve damage and two crushed discs. she tried one of those vertically split chairs and it did absolutely nothing for her. the reason why was actually that it was just too big. the most important thing isn't some gimmicky design element, but that the chair is adjustable to _your_ body and workflow.
Yeah, well, I pulled the trigger on one.
Here's to hoping South Korea chair is best chair.
I'll let you guys know.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: kittykatmax on Wed, 07 August 2013, 23:43:58: I have a Steelcase Leap and I love it. Bought it from SmartFurniture.com and I highly recommend them, too. They price match, and if you don't like the chair, they pay return shipping if you change your mind within 30 days (and haven't done bad things to the chair, of course). I love my chair, but the first one wound up defective (horrible squeaks and scary clunks) after a few months. Smart Furniture arranged for Steelcase to take back the chair, and ordered me a brand new one, which has been fine.

Next, we ordered a Herman Miller Aeron for hubby. He'd had one at work and loved it, but found this one horribly uncomfortable. We took SmartFurniture up on their return policy, and they took the chair back with zero hassles. Only caveat we found is if you can't bring the chair to UPS (and we couldn't), you'll have to pay the small fee for the home pick-up.

If you can, it's always best to try out chairs in person. I was able to find a (relatively) close dealer to try out the various Steelcase options, but the closest Herman Miller showroom was a three hour drive. The key thing to remember is that everyone is different, so the perfect chair isn't the same from person to person.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: actionbastard on Tue, 13 August 2013, 13:24:14: *Update on HaraChair
the chair is hard. I think it could be better if it was more padded.
Split back is just dumb personally as one side just seems to jab you.
Spit bottom could isnt terrible, but the arm wrests are attached to each side.
The only truly comfortable position is fully reclined, which isn't very productive for me.
:rolleyes: Oh well, live and learn.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Tue, 13 August 2013, 13:26:52: Quote from: actionbastard on Tue, 13 August 2013, 13:24:14
*Update on HaraChair
the chair is hard. I think it could be better if it was more padded.
Split back is just dumb personally as one side just seems to jab you.
Spit bottom could isnt terrible, but the arm wrests are attached to each side.
The only truly comfortable position is fully reclined, which isn't very productive for me.
:rolleyes: Oh well, live and learn.

No returns on it? How much did you pay for it btw?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: actionbastard on Tue, 13 August 2013, 14:44:29: Quote from: thegunner100 on Tue, 13 August 2013, 13:26:52
Quote from: actionbastard on Tue, 13 August 2013, 13:24:14
*Update on HaraChair
the chair is hard. I think it could be better if it was more padded.
Split back is just dumb personally as one side just seems to jab you.
Spit bottom could isnt terrible, but the arm wrests are attached to each side.
The only truly comfortable position is fully reclined, which isn't very productive for me.
:rolleyes: Oh well, live and learn.

No returns on it? How much did you pay for it btw?
Yeah, there's a return on it. Seller semms cool.
Paid 200.
Just gotta take a hit to ship the thing back. ($45-60)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Architect on Fri, 23 August 2013, 21:27:08: I've got a Steelcase Criterion stool for my sit-stand desks. I've used one at work for 15 years and it's been a champ, all it needed recently was a new gas cylinder. Most adjustable and comfortable chair I've used.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: kurplop on Fri, 23 August 2013, 21:38:08: Welcome back Architect.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Architect on Sun, 25 August 2013, 08:35:55: Quote from: kurplop on Fri, 23 August 2013, 21:38:08
Welcome back Architect.

Thanks. I saw the page you have on your ergodox custom keyboard, really nice work. I tried that trackball but it doesn't play well with OS X, just keeps waking the computer up (intermittent USB pings I suppose).
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: dotancohen on Fri, 30 August 2013, 04:56:57: I go to sit in an Aeron for a few days. The chair was great: the distance from the edge of the seat to the start of the backrest is a bit shorter than other chairs, and was a perfect match for my body. The arm rests curve in to support your arms while typing. Both my feet could stay flat on the floor with my shoulders back and my arms supported.

It is worth the money, and I will probably buy one.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Sat, 31 August 2013, 06:35:03: Wow, I didn't realize that this thread was stickied! I do apologize for not posting much on GH nowadays, but if there is anything I can do to improve the guide or add to it, please let me know!
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: chill1217 on Mon, 02 September 2013, 17:17:20: is there any place to get a posturefit cheaper than the $95 on amazon/ebay?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: fingerminger on Thu, 12 September 2013, 02:23:22: I just got a lifeform eclipse. at roughly $1000 it wasn't an easy decision but I wouldn't go back to much less. My office has Aerons which are pretty nice too and similar in terms of construction quality but I still like mine better.

my main thoughts on the ergonomic chair thing so far:

swivel arm rests/arm rests that move inwards = win... I had no idea how necessary this was until I tried them

this thing is pretty plain jane looking, but man after sitting in it for a while it's just so obvious the difference in quality of construction from the weight of the thing (difficult to pick up) to the configurability.

I decided to try out the chairs at the local Orifice Despot to see if I could get away with returning this one, but after using it for a few days even the $300 chairs there felt just totally wrong. also none of them were rated for more than "2-4" hours of continuous usage

moral of the story: don't be afraid to invest money in your chair if you spend a lot of time (8+ hours per day) at your computer esp if it's your career (bloggers, designers, developers), you get what you pay for
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Thu, 12 September 2013, 21:30:40: Quote from: fingerminger on Thu, 12 September 2013, 02:23:22
I just got a lifeform eclipse. at roughly $1000 it wasn't an easy decision but I wouldn't go back to much less. My office has Aerons which are pretty nice too and similar in terms of construction quality but I still like mine better.

my main thoughts on the ergonomic chair thing so far:

swivel arm rests/arm rests that move inwards = win... I had no idea how necessary this was until I tried them

this thing is pretty plain jane looking, but man after sitting in it for a while it's just so obvious the difference in quality of construction from the weight of the thing (difficult to pick up) to the configurability.

I decided to try out the chairs at the local Orifice Despot to see if I could get away with returning this one, but after using it for a few days even the $300 chairs there felt just totally wrong. also none of them were rated for more than "2-4" hours of continuous usage

moral of the story: don't be afraid to invest money in your chair if you spend a lot of time (8+ hours per day) at your computer esp if it's your career (bloggers, designers, developers), you get what you pay for

Welcome to GH! Thanks for sharing that with us.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: pandather on Sun, 15 September 2013, 00:44:42: Could anyone spread some light on a good kneeling chair to me? Thanks all! <3
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: CPTBadAss on Wed, 18 September 2013, 08:43:49: I had the chance to try out a Herman Miller Embody on Friday. That thing was REALLY comfortable. I've never seen a chair that had back support like that and it had so many adjustments. Wish it wasn't so pricey but I'm still happy with my Steelcase. :D
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Wed, 18 September 2013, 08:53:24: Quote from: CPTBadAss on Wed, 18 September 2013, 08:43:49
I had the chance to try out a Herman Miller Embody on Friday. That thing was REALLY comfortable. I've never seen a chair that had back support like that and it had so many adjustments. Wish it wasn't so pricey but I'm still happy with my Steelcase. :D

I've tried the embody before but didn't think much of it cause there was a salesman next to me >.>
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Wed, 18 September 2013, 08:58:38: Oh, and... does anyone know how to clean the uphoistery/cloth on the chairs? More specifically on steelcases. My seat is getting dirty from me eating on it all the time :(
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: CPTBadAss on Wed, 18 September 2013, 09:02:10: Quote from: thegunner100 on Wed, 18 September 2013, 08:53:24
Quote from: CPTBadAss on Wed, 18 September 2013, 08:43:49
I had the chance to try out a Herman Miller Embody on Friday. That thing was REALLY comfortable. I've never seen a chair that had back support like that and it had so many adjustments. Wish it wasn't so pricey but I'm still happy with my Steelcase. :D

I've tried the embody before but didn't think much of it cause there was a salesman next to me >.>

The one I sat in was at someone's home so I got to enjoy it without anyone trying to sell me things.

Quote from: thegunner100 on Wed, 18 September 2013, 08:58:38
Oh, and... does anyone know how to clean the uphoistery/cloth on the chairs? More specifically on steelcases. My seat is getting dirty from me eating on it all the time :(

I'd also like to know this.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Badwrench on Tue, 15 October 2013, 22:39:15: Quote from: CPTBadAss on Wed, 18 September 2013, 09:02:10
Quote from: thegunner100 on Wed, 18 September 2013, 08:53:24
Quote from: CPTBadAss on Wed, 18 September 2013, 08:43:49
I had the chance to try out a Herman Miller Embody on Friday. That thing was REALLY comfortable. I've never seen a chair that had back support like that and it had so many adjustments. Wish it wasn't so pricey but I'm still happy with my Steelcase. :D

I've tried the embody before but didn't think much of it cause there was a salesman next to me >.>

The one I sat in was at someone's home so I got to enjoy it without anyone trying to sell me things.

Quote from: thegunner100 on Wed, 18 September 2013, 08:58:38
Oh, and... does anyone know how to clean the uphoistery/cloth on the chairs? More specifically on steelcases. My seat is getting dirty from me eating on it all the time :(

I'd also like to know this.

Anyone ever try anything to clean the cloth on a Steelcase? I just picked up a Leap on Craigslist for $20 and would like to clean it before I use it. The chair looks and smells clean (it actually looks brand new), but I am a bit ocd with cleaning stuff.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Wed, 16 October 2013, 00:20:08: $20?!?!?! WHAT?!?!
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: mistakemistake on Wed, 16 October 2013, 00:42:05: Quote from: thegunner100 on Wed, 16 October 2013, 00:20:08
$20?!?!?! WHAT?!?!

$20??? Damn. Pics now please. It must be a version1 then. Only way it could make sense..
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Badwrench on Wed, 16 October 2013, 02:18:32: Quote from: thegunner100 on Wed, 16 October 2013, 00:20:08
$20?!?!?! WHAT?!?!

Quote from: mistakemistake on Wed, 16 October 2013, 00:42:05
Quote from: thegunner100 on Wed, 16 October 2013, 00:20:08
$20?!?!?! WHAT?!?!

$20??? Damn. Pics now please. It must be a version1 then. Only way it could make sense..

I will get some pics in the morning. ~~Pretty sure it is v1.~~ Nevermind, went out to the car to check (picked it up on the way to work), Steelcase Leap V2 ;D. I have been looking for a replacement chair for a while, and when I saw that one posted, I jumped on it. Pictures were horrible and there was no to know for sure until I get there to look at it. Sure enough, big old steelcase logo on the back. :thumb:
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: mistakemistake on Wed, 16 October 2013, 09:43:13: Quote from: Badwrench on Wed, 16 October 2013, 02:18:32
Quote from: thegunner100 on Wed, 16 October 2013, 00:20:08
$20?!?!?! WHAT?!?!

Quote from: mistakemistake on Wed, 16 October 2013, 00:42:05
Quote from: thegunner100 on Wed, 16 October 2013, 00:20:08
$20?!?!?! WHAT?!?!

$20??? Damn. Pics now please. It must be a version1 then. Only way it could make sense..

I will get some pics in the morning. ~~Pretty sure it is v1.~~ Nevermind, went out to the car to check (picked it up on the way to work), Steelcase Leap V2 ;D. I have been looking for a replacement chair for a while, and when I saw that one posted, I jumped on it. Pictures were horrible and there was no to know for sure until I get there to look at it. Sure enough, big old steelcase logo on the back. :thumb:

wow! amazing find :) congrats!!
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Badwrench on Wed, 16 October 2013, 14:09:06: Yeah, I am stoked. Got it in and cleaned it. Sprayed it down with Fabreeze and wiped it down with a wash cloth with warm water.

[attach=1]

[attach=2]
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Wed, 16 October 2013, 14:32:27: Quote from: Badwrench on Wed, 16 October 2013, 14:09:06
Yeah, I am stoked. Got it in and cleaned it. Sprayed it down with Fabreeze and wiped it down with a wash cloth with warm water.

Awesome! Grats on the purchase. Btw you should raise your bookshelf speakers so that the tweeters are aimed at your ears ^^
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: aggiejy on Wed, 16 October 2013, 14:55:13: DUDE... $20 for a Leap is just insane. :) Luckiest guy ever!
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: mistakemistake on Wed, 16 October 2013, 15:02:40: Quote from: Badwrench on Wed, 16 October 2013, 14:09:06
Yeah, I am stoked. Got it in and cleaned it. Sprayed it down with Fabreeze and wiped it down with a wash cloth with warm water.

(Attachment Link)

(Attachment Link)

What an amazing find! Congrats and enjoy :)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Badwrench on Wed, 16 October 2013, 23:41:58: Quote from: thegunner100 on Wed, 16 October 2013, 14:32:27
Quote from: Badwrench on Wed, 16 October 2013, 14:09:06
Yeah, I am stoked. Got it in and cleaned it. Sprayed it down with Fabreeze and wiped it down with a wash cloth with warm water.

Awesome! Grats on the purchase. Btw you should raise your bookshelf speakers so that the tweeters are aimed at your ears ^^

Thanks. Now that I am sitting up higher, I need to raise everything. Picking up a shelf and some risers from Ikea this week to do a DIY monitor stand, and some angled speaker stands.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: kittykatmax on Wed, 30 October 2013, 12:40:58: Quote from: thegunner100 on Wed, 18 September 2013, 08:58:38
Oh, and... does anyone know how to clean the uphoistery/cloth on the chairs? More specifically on steelcases. My seat is getting dirty from me eating on it all the time :(

I use a Bissel SpotClean: http://amzn.com/B008DBRFBK for spills. Use the "spray on" upholstery cleaner of your choice in the dirty areas, and then use the Bissel SpotClean - with just warm water in the tank (cold for something like blood or it'll set) - for additional wetting/extraction. I use this method because I've read that using the "in tank" cleaning solutions can make the chair/carpet get dirtier, faster, and that it's better to spot treat with a separate spray and rinse/extract with just water.

Official directions from the Steelcase site at http://store.steelcase.com/service/product-information/ (http://store.steelcase.com/service/product-information/):

Maintaining fabric upholstery
1. Use a vacuum cleaner for regular cleaning. Do not steam clean.  
2.Periodic professional dry cleaning is recommended.

Removing fabric upholstery stains or heavy soil
1. Soak up any excess stain with a cloth. Do not dry the stain completely or it may set.  
2.For most water-borne stains (coffee, fruit juice, washable ink), use an upholstery cleaning solution (such as BISSELL Upholstery Shampoo® or Guardsman Fabri-Kleen®) and follow package directions.  
3.For oil-borne stains, use a dry-cleaning solution at room temperature (never hot) and allow solution to work into stain. Using quick, light strokes, brush stain with a soft bristle brush. Work from outside toward the center to prevent rings. Avoid vigorous rubbing which may damage the nap or force the stain more deeply into the material. Soak up remaining dry-cleaning solution and sponge the fabric with cool water.  
4.Allow fabric to dry completely, then vacuum thoroughly. If stain is still evident, repeat procedure. Several light applications of cleaning solution are more effective/less damaging than one heavy application.

Hope this helps, however belated. :)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: ElectronicFur on Wed, 06 November 2013, 10:25:26: Quote from: mkawa on Tue, 06 August 2013, 01:00:32
POSTUREFIT. ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES

the lumbar pad thing is a joke. it's pretty wildly ineffective.

How is the posturefit better? I ask because I tried one out at a home show, and it felt worse to me than the normal lumbar pad, like it didn't really give much lumbar support at all. Obviously I didn't have long to try it, but I was going to buy one, but ended up deciding not to bother.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: jwaz on Wed, 06 November 2013, 10:31:32: Yeah, I agree with mkawa. The pad thing is terrible.

/me goes to back to craigslisting for a Leap
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thoere on Sat, 16 November 2013, 22:22:13: Does anybody here use a kneeling chair?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: davkol on Sun, 17 November 2013, 03:41:47: Quote from: thoere on Sat, 16 November 2013, 22:22:13
Does anybody here use a kneeling chair?

I used to before the switch to standing setup.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Badwrench on Sun, 17 November 2013, 10:49:42: Quote from: thoere on Sat, 16 November 2013, 22:22:13
Does anybody here use a kneeling chair?

My mom used to use one for years until companies started coming out with good ergonomic chairs. She has been a legal secretary for 35 years and tries everything for a while if it will potentially be more comfortable. I didn't mind the kneeling chair, but it put a bit of pressure on my knees (quite damaged due to riding dirtbikes for 20+ years). It does force you to have good posture though as there is no backrest.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: aggiejy on Tue, 19 November 2013, 16:16:09: I'm getting a small office with a friend just to get out of the house a bit. Being that home will still be my main working location, I'm keeping my Herman Miller Embody there. So I did a little bit of Craigslist watching and traded an old iPhone 4S for a Steelcase Leap. Other than a few light scuffs and a very slightly fuzzing seat, it's in great condition. Nice second seat for me!
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Badwrench on Tue, 19 November 2013, 16:19:41: Quote from: aggiejy on Tue, 19 November 2013, 16:16:09
I'm getting a small office with a friend just to get out of the house a bit. Being that home will still be my main working location, I'm keeping my Herman Miller Embody there. So I did a little bit of Craigslist watching and traded an old iPhone 4S for a Steelcase Leap. Other than a few light scuffs and a very slightly fuzzing seat, it's in great condition. Nice second seat for me!

Nice pickup. You will be happy.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Glod on Tue, 19 November 2013, 17:24:38: im still rocking my Embody after 3 years with it, but 3 years of heavy pressure on the arm rests has caused them to squeek and no longer ratchet. too lazy to either get it fixed by a vendor or just buy the armrests parts and do it myself (seems doable). Even with that, it is still the best chair for me; i sit for 12+ hours at my computer because i work from home mostly, it keeps me energized (not quite relaxed) throughout the day and supports my weight (300+ lb). Only thing is i do miss head rests from those old big executive chairs i used before this one, my neck sometimes seems tired and hurts.

i just saw that post from Badwrench about the $20 Leap, that is one hell of a score.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: aggiejy on Tue, 19 November 2013, 20:46:45: Glod - Did you buy it new? If so, then the warranty will replace them no questions. They go out of their way to make the process super easy and painless. I <3 HM.

(Yeah, Badwrench got the steal of the century there!)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Glod on Tue, 19 November 2013, 21:50:24: it was new (floor model but still new) and most likely under warranty, i think its like something insane like 10 year warranty or something, im just really really lazy to bring it in to be fixed, i doubt they come to me for free. plus its like my only good chair. everything is still good with it except the arms so i think ill wait like until one of them falls off to get me to go get it fixed.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: aggiejy on Tue, 19 November 2013, 23:01:25: I haven't had my Embody in for service, but I had a Aeron for 10+ years before this. After calling and reading serial number or whatever, they would usually just send me parts in the mail. I got a seat pan, hydraulics, etc that way.. over a few different instances. For bigger things, Herman Miler would ask me to take it to their warehouse to get fixed. I told them it was over an hour away and they had it picked up at my house, fixed, and returned... all free of charge. Not sure if your luck would be the same, but point is... give them a call. :)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Input Nirvana on Wed, 20 November 2013, 20:27:22: Quote from: Badwrench on Wed, 16 October 2013, 14:09:06

(Attachment Link)

(Attachment Link)

I dig the black and red….bright automotive red is an awesome accent to black. But I've had a black surface desk before and is aways looks dirty, I needed to wipe it down every other day which was annoying, so I didn't do it.

BACK ON TOPIC:
I know I've posted in a previous ergo chair thread, but I'll regurgitate some of my opinions here:

-Finding a chair, the act of locating, sitting, assessing….can be an expensive and royal pain in the butt. It has been for me. I've tried a couple times going to major office outfitters (places in Silicon Valley that outfit Google, Facebook, etc) and specialty ergo seating stores, and sat, jumped, slept, ate, had chair races, and otherwise harassed the help with the main focus of finding 'The Perfect Chair'. All I've come up with is that it may take "fully using a chair in your work environment for a couple weeks" to be able to accurately assess it's impact on you. Also, I doubt for most people there is one perfect seating solution. Your desk, how you use, sit, work affect the chair and it's performance.

-I agree with Kawa, that chair advertising, popularity, price, design, and features don't matter nearly as much as how it fits, supports, and allows movement for YOU. Obviously comfort is a primary issue. Primarily keep in mind regardless with any chair it's not a great thing to sit for hours without standing up and walking about (like on an extended airline flight). Keep those juices flowing. I'm now a believer that a combination of sit-stand, kneeling, and conventional seating should probably be mixed together.

I have an Aeron size B with the fully loaded features, and a VendorGear headrest (headrests are mandatory for me). I only have the lumbar pad not the PostureFit (I'm not a fan of the lumbar pad) and I'm a lumbar support kinda guy. Peeps that sit in the drivers seat of my truck say "What's that pushing into my back?" because I have the lumbar support almost fully cranked. I bought the Posturefit but it didn't get installed and now it's gone :( I've never tried the PostureFit at all, seems that I would love it. The Aeron is a fine chair, perhaps overrated, perhaps not. I like it but not totally in love with it, but I could do worse. I'd like to be able to push my shoulder blades/arms behind me (more movement) and that requires a smaller backrest just behind the spine and not the shoulders. I like to recline, put feet up, slouch (can't slouch in an Aeron). My desking/monitor/keyboard situation is transitional, so it's difficult to have a 'perfect setup'. I'm of the belief that if people had 2 different chairs, maybe drastically different, and switched during the day/days, could be a good choice.

I've been interested in this manufacturer (the SomaForm and SomaComfort models) for a few years and have meant to go to their factory to check it out. Totally customizable, check out the order form:
http://www.somaergo.com/content/chairs/SomaSCSFspecpg_2012.08.15.pdf
Their website:
http://www.somaergo.com
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: aggiejy on Wed, 20 November 2013, 22:48:31: Quote from: Input Nirvana on Wed, 20 November 2013, 20:27:22
I've never tried the PostureFit at all, seems that I would love it. The Aeron is a fine chair, perhaps overrated, perhaps not. I like it but not totally in love with it, but I could do worse. I'd like to be able to push my shoulder blades/arms behind me (more movement) and that requires a smaller backrest just behind the spine and not the shoulders.

PostureFit
I had an Aeron for ~10+ years, and got the PostureFit a few years into it. It's a *huge* upgrade to me! Pushes lower on your back/butt which really seemed to align me, unlike the lumbar.

Aeron Overrated..
I think it's not overrated at all, but probably overpriced at this point in time being such an old design with no updates (beyond the posturefit). If you buy new, they're about the same price as they were in 2000... that's crazy to me. :) Resell is good on them though... you rarely see a fully adjustable one sell cheap.

Shoulder blades/arms
Yes, this was my biggest complaint too. (With most chairs actually.) The Embody is perfect for that, though pricey.

Anyway, I love the Aeron and probably would have stuck with it if I hadn't sat in an Embody. The Embody isn't perfect, but it has a lot of imediate comfort that the Aeron doesn't have. (Both have long term comfort to me.)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Input Nirvana on Wed, 20 November 2013, 23:26:15: Quote from: aggiejy on Wed, 20 November 2013, 22:48:31
PostureFit
I had an Aeron for ~10+ years, and got the PostureFit a few years into it. It's a *huge* upgrade to me! Pushes lower on your back/butt which really seemed to align me, unlike the lumbar.
I'm almost ready to spring for another PostureFit for my home office Aeron again...

In the next 30-60 days I'm going back into an office environment for work. Being the GH geek that I am, a Kinesis keyboard will be going with me, and in a period of time, my own chair. I'll take time to start reacquainting myself with the old and the new seating options. It's still a time-sucking chore but a worthwhile one.

I haven't even touched the topic of desking...
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Badwrench on Thu, 21 November 2013, 02:04:03: Quote from: Input Nirvana on Wed, 20 November 2013, 20:27:22
Quote from: Badwrench on Wed, 16 October 2013, 14:09:06

(Attachment Link)

(Attachment Link)

I dig the black and red….bright automotive red is an awesome accent to black. But I've had a black surface desk before and is aways looks dirty, I needed to wipe it down every other day which was annoying, so I didn't do it.

BACK ON TOPIC:
I know I've posted in a previous ergo chair thread, but I'll regurgitate some of my opinions here:

-Finding a chair, the act of locating, sitting, assessing….can be an expensive and royal pain in the butt. It has been for me. I've tried a couple times going to major office outfitters (places in Silicon Valley that outfit Google, Facebook, etc) and specialty ergo seating stores, and sat, jumped, slept, ate, had chair races, and otherwise harassed the help with the main focus of finding 'The Perfect Chair'. All I've come up with is that it may take "fully using a chair in your work environment for a couple weeks" to be able to accurately assess it's impact on you. Also, I doubt for most people there is one perfect seating solution. Your desk, how you use, sit, work affect the chair and it's performance.

-I agree with Kawa, that chair advertising, popularity, price, design, and features don't matter nearly as much as how it fits, supports, and allows movement for YOU. Obviously comfort is a primary issue. Primarily keep in mind regardless with any chair it's not a great thing to sit for hours without standing up and walking about (like on an extended airline flight). Keep those juices flowing. I'm now a believer that a combination of sit-stand, kneeling, and conventional seating should probably be mixed together.

I have an Aeron size B with the fully loaded features, and a VendorGear headrest (headrests are mandatory for me). I only have the lumbar pad not the PostureFit (I'm not a fan of the lumbar pad) and I'm a lumbar support kinda guy. Peeps that sit in the drivers seat of my truck say "What's that pushing into my back?" because I have the lumbar support almost fully cranked. I bought the Posturefit but it didn't get installed and now it's gone :( I've never tried the PostureFit at all, seems that I would love it. The Aeron is a fine chair, perhaps overrated, perhaps not. I like it but not totally in love with it, but I could do worse. I'd like to be able to push my shoulder blades/arms behind me (more movement) and that requires a smaller backrest just behind the spine and not the shoulders. I like to recline, put feet up, slouch (can't slouch in an Aeron). My desking/monitor/keyboard situation is transitional, so it's difficult to have a 'perfect setup'. I'm of the belief that if people had 2 different chairs, maybe drastically different, and switched during the day/days, could be a good choice.

I've been interested in this manufacturer (the SomaForm and SomaComfort models) for a few years and have meant to go to their factory to check it out. Totally customizable, check out the order form:
http://www.somaergo.com/content/chairs/SomaSCSFspecpg_2012.08.15.pdf
Their website:
http://www.somaergo.com

Thanks. I wanted something that would separate my area from the rest of the apartment, but not be obnoxious. I originally had red lighting in my pc to match and a red back-lit Microsoft X4 (before gh and all the mechanical boards). I was a nice clean look and went decent with the rest of the apartment - black/grey/brown. I do agree about the cleaning, but being the ocd person I am, I clean the apartment top to bottom about 3-4 times a week :rolleyes:

I agree about finding the right chair. I had been shopping around for a long time before I came across the deal I found. I got lucky in that it was one of the few chairs that felt comfortable to me right when I sat in it. I tend to prefer a fairly firm seat pad, and the ability to move the seat forward to make sure my whole leg is supported. Most chairs I have owned had my leg only half supported, or were so deep, that I couldn't get my butt all the way back before hitting the back of my knees (I have a very short inseam).

Those soma chairs look pretty nice. Love the options of the back to get the shoulder area narrow, but still have a head rest.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Input Nirvana on Thu, 21 November 2013, 08:33:10: Because of this thread I found a local seller of used all black Embody chairs for $800, some flawless, some with office scuffs. Gonna try putting ass-in-bucket and see how it is.

Information is power.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: CPTBadAss on Thu, 21 November 2013, 08:40:31: Quote from: Input Nirvana on Wed, 20 November 2013, 23:26:15
Quote from: aggiejy on Wed, 20 November 2013, 22:48:31
PostureFit
I had an Aeron for ~10+ years, and got the PostureFit a few years into it. It's a *huge* upgrade to me! Pushes lower on your back/butt which really seemed to align me, unlike the lumbar.
I'm almost ready to spring for another PostureFit for my home office Aeron again...

In the next 30-60 days I'm going back into an office environment for work. Being the GH geek that I am, a Kinesis keyboard will be going with me, and in a period of time, my own chair. I'll take time to start reacquainting myself with the old and the new seating options. It's still a time-sucking chore but a worthwhile one.

I haven't even touched the topic of desking...

But if the Kinesis is at the office, what will you type on at home??

Quote from: Input Nirvana on Thu, 21 November 2013, 08:33:10
Because of this thread I found a local seller of used all black Embody chairs for $800, some flawless, some with office scuffs. Gonna try putting ass-in-bucket and see how it is.

That's how I found my Steelcase as well. Local used office supply furniture store. Some of the best money I've spent this year.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Input Nirvana on Thu, 21 November 2013, 12:37:19: I haz many Kinesisezzz
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Badwrench on Thu, 21 November 2013, 15:22:52: Quote from: Input Nirvana on Thu, 21 November 2013, 12:37:19
I haz many Kinesisezzz

Nice, one for each day of the week. They will never wear out.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Input Nirvana on Thu, 21 November 2013, 20:46:19: Upon closer examination, I've discovered that the armrests on the Embody will may not accept the chair-arm kit for the split Kinesis. I'll have to see how the arm pad actually is attached to the arm.

And no headrest.

Deal breakers.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Glod on Fri, 22 November 2013, 01:17:54: yeah no headrest did kind of suck with the embody but i got used to it.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Saturn on Fri, 22 November 2013, 07:12:21: Is it worth it to take a gamble on a Leap without ever having had the chance to try one?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: aggiejy on Fri, 22 November 2013, 09:25:25: Quote from: Glod on Fri, 22 November 2013, 01:17:54
yeah no headrest did kind of suck with the embody but i got used to it.

Having a headrest makes me fall asleep. :)

But, you may want to check out Humanscale Freedom (w/ Headrest). I borrowed one from a friend for ~3 months long ago, and really really liked it. That said, reviews are mixed depending on what you're looking for in a chair, so certainly something you should try if you haven't.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: aggiejy on Fri, 22 November 2013, 09:27:37: Quote from: Saturn on Fri, 22 November 2013, 07:12:21
Is it worth it to take a gamble on a Leap without ever having had the chance to try one?

I don't know, maybe a used one or if you get a good deal. (because resell would make the loss less painful) But a new chair... at minimum make sure you get a good return policy. (Over a month... 90 days at least.) It takes a while to figure out if you like it. And I've seen so many people that couldn't stand a chair that the bulk of people found really good. Such a personal preference thing.

That said, the Leap is *very* adjustable. More so than many ergo chairs. So odds are while you may not fall in love, you won't hate it. :)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: CPTBadAss on Fri, 22 November 2013, 09:28:21: Quote from: Saturn on Fri, 22 November 2013, 07:12:21
Is it worth it to take a gamble on a Leap without ever having had the chance to try one?

I'm a big SteelCase fan but like others have said, you should try out chairs if you can. Just because the Leap and Amia fit me doesn't mean it will fit you.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Fri, 22 November 2013, 17:50:04: Quote from: Saturn on Fri, 22 November 2013, 07:12:21
Is it worth it to take a gamble on a Leap without ever having had the chance to try one?

Perhaps buy it from a vendor with a generous return policy just incase that you don't like it.

Since I first made this thread, my back problems have pretty much gone away. I probably slouch a bit less than I used to, and I've adjusted my setup to be a bit more ergonomic than before. My job (walking around), and exercising (working out), did help a lot with alleviating my previous pains. The Steelcase Amia feels a lot more comfortable than it used to as well! But I still need to eventualy clean this thing >.>

Also... GH notifications don't work properly. I have not gotten a single email notification for this thread =/
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Input Nirvana on Fri, 22 November 2013, 22:30:37: Chairs can be a rough purchase. I've been to several major suppliers that outfit companies and have almost all of the chairs you see here and elsewhere in one location. That helps you identify things you like, don't like, and compare various performance. BUT, it doesn't really do it for me to get a feel of using daily.

One interesting aspect that bothers me is that I may sit in a chair that is initially the most comfortable, but it's not good for longer term use. Very frustrating. Then, you have the whole idea that maybe you're a person that can use almost anything and it will be fine, verses someone who can try everything and not be satisfied with any.

I can tell you after spending too much time at a few of these places, it's definitely not the same as sitting at a desk and actually working for a couple hours.

I'm about to start (who am I kidding, RE-START) a project to create the ultimate desking system for maximum flexibility, usability, configurability, comfort, etc.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Glod on Mon, 25 November 2013, 11:28:14: anyone see this new steelcase chair
http://store.steelcase.com/brochures/gesture

ergonomics look similar to the embody but looks like it has a less strange look, and slightly cheaper than the HM. very interested in trying it one day.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Mon, 25 November 2013, 13:00:58: Quote from: Glod on Mon, 25 November 2013, 11:28:14
anyone see this new steelcase chair
http://store.steelcase.com/brochures/gesture

ergonomics look similar to the embody but looks like it has a less strange look, and slightly cheaper than the HM. very interested in trying it one day.

Very sleek looking; kinda like an upgraded Amia. Not many options for customization though it seems, since it's supposed to auto adjust? Interesting, would love to try it out at a store.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: aggiejy on Mon, 25 November 2013, 13:04:19: I hadn't seen that. Seems like a nice chair!
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: eisenhower on Thu, 05 December 2013, 17:46:18: Is the Herman Miller Aeron considered worthwhile still?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Input Nirvana on Thu, 05 December 2013, 21:44:12: Quote from: eisenhower on Thu, 05 December 2013, 17:46:18
Is the Herman Miller Aeron considered worthwhile still?

Of course it is, good design and ergo is still good design and ergo.

One thing I always liked about mesh chairs is that you don't get too warm. I'm a pretty warm person to start with, so that's a particularly nice feature, especially if you are in a warm climate.

I tried the Posturefit lumbar support for Aeron this week, very different than the lumbar pad. Doesn't push in a much as I thought it might, but seemed to give good support…I'm a lumbar support kinda guy. I would just max it out 90% of the time and call it good. Plus, I can get it for $40
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: stancato9 on Thu, 05 December 2013, 21:51:52: Is anyone familiar with any low end ergonomic chairs for someone with an extremely small budget? :blank:
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Thu, 05 December 2013, 21:59:22: Quote from: stancato9 on Thu, 05 December 2013, 21:51:52
Is anyone familiar with any low end ergonomic chairs for someone with an extremely small budget? :blank:

There are too many cheaper chairs out there, and usually without much adjustments on them. I think you'll have to just try out different chairs in this case to see if they work for you, if you're on a budget. The seasonal herman miller and steelcase sales are good chances to get the Sayl or Amia.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Input Nirvana on Thu, 05 December 2013, 22:10:13: Another option:

I found an Aeron repair guy in the SF bay area on Yelp. This guy is crazy good, sells parts, chairs and provides service. Maybe you can find someone similar in your area that deals in chairs that you're interested in and maybe get a smoking dealio.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Dude on Thu, 05 December 2013, 23:54:00: I personally use a Herman Miller Mirra chair, and it's great. If you are in the market for a high end chair, I would highly recommend this website:

http://www.officedesignsoutlet.com/

I know that they are an authorized Herman Miller reseller, and any Herman Miller chairs purchased through them get the full factory warranty. I purchased my refurbished Mirra from them, and it was in perfect condition when I received it and it's still going strong 2 1/2 years later.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: eisenhower on Fri, 06 December 2013, 13:00:02: Quote from: Input Nirvana on Thu, 05 December 2013, 21:44:12
Quote from: eisenhower on Thu, 05 December 2013, 17:46:18
Is the Herman Miller Aeron considered worthwhile still?

Of course it is, good design and ergo is still good design and ergo.

But there are now good ergo chairs that aren't $600
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: TheSoulhunter on Sun, 22 December 2013, 03:53:02: So, after trying some "ergo" office chairs I came to the conclusion that "ergo" never equals "comfy" for me, some even caused back-pain after a short amount of time. In the search for a workaround I remembered this uber comfy automatic adjusting TV/relax chairs called "Stressless" which I checked back then when looking for home cinema furniture (ended up getting a couch because getting multiple chairs was too expensive and kinda overkill). So, I wondered if I could build some support-construction with wheels to us em like a office chair, that would be heaven, and while doing some researching I realized that they now offer office versions of their TV chairs...

[attachimg=1] [attachimg=2]

Granted, they are kinda expensive, but build quality is top notch, you get a 10 year warranty on base-construction + mechanics, the posture adaptive mechanism works great, and its the most comfy chair I ever used. Yesterday I went to a local dealer to check em out, ended up buying one (model "Reno" with tough black lether and chrome base), but delivery will take 4-6 weeks. Gonna post feedback after using it for a month or so. :cool:
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: mkawa on Tue, 31 December 2013, 02:45:46: Quote from: Input Nirvana on Thu, 05 December 2013, 22:10:13
Another option:

I found an Aeron repair guy in the SF bay area on Yelp. This guy is crazy good, sells parts, chairs and provides service. Maybe you can find someone similar in your area that deals in chairs that you're interested in and maybe get a smoking dealio.
there is a gigantic cloud of aerons in the bay area from overfunded under-intellect startups buying stupid **** then going bust. unfortunately, most other places don't have the same concentration of people throwing money away on ill-thought-out venture capital. socal and PNW are ok for finding aeron aggregators, but there is really nothing compared to the south bay area.

that said, the aeron aggregators in the south bay will often ship, as they're most likely to end up with large inventories during downturns when there are few local customers.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Novus on Tue, 31 December 2013, 02:52:45: Quote from: mkawa on Tue, 31 December 2013, 02:45:46
Quote from: Input Nirvana on Thu, 05 December 2013, 22:10:13
Another option:

I found an Aeron repair guy in the SF bay area on Yelp. This guy is crazy good, sells parts, chairs and provides service. Maybe you can find someone similar in your area that deals in chairs that you're interested in and maybe get a smoking dealio.
there is a gigantic cloud of aerons in the bay area from overfunded under-intellect startups buying stupid **** then going bust. unfortunately, most other places don't have the same concentration of people throwing money away on ill-thought-out venture capital. socal and PNW are ok for finding aeron aggregators, but there is really nothing compared to the south bay area.

that said, the aeron aggregators in the south bay will often ship, as they're most likely to end up with large inventories during downturns when there are few local customers.

I live in the South Bay :).
HEHEHEHEHEHEHE
:p
Now I just need to find these guys and get hooked up.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: 1pq on Sun, 12 January 2014, 14:13:20: lol when I first saw this thread I thought it was going to be about fitting ergodoxes into the armrests of ergonomic chairs :p
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Input Nirvana on Tue, 04 February 2014, 22:02:19: Quote from: TheSoulhunter on Sun, 22 December 2013, 03:53:02
So, after trying some "ergo" office chairs I came to the conclusion that "ergo" never equals "comfy" for me, some even caused back-pain after a short amount of time. In the search for a workaround I remembered this uber comfy automatic adjusting TV/relax chairs called "Stressless" which I checked back then when looking for home cinema furniture (ended up getting a couch because getting multiple chairs was too expensive and kinda overkill). So, I wondered if I could build some support-construction with wheels to us em like a office chair, that would be heaven, and while doing some researching I realized that they now offer office versions of their TV chairs...

(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)

Granted, they are kinda expensive, but build quality is top notch, you get a 10 year warranty on base-construction + mechanics, the posture adaptive mechanism works great, and its the most comfy chair I ever used. Yesterday I went to a local dealer to check em out, ended up buying one (model "Reno" with tough black lether and chrome base), but delivery will take 4-6 weeks. Gonna post feedback after using it for a month or so. 8)

I have 2 Stressless chairs/ottomans at home and I think they are great. I've debated getting the office chair model. I've also thought about getting the laptop/computer arm for $300 to add to the Stressless. I tried it out in the store and I'm not convinced as of yet.

Quote from: the1onewolf on Tue, 31 December 2013, 02:52:45
Quote from: mkawa on Tue, 31 December 2013, 02:45:46
Quote from: Input Nirvana on Thu, 05 December 2013, 22:10:13
Another option:

I found an Aeron repair guy in the SF bay area on Yelp. This guy is crazy good, sells parts, chairs and provides service. Maybe you can find someone similar in your area that deals in chairs that you're interested in and maybe get a smoking dealio.
there is a gigantic cloud of aerons in the bay area from overfunded under-intellect startups buying stupid **** then going bust. unfortunately, most other places don't have the same concentration of people throwing money away on ill-thought-out venture capital. socal and PNW are ok for finding aeron aggregators, but there is really nothing compared to the south bay area.

that said, the aeron aggregators in the south bay will often ship, as they're most likely to end up with large inventories during downturns when there are few local customers.

I live in the South Bay :) .
HEHEHEHEHEHEHE
:p
Now I just need to find these guys and get hooked up.

Southbay? There are a buttload. They advertise everywhere, try Craigslist too. I've been toying with selling mine (or adding a PostureFit lumbar support to it) so I've noticed the ads. Mine has cloth armrests so arms don't get stuck to the vinyl armrests.

Quote from: 1pq on Sun, 12 January 2014, 14:13:20
lol when I first saw this thread I thought it was going to be about fitting ergodoxes into the armrests of ergonomic chairs :p

You can:

[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Input Nirvana on Tue, 04 February 2014, 22:30:43: This just came to my attention on DT:

[attachimg=1]
http://www.mposition.pl/en (http://www.mposition.pl/en)

Check out the goofy Cherry keyswitch sounds while the little guy is "typing" on the laptop with airport terminal sounds in the background:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq199TQid-A (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq199TQid-A)

I'd like to meet the girl you hear in the background saying "HEL-looo". Sounds totally rockin sexy. Damn accents.

For the patient… a mock up design process. At least there's some interesting music. If you live in an elevator:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKU7_06v6os (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKU7_06v6os)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: ElectronicFur on Tue, 11 February 2014, 05:39:58: Quote from: Input Nirvana on Thu, 05 December 2013, 21:44:12
Quote from: eisenhower on Thu, 05 December 2013, 17:46:18
Is the Herman Miller Aeron considered worthwhile still?

I tried the Posturefit lumbar support for Aeron this week, very different than the lumbar pad. Doesn't push in a much as I thought it might, but seemed to give good support…I'm a lumbar support kinda guy. I would just max it out 90% of the time and call it good. Plus, I can get it for $40

Hi Input Nirvana,

Did you end up getting the Posturefit? Curious to know if you think it's better than the pad.

I'm not sure whether to go for it or not yet. I'm also trying out a new chair, so may sell the Aeron.

Hag Capisco.

(http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Hag-Capisco-8106-Pink-Elmosoft-Leather-Showroom-model-/00/s/MTYwMFgxMjM1/z/0bcAAOxyTjNSd9OB/$%28KGrHqNHJEwFJh9TTLHSBSd9O!vMY!~~60_12.JPG)

The colour is a bit bright :D
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: kod on Fri, 14 February 2014, 10:19:06: I'm really curious how that capisco works out, especially the taller sitting posture or "backwards" facing on the chair.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: TheSoulhunter on Fri, 14 February 2014, 16:51:34: Quote from: TheSoulhunter on Sun, 22 December 2013, 03:53:02
So, after trying some "ergo" office chairs I came to the conclusion that "ergo" never equals "comfy" for me, some even caused back-pain after a short amount of time. In the search for a workaround I remembered this uber comfy automatic adjusting TV/relax chairs called "Stressless" which I checked back then when looking for home cinema furniture (ended up getting a couch because getting multiple chairs was too expensive and kinda overkill). So, I wondered if I could build some support-construction with wheels to us em like a office chair, that would be heaven, and while doing some researching I realized that they now offer office versions of their TV chairs...

(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)

Granted, they are kinda expensive, but build quality is top notch, you get a 10 year warranty on base-construction + mechanics, the posture adaptive mechanism works great, and its the most comfy chair I ever used. Yesterday I went to a local dealer to check em out, ended up buying one (model "Reno" with tough black lether and chrome base), but delivery will take 4-6 weeks. Gonna post feedback after using it for a month or so. :cool:

Actually using it for 2 weeks now, so far I'm happy!

Here are some images...

(http://soulhunters-crappy-website.com/misc/SL/IMG_6847.jpg) (http://soulhunters-crappy-website.com/misc/SL/IMG_6856.jpg)
(http://soulhunters-crappy-website.com/misc/SL/IMG_6784.jpg) (http://soulhunters-crappy-website.com/misc/SL/IMG_6836n.jpg)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: mljs54 on Thu, 20 February 2014, 10:30:55: I've been using a Leap v2 at my new office location for a few months now and I gotta say it's the best chair I've sat in. I'm going to be replacing my home Aeron with a Leap v2 sometime soon. I really like the Aeron's materials but I've never truly been able to keep a straight posture comfortably in the Aeron. I have to have the chair pretty low so it doesn't make my feet uncomfortable and then I tend to either lean back too to get my back comfortable (which isn't ideal for typing/gaming) so as a result I'm always hunching forward in it.

BTW -- if you're in NYC craigslist is the way to go for these things. I got my Aeron for $200 and am in the process of getting a Leap v2 for the same price.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Thu, 20 February 2014, 14:10:59: New HM Mirra 2. Not sure when it came out but I just saw it on smartfurniture. That all white looks sexy. Too bad it's not available.

http://www.smartfurniture.com/products/Mirra-2-Chair.html
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: jacobolus on Sun, 23 February 2014, 00:38:07: This British guy, Simon Freedman, had a kickstarter ergonomic chair project (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/929020713/the-freedman-chair-a-better-way-to-sit) a few months back, and now has up a site taking a few more pre-orders (http://shop.freedmanchair.com) at a price that’s higher than the kickstarter price but much lower than his planned retail price.

The chair looks cool, if nothing else. It seems to have won some design awards, but since they aren’t available yet, there aren’t really any good reviews of what it feels like to sit in.

They apparently plan to ship them out in June.

(http://i.imgur.com/1WInuyY.jpg)(http://i.imgur.com/gdPHZTc.jpg)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Lanx on Sun, 23 February 2014, 02:45:12: looks like a bar stool with lumbar support, should i read more about it or am i wrong?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Sun, 23 February 2014, 07:22:23: Interesting. Supposedly the chair allows your body to keep a position as if you were standing up. I would love to try this chair, as I find that standing up relieves my lower back pain.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: QuadGMoto on Fri, 07 March 2014, 09:23:01: Quote from: LifeIsGooD2 on Thu, 07 February 2013, 08:38:17
anyone have this headrest for the aeron ?

http://www.amazon.com/VendorGear-Headrest-Herman-Miller-Aeron/dp/B005L9ATK6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360247853&sr=8-1&keywords=aeron+chair+headrest

pretty good reviews ... is it good ergonomically though ?

I have one of those. Most of the time I don't actually interact with it unless I lean way back. And that's when I'm really, really glad I have it. It is necessary to tighten its bolts or it will move. Once I did that it has been perfect except for the mismatch between its fabric and my chair's.

Two thumbs up.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: QuadGMoto on Fri, 07 March 2014, 09:46:13: I'm currently sitting on a Herman Miller Aeron.

When my last (relatively inexpensive) chair gave out I haunted the local office supply stores looking for a decent replacement. There were none to be found. Only after exhausting the search for an inexpensive ergonomically sound chair did I start looking at the ergo chairs. I was fortunate enough to be able to spend time at local dealers trying out the SteelCase and Herman Miller chairs.

I ruled out the SteelCase because of their decision to keep the seat pan level as you reclined. As I sat in those chairs it seemed though they encouraged me to slouch. Otherwise, they were quite impressive.

So I eventually settled on the Herman Miller Embody. And I really, REALLY liked it except for one itty, bitty problem: After sitting in it for hours, it felt like there was some sort of strap in the seat that was hitting my legs just wrong, to the point where it was painful. The dealer, after consulting directly with Herman Miller, thought it might have been a defective chair and sent me a replacement. It turned out that it was just how that design affected me. So I had to send them both back.

The Aeron, on the other hand, has been excellent and comfortable. I ordered the one sized to fit me (size C) and it has proven to be an excellent chair. I wish the front edge curved down more so that its support was only from fabric, and I'm not so happy with how the arms adjust. I also added a head rest to it. But this one is a keeper.

Still, if it hadn't been for its impact on my legs, I would have kept the Embody. It's full back support and movement is fabulous. And I much prefer its armrest design.

IMHO, this kind of situation is why its important to work with local dealers. Being able to arrange showroom tests, longer term in office tests, and returns is a big advantage of local dealers, making the extra expense worthwhile.

I'm curious, did anyone else experience the problem I had with the Embody?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Sniping on Sat, 08 March 2014, 22:53:31: Bought a used Aeron for 2 bills today and I'm completely satisfied :)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: hoggy on Mon, 10 March 2014, 13:45:42: Just to be transparent, there's a poll that will decide if this thread (& the ergodox pointer) will be unstickied.

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=55524.0
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Cafiend on Sun, 23 March 2014, 17:00:43: Interesting thread. I need a new chair badly.

Tired of the clanky plastic chairs. I use one from Office Depot. And after 3 years its rickidy as hell. Unsure if I should go full back or half back. I don't lean back that often but i'm 6'3 and after 34 years I have crazy lower back pain.

Those desk attachable wrist rests look neat.

Any suggestions?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: EvillePanda on Tue, 25 March 2014, 10:13:54: What about Balt, Raynor, or Hon as good mid priced ergo chairs? Anyone know anything about them?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: kurplop on Sat, 17 May 2014, 00:42:39: I bought a used Steelcase Leap chair about a year and a half ago and right off I liked the feel and adjustability of it but I wasn't to crazy about the armrests. They felt like stiff rubber. That would be fine if I was an asphalt road but a little hard on my bony forearms. I rebuilt them with some faux black leather and a lot of padding. I made them wider as well.

While I was at it, I tuned up the arm adjustments, which were a bit sloppy, by shimming up a few spots and tightening a few screws. If anyone tries this you might want to avoid removing the plastic around the armrest column. It is quite difficult to get back on and there are simpler ways to tighten up the column. I don't know if it's normal for the arms to be as loose as mine were or if someone had used mine as a pommel horse but since the tune-up it has remained solid.

The first picture shows the original arm pad next to the replacement.
[attach=1] [attach=2]
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: TheSoulhunter on Sat, 17 May 2014, 03:00:47: Quote from: kurplop on Sat, 17 May 2014, 00:42:39
I bought a used Steelcase Leap chair about a year and a half ago and right off I liked the feel and adjustability of it but I wasn't to crazy about the armrests. They felt like stiff rubber. That would be fine if I was an asphalt road but a little hard on my bony forearms. I rebuilt them with some faux black leather and a lot of padding. I made them wider as well.

While I was at it, I tuned up the arm adjustments, which were a bit sloppy, by shimming up a few spots and tightening a few screws. If anyone tries this you might want to avoid removing the plastic around the armrest column. It is quite difficult to get back on and there are simpler ways to tighten up the column. I don't know if it's normal for the arms to be as loose as mine were or if someone had used mine as a pommel horse but since the tune-up it has remained solid.

The first picture shows the original arm pad next to the replacement.
(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)

Whoa! Tell us more about that awesome wooden EDox/Trackball combo tray...
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: davkol on Sat, 17 May 2014, 03:20:56: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=43709
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: TheSoulhunter on Sat, 17 May 2014, 07:01:43: Oh, missed that one... Thanks!
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Lanx on Wed, 21 May 2014, 07:59:14: 2 weeks ago i just had one of my ergohuman wheels crack, then i was like, eh, 4/5 wheels, still sorta works, then i guess it was uneven weight distribution and bamm second wheel cracks, i'm only 190, so it's not due to fat, basically chair has work hours and i've had it for 9 years? so i goto the website an di can buy 1 wheel for 10bucks or 5 wheels for 40bucks, guess i now have extra wheels for the next time.

btw, i'm not mad, after 9 years if it's just 2 wheels that broke (and admittedly if i ordered the replacement wheel fast enough it would have only been 1 broken wheel) after almost 10 years, it's good enough imo, but my old aeron chair probably wouldn't break for anything.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: gcb on Mon, 26 May 2014, 03:53:45: > everyone praising PostureFit

you just bought a chair with no back support at all, and then added back support :/

only have aerons at work. it feels like siting on a sofa. a very comfortable sofa. I'm very sad that herman miller does not have an aeron 3-seater for the living room now that i think of it.

for non-adjustable-arm models, i'm happier at home with an Ikea that cost me less than $100. it is the tall one that is not the markus. don't recall the name now. granted it is not as comfy as the aeron if you sit for 8hours straight, but anyone sane would rarely do that....
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: gcb on Mon, 26 May 2014, 04:03:39: oh, and my last task chair... wife had to use the office for several days in a row, so when i worked from home i used the spare desk in the other room, that lacks a chair... so yoga exercise ball it was! ...still better back support than an aeron :D

anyway, jokes aside... one thing i'm finding odd in this thread.. everyone talks about something being ergonomic or not... that does not mean much. specially for mass produced goods. I still remember a little from my ergometry classes at the uni, but if you are NOT measuring your body and then finding a chair that fits it, it will never be ergo anything. anyone here breaking out a grand or more on a chair and then loving it without ever taking out a measurement tape... is just convincing themselves that the chair is good because it was expensive. or extremely lucky.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: kurplop on Mon, 26 May 2014, 07:36:33: Quote from: gcb on Mon, 26 May 2014, 04:03:39

anyway, jokes aside... one thing i'm finding odd in this thread.. everyone talks about something being ergonomic or not... that does not mean much. specially for mass produced goods. I still remember a little from my ergometry classes at the uni, but if you are NOT measuring your body and then finding a chair that fits it, it will never be ergo anything. anyone here breaking out a grand or more on a chair and then loving it without ever taking out a measurement tape... is just convincing themselves that the chair is good because it was expensive. or extremely lucky.

I agree with you to a point. I do think that the adjustability of many ergo products make them adaptable for different body types and sizes. Also, superior padding and better thought out support are often part of the package.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: tp4tissue on Mon, 26 May 2014, 09:54:25: Quote from: kurplop on Mon, 26 May 2014, 07:36:33
Quote from: gcb on Mon, 26 May 2014, 04:03:39

anyway, jokes aside... one thing i'm finding odd in this thread.. everyone talks about something being ergonomic or not... that does not mean much. specially for mass produced goods. I still remember a little from my ergometry classes at the uni, but if you are NOT measuring your body and then finding a chair that fits it, it will never be ergo anything. anyone here breaking out a grand or more on a chair and then loving it without ever taking out a measurement tape... is just convincing themselves that the chair is good because it was expensive. or extremely lucky.

I agree with you to a point. I do think that the adjustability of many ergo products make them adaptable for different body types and sizes. Also, superior padding and better thought out support are often part of the package.

I have formed the belief that the closer you get to a lying down position, the more ergonomic...

I wake up each morning.. my back fresh.... shoulders loose.. then I sit on my-puter for 18 hours, and boom... back pain and sometimes rigid shoulders. (http://emoticoner.com/files/emoticons/onion-head/bad-atmosphere-onion-head-emoticon.gif?1292862489)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: gcb on Mon, 26 May 2014, 17:00:55: Quote from: tp4tissue on Mon, 26 May 2014, 09:54:25

I have formed the belief that the closer you get to a lying down position, the more ergonomic...

I wake up each morning.. my back fresh.... shoulders loose.. then I sit on my-puter for 18 hours, and boom... back pain and sometimes rigid shoulders.
Show Image
(http://emoticoner.com/files/emoticons/onion-head/bad-atmosphere-onion-head-emoticon.gif?1292862489)

well, when laying down you are not trying to reach anything... the issues with pain is when you hold your tendons/muscles extended/contracted in a unnatural position for too long.

if you just sit down in a comfortable position, and MOVE YOUR STUFF to that position, INSTEAD of raising your arm much more or reaching for a mouse too far from that comfortable position, then you will not have too much pain.

sorry if you already know all that. i'm just arriving here and not really sure how much you guys know of anthropometry and ergo. so i'm probably coming out as a smart ass :)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Input Nirvana on Sun, 01 June 2014, 02:19:41: I have not gotten the PostureFit, but I may get it someday.

What I did do was get some memory/get foam seat cushions from Costco for $20 each, they sell elsewhere for $30-35. 2 for my truck and one for my Aeron. People that have sat on them have had me buy more seat cushions for them.

Winplus seat cushion

[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: James35 on Mon, 02 June 2014, 03:02:47: Not sure if it's been mentioned, but BodyBilt (now owned by ErgoGenesis) makes the best chairs I've found. They aren't cheap, usually $1100+. My wife and I have used these chairs for over a dozen years and they have paid for themselves many times over because I can simply work much longer in them than any other chair.

One of the things not seen in the pictures is the chair pivots at the knees and actually tilts forward when you get out of it. You adjust the spring to your body weight. So when you sit, it feels like you are on a combination of rocking chair that is floating on a spring. It's great because throughout the day, it moves weight around to different parts of your body a little bit. This extends the comfort time even longer than locking a chair in one position.

They own a patent on the swing arms which is awesome. You sit down, then you can swing the arms in towards your sides. It's not just twisting them toward you, it's a double pivot arm that lets you slide the entire arm in or out. Really nice.
(http://www.keynamics.com/images/Pivot-chair-armrests.gif)
It looks like over the recent years they offer a new way of doing it.

I don't know of any chair company that offers more customizable options and functionality than BodyBilt. Even the curves of your butt cheeks can be customized for your liking. :)
(http://cessi.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/J/3/J3507A-SS-Double_Stitched_Leather-Black_1.jpg)
Gotta warn you, they weigh a ton. Deceivingly heavy. I would guess 100 lbs. I had to buy some extra thick 0.25" chair mats, as the normal "heavy duty" mats weren't cutting it (over carpet).
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: ElectronicFur on Mon, 02 June 2014, 05:42:00: Quote from: kod on Fri, 14 February 2014, 10:19:06
I'm really curious how that capisco works out, especially the taller sitting posture or "backwards" facing on the chair.

I'm really liking the Capisco, and will sell my Aeron chair. The Aeron was comfortable, but I still often ended up sitting with the wrong posture. The Capisco somehow stops me doing that. I guess it's because of the saddle seat. I haven't used it much with the back facing me, so cant comment yet on how comfortable that is.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: TheSoulhunter on Mon, 02 June 2014, 13:26:21: Quote from: tp4tissue on Mon, 26 May 2014, 09:54:25
I have formed the belief that the closer you get to a lying down position, the more ergonomic...

Could be right...
Since I use that recliner I got no more back-pain :)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: phototristan on Mon, 02 June 2014, 15:01:11: I sorta had issues with my Aeron.

So I ended up selling it recently and getting a Steelcase Leap, which I like a lot better in every respect. My video review:
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: vivalarevolución on Fri, 06 June 2014, 16:13:40: I have a Body Bilt. Got in from the used office furniture store for $400 in like new, retail was over $1000 at least.

Then I got on Craigslist and saw that they had found it there for $75. I probably could have negotiated them down. But whatever, it's in the past.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: jwaz on Thu, 19 June 2014, 14:13:56: Okay, I'm doing it. Going for a V2 Leap. My budget tops out at $600 and that's worse case scenario.

Hopefully something turns up locally (sfbay has a ton of these things but I'm sort of worried about condition)

Anyone have any recommendation for retailers? Madison seating has 'em for 5-something shipped which I thought was pretty solid. Listed as "open box"
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Sniping on Thu, 19 June 2014, 16:20:55: There are plenty of good deals on craigslist. Go with the private sellers and not the stores to save money. I would only spend around $300 for a Leap V2, maybe $350 in really good condition. There's so many good chairs in the Bay Area that there's no need to overspend, deals pop up all the time.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: jwaz on Thu, 19 June 2014, 17:12:48: Quote from: Sniping on Thu, 19 June 2014, 16:20:55
There are plenty of good deals on craigslist. Go with the private sellers and not the stores to save money. I would only spend around $300 for a Leap V2, maybe $350 in really good condition. There's so many good chairs in the Bay Area that there's no need to overspend, deals pop up all the time.

Getting one delivered tomorrow for $340 to my door. Black on black in pretty much new condition, but we'll see.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: EvillePanda on Fri, 20 June 2014, 14:37:20: So, we were test driving some office chairs in Staples of all places the other day and we came across this little gem.

http://www.thehumansolution.com/raynor-nefil-mesh-chair.html

Very comfy and breathes very well. Runs for about 500 at Staples.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: katushkin on Fri, 20 June 2014, 23:26:58: I've only just realised that my entire office is kitted out with HM Mirras.

Like 3,000 of them.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Sniping on Sat, 21 June 2014, 03:24:27: Quote from: jwaz on Thu, 19 June 2014, 17:12:48
Quote from: Sniping on Thu, 19 June 2014, 16:20:55
There are plenty of good deals on craigslist. Go with the private sellers and not the stores to save money. I would only spend around $300 for a Leap V2, maybe $350 in really good condition. There's so many good chairs in the Bay Area that there's no need to overspend, deals pop up all the time.

Getting one delivered tomorrow for $340 to my door. Black on black in pretty much new condition, but we'll see.

Did your leap come yet?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Lanx on Mon, 23 June 2014, 03:09:56: Quote from: EvillePanda on Fri, 20 June 2014, 14:37:20
So, we were test driving some office chairs in Staples of all places the other day and we came across this little gem.

http://www.thehumansolution.com/raynor-nefil-mesh-chair.html

Very comfy and breathes very well. Runs for about 500 at Staples.

go google ergohuman

that's the ergo chair i have and it's made by raynor.

as far as my info for years ago, raynor, makes models for staples, and keeps the ergohuman online. of course my ergohuman model is like 6 years old, this model seems new with nice tech.

and my chair is still going strong. yes i recently had to replace the wheels after 6 years (or more?) i'm not going to complain about 50$ wheels (for a set of 5) on a 500$ 6 year old chair.

yea one of the switches broke off, surprisingly gorilla glue keeps a strong hold for 1 year, just have to re-apply every year. (once you adjust to your body, you won't really have to touch anything ever tho)

also if you futz with the head rest (you should get the head rest attachment) b/c of the way the bolt/washer attaches to the chair it will come apart if you re-adjust the position a few times a month, i've had to crawl on my knees and hope that my dog didn't swallow it.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: EvillePanda on Mon, 23 June 2014, 09:28:14: Quote from: Lanx on Mon, 23 June 2014, 03:09:56
Quote from: EvillePanda on Fri, 20 June 2014, 14:37:20
So, we were test driving some office chairs in Staples of all places the other day and we came across this little gem.

http://www.thehumansolution.com/raynor-nefil-mesh-chair.html

Very comfy and breathes very well. Runs for about 500 at Staples.

go google ergohuman

that's the ergo chair i have and it's made by raynor.

as far as my info for years ago, raynor, makes models for staples, and keeps the ergohuman online. of course my ergohuman model is like 6 years old, this model seems new with nice tech.

and my chair is still going strong. yes i recently had to replace the wheels after 6 years (or more?) i'm not going to complain about 50$ wheels (for a set of 5) on a 500$ 6 year old chair.

yea one of the switches broke off, surprisingly gorilla glue keeps a strong hold for 1 year, just have to re-apply every year. (once you adjust to your body, you won't really have to touch anything ever tho)

also if you futz with the head rest (you should get the head rest attachment) b/c of the way the bolt/washer attaches to the chair it will come apart if you re-adjust the position a few times a month, i've had to crawl on my knees and hope that my dog didn't swallow it.

I dunno, without the ability to try out the chair in store, I'm a little skittish. The Nefil was super nice.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Lanx on Mon, 23 June 2014, 09:46:22: oh yea i'm not recommending the ergohuman over the nefil, in fact i think the nefil is the next step up, just illustrating my years long experience with a raynor product. but head rest, you should get.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: EvillePanda on Mon, 23 June 2014, 09:57:40: Fair enough.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: ijprest on Thu, 26 June 2014, 20:44:09: I can recommend the Steelcase Leap... v1 at least (haven't tried v2).

I've had one at the office for ~12 years, and picked up a used one for home (~1 year, now). I've found that I can sit on these all day (which all too often is >12 hours) and not get tired/sore. That hasn't been the case with other chairs I've used.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: User Was Banned on Thu, 26 June 2014, 20:49:11: Blow up rubber balls are where it's at.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: jwaz on Thu, 26 June 2014, 21:08:07: Quote from: Sniping on Sat, 21 June 2014, 03:24:27
Quote from: jwaz on Thu, 19 June 2014, 17:12:48
Quote from: Sniping on Thu, 19 June 2014, 16:20:55
There are plenty of good deals on craigslist. Go with the private sellers and not the stores to save money. I would only spend around $300 for a Leap V2, maybe $350 in really good condition. There's so many good chairs in the Bay Area that there's no need to overspend, deals pop up all the time.

Getting one delivered tomorrow for $340 to my door. Black on black in pretty much new condition, but we'll see.

Did your leap come yet?

Yeah! I'm sitting in it right now and so far I'm a fan. It's definitely more comfortable than my Aeron at work.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: jacobolus on Tue, 15 July 2014, 15:14:26: Just got a Capisco chair a week or two ago, and just set up a variable height desk a couple days ago, and I’m really digging it so far. (The variable height on everything is nice because my GF is 5'3", and I’m 6'2", and the setup now works for either of us, either sitting or standing.)

The Capisco is nice in both forward and reverse orientations, with a nice saddle-style shape that lets me keep my back straight, and a choice of either back support or a little arm-rest in front. (I haven’t tried sitting sideways on it much yet.) The arm rest is pretty good for typing, at least in short stretches (not sure it would be so great for 6 hours at a stretch), and the setup overall encourages frequent changes of position.

The chair allows quite a bit of body movement compared to a standard chair, but is still pretty comfy and pretty solid feeling.

The Capisco is pretty pricey, and not as easily available second-hand as chairs like the Leap or Aeron, because they’re a bit more of a niche product. But I think it’ll be worth it if it stays comfortable for a few years. (We’ll see.)

By the way, anyone near Portland or San Francisco should really drop by Ergodepot, an ergonomic chair/desk/etc. distributor with showrooms in both cities. They’ll let you bring your laptop and work out of their showroom for a few hours, so you can give the chairs an extended tryout, and their prices are as good as any US distributors of a number of different niche (mostly northern European) ergonomic chairs.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: LifeIsGooD2 on Mon, 21 July 2014, 20:01:25: Ive had the aeron chair for about 2 years ... over the last few months Ive been having lower back pain and it seems to get worse when I sit in the chair

If Im doing anything else it really doesnt bother me much

but during and after sitting in my aeron with the posturefit my lower back definitely feels worse to the point where I feel the chair is causing it

Im not complaining cause its a very nice chair but Im wondering what my options are

should I look into a new chair ?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: QuadGMoto on Mon, 21 July 2014, 20:20:11: I ordered my chair with the PostureFit because I thought it would be important to have the flexibility to adjust it to fit me. It turned out that the proper adjustment was to remove it completely. You might want to give that a try.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: LifeIsGooD2 on Tue, 22 July 2014, 09:00:26: Quote from: QuadGMoto on Mon, 21 July 2014, 20:20:11
I ordered my chair with the PostureFit because I thought it would be important to have the flexibility to adjust it to fit me. It turned out that the proper adjustment was to remove it completely. You might want to give that a try.

thanks it definitely seems to help a little bit but not to the point where Im satisfied but for now its an improvment

still wondering if theres another chair out there that might work better for me

anyone have any suggestions ? My budget isnt a huge deal and I have someone I could sell my aeron to so it wont be wasted money

how are the steelcase chairs ? Any of the other herman miller chairs that support the lower back in different ways than the aeron ?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Zekromtor on Tue, 22 July 2014, 12:08:46: You poor bastards and your archaic torture devices known as chairs...

Stop sitting and start lying down. There is no way to simultaneously remain upright, relax your back muscles, and not compress your spine except for this:
(http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/galleries/2014/Review_LukeSkywalkerEchoBaseBactaTankPOTJ/Review_LukeSkywalkerEchoBaseBactaTankPOTJ_stillA.jpg)

You must unlearn what you have learned.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: kurplop on Tue, 22 July 2014, 21:31:36: Quote from: LifeIsGooD2 on Tue, 22 July 2014, 09:00:26
Quote from: QuadGMoto on Mon, 21 July 2014, 20:20:11
I ordered my chair with the PostureFit because I thought it would be important to have the flexibility to adjust it to fit me. It turned out that the proper adjustment was to remove it completely. You might want to give that a try.

thanks it definitely seems to help a little bit but not to the point where Im satisfied but for now its an improvment

still wondering if theres another chair out there that might work better for me

anyone have any suggestions ? My budget isnt a huge deal and I have someone I could sell my aeron to so it wont be wasted money

how are the steelcase chairs ? Any of the other herman miller chairs that support the lower back in different ways than the aeron ?

I have been using a Steelcase Leap for a few years and really like everything about it except the stock armrest pads which I have since modified.
Because ergo chairs have so many adjustments, it can take time to find which settings are best for you. If you are currently suffering from an injury or chronic condition it can be even more difficult to determine the best settings because even the right adjustments can still be uncomfortable when in that condition. If you were happy and comfortable with the Aeron before, you may try a different setting for a while. The pain may run its course and you may later wonder why you ever considered replacing it in the first place.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide
Post by: kittykatmax on Wed, 30 July 2014, 22:02:18: Quote from: thegunner100 on Mon, 12 November 2012, 15:40:19
The Ergonomic Task Chair Club
thegunner100 - Steelcase Amia
mkawa - Herman Miller Aeron
ripster - Steelcase Leap
Amarok - Herman Miller Aeron
sordna - Herman Miller Aeron
Lanx - Ergohuman
Trent - Herman Miller Aeron
xcelerate - Humanscale Freedom
Glod - Herman Miller Embody
ChaoticKinesis - Herman Miller Mirra
Kurplop - Steelcase Leap
CPTBadAss - Steelcase Leap
mistakemistake - Steelcase Leap

Chair counts:
Steelcase - 5
Herman Miller - 6
Other - 1

Can anyone join? Add me to list of Steelcase Leap owners. :)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide
Post by: Dizon248 on Wed, 30 July 2014, 23:04:30: Quote from: kittykatmax on Wed, 30 July 2014, 22:02:18
Quote from: thegunner100 on Mon, 12 November 2012, 15:40:19
The Ergonomic Task Chair Club
thegunner100 - Steelcase Amia
mkawa - Herman Miller Aeron
ripster - Steelcase Leap
Amarok - Herman Miller Aeron
sordna - Herman Miller Aeron
Lanx - Ergohuman
Trent - Herman Miller Aeron
xcelerate - Humanscale Freedom
Glod - Herman Miller Embody
ChaoticKinesis - Herman Miller Mirra
Kurplop - Steelcase Leap
CPTBadAss - Steelcase Leap
mistakemistake - Steelcase Leap

Chair counts:
Steelcase - 5
Herman Miller - 6
Other - 1

Can anyone join? Add me to list of Steelcase Leap owners. :)

Herman Miller Embody being built and shipped here :)
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: HardCelery on Wed, 01 October 2014, 23:49:47: Quote from: Zekromtor on Tue, 22 July 2014, 12:08:46
You poor bastards and your archaic torture devices known as chairs...

Stop sitting and start lying down. There is no way to simultaneously remain upright, relax your back muscles, and not compress your spine except for this:
Show Image
(http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/galleries/2014/Review_LukeSkywalkerEchoBaseBactaTankPOTJ/Review_LukeSkywalkerEchoBaseBactaTankPOTJ_stillA.jpg)

You must unlearn what you have learned.
Pictures of your setup? lol
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: steve.v on Sun, 16 November 2014, 06:27:19: After lots of research, I bought a used fully-adj HM aeron w/ posture-fit. In my opinion it may be a bit over priced; but after months of using it, I get a small grin every time I sit on it; weird I know. It's not perfect, but still a very good chair. My personal criterions for buying it if you're interested:

Know what size may best fit you, a b c.
Buy used good condition ones that were recently manufactured well within the last 3-5 ytd.
I would not spend over $500 for it unless it was the only choice
Get posture fit version and buy/build aftermarket small lumber-pad support, best of both worlds.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Mon, 17 November 2014, 18:04:11: OP here! I'm glad to see that this thread is still around, and hopefully people have gotten some good information out of the guide and the discussion.

I am a health sciences senior specializing in Environmental Health and Safety and for my writing class, I was supposed to write a research paper based on a health concern, and make a program based on the issues and the needs. Because of my chronic lower back pain, I decided to do my research on musculoskeletal disorders and chronic lower back pain among office workers. As of last week, I have completed and submitted my paper to my professor. This Thursday, I will be presenting a poster based on my research paper at my school's annual health symposium.

If you guys are interested, I could summarize my research and findings from various journal articles that I have read. I'm going to be busy for some time though, so this will probably come later. But the message that I want to leave with you guys for now is that finding an ergonomic chair alone is not enough to prevent back pain! Try to reduce your sitting time as much as possible, and make sure to take breaks from sitting every hour.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: mkawa on Mon, 17 November 2014, 19:12:50: yes, please!!

chronic lower back pain is one of those soft tissue boogiemen that is very easy to acquire but very difficult to treat, as it has so many etiologies and no easy answers. you can either stop using your back until it goes away :| spend a year or so strengthening your core while your back hurts with every _extremely tricky exercise that is just as likely to injure it more as strengthen the muscle_, or you can take NSAIDs every day, complain and be miserable, as you're only treating the symptom, and NSAIDs make you grumpy because they're incredibly hard on your stomach.

to recap, yes please!!
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: fxtannier on Sat, 06 December 2014, 14:30:41: I bought a Steelcase leap chair version 2 around a year ago. I really like the customizability of the chair especially the seat as it can be adjusted forward and backward. I thought chairs couldn't get any better after sitting on one for five years until I decided on try the one I bought at "room and board store". I bought mine new but I think they can be purchased used for a really good price. There are quite numerous reviews online about the chair.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Mon, 05 January 2015, 16:53:23: Okay, here are some quick notes based on journal articles that I've read:

Prolonged sitting is bad for you even if you have a well designed, ergonomic chair. Try to reduce the amount of sitting as much as possible.

Even if you have an ergonomic chair, it is very beneficial that you make full use of the features and adjust it so that it fits your body and environment.

It is recommended that people take a 5-10 min break to walk around and stretch each hour. Some researchers suggest even longer breaks. They didn't quite specify if the breaks should be done continuously or split between several periods in an hour.

Sitting up straight is no longer the most "ergonomic" way to sit. It is actually better to adjust your sitting positions every once in a while so that you can relieve pressure on one muscle group and unload it onto another.

Standing workstations can help reduce musculoskeletal symptoms. especially when used in conjunction with ergonomic chairs. People can try to alternate between sitting and standing for maximum effectiveness.

Other notes on things that I didn't do as much research on:

Exercise is important! However, choosing the right kinds of exercise is important. Certain exercises (such as heavy weightlifting) can worsen back pain.

Stretching is also important, but you have to do it properly. (see this post (http://drbenkim.com/one-stretch-avoid.htm)). Same for Yoga.

One journal article found that jack knife stretching increases hamstring flexibility.

Improving hamstring flexibility can reduce lower back pain.

That all being said... I miss my Amia :(. I've just been using this leather task chair that I got from my uncle and my back gets pretty sore by the end of the day.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: asgeirtj on Sun, 18 January 2015, 14:42:56: http://jysk.dk/kontor/kontorstole/gold/kontorstol-suldrup-memory-skum-gra

I'm considering this chair, how do you guys like it? I'm on a pretty small budget. I'm a small guy so a chair with small back is cool, also it looks like it has good back support. I have 3 chairs at home, 2 leather comfy premium chairs and 1 super basic chair which doesn't even have an arm rest and I use the super basic chair just because it supports my back better.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: mljs54 on Thu, 22 January 2015, 09:41:37: Bumping this thread.

I'm looking to replace my Aeron after about 3 years. My Aeron is just nowhere near as comfortable (for me, at least) as my Leap v2 at work. Suffering from all the usual complaints like poor leg circulation and back support.

How different is the Amia from the Leap? I'm primarily asking because I like the look of the Amia more than the Leap (seems less bulky) and not because of the price difference (seems pretty minor anyway for a big investment).

How does the Sayl compare to the Leap and the Amia? The overall design is awesome and fits well with the rest of my furniture. Really digging the color options you can pick as well.

Thanks in advance!
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: thegunner100 on Sun, 25 January 2015, 07:05:07: Between the Leap and the Amia, the leap is/has:

heavier and has a bigger max capacity.
can have a headrest
variable tilt lock
lumbar support firmness adjustment
the top of the leap's back is tilted slightly more back than the amia
I believe the leap's back also has a bit more cushioning

I think that if you already know that you like the Leap, then stick with it since budget isn't a concern.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: tp4tissue on Thu, 29 January 2015, 16:14:55: gyz. whc chr dis.

[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: pr0ximity on Fri, 06 February 2015, 20:10:19: Been looking for a while and finally pulled the trigger on a new chair for the home office. A local office reseller is having a liquidation sale and mentioned they have a few Leaps, so I thought I'd check them out. Found a Leap V2 with the 3D fabric in grey with a grey frame, thing looks gorgeous and it's really a dream to sit in. With their sale, came to $185 and it looks like it's been taken care of really well. Sanitized it when I got it home and really could not be happier with it! Between the Leap and my 55g Realforce, I doubt there's much more I need to be comfortable. Perhaps new headphones, but my HD555's have been going strong for something like 6 years.

My previous job I sat in an Aeron for a couple pf years and never had any complaints, however I think the Leap's support and adjustability is much more my style. I don't think I ever had the Aeron tuned quite to my liking throughout the entire time I had it, however the Leap feels like it fits me like a glove immediately. I think as others have mentioned it's just the two chairs have different ideas about how they should work. The Aeron I would forget I'm sitting in while the Leap reminds me with a comforting hug.

Quote from: kurplop on Tue, 22 July 2014, 21:31:36
I have been using a Steelcase Leap for a few years and really like everything about it except the stock armrest pads which I have since modified.

What modifications did you do (or are other people familiar with)? I was underwhelmed with the armrest pads at first, but I think they're growing on me. Time will tell I suppose.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: kurplop on Fri, 06 February 2015, 20:29:12: Quote from: pr0ximity on Fri, 06 February 2015, 20:10:19
Quote from: kurplop on Tue, 22 July 2014, 21:31:36
I have been using a Steelcase Leap for a few years and really like everything about it except the stock armrest pads which I have since modified.

What modifications did you do (or are other people familiar with)? I was underwhelmed with the armrest pads at first, but I think they're growing on me. Time will tell I suppose.

I didn't like the feel of the rubber-like armrest and I thought the padding was not ideal so I replaces the pads with larger and softer pads I made. I used a yoga mat as padding and wrapped it with fake leather. Looks as good now as when I did it and is super comfortable.

Comparison of stock and modified armrests
[attach=1]

And at the desk
[attach=2]
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: bcredbottle on Thu, 05 March 2015, 16:04:40: .
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: jacobolus on Thu, 05 March 2015, 16:42:13: Quote from: bcredbottle on Thu, 05 March 2015, 16:04:40
Does anyone have experience with saddle chairs? Are they really easier on the back?
After your trolling in the other threads, I set geekhack to ignore your posts, but I was curious what you might have to say here so I took a quick peek.

Anyway, the particular saddle chair in your picture (Salli Multiadjuster) is quite nice, my favorite of 6 different saddle seats I tried (at least, I think that’s what the picture is... there are several different Salli chairs and they all look pretty similar). You can adjust the separation and angle between the two halves, and also tilt the seat forward and back and of course raise/lower it, so it accommodates a pretty wide range of people sizes. All that adjustability comes at a cost though, it runs >$1000 new, and there’s not much used market for weird ergonomic chairs.

I like saddle seats for a couple hours, but I also occasionally like having a backrest, so they’re not ideal for me. They do a good job supporting a sitting position with a more open hip angle, straighter back, and proper forward tilt of the pelvis than a standard office chair. But they offer no support for any kind of reclining position.

As I mentioned upthread, I really enjoy the HÅG Capisco chair, which supports a saddle-type position among several others, but also has a backrest.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: bcredbottle on Sat, 07 March 2015, 14:42:43: .
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Mohfuu on Sat, 28 March 2015, 09:14:43: Hi guys.

I'm wanting to buy a new chair, but I have a very thrifty disposition.

I'm just wondering if buying a high-end chair, like a herman miller or such, is advised for or against on sites like ebay or amazon ect.

On one hand, I want a cheap chair but on the other hand I don't want a defective one. I'm just wondering if any of you have any insight about this.
Have you bought a chair from ebay/amazon? how much did it cost? was it defective?
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: pr0ximity on Tue, 31 March 2015, 18:38:15: Quote from: Mohfuu on Sat, 28 March 2015, 09:14:43
Hi guys.

I'm wanting to buy a new chair, but I have a very thrifty disposition.

I'm just wondering if buying a high-end chair, like a herman miller or such, is advised for or against on sites like ebay or amazon ect.

On one hand, I want a cheap chair but on the other hand I don't want a defective one. I'm just wondering if any of you have any insight about this.
Have you bought a chair from ebay/amazon? how much did it cost? was it defective?

Honestly if you want a deal find an office surplus store around you. They post deals on craigslist all over the place usually if you don't know where to look, and that way you can go check them out in person before you buy, not to mention getting something like a 70% discount usually.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: jacobolus on Tue, 31 March 2015, 20:45:19: Mohfuu:

My first recommendation is, find which chairs you like. Don’t just buy one of these blind, before sitting in it and working for a few hours (or ideally a week or two).

Once you know what you like, you can decide how important the warranty is, and shop around a bit to figure out the prices of various chair sources.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: katushkin on Thu, 09 April 2015, 22:41:40: Quote from: tp4tissue on Thu, 29 January 2015, 16:14:55
gyz. whc chr dis.

(Attachment Link)

I've only just checked back into this thread.

That is a Humanscale Freedom.

We have been using them for the last 4 months or so at work and they are ****ing awful.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: Merlijn on Wed, 29 July 2015, 01:16:02: After 20 years my trusty Herman Miller Eames Soft Pad chair is showing its age. The wheels need replacing and the adjusting handles need to be fixed. In that regard I thought it was time to look for a better task-oriented chair. The last week I have been reading up on different chairs online and the consensus seems to be Herman Miller or Steelcase chairs.

I looked for Herman Miller Aeron resellers in the neighbourhood (Switzerland) but the cheapest I found it, was for 1400€ which doesn't even include adjustable arms and lumbar support. Although the Aeron seems to me like a great chair, it doesn't seem to be worth 1400€. That is why I am now looking at Steelcase chairs as it is much easier to test them and buy them here in Switzerland. I have an appointment next week in a showroom of Steelcase to test the Leap and the Gesture. The Gesture was not mentioned in this thread but it seems like a very good chair, specifically built for the "modern" seating-habits.

On that note, I wanted to ask what you guys can recommend me for a chair below 1000€. Please keep in mind that availability here in Switzerland isn't great.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: awakened on Fri, 18 March 2016, 05:39:57: A couple of years ago I got into a a motorcycle accident & got my back all fused up. so my lower back pain is unlike any other from time to time, posture and lumbar support are very important!

Luckily, my old man decided to get me a Herman Miller Embody with all the bells and whistles. Changed. My. Life.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: noisyturtle on Sat, 19 March 2016, 18:34:21: Well I gone and done it. I finally bought a DX Racer from the current Massdrop going on (Iron Series)

It'll probably take 3-4 weeks to get here, but I will report back once it arrives.
Title: Re: The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion
Post by: smknjoe on Sat, 07 May 2016, 03:17:49: These are on sale right now at Office Designs 15% off all Herman Miller + 5% off with the code: 5formom + free shipping (US) = $750 total for a fully loaded, fully adjustable, and fully warranted Aeron.

http://www.officedesigns.com/our-products/best-sellers/aeron/aeron-chair-custom