Model #: E3509 Fabric: COMFORTEK – CARBON(contact vendor for other fabrics) High back with neck roll - 2" taller and longer than a standard chair Y3 tall cylinder available with 7.5" ranger S mechanism available for 500# users Appropriate for tall and larger stature users Contoured seat reduces perching postures Model #: 2600 Fabric: COMFORTEK - CARBON High back mesh chair Seat ht range of 18.5” to 24” (standard) Short cylinder available 16.25”-19” Ht and pivot adjustable armrests Independent back angle adjustment Multiple options in lumbar support Rocking Chair style (rock) mechanism w/tension control Good all-around chair that has plenty of individual adjustments Seat pan is moderately contoured (tractor seat style) for those who prefer added support. Mesh back allows for more breathability Model #: SZT-20-724MA1-3A-18-TR-FFabric: Mid-grade Black Vendor Adjustment Guide (Video) Seat ht range of 16 to 21”
Height, pivot and width adjustable armrests Rocking mechanism w/tension control Supports forward leaning postures Herman Miller Aeron Chair AE113AWA-AJ (Lumbar Support) AE113AWA-PJ (Posture Support) AE113AWB-AJ (Lumbar Support) AE113AWB-PJ (Posture Support) AE113AWC-AJ (Lumbar Support) AE113AWC-PJ (Posture Support) Vendor Adjustment Guide (Video) Posture Fit Support for active sitting Seat height range 14.5"-19.5” for Model A, 15"-21" for Model B/C Height and pivot adjust armrests at 16” No seat slider or independent back height Adjust Lumbar support is best for relaxed sitting Substitute AJ versus PJ for Adjustable Lumbar Pad Great "relaxed sitting" chair for back-Leaning postures Superior suspension system for front/back movement and free-float rocking feature Pellicle conforms to body shape Best bet option for those who sit back is Lumbar Adjustment Support option Best bet for those who sit erect is Posture Fit
A size is good bet for very petit female HumanScale Freedom Pony Stool Extra High: 23”– 33” Base Diameter 22” (25” for extra high cylinder) • Available with foot ring for use with higher cylinders Sitmatic – Alpha Petite Model #: 163 SX SS +1A/4001 Blk DreamweaveModel #: 163 SX SS +1A/2605 Obsidian Seat ht range of 17” to 22” Ht and width adjustable armrests Adjustable lumbar support (back adjusts vertically). Synchro-tilt Rocking mechanism with tension control Very Good all-around chair that has plenty of individual adjustments Good for smaller population Wide variety of customizations available Model #: 173 SX SS +1A/4001 Blk Dreamweave Model #: 173 SX SS +1A/2605 Obsidian Good for medium to large sized individuals Significant pronounced lumbar support Model #: 073 SX SS +1A/4001 Blk DreamweaveModel #: 073 SX SS +1A/2605 Obsidian Model #: 381 SL BA SS 1A/4001 Blk DreamweaveModel #: 381 SL BA SS 1A/2605 Obsidian
Good for medium large sized individuals Sitmatic – Big Boss Task Model #: 391 SL BA SS +1A/4001 Blk DreamweaveModel #: 391 SL BA SS +1A/2605 Obsidian Good for extra large sized individuals Sitmatic – Posh Chair Mesh Back Model # 552SY-+7K/4001 Blk Dreamweave High mesh back chair Rocking mechanism with tension control Model # 8235-D-37A-98 (configured with lowering blocks)(Fabric 541-001) Meridian BlackCost $600-$650 Promotes “shoulders back” posture Provides significant lumbar and lower back support Thoracic ridge padding promotes “shoulders back” posture Good for medium to large sized individuals. Smaller sized seatpans are available Model #: 4821410 Black FabricOrdering through BruinBuy saves 2% One size chair with full compliment of features to fit most (sm-lrg) Seat height range 16” to 21” Ht, pivot, and width adjustable arm rests Good "active and relaxed" sitting chair Good for upright and back bias leaning postures
If it's not raining, I'll go outside for a walk. Even if it is raining, I may venture out into the city to run errands. But, yeah, I mostly sit. That's why, nearly six years ago, I paid an almost outrageous sum of money for a fancy ergonomic chair. The Herman Miller Mirra served me well. It encouraged me to sit properly, and even when I slouched, it was far more comfortable and supportive than the cheap office chairs I'd sat in before. I could get the lumbar support and seat depth just so, and I could make the chair lean forward when I needed. And, heck, the thing looked plain cool, like something out of Star Trek. Well, at least at first. A couple of years ago, I started noticing some tingling in my right pinky and ring fingers. I blamed my mouse initially, and when changing mice didn't help, I fiddled with the armrests and tried to use my left hand to mouse for a while. Some of those things helped. I got better, then worse, then better, then worse again. Finally, last winter, I got some x-rays done and went to see a physiotherapist.
I was told that my upper back and neck were the problem. In short, it was a posture issue. I started going to the gym, doing stretches, and watching my posture more closely. But it wasn't just me showing signs of wear. Over the years, the curve of the Mirra's back had flattened somewhat, and the lumbar support had lost much of its rigidity. The other day, I tried sitting in my girlfriend's cheap Ikea chair for a few days. The tingling in my fingers got better. In the end, I decided to call my local Herman Miller distributor and get the Mirra serviced—then to sell it and buy another, better chair. I settled on the Steelcase Leap. The Leap is a favorite among many, and some, like the folks at TheWireCutter, recommend it over the venerable Aeron as well as Herman Miller's new flagship, the Embody. The Wall Street Journal called the original version of the Leap "Best Overall" in 2005. I ordered the V2 model, which has softer arm rests, a taller back, and other design tweaks.
It set me back $755 before tax, which is a lot, but not that much for something in which I spend most of my waking hours. On October 4, the Leap showed up at my door. Here's what I typed in our staff IRC channel immediately after sitting in it and making the requisite adjustments: The Leap looks pretty unimpressive next to its Herman Miller counterparts. It has padded cushions instead of fancy mesh materials, and there's a lot of plastic covering things up. Steelcase has put an adjustment guide under each arm rest, too, and it has labeled the adjustment knobs with both printed text and Braille. Looking at this thing, you get the sense the Leap was designed to populate boring offices filled with normal people—not European design studios rife with iMacs and glass-top desks. If Herman Miller can be accused of favoring form over function, Steelcase is the polar opposite. Yet, as boring as it looks, the Leap is just as adjustable as the Mirra—and, more importantly for my needs, its back has a much more pronounced curve with some much-needed padding.
Adjusted properly, the Leap almost punishes me for not sitting up straight. Even brand new, the Mirra only ever encouraged good posture, and it never insisted too terribly much. The Leap made my back better instantly, but it took me over a week to get really used to the thing. See, the Mirra has a flexible mesh seat, kind of like a hammock, that molds itself to the shape of your butt. The sides and front of the chair are rock-hard, but the part where your butt hangs is very soft. The Leap is the other way around. The front edge never cuts off circulation to your legs, and the sides are soft, but the part where your butt goes is quite firm. There's a couple inches of padding and a hard surface underneath, and that's it. This is a deliberate design choice on Steelcase's part. Here's what the company says about it: Does a thicker seat cushion mean a chair is more comfortable? Not necessarily, some chairs have thicker foam that may feel softer initially, but will lead to user discomfort after an hour or two of sustained sitting since thicker foam typically provides little ergonomic support.
This is not good for the life of the chair or the long-term comfort of the user. In essence, foam that feels great initially does not always translate into long-term seated comfort. Steelcase also badmouths mesh seat designs like the Mirra's. It claims they restrict user movement and cause discomfort when your body touches the hard frame supporting the mesh. "Moreover," it adds, "the side forces that are felt when you push down on mesh will have a tendency to 'squeeze' you into the chair, resulting in uneven pressure distribution." I don't know about that; the Mirra's seat was pretty comfortable. The Leap, on the other hand, is literally a pain in the butt unless it's adjusted just so. Seriously, it's very unforgiving. However, now that I've found the correct seat depth, lumbar height, and back tension to accommodate my flabby body, the butt soreness has given way to a feeling of firm support. The firmness keeps me alert and aware of my posture—and every now and then, it encourages me to change position or to get up and walk around, which is what you're supposed to do.