design question- office chairs

I haver rarely found a chair in which I am comfortable and I think a comfy chair is a pre-req for productivity.  Two things I have always wondered about office chairs, and BTW I don't like these features, why are they designed to sink down when you sit in them and why are chairs for doing a forward leaning task such as coding, designed to lean back unless one specifically leans forward?

These traits are so universal that I assume there is a good reason for them.  Anyone know?

name withheld out of cowardice
Wednesday, June 16, 2004

Have you tried a Herman Miller Aeron?  People seem to love or hate them.  There's just a little sinking of the mesh when you sit down but the height mechanism stays in place.  With all the options they have an adjustable tilt lock to prevent them from going back and a forward tilt release in case parallel to the floor isn't far enough forward for you.

They also have a chair called the Mira which is pretty nice and less expensive.  I've also heard good things about some Steelcase models.

Doug
Wednesday, June 16, 2004

I just got an Aeron chair (see post below) and I must say I love it.

Okay, so maybe 1,000 USD (equiv) is a lot for a chair, but if it saves me half a day off work due to back ache, it'll have paid for itself.

On a totally superficial level, it does look stunning too.

Steve Jones (UK)
Wednesday, June 16, 2004

I have an Aeron Chair at home and find it superior.  I wasn't complaining or looking for a solution.  I was actually wondering what the point was.

name withheld out of cowardice
Wednesday, June 16, 2004

because that's the way it's always been?

some companies do make chairs which lean forwards, don't sink, etc. but they tend to have a niche market or go out of business.

i still want to get a swopper. though i'm happy with my work chair--it's a very simple (and probably cheap) secretarial chair, fancier chairs tend to not work as well.

mb
Wednesday, June 16, 2004

I must have the worst posture in the world, yet I never have back pain or any other...

So there is the solution: slouch.

hoser
Wednesday, June 16, 2004

I am not suffering back pain.  I just think it's weird that office chairs are almost universally designed to sink a few inches when you sit in them and are designed to lean you in the opposite direction of your work.  Even if it is because this is the way it has always been what was the original intent?  Is it relaxing that you can bounce up and down subtley?

name withheld out of cowardice
Wednesday, June 16, 2004

it's a feature, not a bug. when you sit down, the chair acts as a shock absorber. sometimes too much, but that's a cheap gas piston. some old chairs which use screw jacks don't have any spring, and you'll feel it when you sit down in them if you expect the give of a modern chair.

as for lean back, no idea... but that's why i use a secretarial chair, not an executive chair.

and according to the swopper folks, yes, bouncing is good for you.

mb
Wednesday, June 16, 2004

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