Gaming chairs, whatcha recommend?

As subject says I’m looking for an office chair. Ideally I’d buy an embody or leap but I dunno that I can swing $1k. For reference I’m a big guy and need a chair rated to 300. I beat up weaker chairs so I’m looking for one that can take abuse but still provide comfort.

I asked this with my FB friends recently. The advice I got was to buy a high end (like Herman Miller) ergo office chair instead of a “gaming” chair.

So I split the difference and bought a good ($200) office chair with a headrest. Its worked out well so far. I wont feel too bad if it breaks or needs replacing in a few years and its fine for now.

There are 34 of these left at time of posting:

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-akracing-aero-gaming-chair

Hmm…link isn’t working. It’s a special edition from AKRacing called the aero. You could search the site for it. They have some others available too.

Massdrop won’t show you jack shit until you log in, they’ve always been like that. So don’t expect the links to onebox.

Put links in < and > if you don’t want oneboxing and they absolutely must be on a line by themselves…

<http://example.com>

or simply enter literally any text before the link …

like this http://example.com

Back on topic: do NOT get a “gaming” chair. Get a $800 - $1000 fancy high end chair. It’s a zillion percent worth it. This is not an area you want to cheap out on. And a good chair will last a decade + easily.

I dunno. My Aeron didn’t last nearly that long. Freedom chair going pretty good for the most part.

This is great advice, do you have any specific recommendations?

I like the Mirra 2 personally. I have the Embody and I am so-so on it. I don’t actually think the Aeron is a good design; it’s too old now. The Mirra is basically the sequel and is better designed for durability.

The fancier stores have these chairs, like Design Within Reach, also there are specialty “back” stores that have them. Go try some, it is a big investment and ultimately it comes down to what’s right for you.

Hard to go wrong with the Mirra 2 in my opinion though.

Find a place that sells used office furniture. I bought a Leap in excellent condition for $300 that way.

I’ve had good luck with that as well. Sometimes they will have stuff that is only lightly used, like rented for a short period.

I bought the 2004 version of this Office Depot chair:

https://www.officedepot.com/a/products/510830/WorkPro-Quantum-9000-Series-Ergonomic-Mesh/;jsessionid=00007UveO2JuZyqxZ8iNEFd2nS5:17h4h7dc6

$300.

Back in 2004/5, and it’s definitely the most expensive and best chair I’ve ever used. But I don’t know how long it would have lasted. When I moved from Seattle to Kansas City in 2007, I sold the chair for $80 to someone after advertising on craigslist.

I do miss having a nice chair. I’ve never spent more than $60 on a chair again since, and I’ve hated every computer chair I’ve used. I really dread playing PC games, because it means being highly uncomfortable for a while.

Grim Dawn is really killing me, because it’s PC-only and it’s so addictive.

Y’all are killing me. I’d love to dump $1k on a chair, but of course I really want a real Eames for the living room too. In Palisander. That ain’t happening.
http://store.hermanmiller.com/living/lounge-chairs-and-ottomans/eames-lounge-chair-and-ottoman/5667.html?lang=en_US

Yeah get an expensive desk chair, not an uncomfortable racing car styled “gaming” chair piece of crap. They’re worth the money. I’ve had my Aeron for so long it’s nearly legal to have sex with it.

I also recommend the Eames lounger. I have it in walnut. But unlike the indestructible steel desk chairs you do need to be careful with it, it’s actually somewhat fragile and the plywood can break if you plop down.

I am very fond of the chair I bought this year. Actually it is the first time I am fond of a chair. And I was worrying, as the maker seems to be going under, that I wouldn’t find an equivalent were it to break. This thread taught me where that design seems to originate from!
That design is awesome. It is the only chair that doesn’t hurt my back when I get up, and even in the heat of a tropical summer, my back didn’t break a sweat.
Do yourself a favor and try one if you can, Kadath: they really make that much of a difference. I got mine for about 350 bucks and that was a huge jump for me as well, but I sure am glad it is one I took.

Which design?

The one repeteadly talked about in various forms: Rock8man’s link, Wumpus’ Herman Miller’s models, Stusser’s endorsement - they all share the similar shape and I guess the same material to keep air flowing in your back and under your butt. I don’t know whose design it was first, but it beats any other office chair I have tried.

It’s particularly important to get a high quality chair if you’re overweight, because cheap staples chairs will just disintegrate after a year or so. The Aeron starts around $800 for the large size and is well worth it. I paid $700 in like, 1996.

Some stuff isn’t worth cheaping out on. Your fancy $2500 OLED TV will be obsolete in 5 years and trash in 10, but you’ll be sitting on the same Aeron in 20.

Whatever you settle on, be sure it has a a mesh seat because you’ll want those farts to escape.

Yeah, it’s much more pleasant not swimming in your own flatus. But I do like a lot of task chairs without pellicle seats, that isn’t a dealbreaker for me. It’s all about comfort and durability when it comes to these things.

I weigh about 135 pounds and I like to sit cross legged and in all manner of other childish positions on my computer chair, so getting a $1000, 12 way adjustable scientifically proven ergonomic leather office chair doesn’t interest me a whole lot. I just want something soft and comfy with arm rests that sits about 18" high and swivels. Wheels would be a nice bonus.

I’m using a chair that’s so old I can’t tell who made it (it’s 30 years old at a minimum). But the bottom is being held together with duct tape at this point so I need a replacement soon.

For you, I’d go with the Wirecutter’s cheap pick from Ikea.