Fabric Chairs?

Vern1961 · 28 Feb 2017 at 11:28

I'm thinking of replacing my rather worn PC chair (probably bought from Office World or similar about 6 years ago). Not really into the high end "gamer" chair but looking for something with a decent padded high back (not the awful mesh things you see), armrests. There's a couple of candidates in the shop here but all there seems to be is "faux leather" aka plastic/pvc seat type covers. I find especially in the summer this tends to "draw" and can be uncomfortable and sweaty. Would much prefer a cloth/fabric cover but very difficult to source.

Two questions then, why are there so few fabric covered chairs available and can anyone spec me a fabric covered chair to the requirements indicated above, in the £150 range, please?

ExRayTed · 3 Mar 2017 at 10:42

2nd hand steelcase leap from Ebay. I don't think you'll find much better at that price

Gambisk · 3 Mar 2017 at 11:03

ExRayTed said:
2nd hand steelcase leap from Ebay. I don't think you'll find much better at that price

+1 so much better than the "gamer" chairs with all their style and no substance.

Doogles · 3 Mar 2017 at 14:30

Steelcase Leap is decent but I do miss not having a neck rest!

Zhuni · 4 Mar 2017 at 18:34

Leap from Ebay as others have said.

V F · 4 Mar 2017 at 18:38

I'd love an Alcantara chair. Don't see many of those...

BigBANGtheory · 4 Mar 2017 at 21:52

Doogles said:
Steelcase Leap is decent but I do miss not having a neck rest!

Steelcase Leap and Please both have headrest options fyi

Doogles · 4 Mar 2017 at 23:10

BigBANGtheory said:
Steelcase Leap and Please both have headrest options fyi

Really? I didn't know this I've had mine for 3 years with no rest! Can I buy one to add on?

David_VI · 5 Mar 2017 at 22:12

I've had a Steelcase Leap over 2 years now after asking for the same advice!

Got mine from EBay, like new...lovely. So many adjustments. Takes a while to get used to but then it's perfect.

Amaede · 8 Mar 2017 at 12:16

I am using Fulmer leather chair, do give it a try.

madindehead · 14 Mar 2017 at 12:13

Is it possible to buy a Steelcase Leap headrest on it's own? I can't find where you can buy a new Steelcase Leap v2 in the UK without going via a dealer

And none of the second hand ones have a headrest.

Raikiri · 17 Mar 2017 at 16:41

Doogles said:
Steelcase Leap is decent but I do miss not having a neck rest!

I got a refurb Humanscale Freedom with a headrest recently and it's a great chair.

Edit: It was £189 though so a little above the OPs budget.

Doogles · 17 Mar 2017 at 17:39

Raikiri said:
I got a refurb Humanscale Freedom with a headrest recently and it's a great chair.

Edit: It was £189 though so a little above the OPs budget.

That looks really decent, better than my Leap it's so annoying that getting a decent desk chair is so expensive.

melmac · 17 Mar 2017 at 23:17

I got a Volmar chair from, well not sure if I am allowed say. It's within your budget and comes in a fabric option. I have the fabric one.

It's very adjustable. And that's the trick to this chair. When I first set it up I just did a quick setup and got it good enough. It was so uncomfortable. It was so bad that I was going to return it, but, I sat down, literally, and took the time to adjust the chair properly and suddenly it became much more comfortable.

Rotty · 28 Mar 2017 at 15:01

any ideas on 2ndhnd in relation to where to pitch a best offer?

Glanza · 28 Mar 2017 at 17:04

Ikea Markus, just ordered one to replace my 4 year old DX Racer as the padding has finally collapsed on one side.

Maundie · 28 Mar 2017 at 21:48

Glanza said:
Ikea Markus, just ordered one to replace my 4 year old DX Racer as the padding has finally collapsed on one side.

Is the Markus that good? I'm 17.5 stone so not sure how it would be with the 'heavier' chap.

I really need a new chair and don't like the 'bucket' seat design most of OC stock, only other option I was looking at is Hermann Miller but they're nearly a grand

Glanza · 29 Mar 2017 at 08:41

Maundie said:
Is the Markus that good? I'm 17.5 stone so not sure how it would be with the 'heavier' chap.

I really need a new chair and don't like the 'bucket' seat design most of OC stock, only other option I was looking at is Hermann Miller but they're nearly a grand

Not got it yet but a lan I used to attend, guy there must have been 25 stone and he had one that he brought with him and could sit in it for 12+ hours.

Maundie · 29 Mar 2017 at 09:19

Glanza said:
Not got it yet but a lan I used to attend, guy there must have been 25 stone and he had one that he brought with him and could sit in it for 12+ hours.

Thanks for the reply, good to know it can cope with my 'girth', looks like a trip to Ikea to have a sit in one and see, might have to get the wife to push me round the place just so I can spend time in it

BigBANGtheory · 3 Apr 2017 at 13:01

madindehead said:
Is it possible to buy a Steelcase Leap headrest on it's own? I can't find where you can buy a new Steelcase Leap v2 in the UK without going via a dealer And none of the second hand ones have a headrest.

I had to ask around for mine i.e. register interest with a number of used office furniture dealers.

Basically Steelcase are crafty buggers they build/sell the entire back rest either with or without the headrest as a single unit and even the dealers don't really want to help unless you bought the chair from them. I can tell you that on the Please the headrest is set quite far back so you have to recline quite a long way before it supports you, personally I'd say its mostly an aesthetic look so in terms of comfort I wouldn't get too hung up on it.