Ergonomic Chair Review: Why I Chose the Humanscale Freedom Chair

As an employee of an ergonomic firm, I get the luxury of choosing which chair I’d like to sit in for the 45+ hours I sit while working here. We carry a lot of great chairs, and choosing just one was not easy. Here are the reasons I love the Humanscale Freedom Chair:

• Adjustable Seat Depth: I’m fairly petite at 5’1" and 125 lbs. I swim in most chairs and there is nothing more uncomfortable than being unable to comfortably bend my knees when my back is up against a chair back, so seat depth was a very important factor for me. I’m really about as small as this chair accommodates, but it does so comfortably. The Freedom Chair is designed to fit 5’2" to 6’2" and it appears to deliver that range very well.

• Seat Width and Advanced Arms: I also did not want the seat to be too wide as that would place the arms too far apart for me to comfortably use for support while typing. This seat is narrow enough to accommodate me just fine. I selected the Advanced Arms, which pivot inward so I get this support. The standard arms would have been too far apart so I’m very glad I chose the Advanced Arms. I also like that the arms can be lowered out of the way and that they swing outward out of the way with little effort so I can leave my seat quickly.

• Lumbar Support: My favorite part of this chair is the prominent and very supportive lumbar support. It fits exactly into my back and feels great! Every so often my back hurts and this chair is the most comfortable place I can sit. I wish I had one at home. Hey boss - my birthday is coming soon, hint, hint.

• Dynamic Reclining Mechanism and Headrest: I spend a fair part of the day on the phone, and when I do, I prop my feet up on my CPU and lean back. One of the beauties of the Humanscale Freedom Chair is that I don’t have to think and switch a lever to do this. I just lean back and the chair automatically follows. The headrest moves my head forward so I can still view my monitor screen without straining my neck.

• Leg Comfort: One feature I love that I didn’t realize would be such a big deal until I sat in the chair is that when I lean back, the seat front does not rise up like it does on the synchro-tilt mechanisms that most chairs have. When the seat of another type of chair rises, it can press uncomfortably against the back of your legs, so I really enjoy that this does not happen on the Freedom chair.

• Style: The last factor that mattered to me was appearance. Yes, I did want a sexy looking chair. I had mine done in Persian Blue Sensuede. It’s gorgeous!

So in summary, while there are a number of chairs we carry that I love and are comfortable, the one I bet my backside on was the Humanscale Freedom Chair because it combined comfort and style with a mechanism that doesn’t require me to think to use. I don’t know about you, but I think all day at work so not having to think about my chair is a good thing.