What are you sitting on?

Fixitman

F
I've had (mostly lower) back problems for the last 20 years or so. My old desk chair was great, but it eventually fell apart. I now have an Amazon chair that needs a new home in the nearest dumpster. I'm considering a Secretlab Titan Evo, but I'd like some input before I make that investment.

So, what are you sitting on, and what do you think of it?
 

Fixitman

F
I thought of that first. All the local furniture stores either have no desk chairs, or cheapo garbage. I'm hoping to find something online that's comfortable, and will last more than a year. I'll be using it about 40 hours/week on average.
 

Dillon Fallon

Dillon Fallon
I'd definitely say this is one of those things that you ideally want to work out how much you want to spend and then possibly double it.

I'm interested in how this thread goes after my (not cheap) office chair turned out to be less comfortable than sitting on an upturned bin after a few months.
 

Nikephorus Phocas

Nikephorus Phocas
Dillon Fallon said:
I'd definitely say this is one of those things that you ideally want to work out how much you want to spend and then possibly double it.

I'm interested in how this thread goes after my (not cheap) office chair turned out to be less comfortable than sitting on an upturned bin after a few months.
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How you been? How's the baby?
 

Astaran

Astaran
Fixitman said:
I've had (mostly lower) back problems for the last 20 years or so. My old desk chair was great, but it eventually fell apart. I now have an Amazon chair that needs a new home in the nearest dumpster. I'm considering a Secretlab Titan Evo, but I'd like some input before I make that investment.

So, what are you sitting on, and what do you think of it?
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I had some issues with lower back pain as well (lack of sports, lack of movement and way too much time in front of my PC). Back then I had one of those small run of the mill office chairs with a short back rest that stops somewhere in the middle of the back.

In 2016 I treated myself to a DX Racer gaming chair. I thought it a bit pricey at first, but it was worth every single penny. It has seen some wear&tear over the last years (including moving from one side of the country to the other), but it's still holding up strong. Money well spent for my health and my gaming comfort (what a rarely seen combination of words)
 

Philip Coutts

Volunteer Moderator
Philip Coutts
I have one of the Noble Chairs and very good it is too but I'd agree you really need to try it first. One other thing (if you can) is to see a physio, they can give you stretches and exercises to do to help with back pain. I was lucky and got to see one via my work and it's made a real difference to my slightly knackered back.

Good luck!
 

Ned Flandalorian

N
Go for whatever has the longest warranty.
Anything guaranteed for only one or two years is going to be crap quality, if a manufacturer isn't confident their product will last at least five years don't even consider them.
 

IstvaanDCIV

IstvaanDCIV
I have a black leather-faced Wheaton executive chair made by Eliza Tinsley. I bought it in 2020 after the disgusting cheap fake PU leather chair I got from Amazon started cracking and peeling after just two years. It was a bit pricey, but it's been well worth it. I especially appreciate the generous padding on the armrests, I hate it when they're hard.

AIG8115522.jpg


I also added a nice and firm black lambskin leather cushion in order to provide additional support for my lower back. The filling where my bum sits also collapsed (I've got a bony behind), so I've added a memory foam cushion to sit on top of. Since I got this setup, I've had absolutely zero back pain.

I'm OK with paying extra for the privilege, but it was surprisingly hard to find this style of chair made with real leather. My previous experiences have made me hate artificial leather, which unlike the real thing is sticky, sweaty, and doesn't breathe. I honestly have trouble understanding how people put up with that garbage, aside from lack of money of course.
 
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Helmut Grokenberger

Helmut Grokenberger
I have had chronic back pain since my twenties because I have really bad scoliosis (my scoliosis has scoliosis, so to speak). Curiously enough the two chairs I can sit for prolonged times without drowning in pain are two cheapish IKEA chairs.

I have an IKEA Markus at my desk. When I bought it I preferred it to every other chair I tried out regardless of price, because it exactly fits my size and proportions. I like it more than the three times more expensive office chair with myriads of adjustments I have at work. If you don't have the exact right body proportions it is a really crappy chair, but for me it is perfect. I have to shuffle around and move my position every ten minutes, but I can sit in it better than any other desk chair I ever tried.

But I don't play Elite at my desk; I play in VR exclusively, and my pilot's seat is free standing in the center of my office. It is an IKEA Poäng, and it is hands down the most comfortable piece of furniture mankind has come up with. I have played six to eight hour sessions in it without feeling a thing or ever having to move my position. As far as I am concerned, it is a miracle.

I would never buy a "gaming" chair like the Secretlab ones. For one, the pseudo-rally-seat look most of the gaming chairs offer looks ridiculous, and my impression is most of them are not worth the "gaming" premium. SecretLabs seem to be very popular/have very high visibility because they push very agressively though "influencers" and content creators, but I have no idea if they are worth it. I doubt it though.

Go out to local office suppliers (or even IKEA) and try every chair you can and buy the one that fits your back (if you can afford it). It is annoying and takes time, but probably less than ordering, trying out, and sending back chair after chair.
 

Arrowroot 66

Arrowroot 66
I've had a Secretlab Titan for a couple of years. It's just as comfortable now as when I first bought it, so longevity hasn't been a problem (so far). As other people have said, the best option by far is try before you buy, but if you're going to purchase sight (and seat!) unseen then Secretlab is as good a brand as any other.

I'd buy again, and if you've picked the right one for your height/weight you should be ok, but everyone is different.
 

Hooplah

Hooplah
I'm an old guy losing muscle tone, bone marrow and loss of weight over the years. What I could lift ten years ago is not so easy now. A gallon of milk is heavy! Don't get old. Opps no choice. With a smaller butt when it was was bigger and more flesh padding my tailbone gets painful in any cheap or expensive chair that I sit in especially playing Elite Dangerous for many long hours.

The solution was this cushion I bought on Amazon designed to relieve the coccyx tailbone pain issues with us old people. Then any chair that I sit in is all about my game play style and being silly to spend a fortune with an expensive dedicated flight chair while any decent office chair will do. Hope this helps...

Regards
 
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Ian Doncaster

Ian Doncaster
I'd second the recommendations for Ikea's high-end office chairs - I don't think they do the specific model I've got any more, nor the one I had before that, but either the Markus or Jarvfjallet look relatively similar in shape and quality for their current range. They're comfortable, last a long time, and are considerably cheaper than the Secretlab equivalents.
 

Helmut Grokenberger

Helmut Grokenberger
Ian Doncaster said:
I'd second the recommendations for Ikea's high-end office chairs - I don't think they do the specific model I've got any more, nor the one I had before that, but either the Markus or Jarvfjallet look relatively similar in shape and quality for their current range. They're comfortable, last a long time, and are considerably cheaper than the Secretlab equivalents.
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The Järvfjället looks like a nice upgrade to the completely non-adjustable Markus. Nice, I think it didn't exist when I bought my Markus (I think I had mine for almost ten years now). It is not exactly cheap, but i might actually be worth an upgrade.
 

Untilting

Untilting
Helmut Grokenberger said:
The Järvfjället looks like a nice upgrade to the completely non-adjustable Markus. Nice, I think it didn't exist when I bought my Markus (I think I had mine for almost ten years now). It is not exactly cheap, but i might actually be worth an upgrade.
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Can concur - I got a Järvfjället a couple of years back (it was a reduced ex-display model I happened to pass while looking for a replacement for a knackered cheapo chair). It's been pretty comfortable - I never really think about it despite sitting in it 40+ hours per week.
 
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