This is related to my earlier thread on replacement chair choice. https://forums.bit-tech.net/index.php?threads/does-your-bottom-take-daily-punishment.331805/ Now I am wondering is it worth paying the extra for a leather covering, probably a Humanscale Freedom or go with the fabric covering?
Definitely leather - if only for "yoghurt" incidents. Although fabric chairs are more comfortable on hot days, leather (or pleather) is easier to keep clean.
Pretty much as above, leather is much easier to clean even setting aside spills and food accidents. Also if it is a decent quality chair with proper leather it will wear less and last longer than cloth with the additional bonus of looking better as it ages. You can get leather wipes to keep it clean and smelling nice as well which I'd recommend even if you are not spending much time in it. A decent environment to work, play and live in always improves your mental health so it is money well spent imho.
I would choose neither and go with mesh, also easy to clean, no foam padding to go flat and much cooler (and non-sticky) in hot weather.
Not all leathers and fabrics are created equally, and either can end up looking like trash in just a couple of years if they're poor quality. Leather looks nice, but can get a bit swampy, especially if you're sitting in it for hours at a time.
Considering the asking price and reputation of the Humanscale chairs I'm going to bet that the quality of the leather is going to be excellent. As for swampy-ness, you should be getting up and walking around every 30-60 minutes or so anyways.
As would be the quality of the fabric. IMO, pick based on comfort, then looks, and not worry about the rest. Leather has the advantage of being wipe clean, which is good if you think you might need to be... wiping it. Fabric has the advantage of being cooler and not getting sticky, and often cheaper. Either of them on a £500+ chair are going to last and stay looking good for years to come.
Therein lies my problem as I cannot find anyone in Edinburgh that stocks the chairs, John Lewis sell them but do not stock them up here, the nearest place is Glasgow which is a bit of a trek via public transport, so trying out the chair is difficult.
Leather is a bit cold for me. I chose fabric with some spray on coating stuff I got with my sofa. Given I picked such a light blue it's testament to the fabric that it still looks every bit as good as the day I got it. Leather can also be quite slippery and the Humanscale is a very firm chair Glen.
This poses potentially a larger issue than knowing whether you prefer fabric or leather... what if you don't find the chair comfortable at all? Positive reviews and testimonials is all well and good, but none of the reviewers possess your particular combination of arse, back, legs, desk etc etc. The Aeron chair for instance receives near universal praise - I probably would have confidently bought one for home untested if it wasn't for the fact I used one for a week on a training course and didn't get on with it at all. Aren't there any alternatives that you can try out locally, or vendors with free collections for returns? (JL might, they came picked up a 10x7 rug for me that didn't quite match free of charge for a full refund)
Which is why I have not committed myself and have asked for peoples reviews. My last chair I bought from Staples and we have a store in Edinburgh and it was very comfortable. But a year or so down the line it was not so. A bit of a quandary if I am honest.
I'm not sure reviews can really cut it when it comes to something like this. They can tell you how well they last, how sturdy they are, how adjustable, whether or not they squeak when you move and so on, but comfort is very subjective. A pair of shoes may get 5* by everyone that has ever set foot in them, but they still may not fit properly when they turn up.
having had pleather chairs at home since forever.. fabric unless you plan to wet yourself regularly. even then, fabric and a wetvac.
Because I am reluctant to commit a fair wack of change to a seat that I may not like without being able to at least sit in one, I am going to have a look at the Ikea Markus which has also been recommended.
I had a Markus for a bit - I'm not sure I'd specifically recommend it, maybe not against it either though. It's not terrible and a lot better than many options at the price level, but lacks adjustment options and the leather isn't fantastic, not ageing well in my experience. I would have been mighty peeved if it was a £400 chair, but it was a £120 chair, so it wasn't terribly upsetting. At least you can check it out ahead of time though to check for fit given that there should be one in every Ikea, so the lack of adjustability might not be an issue. Make sure you test it as you intend to use it though. I'm guilty of trying it out in the shop, leaning back and relaxing in it thinking it was super comfortable (which it was) and then getting it home and realising that I found it less so for sitting at a desk. Whipping the armrests off did help though.
i know the decision has already been made, but if you're going for leather, make sure it's actually leather and no some leather effect/'pleather' plastic ****...
