SecretLabs Titan is worth a shout. Nowhere near as technologically advanced as specialist ergonomic brands but still a big upgrade on a basic office chair, and you get a lot for your money too with the option of quite subdued designs available. I recommend watching some YouTube reviews, such as: Clearly you get what you pay for, but as with any purchase the law of diminishing returns usually applies as you drive up the price.
One thing I'd like to highlight: I love my Aeron, but the lumbar support cushion thing (not the Posturite framework jobby, mine predates Posturite - just the basic cushion with the plastic clips that slide up and down the frame) is a consumable. Replaced the one on mine three years ago because the foam was splitting where the plastic clips were straining it... and I've just had to order a new one again 'cos the same thing's happening. Wondered why I was starting to get a bit of a twinge in my back! They're pretty cheap, though: I paid £19 three years ago, and £18 just now. No idea if they're genuine spares or third-parties, mind you, but they seem to work. For three years or so, anyway.
You're absolutely correct about the lack of headrests, I'm tall and have never found a chair, sofa, car seat, etc. that actually supports my head - except the Markus. About whose reliability I must differ. I've had mine for about 10 years and it's still fine. I only weigh about 11 stone, however. The seat is less springy than it used to be, but it doesn't affect the comfort for me. The strength of it, for me, is that it's actually made for tall people. Unlike about 99.99% of chairs in existence. The average height of males is spiralling north of 6 foot and we're still designing most office chairs and sofas for coal miners from the 40s. I don't understand it. It's also very robust, the frame and fittings are really hefty and it's not shifted or attained any wiggle or slack in about 10 years of use. The mesh is still fine, headrest is still fine, upholdstery is still fine. Other than the seat having flattened slightly (which started around year 5 of ownership) it looks mint. For £170 at the time (£150 now) I think that's tremendous value. It is only viable if you're around 6 foot or taller, though. My partner sat in it - she's about 5'4 - and looked ridiculous, and felt uncomfortable. edit - linked version defaults to the fabric coverings, which I've never tried. Mine is the gloss black. Not sure what difference it makes to durability.
I've got the fake leather (glossy?) version of Markus, it's been with us for ~7 years, 5-6 of which as my main chair. Although seat cushion remains intact, but sitting for long periods, I can feel the bone of my backside touching something hard. May be the cushion became softer overtime? (Or may be I need more meat on my cheeks ) For me, I'm going to get an office-grade chair that is: - mesh all over - good, strong lumbar support - with headrest That wellworking place has a showroom west end of North Circular. I plan to get my backside there someday.
So, I ended up picking an IKEA Markus up locally for £20...it would have been rude not to! Markus owners - do you use the chair fully upright day to day? I feel may it's just an inch to straight for me and am tempted to lock in a slight lean, but it might just be an adjustment period. Oh and for those keeping score the Aeron is streaks ahead, it's just a beautiful sit, but everyone home working seems to have driven the second hand prices up.
I've always been tempted to upgrade mine to the posture support thing. Oh, and a headrest, but I've just never bothered. If I ever do, you can have my cushion as a spare.
I tend to keep mine set at 1 notch of lean. Fully upright may be "good posture" but it feels a bit too straight for my already knackered back.
Good to know, think that's my plan too. I have noticed that my arm rests are positioned slightly unevenly too. Which is irritating me, they don't look adjustable in anyway, so I assume one has taken a knock at some point!
Same here on the Markus front. But I try to vary it really, the more varied your posture day-to-day, the fewer problems you'll have.
TIL - JayzTwoCents uses (fabric) Markus chairs. He and his daughter used them in his latest youtube video
I'm not sure Jay needs "use this chair with no visible branding on the off chance someone recognises it" money. He's got enough boxed PC components to build a house out of. I keep wondering how long til some gamer collective 4chan-sleuths his location out and raids his graphics card collection...
Seems odd Ikea would try and product-place one of their most anonymous products... Maybe that's why they've got a "gaming" range coming soon
