Steelcase Leap Chair, Grey Fabric -

First let me start this review with my stats - I'm a 40-something yo female, 5'6" and 140lbs. I have a short torso and long legs. I also have lower back pain from compressed discs. I previously had the full leather executive "Sterling" chair from Zuri Furniture. It was a beauty but lacked ergonomics and after sitting in it for an hour or so, my tailbone would ache. Thankfully, I was able to sell it and re-enter the chair purchasing market. Although I've been WFH for some 15 years, it never really occurred to me to search specifically for an ergonomic chair. At first I just used whatever I had around and then I bought the Zuri chair based solely on aesthetics. After that experience I realized maybe it's time to get a more intentional chair, especially as I'm in the office more these days. So, after researching for weeks, reading reviews and watching youtube videos, I finally settled on the Steelcase Leap chair. I was specifically looking for a chair in meadow or wasabi to match the decor in my office so I was thrilled to find that the meadow chair from this listing was deeply discounted (maybe due to meadow being a less popular color). But I was also concerned it may not be a V2 or it may be a refurb or somehow flawed based on the low price (~$830). There are precious few 2022 reviews on this listing and some alarming negative reviews from 2018 about counterfeits and quality issues so I was a bit scared to pull the trigger. I made sure to purchase from a "sold by amazon" as others have mentioned. The chair arrived 4 days earlier than expected and in perfect condition with the exception of some dust/dirt smudges on the arm rests which easily wiped away. I think this may have been from the packing process or from the chair having sat in various warehouses for who knows how long. First off, this is definitely a genuine Steelcase chair. It came in a Steelcase box. The box had a cardboard stabilizing piece in the bottom for the feet of the chair to sink into. The chair had the factory hang tag on it with information on how to operate the functions, factory plastic protective film on the base legs connecting to each caster and there was a loose plastic bag covering the upper part of the chair. There was a medium sized empty cardboard box inside to stabilize the upper part of the chair and a large airbag elsewhere in the box for extra protection. There was NO horrendous styrofoam to have to figure out how to dispose of, much to my joy. The UPS driver brought the box right to my front door on a dolly and I greeted the package with a box cutter, opened the top first to make sure there wasn't any visible damage to the contents and to examine how the chair was packaged. After that, I used the box cutter to cut the box from top to bottom on the front two corners, allowing the whole front face of the box to fall to the ground. From there it was super easy to lift the chair out of the bottom stabilizing cardboard piece and roll it right into my home office. With the assistance of the instructional hang tag, it was easy to play with all the knobs and levers and I had the chair set up exactly the way I like it within about 5 minutes. Here are my pros/cons - Pros - - The recline function is awesome. I like being able to set both the recline and tension to where I like them. This is the first reclining chair I've had and it's amazing to lean back while I read and type. I did not know this would be such a game changer! - The armrests move in all directions smoothly. At first I was concerned that they move so easily and afraid I'd be constantly having to readjust them, but that's not really a problem as long as you learn to be a little bit careful not to knock them out of position. In reality, they are probably "just right" as if they were firmer to move it would be annoying. There is sufficient movement available for someone of my proportions, but my 6'1" husband said if it were his chair he would want the arm rests to move farther forward. - The seat pad is VERY comfortable for me. This is a big one because of my lower back issues. Although it looks thin and I've read negative reviews from others who said they "bottom out" and it "feels like hard plastic", I don't agree. It feels like a supportive, firm cushion that conforms to my body. Yes, I can probably slightly feel that there's a plastic base under the cushion, but it's not a deal breaker. Maybe for a heavier person it would be. It's wide enough for me and I have about an inch of clearance between my hips and the frame. For a woman I'd say my hip width is average - I'm not a ruler or a pear, but more of an hourglass. I find I still have a bit of lower back pain, but nothing nearly as bad as usual, so I'd say this is an ergonomic chair for someone with lower back issues. - Adjustable seat depth - YES!!! Because I have long legs, I have it pulled out to maximum depth. This is perfect. Seat depth is always a problem for me. Problem solved. - Adjustable lumbar support and lumbar in general - very good. Lots of up/down adjustment length available, easy to adjust. I find I move it up and down from time to time throughout the day to vary the supported area, sometimes lower, sometimes higher. I like having the ability to make these changes so I can stay more comfortable over long work days. - Back rest is very supportive and comfortable on the upper area, cradling my shoulders when I lean back. - Color in the photo was very true to how the chair looks. I assume this would be the case for all of the color ways. Cons - - I wish you could adjust the seat angle. Most people I think like for the seat to slope slightly forward towards the ground. Because I have long legs and lower back pain, I'd like to be able to tilt the front of the seat upwards sometimes to create more of a "bucket" feel for my tailbone area. But even without, this seat is still better than most. - The "Buzz 2" fabric is a bit dated looking due to its texture and also feels a little bit rough on bare legs (when you WFH and wear shorts). Also the fabric warms up pretty well, which can be a pro or a con depending how you like your temperature. Bottom Line - I'm not sure how good this would be for a larger person or for a big and tall man. I don't think the seat would be wide enough or the seat pad thick enough. The arm rests don't come very far forward so that could also be an issue for some. The back might not be tall enough for someone with a long/tall torso. I think this is a great chair for a small to average woman or a slender under 6' tall man. These chairs are expensive. I'm not sure how I'd feel about spending upwards of $1000 on one, but I guess it comes down to your budget and what you expect. This is definitely an upper-end high quality chair. You won't like it if you want mesh everywhere and all the ergonomic bells and whistles of something like the HM Aeron, which I understand is better for those who like to be in constant motion. But if you like full upholstery and a more traditional office chair feel with some highly functional ergonomic features, this is a beautiful chair. I would buy it again in a heartbeat.

I called Steelcase on 7/11/14 and they told me that Amazon became an Authorized Dealer in October of 2013 and that the Standard 12 Year Warranty Applies as with any authorized Steelcase dealer. I confirmed this via email with the Steelcase Sales Representative that deals with Amazon and here is what he said: "All product purchased on Amazon and sold by Steelcase are under warranty. Amazon manages all warranty and damage claims; however, Steelcase is in full cooperation with Amazon and does stand by the standard Steelcase warranty." However, I can very well understand why the previous reviewer thought otherwise. That is what someone at Steelcase told him. Also, I checked out the online Steelcase authorized dealer listing and there is no mention of Amazon in that listing. Seems like someone at Steelcase needs to do a better job of maintaining an accurate and up to date list. I feel comfortable purchasing through Amazon only because I have an email from the Steelcase Rep stating that Amazon is an authorized dealer, and I have filed that away just in case. I would have not purchased simply based on a verbal statement via phone which was my initial contact with Steelcase. The nice thing about buying the chair through Amazon prime is you get it in a couple days and you can return it within the standard Amazon return period free of charge if there's a quality problem. Steelcase has and is continuing to move production out of the USA and into Mexico. I know through personal experience with two recent Steelcase chair purchases that there have been quality issues which are most likely a result of these moves. It's not that the product is made in Mexico. Any new manufacturing plant regardless of the location experiences "start-up" quality issues which improve over time as the workers become more experienced and the kinks are worked out of the manufacturing process and equipment. I'm sure Steelcase is no exception. I could have purchased the chair for less but the Amazon no cost return policy due to quality issues is a must for me considering my recent bad experience with Steelcase quality. So far as the Leap chair goes, this is a great chair that you can adjust in many different ways to your unique shape and size. I've been sitting in one for 9 years at work and I just purchased one for home. It takes a while to learn how to use the various adjustments that the chair provides but once you get them dialed into your unique body it is a very comfortable and ergonomically correct chair. Update: 10/26/14 I did end up returning the chair immediately upon receiving it. Sadly it had 2 defects: The fabric was poorly stretched over the chair back such that their were creases in the fabric, and the chair tilting mechanism barely worked. A sad state of affairs for the once great Steelcase company. I've been purchasing Steelcase chairs for over 25 years for my company and for personal use. The name Steelcase was once synonymous with exceptionally well made chairs. Unfortunately that is no longer the case. The materials are still good. The design is still good. But sad to say the quality of workmanship is problematic. Hopefully they will work out the quality problems in their relatively new Mexican manufacturing plants. 7/22/16 Update: Still a great chair. However, the lumbar height adjustment does not keep it's position and slides down to the bottom. I have corrected this by clamping the 2 lumbar adjustment handles (1 on each side of the chair back) with 2 1/2 inch c-clamps, one on each side. so once you get the height where you like it you clamp the lumbar handles in place in order to keep the lumbar in place. This is a design defect as I have experienced the same problem in the past with other chairs at work.

7/12/2010 10:37AM Amazon recommendation: Verified AMAZON PURCHASE Company: Madison Seating Received: (1) “ Almost Brand New” STEECASE V2 OFFICE CHAIR. “I say “Almost Brand New” because I happily DIDN’T notice any Defects/scratches. The wheelbase and both armrests were cleaned and nicely and polished. Although; I had to wait patiently; (The chair came all the way from NEW YORK To California) It was worthwhile! Best of all; I was able to kick my old desk chair to the curb--- “LITERALLY”---It was a joyous moment to get rid of my old IRON MAIDEN TORTURE RACK chair with the Sadistic lower backstabbing assembly. This Steelcase V2 office chair is the QUALITY chair I have been patiently waiting for approximately SIX years. As the old saying goes.​ Buy once-Hurt once etc. STEELCASE V2 OFFICE CHAIR.NOTES: • OVERALL PACKING: EXCELLENT Each of the three parts were given the extra care in proper packaging. They were heavily packed in large, heavy duty bubble wrapping for extra protection. All three Main parts: • THE WHEEL BASE ASSEMBLY • HYDRAULUC SEAT STEM ASSEMBLY • THE ARM CHAIR SEAT ASSEMBLY were shipped in a extra large heavy duty, cardboard box. • The exterior box suffered NO DAMAGE in shipping!! I’m glad that the STEM POST ASSEMBLY was not packed in MESSY heavy grease. This saved me from extra cleaning. PACKING SLIP: INCLUDES GREETING LETTER ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS I read Instructions. The enclosed Instructions state that there is a rectangular piece of cardboard with some parts on it. 11:35 AM: I called: MADISON SEATING: (888) 704-3435 Customer Service. Customer Service rep states “No Parts Missing for easy assembly” ” SURPRISINGLY (To Me) “’ There are only THREE PARTS- The Seat Seat Hydraulic Stem Post Wheel Base Assembly “No ADDITIONAL Hardware to assemble“ MISSING: RECTANGULAR CARDBOARD WITH CHAIR PART PRO: Easy Assembly. The STEECASE seat is VERY comfortable. ---Although the black fabric I CHOSE can be very warm during these current HOT Southern CALIFORNIA summer months. This can ALSO be benefit during the colder months. A better color fabric choice for me would have been Neutral Grey. Con: ALTHOUGH THE STEECASE V2 OFFICE CHAIR has a rear STEEL handle; THE FRONT OF THE SEAT IS MADE OF MEDIUM THIN PLASTIC. CAUTION: PLEASE---:Do not try to lift BOX OR chair by yourself! GET HELP!! SAVE YOUR BACK!! • Chair seat was very AWKWARDLY HEAVY; may require some family member or some FRIENDLY neighborly lifting assistance with getting the huge box into house or apartment. • Getting chair out of packing box. • Chair seat assembly :SIMPLE Thus the name STEELCASE-NO JOKE!! Will I Buy Again?? Definitely YES!!! HUGE SAVINGS!! Sincerely; Tony Tirado

I'm 6'-9" and about 290 pounds. So far, after a month or so, it seems to be accepting my weight and height. It's fairly comfortable and I'm very happy with the adjustment options on it, in particular, the ability to slide the but forward for more seating area and stiffen the lower back to taste.

2 Sep 2017 - 2nd review I changed my star rating from 2 "I don't like it" ... to 1 "I hate it". This morning I worked for 2 hours while sitting on this chair. My lumbar spine hurts a lot. Not only does the back of the chair flex on the right, the seat flexes down on the right, too. It's like the whole chair is bent to the right. For the entire 2 hours I was constantly trying to change the way I sat to gain some comfort; no success. Finally, I went back to using my old beat up, 7 year old, $98, Office Depot chair. It looks like junk, but at least it doesn't hurt my back. I tried to submit an A to Z refund, but I have to wait 2 days to let the seller (MadisonSeating) correct the situation. I'm counting the minutes. 1 Sep 2017 - initial review The chair arrived fully assembled, which was very nice it seemed. Or perhaps I got a chair purchased from a bulk buyout of a company that closed; just thinking out loud here. After pulling the chair out of the box, I sat down and immediately noticed the right side of the back flexed way more than the left. This caused an uncomfortable twist on my spine and a feeling of my back sliding to the right. I didn't like the chair after 2 seconds. I tried all of the adjustments, but none of them eliminated the twist. I examined each control closely to make sure I was using it correctly. While doing this, I noticed there was an uneven edge around the seat. It was like the fabric bunched up in places and the stuffing was bulging out. It looked very cheap ... not what I expected for the high price of a (supposedly) top end chair. Also, I found and engraved date stamp of 05/18/11 underneath the chair on the frame. I bought the chair 08/28/17 ... over six years later! Something's not right. At work I have a Herman Miller Aeron that is super comfortable. I'm a software engineer so I sit in it 8 to 12 ours everyday. The Aeron has always provided even support on my back. In the 2 1/2 years I've been using it, the Aeron never felt uncomfortable like the Leap did after 2 seconds. Also, my work Aeron looks beautifully crafted all around ... like a fine instrument. Originally, I had my mind set on the Aeron. But the Leap reviews on Amazon slightly favored it over the Aeron. So I decided to buy the Leap. Big mistake. Should have gone with my original instinct and a proven product (the Aeron). I submitted my request for a return a few minutes before I wrote this review. Regarding the return, I found a paper from MadisonSeating in the box that says, "If you choose to return a drop ship product, a credit for the purchase price of the item will be issued, less the initial shipping charge and a 30% restocking fee." Now that came as a surprise to me. I had searched about an hour before I made the purchase for info regarding a return, but found only vague details. I did see Amazon's A to Z and felt reassured enough by it to continue the purchase. Buyer beware, after all a high priced purchase like this should meet my expectations or be returnable without a huge cost. We'll see how the return goes. Buy the Herman Miller, AVOID THE STEELCASE LEAP

I've had this chair about 4 years now. It's extremely comfortable and does wonders for my back as someone who works from home and has a lot of stationary hobbies. However, the overall quality is disappointing, given the cost, and it's difficult to get the warranty honored, because you are at the mercy of whatever partner Steelcase has shunted responsibility onto in your area, they do not actually take any responsibility for repairing their own defective products themselves. Most recently, I needed new armrest caps, because, like most of the rest of the chair, they began to fall apart after a couple of years. After being ignored by several local distributors, I ordered the replacements, at my own expense, ($93 for some foam and plastic) from Steelcase. They arrived yesterday, and they're of *dramatically* lower quality than the originals that came on the chair. The foam is hard, they're narrower than the originals, and Steelcase couldn't even be bothered to tap the screw holes, so you have to do that yourself. Given that this is literally a $1,000 chair, I would expect it to last longer than 4 years, and I would expect the manufacturer's replacement parts to be the same as the originals that came on the chair, and I would expect them to honor the warranty, but none of those things are true, so I would recommend choosing another chair.

I purchased this chair after battling lower back and coccyx pain that I attributed in part to 10-hour days in an old Ikea desk chair after the abrupt switch to working at home. I was skeptical of buying a chair like this without sitting in it first, but I am very glad I took the chance! I'm a 5'4" woman and I often find that office chairs are too tall for me or that their lumbar support is not well positioned. This chair is extremely adjustable in terms of height and the positioning of the lumbar support and it fits me very well. The adjustable seat depth also makes the back support more functional than in other chairs. The seat itself is comfortable enough that I've been able to give up the foam "donut" I'd been sitting on for a month, but it isn't soft in a way that leads to bad posture or makes me think it will break down rapidly. I specifically chose this chair over Steelcase's Gesture, which is recommended by NYT's Wirecutter, because other reviewers noted that the seat position seemed to tip down on the Gesture. That is not a problem for the Leap. I agree with other reviewers that the fabric isn't the most luxurious to the touch, but I'm hoping it will hold up well and clean easily.

The Steelcase Leap Chair was not my first choice. The Gesture was ordered first but a month and a half later it had not arrived. In fact on the bleak assessment of the situation on Amazon's web page I gave up and cancelled it several times. In fact I cancelled the Leap chair itself when the driver of the UPS truck gave up trying to deliver it on his route two or three times due to inclement weather. I live in Southern California where the weather in June is never bad. Growing frustrated at a seemingly impossible delivery with mysterious reasons i simply went along with reality, which was that the chair was simply undeliverable no matter how good the weather was and cancelled it to cease what seemed to be an impossible delivery problem with UPS. If they couldn't deliver a chair that was on the truck twice in a row. I felt a responsibility to simply cancel what apparently was impossible for UPS to accomplish. Then I suddenly received it. Evidently it was a Covid-19 explanation. I feel ashamed for interfering in UPS attempt to cope with a pandemic. The Leap Chair I received is not for me. I am 6 foot 1 inch tall. i weigh 180 lbs. It is build for a much shorter person with tiny legs. Maybe if I were 5 feet 1 inch I would have been comfortable. It is well constructed. But then again it's over $1000. I have purchased other chairs from Amazon with flaws that are more comfortable but this one pretty much left me baffled. Regular height, normal or above weight, with all four libs, I'd say this chair is not for you. No where in Steelcase advertisements or comparisons between various makes does it make the specialty nature of the chair well know. Am i wrong? I've owned Office Chairs that were outstanding, passable, I'm sitting in one built like a tank and as comfortable but far superior to the Leap. I paid half the money for the chair I'm in compared to the Leap chair that I've boxed up. Amazon wants me to take it to a UPS store and drop it off. Not only is that absurd. I live in a Nursing Home bound by strict rules in the state of California, some would say repressive, and cannot leave the Nursing Home. I keep asking Amazon to lighten up on their refund technique. They will oblige. Amazon just hasn't told me yet. Since my computer has been hyjacked by hackers, they qualify as dangerous criminals it will be resolved. All is good except the Steelcase Leap chair. It was awful. My legs, after many adjustments, stuck out so far I could have been sitting on a metal bucket. A metal bucket would have been cheaper.