Please Take a Seat… in the Pursuit Ergonomic Chair by UPLIFT Desk

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I was so impressed with the Human Solutions UPLIFT standing desks and accessories I reviewed last fall that I purchased a larger version of the UPLIFT desk for my office at the synagogue. The company also sent a Pursuit Ergonomic Chair for review. It too impressed me, so I also purchased one for my office. Here’s why I’m a fan.

Human Solutions describes the chair this way:

The right chair can make all of the difference in your working comfort. The Pursuit Ergonomic Chair by UPLIFT Desk is up to the job of delivering you better support where you need it. With this stunningly supportive chair, you’ll get it all. Height adjustability via pneumatic cylinder makes finding your sitting sweet spot easier than ever. Combine that with Pursuit’s synchro-tilt mechanism, which allows you to alter the seat and back angles quickly when you decide it’s time to change up postures.

When the review sample arrived, I was a bit taken back by its size and weight. “Oh, no,” I thought to myself, “This is going to be a nightmare to put together.” Thankfully, I was wrong.

The chair came in just a few pieces. There was the base, the coasters so the base can move, the vertical support rod, and the chair itself. This last piece, the chair, actually came with the back, seat, and arms set in place and ready for use.

I put each of the coasters into the base. A firm push on each and they locked into place.

I then flipped the base over, out the verticals support rod in the center.

From there, it was as simple as placing the hole in the bottom of the chair over the vertical support post. In a matter of minutes, I was ready to use the chair.

My initial impression of the chair was a bit mixed. On the one hand, there is a lot of black or white plastic used in the construction of the chair. That’s neither a good nor a bad thing but will immediately impact your opinion of it.

The seat, constructed of soft, black fabric was nicely finished. The waterfall edge that sees the front part of the seat drops off gracefully is a nice design that is said to, “alleviate pressure on your legs while seated.” It gives the seat a nice, ready for work, look.

The back of the chair was nice as well. Made of a black mesh, it lets your back breath when sitting for an extended period and offers just enough give to strike a good balance between “give” and support. As the company notes,

…thanks to its mesh back, you’ll experience breathability like you’ve never felt before, letting you work in comfort for longer than you could in other comparable chairs.

 

Also, the back plate can be raised or lowered to meet your specific height and body.

The headrest has the same charcoal mesh and, while it didn’t look like it would provide support and offer comfort, it does both quite well. It even has a small compartment beneath the seat where you can keep your phone or, perhaps, a pair of noise-canceling headphones.

But the arms… the arms were made from a flat, gray plastic that looked and felt a little… well… to be honest, they looked and felt a little cheap.

So, from a visual perspective, there was a great deal to like about the Pursuit Ergonomic Chair by UPLIFT Desk but also some points that opened the chair up for criticism.

(Aside: even at this point it should be noted that my criticism could not have been that strong, since I did go and purchase a second one for my office at the synagogue.)

Then I started using the chair. Human Solutions says this is,

…the stylish yet simple ergonomic upgrade to get you working in more comfort, instantly.

They aren’t kidding. The chair is incredibly comfortable. The seat with its waterfall edge does a good job of avoiding specific pressure points that sometimes result in pain after sitting for periods of time. The back mesh stays cool while providing plenty of support. The manual lumbar support can be adjusted for maximum support. As someone with back issues, I appreciate this.

The manual height adjustment on the headrest may not be the fanciest thing I’ve ever seen, but it gets the job done.

And the height adjustment lever on the right side of the chair makes it easy to unlock so you can move the chair up or down depending on the height of your desk, and just as easy to lock back into place when you find the proper height. A similar adjustment paddle on the left side unlocks the tilt mechanism on the chair so you can move from sitting upright to a reclined position when it is time for a quick power nap.

Moreover, you can leave the recline mode unlocked and use a handle on the right side to adjust the recline tension. This allows you to shift positions or slowly rock forward and back throughout the day and avoid some of the aches and fatigue that come from staying in one position for too long.

And as for those plastic arms… well, I still think they are pretty ugly, but I dig them. They have a slight texture on the top that offers a bit of “grip” when you lay was forearm on them. They can be adjusted up or down for comfort. And they freely pivot toward or away from the chair, allowing you to find just the right position for your arms. For example, I’m writing this review with my iPad sitting flat on my lap, so I pivoted the arms in a bit and can rest the comfortably on the armrest while typing on the tablet. When I move to my computer though, I won’t want to rest my arms on them, so I’ll pivot them away from the chair and get them out of the way.

And while the chair is also available in white, personally, I much prefer the black one!

Here’s a company video of the chair in action.

Features:

  • Pneumatic height adjustment with 360° swivel, and tilt tension control for rocking tension
  • Fabric seat delivers extra support, while the mesh back allows airflow for comfort
  • Knee tilt with tension control allows the chair to tilt from a point at the front of the seat to keep your feet on the floor as you rock
  • Height-adjustable arms and headrest
  • Waterfall seat decreases pressure behind the legs, improving circulation
  • Synchro-tilt mechanism allows for the seat and back angle to adjust automatically and provide ideal support while users change from upright to reclining postures
  • Back angle adjustment with tension control allows you to recline and lock the chair back in 3 different positions, or leave the back unlocked for free movement
  • Weight capacity of 250 lbs

The Pursuit Ergonomic chair has an MSRP of $599 but is currently for sale for $329. Its modern looks won’t be for everyone, but the comfort and adjustability it offers makes it worth a look regardless of your thoughts on the design. I, for one, love it and am thrilled to have one of the chairs both in my home office and at work. Check it, and all of Human Solutions great products out here.

Source: One review sample and one personal purchase

What I Like: Comfortable; Highly adjustable; After using for some months still looks and feels brand new; Easy to put together; Designed to let you move throughout the day

What Needs Improvement: A lot of plastic may turn some people off; It takes time to find the adjustments that will maximize comfort; Only available in black or white

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About the Author

Dan Cohen
Having a father who was heavily involved in early laser and fiber-optical research, Dan grew up surrounded by technology and gadgets. Dan’s father brought home one of the very first video games when he was young and Dan remembers seeing a “pre-release” touchtone phone. (When he asked his father what the “#” and “*” buttons were his dad said, “Some day, far in the future, we’ll have some use for them.”) Technology seemed to be in Dan’s blood but at some point he took a different path and ended up in the clergy. His passion for technology and gadgets never left him. Dan is married to Raina Goldberg who is also an avid user of Apple products. They live in New Jersey with their golden doodle Nava.