If you are in the market to look for an aesthetically pleasing, The Embody gaming chair by Herman Miller & Logitech might be worth considering. After using this chair for over a month, I'd like to share my experience and list out my top THREE GOOD AND BAD REASONS TO BUY OR NOT BUY THE EMBODY CHAIR.
GOOD: Aesthetics
One of the features added to support gamers is the extra foam padding in the seat. It's supposed to support a more active posture while sitting. When sitting on it, you get the combination of feelings: an even weight distribution and support, the feeling of a mesh seat while having the bounce, and the comfort of a cushion. The foam is manufactured with cooling technology to prevent heat build up from long periods of intense gaming. After a month of using the chair, there are no signs of wear or tear whatsoever and it still looks brand new so this chair seems to be durable enough to look good for years to come.
The Logitech edition dazzles us with the exclusive look of the lines on the fabric and the blue back rest. Compare to many other gaming chairs on the market, this is definitely one of the coolest looking chairs I found. You will not be able to get this colour combination with the standard Embody chair. If appearance is an important reason for your purchase, the Embody captures beauty and elegance that most definitely elevates your desk setup.
BAD: Squeaky-ness
This chair makes quite a bit of noise as you mean around which sounds like stretchy rubber. Which is most prominently found in the upper portion of the chair as you move your shoulders around. If this grinds your gears, then it could be a reason to reconsider your purchase. Personally, I don't see this as a dealbreaker, but it's annoying enough for people to have returned the embody.
GOOD: Comfort and Adjustability
A high-end chair also comes with tons of adjustability features, and the Embody comes packing all that. The most comfortable way to sit in the Embody is to sit leaning back a bit and using the tilt tension knob to find the perfect sitting angle balanced for you. This is how you get the "floating feeling". The backfit adjustment is used to support your shoulders and upper back to position the angle of your head relative to the screen. Sitting leaned back ensure the entire back is in contact with the back support and it helps tremendously with neck strain. Take it from someone with a history of upper back and neck pain, the Embody certainly helped alleviate that. I was impressed that a chair can accomplish this without the need of a neck rest.
The armrests are very easy to adjust, pushing them up and down, wider or narrower, and they can fit right under the desk to support elbows. This allows for long period of sitting and working without the shoulders becoming fatigued.
BAD: Sitting Upright
The design of the Embody and its back support naturally fits with a posture that has you leaning back a bit, so for those that prefer to sit straight up or leaning forward during working or gaming, you cannot take full advantage of its back support feature. The best configuration for sitting straight is the lock the tilt limiter and adjust the backrest to the front. Sitting in this configuration I end up sloughing my head forward, but this is actually intentional as they found it is the optimal position for gamers. If you were to adjust the backrest to sit straighter, there is a noticeable lack of support in the mid to lower back. I am able to fit my whole arm through the mid-lower-back section while sitting upright. This leads to more difficulty in maintaining proper posture with chest and shoulders open, and overtime reverting to a slouching posture. Beware that this isn't going to be a chair that will make you sit up straight. Sitting like so does make my tailbone area sore after a while.
GOOD: Sitting Flexibility
There is not a single way to sit on a chair, and it is encouraged that we frequently switch up our postures to avoid keeping our bodies static for a long period. The Embody allows for a wide range of flexibility in how you sit, and allows you the freedom to move while seated. With its adjustability the seat is designed so it can fit people of all sizes. If you need to stretch while sitting, this chair won't restrict you to do so. Want to sit cross-legged every now and then? "Be my guest" says the Embody. Again, the seat cushion mentioned before is loaded with a springs underneath a nice foamy cushion padded on top to allow for these posture adjustments to occur at ease.
BAD: Cost
Realizing that it is a premium products comes at a price. The chair is $1495 USD. There are plenty of other things someone can buy with that chunk of change. After a month of using the chair, I was not blown away with how amazing it is to ever forget about how much I paid. The noticeable price jump from typical ergonomic chairs around $500 to $1500 is less noticeable when it comes to comparing these chairs.
The more expensive price tag associated with the Embody chair could be due to these reasons:
It is made in the US so labour costs are higher
A generous 30 day return policy with full refund, likely built into the price
Brand recognition and status with a sense of exclusivity comes at a higher price point
Its unique design, material and technology used does make it a superior product.
Hopefully from these various aspects you have an idea of what the Embody chair offers and whether their characteristics fits your bill when it comes to investing in a solid chair. For anyone interested, I'd strongly encourage to go try this chair out somewhere first before committing to it. Since everyone has a different body and preferences, there are only so much you can gain from others.
If you want to read more chair reviews, know that I've got your back!
Check out video review here: https://youtu.be/yD_HSOzOVU8
