Hands On: The Gesture Chair by Steelcase
Sitting is something I am incredibly good at. From the moment I get to work until the moment I leave, I’m basically glued down to my chair burning my eyes out staring into a computer monitor. So when I heard about Steelcase’s newest chair, the Gesture Chair, which was designed to support modern technologies – I was intrigued to say the least.
It just so happens that one showed up to Office Snapshots headquarters a few weeks ago and I was able to test it out. Here’s what I think…
Overstuffed, plush leather chairs be damned, the Gesture chair has a modern style and clean lines. And it wasn’t overly futuristic either, meaning it could fit into any office design Steelcase, Herman Miller, or Knoll chairs already exist. If your office is shabby sheik, you might look elsewhere.
The chair was pretty heavy when I pulled it out of the box, and was happy when that weight translated into solid construction. If you’ve ever sat in a cheaply made chair, you’ll know that they always feel like they are on the verge of breaking. A good weight in addition to the soft casters made rolling around on my office’s wood floors a dream.
Adjusting the chair was easy enough. I’m 6’5″, so having a chair that isn’t only useful for people with average build was important. My adjustments included sliding the seat out, raising the seat height, and putting the seatback to my preferred lean levels. If you like to lean way back, this chair allows for that, and does it very smoothly. The armrests adjust really easily too – up/down and swivel.
In terms of comfort, the Gesture was very comfortable seating experience. Even for sitting for long period of time, which I am known to do. The seat padding and soft fabric were really nice to sit on. The one area I found to be not particularly great for comfort were the armrests. My normal chair offers a bit more padding and width, which meant I could really tell a difference when in my normal elbows-dug-into-armrest sitting style.
Does this chair actually do a better job of supporting modern technologies and movement than other chairs?
Well, it definitely follows the positive trend of seating that doesn’t try to mold your body to the chair, but instead allows you to move more freely within it. I didn’t really have enough time battle test it with heavy iPad or phone use and can’t really speak to it on that level, but I did find the experience to be very good for your average computer work.
Starting at nearly $1000, the chair is pretty pricy, but not the most expensive chair out there. For something I do for hours and hours – sitting – spending a bit more for an easily adjustable, flexible, comfortable, and nice-looking chair is a no-brainer. If you feel the same way, the Gesture is definitely a chair you should consider.
