[SOLVED] Best chairs under $500AU ($350 USD)

[Does it work]

I'm rather tall 6'5". I'm struggling to find anything that will cater to my height, and is also comfortable and breathable (some materials sweat really bad). I can't seem to find anything that isn't well past $500 or seems like it won't last very long (ideally 3+ life span)

My current one is peeling away, the foam is poor quality and pretty much disintegrated away, it also promotes bad posture and It's really starting to make everyday living a pain.

 

[Ralston18]

After a series of "budget chairs" that did much the same as you describe I budgeted more money and went looking....

Consider the mesh covered chairs with basic adjustments. No need to get fancy or make some sort of decorative/"techy" statement. Never allow form over function.

And expect to spend (as I believe you do) around $250+ (US) or more for a quality product.

Go to as many stores and places as you can and sit in as many mesh chairs as you can. Try all the adjustments to test the full range of customizing chair to body. Especially with you being taller.

Determine if the adjustments are easy to reach and effectively control.

Be prepared to add a small pillow, for example, to provide more lumbar support. Lumbar support range can be limited.

Examine the construction and how well the chair is made: dinky little thin axle rollers versus a solid thicker axel roller. Look at the welds (if any). Overly puffy looking cushioning (e.g., arm rests) is, to me, a cautionary sign. Push on the padding some. If it pushes down easily it is likely to collapse and disintegrate away.

Time and time again, I discovered that the floor model was poorly assembled. However, a closer examination revealed the reason was not sloppy or careless work by store employees. The chairs simply did not fit together well.

Look for and read reviews. If you have to assemble the chair - the manual can be very revealing.

I had to add a seat cushion (somewhat defeating the cooling mesh) to prevent the seat curvature from cutting off circulation to my legs during longer work sessions. For the most part just taking a break and getting up to walk around for a few minutes is beneficial.