Customer Reviews for Staples - Hyken XL Ergonomic Fabric Swivel Big & Tall Chair, (ST63145) - Black
Customer Rating
5
Feels great on my back!
on February 2, 2014
Posted by: Paula K.
Last month I spent 3 hours working at my computer and ended up with 7 days of severe lower back pain. After 4 trips to the chiropractor I decided I needed a really good chair. I spent 1 hour at Staples sitting in chairs. The only chair that felt good on my back was over $500. Then I saw this chair hiding on the back row. It was a fraction of the cost and very similar. I have used it for a week and love it. I am a 5'6" woman. The head rest fits me perfectly however my husband and children do not fit the head rest and hate it so we may have to take it off. I love the fact that the arms can adjust. I have them at the highest position for better arm support at the computer. The mesh seat is very comfortable and prevents pressure spots. The seat depth is perfect for me. Many of the chairs that I sat in were too deep and caused my back to slump backwards and cause back pain. I really recommend going to your local store and spending time sitting in chairs. Every chair does not fit every person but this chair fits me perfectly!!
This is the first time I have used a mesh-type task chair. The Hyken is firm yet comfortable. It takes some time to get used to if you use a regular cushioned or padded chair. I've used it for one month now and it provides very good support and ventilation. Its nice to have adjustable tilt lumbar and neck positions. You will have to play with the three adjustments to give you the best combination of firmness and support. One thing that runs through my mind while sitting on this chair is making sure I don't have a sharp or pointy object that might rip or tear the meshing although it does seem fairly strong. This chair isn't top of the line but so far seems worth the mid-range cost.
I am glad that I assembled this chair myself. It gave me an opportunity to see how well it was constructed. It also allowed me to understand how all the adjustments worked. It was very nice to have the screws bagged in individual envelopes for each stage of assembly instead of having to sort them out from a big pile. A normal Allen wrench was included but I wish I had taken the time to go to the shop and get my Allen drive tip and my power drill. As many of the commenters have mentioned the screws are hard to drive in. This is intentional. They have to be tight because of the strain that the chair will endure over the years as you turn bend and lean while sitting in it. Do NOT remove the blue "paint" as one commenter called it. It is a locking thread sealer and is meant to keep the machine screws from coming lose. It is critical that you line up the screws properly before you start tightening them. If the screws are cross threaded and you torque them down anyway you will ruin the threads - game over. If you don't assemble a lot of metal items or work on your own equipment you may want to pay Staples to assemble the chair for you. As far as comfort. I find this chair fits me perfectly. I am six feet tall. The negative comments that some other commenters have made I see as advantages. The last Staples chair I bought had a long seat and I found I couldn't slide back in the seat and get any back support. After a week I stopped using it. This chair gives lots of support but it might not be right for you. I really suggest that you try one at the store first if you plan on sitting in it for many hours a day. Personally I am quite happy with mine.
This is not a comfortable chair if you are taller than 5"1. The chair is narrow and short (the site picture is misleading). The top headrest is a joke. It is so low that it inhibits upper back and I had to remove it completely. The unit came in with a cracked plastic. I definitely won't buy more chairs for my office. Stay away.
So far the chair is just great. It is comfortable and I found it easy to adjust to best suit me. I would recommend this chair to anyone looking for a mid priced chair that is very good quality.