I chose this chair because of the excellent support it provides. Having injured my neck and back I needed a chair that provided neck support this chair best fit my needs. The chair is comfortable and the mesh makes it breathable. I can work a 10 hour day in it where as a chair without neck support I can tolerate for 2 hours. It had to fit in a very small office and it does this so much better than a bulky leather chair. I purchased this chair with a desk from staples and found that their assembly instructions were the best I have worked with (including Ikea). Everything is labelled and very clear.
Went to the local Staples and sat on a few....well.....all of the chairs on display. I wasn't in the market for a big fluffy faux or real leather executive-type chair - just looking for a work horse that would allow me to sit for several hours comfortably. Ergonomically speaking this chair is pretty good. I like the settings the lumbar support and the adjustable arms. Took me a couple tries to get it just right but that will be likely for everyone. There are only two relatively inconspicuous paddles below the seat so it doesn't look like a space ship. The mesh is nice breathable but a little rough on the skin if you're wearing shorts Assembly was pretty easy - although you might want to have another set of hands when screwing the base onto the chair frame. To manage alone I rested the top/front of the chair on the stand/wheeled section so the bottom was facing me and the top was supported by the stand removing any pull. I left off the headrest - it just made the chair too bulky. That might illustrate how much I like the chair; I purchased a model that had something I knew I wouldn't use because the chair overall was perfect for me!
I used to install office furniture and know a fair amount about the construction quality of office chairs. I've probably assembled several thousand of them everything from Global to Herman Miller to Hon. I've also built the cheap off-brand chairs that big-box office retailers sell. Usually the less expensive the chair the lower the quality. A good office chair from a top-shelf brand that matches this chair's design and characteristics would cost 2-3x what this chair does. Usually the difference in cost is due to poor quality plastic parts a poor quality pneumatic lift mechanism lower grade leather (if applicable) and junk casters that don't roll freely. After building this chair and testing it out I can say that it is a very well made chair with quality parts except for the arm rests. The pneumatics are strong and even and fully support even a large male. The seat is comfortable not over or under stuffed and sewn with heavy gauge stitching which won't fail quickly. The caster are adequate and while not quite as nice as those on a premium chair do roll easily and freely without getting stuck even on office carpet. The mechanical levers for seat adjustments are well placed and are easy to adjust. The machine quality of the metal parts is good and the whole chair assembly is firm and well built.
The Hyken is great for the money. A comfortable mesh chair that doesn't break the budget. Quite comfortable provides lumbar support and a headrest. Pretty easy assembly.