Steelcase Gesture Adjustments - Independent Review By An Ergonomics Expert
How good is the Steelcase Gesture as an office chair?
In this video, I'm gonna review for you as an ergonomics expert.
We will see:
00:00 intro
00:18 Gesture chair controls
01:12 chair height
01:33: seat depth
02:28 lumbar support
03:29: armrests
04:19: headrest adjustment
04:54: chair tilt mechanism
06:06: expert's opinion
06:57: buying the Gesture chair
Thank you NOS for lending me their showroom in Lausanne (Switzerland): nos-sa.ch/
This independent review wasn't financed by any third party.
User manual of the Steelcase Gesture chair: www.steelcase.com/resources/documents/gesture-user-guide/ ---
Pain in the back, shoulder, arms or any other musculoskeletal pain should not govern your life.
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Just got this chair and put it together today. Then found your video about how to adjust it. Just what i was looking for! Thanks!
From Gesture owner, thanks for the tips on adjusting lumbar support it really helps!
I got an Gesture chair a few weeks ago. Thank you for helping me explain how sitting which is correctly adjusted and improved my sitting.
You just saved me from having to buy another chair. For years I always sat the way you recommend against: pushing my pelvis into the back of the chair AND my shoulders into the upperback of the chair. The result? I always slipped forward into the seat like you say, with my thighs pushing forward. Now I understand that I need to sit upright with ONLY my pelvis touching the back of the chair. Thank you, Olivier!
Congrats, Eric!! I'm glad I could help!!!
Was at Microsoft HQ last year and everyone had the Steelcase Gesture there (without headrest), must be a really popular chair
Steelcase is quite popular in the US, from what I can understand...
I bought a Gesture on the strength of this very good video. I have a sequestrated L3 lumbar disc which I am waiting patiently and painfully for its resolution, so needed a better chair. I waited 7 long weeks for delivery (UK). I was amazed at how well made it was. Solid and no squeaks, beautifully engineered, very adjustable, and clearly very good for sitting with a good posture. BUT...for me and everyone else who tried it, it was horribly uncomfortable - far too firm like sitting on wood - so using it for more than an hour was a trial no matter how it was adjusted. So, with regret, it was returned. I have a Leap V2 now which is far more comfortable and just as adjustable, even though it is not such a superb piece of engineering (and it creaks!). Your videos are excellent though. Very useful, thank you.
Thanks for the feedback, and I’m very sorry that you had this bad experience! It’s 100% true that comfort is a very personal thing. Geometry can be assessed more or less by as external advisor, but not comfort. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you can always test or at least return products as you did. I’m glad you found a better model for you!!
I looked for a chair for awhile. Based on my needs and some info you put out there I decided the Gesture was likely the way to go. Finally decided to invest in it a couple weeks ago and it should be delivered today/tomorrow. Good timing on your video for me 👍😁
is the seat cushion nice?
feedback after 4 months?
Any update?
well cmon bro u can't just post this and not give the update.
I guess the chair was so good he never looked back
I have moved towards considering European made chairs lately, but they are definitely not as widely known online. Ones such as the Giroflex 64 and the one you use, Kinnarps Plus.
careful with Giroflex 64... the backrest to seat pan synchronisation mechanism makes that the seat pan is very much tilted forward when you have the backrest in a supportive position (kzhead.info/sun/krFwpJdofJOClY0/bejne.html)
Please help me find a similar substitution because I can't afford to buy an expensive chair like this. Thank you!
What is your opinion about the seat pand and especially its edge. Can it cause under thigh pain?
Great review, can you also do one for Herman Miller Mirra 2 or Aeron please next?
here you go, my friend : kzhead.info/sun/o7KHl6aqo2mNp4E/bejne.html 😉
I have this chair and apart from the supplier not including the lumbar as ordered (long story, my fault for noticing too late), I find that the seat has too little support as I grew older. 51 5'8" 220lbs
Which color is that? cant find it on site
amazing Olivier.. just bought this chair thanks for tutorial, i like it more than embody, your thoughts? Just realised I've been using it wrong all along ahahha
Honestly, I found it more comfortable than Embody too... but again, we're talking about great chairs. BMW lovers will hate Mercedes, and conversely 😂
@@OlivierGirardhi Olivier, I am hesitating between the mirra 2 , the aeron and the gesture or leap. I believe Steelcase chairs are more Confortable. I have sacrum pain and back pain so confort is a must that’s why I kind of ruled out the aeron as I heard the mesh is quite hard (my sacrum is sensitive). The mirra 2 is cheaper so but I don’t know if it’s as confortable as a gesture or leap v2. Out of the 4 which one would you recommend ?
I think there is one useful addition to this very nice video: Instead of "leaving the backrest open", you should either set the back to locked or SET the pressure to the amount of force that keeps you stable at every angle where you stop moving actively. The control is a dual function, limiting the opening angle in 5 steps AND adjusting the back pressure. So ideally the back would apply the same amount of support no matter if you're leaning back or sitting up straight (in theory, of course, gravity makes a linear load curve impossible). Researching reviews and comments I think a lot of users overlook this. Note: Adjust the strength only in a seated position to minimize wear.
Hi oliver .I downloaded your posture manual book ..its great ..just one question..if seat is not proper for example movie theatre..do you you recommend to sit with hollow back for 30 Mins?
A hollow back will NEVER be my recommendation. Neither will a slouched back be. You really wanna aim for the "in-between" which I describe here: kzhead.info/sun/h7Odj8ltoIxvp4U/bejne.html. As you seem to describe a seat without a proper lumbar support, my only advice would be to recreate it e.g., by rolling a pullover behind your belt.
I am 6' 2" (182.88 cm). is the headrest likely to be too low?? You are 5'6" correct and it looked like it lined up well. thoughts🙂?
Hi Olivier, nice video! I recently purchased Steelcase Leap V2. I was thinking between this and Gesture and took the Leap because it had more lumbar support options. Really having some trouble adjusting this to my preference, did you have a chance to work with that chair? I watched a lot of your videos, but I still cannot figure out why I don't feel comfortable. The chair is so oddly designed, hugs you a lot, and has a distinct S shape. And either I have back pain or butt pain or my legs are stiff after a while. The lumbar can go up and down but it also has a tension nob on the side. I even removed it to see how it would feel without it because it was pretty aggressive 😀 Appreciate the help!🙏
I tried to review the Leap, mate... but in Switzerland it's super difficult to find. It's really a chair meant for the US. But I'll do my best to review it as soon as I have the opportunity to!
@@OlivierGirard It looks like Steelcase only cares about the USA, unlike Herman Miller. The reduction of the warranty to 5 years in the EMEA is such a disgusting thing for a brand like Steelcase to do.
At what height do you put the lumbar support sir? Is it reasonable to cause me back pain or it may be incorrectly set?
Yes, it can cause back pain if wrongly adjusted... In this video, you get all the info on how to adjust the lumbar support properly: kzhead.info/sun/mLyGfKyqhqWQpaM/bejne.html
Hello, thank you so much! could you in a few words elaborate on why the Plus 8 remains your favorite compared to this one? Thank you!
Good question... I'd say 3 things: - I won't change a chair that still functions perfectly well :) - the headrest of Plus 8 is easier to adjust - the Plus 8 is cheaper in my country. But that's really all. Honestly, buy one or the other: you'll be well off :)
@@OlivierGirard thank you for taking the time to answer, roger that ! Keep it up !
@@OlivierGirard hello again ! I m progressing with a salesman from Kinnarps, and was wondering 3 things about your chair, if you have a moment to chime in again : - what fabric is yours ? Wool ? If yes how pleasant is it ? The salesman has sooo many options, with different price classes and such . - which material for the headrest ? Leather is an option and a few dozens euros only compared to fabric. I wonder if it would feel better on the head/neck - I'm told 2 different backrest height exist. Do you know which one you have? (I m just as tall as you, so if it fits you well, could use the same!). To put it differently is your model number 877something or 878something Thank you so much in advance !
@@hugoa1639 Hey!! Here are the detailed features of the one that I always order for my clients' stock (I always buy one in advance to be able to help people with urgent needs): - 8784 (so high backrest: that's what you need if you want the headrest) - Tissu Step mélange 5092 gris (that's the fabric) - but my own is Xtreme 4597. Mine is maybe of kind of less rough fabric than the one for my clients, but we all love ours :) - Appui-tête N78, Cuir, OnStage! 5999 noir (that's the headrest) - Antiretour du dossier SAFEBACK (that's for the backrest to be kept in position when you unlock it). Reg. headrest: when I had fabric, you could see it stained from my (apparently fatty!) head. Then, the fake leather was getting damaged super quickly (kind of getting loose from the support, and looking ugly). So now I always order the real leather and that's perfect. Does this help?
@@OlivierGirard thank you so much, fantastic insights ! Thanks for the confirmation of high backrest. They would put headrest as well on small backrest, but I m gonna go with the same as your ! Latest doubt at this stage, safe back, I did not consider it. If I understand, when lying down with the back down, the back doesn't try to return to position ? Is it a valuable option to take ? Last but not least, I notice some french! Are you french as well or nearby ? :) Thanks !
This chair makes me feel like I am getting shot out of it. The upper back rest doesn't tilt forward enough. Great chair but it absolutely fucks me up
I'm confused: you feel shot out of the chair but you'd like the upper back to move even more forward? Or do I misunderstand you?
Same. Wanted to love the chair but the forward tilt of the seat pan had me sliding out constantly. No good for people who wear shorts.
Hi. What chair would you consider to be the best for yourself?
I like my Kinnarps Plus 8... but I think I could very much live with the Gesture too :)
@@OlivierGirard awesome, thanks for repsonding. Everyone seems to say that the steelcase leap v2 is by far the best chair on the market, have you ever tried that one. I consider your opinion the best on the internet due to your expertise in posture, so would love to see a video on that one.
@@3d-illusions I would love it too, mate... and thanks for the compliment! This Saturday, a new video will come on the Please. The Leap was sold just before I did the shooting, and it's quite tough to find in Switzerland (it's mainly a chair for the US market). But as soon as I have the opportunity to put my butt on it, so will I and I'll let you know!!
@@OlivierGirard That's great news thanks 👍👍
@@OlivierGirard I'm considering a kinnarps. Do you have any thought's on the plus 6 vs the plus 8? The only difference seems to be free float on the plus 6 vs synchro on the plus 8. Not really sure which of those mechanisms is the best for posture (I imagine the plus 8 is best considering you have it, but I'm not sure if that's because the plus 6 wasn't available when you purchased).
I'm pretty tall (195cm) and have pretty long legs relative to the rest of my body. I've been finding it difficult to find a chair that has a seat deep enough. Either I extend the seat depth to the maximum and fall into the hole at the back of the chair or the gap between the chair and the back of my knees is too big. How much does it really matter if the gap between the chair and the back of the knees is bigger than 2-3 fingers / a fist?
This is a great point, mate. There is actually NO REAL PROBLEM if you have more than one fist of space behind the knee fold. And this is a big misunderstanding, esp. among ergonomists. The rule of 1 fist behind your knee should actually be: AT LEAST one fist behind your knee. Why? Simply because if you have less space, the only risk is a higher pressure under your thighs. But in practice, when people suffer from excessive pressure in this area, you realize that their main problem is that they don't stand up often enough. Again, you should get up at least twice an hour. Some chairs are even based on the concept of ample space behind the knee: check out the HAG Capisco. Thanks to a short seat, they increase the range of height adjustment, which I often use in people with hip disorders who need very frequent postural variation. So really, don't worry about having a lot of free space behind your knee...
@@OlivierGirard great - thanks so much for the answer!
@@OlivierGirard This is such an awesome tip. I bought an Embody and listened to everyone recommending two fingers behind the knees. Couldn't figure out why I was having so much pressure in my thighs and butt to the point where it's sore everyday. Tried shortening my seat after your comment here and seems it's a lot better!
Tall guy (6’2) here as well . I had the seat gap on my back end with the Leap. Switched to the gesture and the problem was solved. Very happy with the gesture and headrest. Didn’t go with the lumbar support though.
Damn I wish this didn't cost so much in Brazil
I know, mate... I didn't mention the price tag because it differs a lot between countries. But in some places, it's very expensive indeed
@@OlivierGirard Yeah 😆 Anyway, great video! Your explanations will help me hunt for a great chair around here
Check out this other video, it will help you a lot: kzhead.info/sun/e6qKYbCSpKKciIU/bejne.html 😅
horrible painful chair , also when leaning back you will have hard plastic digging into you.
remove lumbar
Can this chair tilt forward for more tasking modes?
Nope...
@@OlivierGirard I was going to return my Aeron for this for the simple fact that I can’t put my foot under my but on that chair. But now I am rethinking of returning as I really like the forward tilt now that I’ve been in the chair a few days. Do you know if any of the steel cases have forward tilt?
@@Topsquadjapansteelcase does not have any forward tilt chairs