Nothing excites a writer more than the words “The End” except for maybe the words “new office chair.” Why? Because we spend a lot of time with our butts in chairs – even if we have standing desks (more on that in a second).
So when I got a chance to replace my aging chair, really at the end of a three year life that was nearly a chair record for me, with a new Flexispot C7, I jumped at the chance. And that started – well, a whole host of changes as you will see.
The Chair(s)
First, the chair I got could not be more different from the chair I had. A few years ago, while shopping for chairs, I found that there were big and tall chairs that actually fit my large (six feet tall and two forty on a good day) frame. So I purchased a Serta padded, plush office chair. It was roomy and comfy. The armrests were not perfect, ergonomically speaking, and not quite as adjustable as I would have liked, but hours of pounding on the keyboard did not result in a large amount of pain, and my posture was pretty good, at least at first, until the Inevitable age of all that padding began to show. (See the photo below)
But then I got a chance to demo and review the Flexispot C7, I jumped at it. Because more than one friend had said, “Why don’t you get a gaming chair?” or “Why don’t you get one of those ergonomic chairs?”
The C7 was already on my list, so I passed along my information and figured I’d be waiting a while before I saw it. To my surprise, on my doorstep just a few days later was a huge box. It took me a moment to remember what I had ordered, and then I couldn’t wait to get it open and try it out.
First Impressions
First of all, the parts of this chair are remarkably sturdy, and it was easy to assemble. The directions were simple, and every tool you need is in the box, although I did go get some of my own Allen wrenches and a ratchet to speed things up, but that’s certainly not required. The chair itself is mesh—much different from the plush cushion of the Serta. But the disadvantage of that chair is that it is hot in the summer. All that material touching all of your body equals extra heat in the office.
The mesh breathes instead and is pretty much equally as comfortable, but I’ll get to that in my long-term impressions of this chair in a moment. From the first time I sat in it, this chair was comfortable, but it took a bit to get the armrests just right and to adjust the lumbar support (one of the best features of this chair), so it was just right. That was relatively easy, though.
I found the right height and angle for the armrests almost right away. This is a roomy chair, but the tilt of the armrests makes them easy to level with my keyboard drawer and mouse. All of that said, my first few days using this chair were amazing. Then, I went on an RV vacation for about a month. I would say I missed my chair, but hey, it was a vacation, so who am I kidding?
The Day to Day Test
When I got back, even though I worked on the road, there was a lot of catching up to do. So I spent some hours with my butt in this chair. There was a certain amount of adjustment. The lumbar support took a little getting used to, although it has resulted in better posture, but the key takeaway was that I loved it.
The mesh is not quite as “soft” as my other chair, so it took a little getting used to as well, but really it is better for my back and hips anyway. There is also another great feature that I didn’t think I would use at first, but that came in really handy.
On the trip, I ended up with a wound on one toe. Not pleasant. I needed to elevate it, at least as often as I could, and keep the pressure off of it so it had time to heal, unlike when I was driving eight hours a day pulling a trailer.
This chair comes with a very adjustable footrest, which turns out to be quite handy. Normally, it is tucked up under the chair and hardly noticeable, but when you extend it out, you can adjust the angle and how far the rest is from the chair. It’s made of the same material, too, so you’ll not get sweaty legs like you’d get from an ottoman or something, and I can still swing my leg under the desk easily.
This was a win-win for me, and my Flexispot C7 proved to be a valuable asset for more reasons than I imagined.
This chair may be a bit pricey compared to some, but it is well worth it (and if you ever recline, be sure to add the footrest upgrade. It’s well worth it.
The Office Remodel that Followed
As an author, when you get one new thing, well, the distractions abound to the other new things you could get. I started the year with some goals, and one was to make my 2019 MacBook into a truly mobile laptop (it was powering my two monitors and my entire system at home) and go with an Apple desktop of some sort, probably the mini or the Studio. Along came Prime Day, a new secondary monitor, a Mac Mini M2, a Display Link adapter, and some new video lighting, and my office remodel was almost complete.
But I also had some art that needed framing and hanging, and then I had to do something with that old chair.
For that, I set up a space for my partner in one corner of my office, complete with a portable standing desk, my old office chair (too big for her, but she can do crisscross applesauce and sit in it comfortably), and now she has a place of her own to work.
But once we expand the office (a long term plan) and get her a desk of her own, I’d bet a Flexispot C7 will be in her future as well.
Look, if you’re an author or anyone who works from home and you want an ergonomic chair you can sit in for hours in extreme comfort during all seasons (although you should get up from time to time), the C7 might be a good choice for you, too. Check it out.
And hey, if that inspires you do to an office refresh like it did me, whether that is tech, lighting, or even modifying your space, even better. Where you write and your comfort matter, and you can’t put a price tag on that.
