20 Best Gaming Chairs of 2020

Should you even care? It’s just a chair, right? Do you really need the best gaming chair? Sure, some gamers take their choice of gaming throne a little more seriously than others. But the fact of the matter is between work and play us gamers put in some long hours in our chairs. It makes sense to find something comfortable and supportive.

We’re starting to become aware of the toll all this sitting is taking on our bodies. If you’re noticing your back hurting during gaming or even after you get up it might be time to seek aid. Certainly, mindfulness and proper ergonomics can provide some relief for your back and spine. I switched to a quality chair a couple years ago, and I’ve never looked back. It didn’t completely eliminate my back pain, but it has diminished to the point that it’s not taking up valuable headspace anymore.

Beyond health considerations, finding the best PC gaming chair for you mostly comes down to personal preference. There are a multitude of aesthetic options to choose from — especially nowadays when the market is chock-full of new models. Some gamers prefer the racing style, others want a more traditional looking office chair, and then there are those of us who want the flashiest chair to make the biggest statement possible.

There’s no practical way to test out every chair before you find “the one”. So we’ve laid the groundwork for you. Below, you’ll find our list of the 20 best gaming chairs followed by our things to look for and chair buying guide.

Zoom Out: Top 20 Gaming Chairs Comparison

For a closer look at HGG’s top computer gaming chairs picks, head to our ‘Zoom In’ section.

Image	Chair	Type	Styles	Capacity	Price
	1. noblechairs ICON	Office Chair	4	330 lbs	💰💰💰💰
	2. SecretLab Omega	Racing Seat	21	240 lbs	💰💰💰
	3. GTRACING GT099	Budget Racing Seat	7	330 lbs	💰
	4. AmazonBasics Racing Style	Budget Racing Seat	3	275 lbs	💰
	5. OFM Essentials Racing Style	Budget Racing Seat	9	275 lbs	💰
	6. Respawn 900	Swivel Recliner	5	275 lbs	💰💰
	7. SecretLab Titan	Racing Seat	19	290 lbs	💰💰💰💰
	8. Anda Seat Dark Wizard	Office Chair	1	400 lbs	💰💰💰💰
	9. Arozzi Verona Junior	Racing Seat	4	130 lbs	💰💰
	10. X Rocker Pro Series H3	Baseless Rocking Chair	1	275 lbs	💰💰
	11. Corsair T2 Road Warrior	Big & Tall Racing Seat	5	400 lbs	💰💰💰💰
	12. Homall High-Back Racing	Budget Big & Tall Racing Seat	7	300 lbs	💰
	13. Respawn 200	Racing Seat	5	275 lbs	💰💰
	14. Flash Furniture Articulate Mesh	Task Chair	16	250 lbs	💰💰💰
	15. DXRacer Iron Series	Office Chair	2	275 lbs	💰💰💰💰
	16. MAXNOMIC Ergoceptor	Office Chair	5	220 lbs	💰💰💰
	17. Big Joe Dorm Bean Bag	Bean Bag Chair	6	250 lbs	💰
	18. Steelcase Leap	Task Chair	6	300 lbs	💰💰💰💰
	19. Respawn 110	Racing Seat	10	275 lbs	💰
	20. Embody by Herman Miller	Task Chair	16	300 lbs	💰💰💰💰💰

Zoom In: A Closer Look at the 20 Best Gaming Chairs

Here, we take an in-depth look at each chair. We’ve got a selection of computer chairs for PC gamers as well as some console gamer chairs. Surely, you will find something to take your man cave (or woman cave) to the next level.

1. Noblechairs ICON

The best gaming chair overall

German gaming brand Noblechairs makes some exceptional equipment for gamers. If you’re not a fan of the oftentimes gaudy looks of some of the racing type chairs, Noblechairs’ ICON chair has an understated and elegant look. The chair’s quilted pattern on the back rest and metal accents throughout both looks and feels professional.

Their line-up of gaming chairs are beautifully crafted and designed with world class ergonomics and components. One big standout feature worth mentioning in the ICON Series Chair is the glorious genuine leather upholstery option. Get real top grain leather or go all out luxurious with Nappa leather. Read more about Noblechairs in our hands-on review of the ICON Real Leather Midnight Blue and Graphite model.

2. Secretlab Omega 2020

The most popular gaming chair

The Omega is Secretlab’s best-selling, flagship chair. We love how much you can customize the Omega using Secretlab’s slick website. Furthermore, you can choose a more subtle styling or you can go all out — mild or wild it’s your choice. Quality components, quick delivery, and up to 49-day refund policy has further elevated Secretlab’s Omega (and their other models) in terms of popularity. They now have a legitimate claim to the throne for the King of gaming chairs.

You can get the Omega in your choice of vegan PRIME PU Leather, Softweave Fabric, or luxurious NAPA leather. NAPA leather is featured in many luxury car seats as well as high-end boutique leather goods like designer bags and wallets. We wouldn’t necessarily classify NAPA leather as a need in the whole need vs. want debate but hey we’re talking gaming chairs here and it does roll off the tongue nicely.

3. GTRACING GT099

The best budget gaming chair

Many a gaming chair is paired with an eye-popping price tag. Not this one! For gamers on a budget, GTRACING found a way to offer a feature-rich racing style gaming chair for under $150. Quality PU leather, neck and lumbar pillows, adjustable armrests, and reclining from 90-170° round out this chair nicely. Add that all together and you’ve found our pick for the best cheap gaming chair.

It isn’t a slouch in the looks department either. The GT099 model features stylish racing stripes, matching pillows, and colorful accents on the five star base. GTRACING offers this gaming chair in 10 color styles so you’re sure to find one that looks sweet with your setup. A nice bonus is that this chair can be rocked back and forth — making it the fidget spinner of chairs.

4. AmazonBasics Racing Style

The best budget gaming chair runners-up

Amazon’s private label brand, AmazonBasics, dives into the gaming chair waters with a reasonably priced chair. Of course with a sub $150 price, it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles, but Amazon delivers the chassis in a surprisingly stylish package. The combination of PVC materials on the sides and bottom, soft PU leather upholstery, and a nylon base is a formula for success in the gaming chair world. Amazon followed this formula well and found a way to offer the goods for a fair price. This AmazonBasics Chair is a serious contender for the best budget racing style gaming chair. You can read our full review here.

5. OFM Essentials Racing Chair

The best ultracheap gaming chair

If you must find a gaming chair under $100, we’ve got one you need to check out: the OFM Essentials Racing Style Chair. With a whopping 9 colors to choose from they’ve likely got your favorite color calling your name. Notably, some colors are priced higher than others — we’ve seen the green color as low as $65. This is probably due to inventory fluctuations but in most cases this chair will leave you around $80 lighter.

The two-tone design and contoured padding are aesthetically pleasing. It may not deliver the same number of style points that a full racing style chair does, but there’s no denying its got some flair.

6. Respawn 900 Recliner

The best gaming reclining chair for the living room

The Respawn 900 Gaming Style Recliner is Respawn’s latest model. In our humble opinion, the absolute must-have feature on this chair is the cup holder built into the left arm. In addition, there’s a removable side pouch that hangs off the left arm that’s easy to access too. Respawn didn’t stop at the recline up to 135 degrees, they’ve also built in a fully extendable footrest for ultimate comfort while gaming.

7. Secretlab Titan 2020

The best high-end PC gaming chair

A chair of godly proportions, the Titan Chair is ideal for larger gamers 5’7 in height and above (maximum load of 6’6, 290 pounds). It is Secretlab’s largest chair yet. This gaming chair package is one of the most polished we’ve seen and exemplifies Secretlab’s keen attention to detail. From the precise stitching to the fluid adjustment knobs, to the robust 77 pound frame and aluminum base, the build quality of this chair is top tier.

We also dig the integrated lumbar adjustment system knob. By twisting this knob located on the side of the backrest, the lumbar zone of the chair protrudes or recedes to your preference — sort of like a built in adjustable lower back cushion. This chair has received one of our best review scores to date. At an eye-popping regular price of $500, we encourage our readers to look for it on sale. Secretlab will sometimes get pretty aggressive with their sales and at these times we’ve seen some of their models up to $150 off.

8. Anda Seat Dark Wizard

The most comfortable PC gaming chair

Anda Seat is one of the leading gaming chair brands in Asia and they are making their move on the US market. If you have a penchant for extra pillowy seating such as La-Z-Boy type chairs, Anda Seat’s Dark Wizard chair will be right up your alley. Some of our team uses this chair on a daily basis at our office and they now turn up their noses at the sight of lesser chairs. It is easily one of the best gaming chairs under $400.

One of the highlights of this chair are the included neck and lumbar pillows with extra cushioning. The unique deluxe neck pillow that comes with this chair accommodates the neck and head extremely well. A matching lumbar pillow will care for your back, while a high density foam padded seat unit takes care of the rest.

It is a shame that they decided to skimp out on the armrests, which unfortunately don’t feature any padding. That didn’t stop it from making our list — the sleek all black style with a premium presence and feel won’t disappoint. We have a full review of the chair here, if you want a closer look at all the details.

9. Arozzi Verona Junior

The best gaming chair for smaller frames

For women and men of shorter stature there’s pretty slim pickins when it comes to gaming chairs. Swedish company Arozzi decided to help fix this problem and introduced the Arozzi Verona Junior. Most gaming chair manufacturers design chairs for men and evidently seem to think the bigger and heavier the chair the better. If you’re on the shorter side, say under 5 feet 2 inches, and you want a high quality gaming chair you’ve really got two options: the Arozzi Verona or Secretlab’s Throne Series. You can’t go wrong with either.

10. X Rocker Pro Series H3

The best rocker gaming chair with speakers

The X Rocker Pro Series H3 is hands-down the best all purpose gaming chair for the living room. The four integrated front speakers and 4 inch subwoofer offer plenty of oomph. Supplement that oomph with the vibration motors that sync with the audio’s bass tones and you have a force to be reckoned with. Another neat feature about this model is that you connect this to other X Rocker chairs and play in multi-game mode.

11. Corsair T2 Road Warrior

The best gaming chair for big and tall individuals

The ultra tall back and wide seat of the T2 Road Warrior is suited for the big dawg gamers. With a weight limit of 300 pounds and accommodating heights over 6 foot 6 inches, even the Dr. Disrespects of the world will be happy as a clam in this chair. A solid steel chassis will handle everything you throw at it and the perforated PU leather and matching seat cushions offer comfort in style.

12. Homall High-Back Racing Chair

The best budget big and tall gaming chair

This High-Back Racing Style Chair from Homall is a plus-sized gaming throne. It may not have all the bells-and-whistles but big and tall gamers will be hard pressed to find a gaming chair that’s better for the money. This chair has an upgraded Class-3 gas lift verified by SGS that supports up to 300 pounds. Homall offers this chair in multiple colors — even pink and purple! It doesn’t have much in the way of ergonomics, but you can recline the backrest up to 180 degrees.

13. Respawn 200

The best mesh gaming chair

A unique looking chair, the Respawn 200 comes in significantly lower then most quality gaming chairs that hover around the $300 price point. Not only does it have a flair of its own with the side panels bolstering the headrest part of the chair, Respawn also decided to incorporate mesh in the high-back unit whereas most manufacturers use the standard PU leather. For gamers who runs a little on the warmer side, this will be a welcome feature. Mesh materials are popular for office chairs (but surprisingly rare in gaming chairs) since they keep the whole thing breathable.

In addition to these fresh design elements, there’s an integrated lumbar support unit. We hadn’t seen this type of lumbar support in a chair yet. It is difficult to adjust but it does get the job done. Indeed, the chair isn’t flawless and the look may not be for everyone, but give points to Respawn for trying new things in a space that sorely lacks innovation. For more information about this chair, head to our full page review.

14. Flash Furniture Articulate Mesh Chair

The best office chair for gaming

The Mid-Back Black Mesh Chair with Triple Paddle Control by Flash Furniture is a fantastic one-size-fits-all chair. It has enough adjustment mechanisms and ventilation to keep you comfortable through extended periods of sitting. Flash Furniture makes some of the most well-priced ergonomic office chairs on the market. If you’re looking other ergonomic designs Flash Furniture has a sizeable chair lineup worthy of taking a peek at.

If you love leather, the Black Leather Executive Office Chair with Triple Paddle Control is the mesh’s chairs leather equivalent, features a slightly higher back, and is well worth a look. It features the same comprehensive customization as the mesh version with the extra large paddles. The extra high back (adjusts up to 21 inches tall) is a nice treat for big and tall gamers. The contoured design adds a nice professional polish to this Flash Furniture offering.

15. DXRacer Iron Series

The best leather gaming chair

DXRacer is the OG of gaming chairs and the most popular brand in the eSports community. Their new Iron Series lineup is definitely worth a gander and our pick for one of the best PC gaming chairs. It comes with a lifetime warranty on the frame and a 2 year warranty on parts. That shows just how much confidence DXRacer has in this model. We have seen very few gaming chair brands offer anything close to that.

If money is no object, you may want to scoop up the full grain leather edition of this chair. The soft and supple leather and perforated design looks absolutely gorgeous in any gaming setup. DXRacer decked out the Iron Series with top-notch ergonomics including a multi-directional design backed by 10 years of research.

16. Maxnomic Ergoceptor

The gaming chair with the best lumbar support

The first chair in our high-end computer gaming chairs category is MAXNOMIC’s Ergoceptor. MAXNOMIC by NeedforSeat has a large range of over 40 gaming chairs. The Ergoceptor is one of their latest additions and it is a doozy. This chair features multi-layered PU leather, an aluminum reinforced five star base, a durable class 4 cylinder, and is fully adjustable with 4D armrests and dedicated lumbar support knob (on par with the Secretlab Titan). The unique stitching patterns help the chair stand out and give the chair some interesting texture. We’ve got a comprehensive review of the Ergoceptor you can find at the destination of that very link.

17. Big Joe Dorm Bean Bag Chair

The best bean bag gaming chair for console gamers

Large and heavy gaming chairs aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. Enter the humble bean bag chair, great for smaller spaces and TV gaming. This one from Big Joe is available in a variety of colors and even has pockets for your game controllers and water bottle. Another thing we really like about Big Joe’s Dorm Chair is that it has an internal zipper seal which enables you to refill this bean bag as needed (bean bag beans compress over time). Big Joe sells the ‘UltimaX’ refill beans online so you can be sure your bean bag chair will never fail you.

18. Steelcase Leap

The best ergonomic gaming chair

The Steelcase Leap is the winner of numerous awards, including Wirecutter’s best office chair of the year, and it is Steelcase’s best selling chair. With one of our team members in our office using this chair on a daily basis for over a year, we can thoroughly recommend the Leap as a sturdy companion. He even goes as far to say it was the vanquisher of his back pain woes.

What makes this one of the best PC gaming chairs? The Leap uses a technology called Liveback. This term describes how the chair dynamically adjusts to your seating position. If you’re looking to invest in a chair with sound ergonomics, look no further. Thankfully, it is a little less expensive than some of their newer models and usually it is available refurbished at a significant discount.

19. Respawn 110

The best gaming chair with footrest

The Respawn 110 Series is extremely popular gaming chair that comes in a bunch of fun styles. There are even two Fortnite themed models but they do come at a hefty $60 premium. The standout feature on this chair is the footrest, nearly all gaming chairs around this price point don’t offer that feature. Combine that with the reclining backrest, and you’ve found yourself a gaming chair that doubles as a cat napping recliner.

20. Embody by Herman Miller

The best computer chair for gaming when money is no object

If you want Herman Miller’s best its going to cost you, the full featured Herman Miller Embody Series Chair flutters around the $1500 price point. It’s a big investment. But if you have already sunk a few $1000 into your office, what the hell right? The graceful, organic curves will make your heart flutter whenever you lay eyes on it. The Embody is easily the best office chair for gamers.

Herman Miller claims it will improve your focus, enhance your health, and responsively accommodates your every move and posture shift. This chair was designed with the key principal in mind that the human body needs movement. Being sedentary doesn’t do any good for our bodies or long term health. This is one of humanity’s best attempts to minimize the damage done when sitting for over 6 or even 8 hours a day. Couple an ergonomic chair with short breaks in between bouts of gaming/working as well as daily exercise and you’ll be on the path to sustainable wellness (which is not to say this can’t be achieved without spending $1500).

Gaming Chair Guide Part I: 7 Popular Types of Gaming Chairs

There are essentially four broad categories of gaming chairs. Nearly all rocker and pedestal type chairs are used for console gaming, though we do know some gamers who use pedestal chairs for gaming at a desk.

We’ll discuss the merits and general chair design of each category in this section.

1. Bean Bag

To start off our list, we have the lowly and humble bean bag. Surprisingly, some bean bag chairs are insanely comfortable. Used for console gaming (you’re going to need a massive one to raise you up high enough to do gaming at a desk) bean bag chairs are an inexpensive and fun option. With this style gaming chair you can’t swivel, roll, or rock but it sure beats sitting on the ground for hours on end.

An inflatable chair or lounge is a great alternative to bean bag chairs. If you don’t like the forgiving nature of the bean bag chair (where you sink in and sometimes get eaten by the chair) an inflatable chair will provide a rigid surface. Some inflatable chairs even come with an ottoman for full body comfort. The upside to this type of chair is easy storage as you can fold it compactly. The issue with inflatables is they are prone to punctures and losing air.

You can see our curated list of bean bag chairs here.

2. Rocker

The rocker type of gaming chair is used exclusively for console gaming. It sits directly on the floor and — true to its name — allows the user to rock back and forth. It is the fidget spinner of chairs. X Rocker popularized this gaming chair design and are by and far the leader in the rocker gaming chairs category.

Rocker gaming chairs are definitely a step up from a bean bag. The most expensive chairs in this category are decked out with audio equipment such as speakers in the headrest part of the chair.

The drawback to this style is it does not let you swivel left to right. Also, some users complain that they get uncomfortable after a couple hours of gaming. Hardcore gamers that spend 8+ hours some days ma want to steer clear of the cheaper models or they will likely not be too happy with how their butts and backs feel after a couple weeks.

You can see our curated list of gaming chairs for console gamers here.

3. Pedestal

The pedestal style chair is a somewhat of a hybrid between the rocker and wheelbase style gaming chairs. These chairs are designed for console gaming but from time-to-time we hear of them being used at a desk. The X Rocker brand is extremely popular in this category of chair as well.

Pedestal style gaming chairs are usually a little more expensive than rocker type chairs. On the plus side, they get you up off the ground a bit. Instead of having the ability to go all out in rocker mode, you’ve got a pedestal you can swivel about.

You can see our curated list of gaming chairs for console gamers here.

4. Arm Chair

The arm chair gaming type chair is a stationary chair. Unfortunately, no rocking or bouncing in these chairs. Some of these chairs such as the X Rocker Triple Flip chair have extremely well thought out designs. That particular gaming chair has an under-seat storage compartment and you can even fold down the back to make it into a footrest. If you are not a fan of dynamic movement of rocking type gaming chairs, this is an excellent alternative.

You can see our curated list of gaming chairs for console gamers here.

5. Wheelbase (PC Gaming Style)

PC gaming chairs are the best chairs in terms of mobility and comfort. You can roll around and spin to your heart’s content thanks to the wheelbase build of these chairs. With some models, you can even recline and catch an afternoon cat nap.

This is a very broad category where you have affordable office chairs on one end and expensive gaming and professional chairs on the other. A popular brand that makes expensive gaming style PC chairs is DX Racer. The space is getting fairly crowded nowadays and there are dozens of options.

It is known that PC chairs typically have armrests, sturdy back support, castors (wheels), and a variety of adjustment features. As such, they deliver better ergonomics as the user is able to customize the chair to their body type.

6. Simulator

Simulator gaming chairs are popular with racing and flight simulator enthusiasts. Sometimes these come as all-in-one packages and other times you’ll need to buy the extras such as racing wheels, flight joysticks, and monitors. There are many different custom options as well depending on the game you intend to play. The one commonality between this type of chair? They are all very pricey. Obutto and Volair are two of the biggest names in this category.

You can see our curated list of simulators here.

7. Workstation

Indeed, this category could be the future of gaming seating. Call them what you want: pods, workstations, futuristic robot chairs, these guys are very cool and usually come with a slew of extras. The options for the time being are extremely expensive and in most cases prohibitively so. But as this category grows in popularity the cost of these chairs will likely start to come down. An example of a chair in this category is the J20 Gaming Computer Workstation and the MWE Lab Emperor Series. It has a monitor rack that lifts and lowers, massage features, lighting zones, and a handheld control panel to operate everything.

Gaming Chair Guide Part II: General Thoughts on the Right PC Gaming Chair for Gamers

Deciding between an update for our rigs or a new office chair is an easy decision. The PC component usually wins out every time. We get it, the chair typically doesn’t even factor into the decision making process. Who’s to blame? That new Nvidia graphics card needs to find its home in your PC. But consider this: a good office chair could last you over a decade. Furthermore, your comfort level is an essential part of successfully ascending to gaming utopia.

If you’re spending a lot of time in front of your monitor it makes sense to look beyond the basic models. It’s like a mattress, if you spend a lot of time using it, you may as well get a nice one.

Health considerations also factor into the picture for many a pragmatic gamer. Even if you’re younger, your health shouldn’t be an afterthought. A recent study in the UK found 4 out of 5 workers are afflicted by back pain, which was responsible for more than 15 million lost work days in 2013.

Sitting for long periods of time in a chair could also potentially carry long-term consequences. We don’t have to look farther than people who have spent their careers working in call centers or trucking for evidence. Who wants to be that guy walking around stooped-over at the age of 40? Your chair and desk work together to aid you in maintaining good posture and preventing something like that from happening.

It’s important to remember that even with an ergonomically designed chair it’s still a good idea to periodically get up and move around in between matches or levels. If you can mix some jumping jacks and yoga in there, even better. OK, most of us probably won’t go there. The important thing to remember is that movement is the best counter to the pains and aches of sitting too long. Supplement an ergonomic chair with the simple habit of short breaks. It will go a long way in taking care of your body and maintaining a healthy posture.

Of course, no product discussion would be complete without talking about cost. A good rule of thumb is to buy according to your own personal gaming and work habits. Obviously daily computer use of our readers runs the whole spectrum. Ranging from casual to hardcore, differences in hours logged is substantial.

Some gamers spend time in their chairs working in addition to gaming. These days, more people are setting up arrangements with their employers to work part-time from home. If you’re one of these lucky folks who have established one of these new economy working arrangements you’ll be spending even more time in your chair. If this is the case, it’s worth considering investing a bit more in a higher-quality computer chair.

If you’re a casual gamer who only spends a dozen hours or so a week gaming, you can get by with something less expensive.

Gaming Chair Guide Part III: 3 Most Important Computer Gaming Chair Features

PC Gaming doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. A well-built office chair is nearly as comfortable as a plush recliner. You can also count on it to last at least a few years. The key is finding a manufacturer that actually incorporates ergonomic designs in their chairs. Some manufacturers just use marketing buzz words but don’t follow through on the design to cut costs.

Here are the top 3 features worth considering before purchasing a new office chair.

1. Ergonomics. For gamers, ergonomics is important. The best PC gaming chairs will help improve your posture. They’ll provide lumbar support, arm support, and numerous controls to make adjustments. This allows you to customize your chair to your height and body type. To get something that covers all the bases, you’re going to have to shell out a lot of cash (at least a couple hundred dollars). Anything less and you’ll have to make compromises. Here are the main adjustment features to look for:

• Height control. A standard function for nearly all office chairs.
• Armrest height control. Not as common as you’d think. A great idea as fixed height armrests can cause discomfort.
• Tension control. Allowing you to stiffen or loosen the tension level in the backrest. This affects the amount of pressure you need to apply to lean back.
• Backrest lock. Sometimes chairs will also allow you to lock the backrest in place in addition to controlling tension.
• Seat pan slider. This enables you to slide the seat of your chair forward or backward in relation to the backrest.

The general rule of thumb is the more ways you can adjust the chair, the better. Check out the video of the SteelSeries Gesture chair below, arguably the most innovative chair released to date.

2. Material. Most quality office chairs are either leather or mesh. You want a chair that is a good match for your body temperature. The wrong choice could lead to your comfort level heading south for longer gaming sessions. Some gamers get sweaty and others descend into a cold reptilian-like state. It’s a good idea to make your purchase accordingly. Mesh material is highly breathable. It is a great asset for those of us who run a bit on the warmer side. Leather is effective at retaining heat and is suitable for those gamers who run cold.

3. Style. We’d be lying if we said looks aren’t important. The chair doesn’t need to be an aesthetic masterpiece. However, nobody wants something that looks like it’s about to fall apart next time someone enthusiastically plops their seat in it. There’s a lot to be said for a sturdy, well-designed chair. Depending on your preference, something flashy such as a racing themed chair may be the perfect fit for your gaming space. On the other hand, some people appreciate the look of all black leather which may be a more appropriate match for their office area.

Gaming Chair Guide Part IV: Types of Casters & Caster Replacement

Office chair casters aka office gliders are the five wheels that carry the heavy burden. They roll you to and fro with little complaint. Just as with chairs, not all casters are made the same.

A common occurrence with office chairs is a broken caster or one that has just had about enough of the rolling business and not moving like it used to. Certainly, they are a part of the chair that takes a heavy beating. Furthermore, some chair manufacturers don’t exactly opt to install heavy duty casters (more expensive parts) when they are mass producing their product.

There are a few things you should be aware of when buying replacement casters for your chair. First off, their are two main types of casters: hardwood floor casters and carpet casters. Hardwood floor casters are made with a polyurethane material that is softer and won’t scratch your floor. Carpet casters use a hard plastic that roll just find on carpets and mats but will leave lots of little marks on a wood floor. Another thing you want to be aware of is whether you need casters with pintle (stem) or without pintle. If you don’t know pop one of the casters off your current chair. If it has a metal stem on it you want casters with pintle.

Best Casters for Carpet and Mats:

Slipstick Replacement Office Chair Wheels are a great universal (7/16-inch stem) caster. Rated for up to 363 pounds, these 2 inch black plastic casters are backed by a 5 year warranty.

Best Casters for Hardwood Floor:

KATU Office Chair Rubber Caster Wheels are a heavy duty caster wheel that won’t scuff up your wood floors. These bad boys are backed by a 5 year warranty and have a maximum weight rating of 550 pounds. The black and gray color looks sharp and goes well with most office chairs.

High Ground Perspective: Sitting Disease and Other Trunk & Back Pain Concerns

Before we end this article, we’d like to talk a little about the risks of sitting for long periods of time and the impact this has on our bodies. As the story goes, humans are now spending more time than ever sitting. We sit to eat, to commute to class or work, at work or in the classroom, on the way back from class or work, then maybe do some gaming/watching TV/movies where we are sitting again. You get the picture.

If you look through the wide lens at human history it is just relatively recently that we’ve started putting our bodies through this sort of conditioning. In large part, the human race has been hunter-gatherers often running or walking up to 12 miles a day. Had to work for that lunch. Now thanks to paradigm shifts such as the industrial and internet revolutions things have changed big time.

Computers are a staple of nearly all work environments and it doesn’t look like that trend is going to change anytime soon. If you’re a gamer you may not only be sitting for play but also for work. We gamers are at a very high risk for some in the medical community refer to as ‘sitting disease’ (ill-effects of an overly sedentary lifestyle) and back disorders.

Yours truly (Mr Benny boy) had some issues with lower back pain and for awhile I was strugglin. It was like having half a dozen angry gremlins beating on my lower back all hours of the day. Writing and gaming for 14+ hours everyday probably wasn’t the healthiest schedule. I don’t think the $50 chair I bought from Office Whatever was doing me any favors. I finally pulled the trigger and upgraded to a Steelcase leap chair and it solved most of my problems. Now I don’t think you’ve got to drop $1000 bucks on a chair to avoid the worst of back pain (I found a refurbished Leap on Amazon for about $400), but I am definitely now a proponent of getting the best chair you can afford.

Back pain is still a mysterious issue in the scientific community. There are many causes and many body types. Furthermore, the spine and the nerves surrounding it are an intricate network. Some people even show herniated or bulging discs in x-rays but are pain free. While the waters remain murky, we know after aggregating the results of many studies that there are a few things you can do to reduce your risk.

The top suggestion we can give you is periodically moving around. Movement counters inactivity. It sounds simple, but this action helps muscles relax and recover as well as compresses and uncompresses the inter-vertebral discs. The result is better filtration of fluids around the cores of the discs. All that is a fancy way of saying it resets your system. Getting the right chair helps too. When purchasing a chair, the top things to look for are height adjustment, depth adjustment, adjustable arms, and lumbar support height. This will allow you to customize the chair to your unique physical makeup.

Good luck & Happy Gaming!

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