Review of the Humanscale Freedom Chair
For years and years our forefathers fought for freedom. And it does not matter where you stay. Pretty much every country has its own history of fights for independence.
But are you really free? Is your body trapped in a jail cell called an office every day?
There is one chair called the Freedom chair. I don't know why it is called the Freedom chair but perhaps the manufacturers thought it is so comfortable to let you fall into a deep daydream so you can picture yourself on an island full of beautiful beach bodies. Anyway let me get to the point. What is the Freedom Chair all about?
The Seat
Good ergonomic chairs have seat depth adjustment. The Humanscale Freedom is no exception and you can easily slide the seat backwards or forwards to ensure your back stays in constant contact with the backrest. You achieve this by lifting a lever under the front edge of the seat. Besides the normal seat cushion there is also an option to add an additional gel cushion. It will cost a bit more but if you are looking for maximum comfort this is the option to go for. The standard cushion is a bit short on padding in my opinion and this may make the seat uncomfortable to some, especially if you sit the whole day.
You will definitely not have this problem if you go for the gel layer as it ensures maximum weight distribution so that no pressure points form. If you are taller or shorter than average you can order a high or low range cylinder respectively to ensure you can adjust the seat height to just the right level.
Backrest
The backrest has been contoured to mimic the natural shape of the back. As an example there is a channel in the middle of the back support cushion to ensure there is no unnecessary pressure on the tender spine. You can manually adjust the height of the backrest to best fit your back's shape.
The headrest
If there is one thing that really irritates me it is a headrest that gets in your way. It subconsciously forces you to sit with your head and neck in an uncomfortable, unnatural forward position. The result is a stiff neck and a headache. Fortunately if you decide to go for a headrest (optional) you will not encounter this problem with the Humanscale Freedom chair. What I like is that headrest moves out of the way when you sit in an upright position and provides full support when you recline. The headrest automatically adjusts to achieve this. If you like to recline I would go for the headrest option as it really pays for itself if you lean back a lot.
Reclining
I keep on saying this but few things improve comfort levels more than a chair with a proper recline function. The problem with some chair is that the level of your eyes changes when you recline and that you lose touch with the screen. As some chairs in this price class the Freedom has a feature where your eyes stay at pretty much the same level. You don’t lose touch with the screen by eyes moving further away or up and down.
The freedom's backrest automatically adjusts the tension when you recline to match your specific body weight. The Freedom also does not have sharp edges that hurt you when you recline too far, like when you want to take a quick nap.
The Arms
The armrests are synchronized and move together so that the armrests are always at the same height. This will ensure that you do not sit in an ergonomically incorrect position. To adjust the height of the armrests is pretty easy. You simply pull on the front of the armrests and once you reach the desired height you release. They will automatically lock into place. The armrests adjust by a maximum of 6". If you want to push the chair underneath the table the armrests can be adjusted to a level below thigh level. They won't be in the way. The armrests are attached to the backrest so when you recline you do not lose any arm support whatsoever.
You can also pay a bit extra and get armrests with additional features.
• 1,25" longer than the standard to provide even more support
• Armrests that rotate inward by as much as 35 degrees. This is achieved by pushing a button on the inside of the armrests.
The chair finish
The frame is available in graphite, titanium or aluminum (extra cost) and you have a wide choice of upholstery colors to best match the colors of your office.
Warranty
The chair comes with a 15 year manufacturer's warranty and it is a warranty you can count on.
I read some reviews where people had problems with the armrests after eight years of use. The manufacturers, Humanscale, were quick to replace the broken part without any questions whatsoever. It just pays to buy from a reputable manufacturer or dealer.
My overall rating
The Freedom falls into the new range of chairs with minimum levers and knobs. The chair has built in mechanism that automatically adjusts to your body as it moves. And it does it well. I give this chair an overall rating of four stars. If you are 5.4" or shorter I would seriously suggest that you go out and test this chair before you buy. The chair has been manufactured to fit 90% of the population and if you fall within the 10% you may find this chair uncomfortable.
Where can you find the best price?
I found the best price here. If you can find a lower price than here kindly let me know and I will update this page to include your link.