Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I'm a freelance writer and spend a LOT of time on my laptop. I wanted to find a chair for "active sitting" so I could take some pressure off my lower back. I don't have back problems, but I periodically spend SO much time sitting that I'd get uncomfortable after the first 4 hours or so of a long editing project. I really like sitting/working on an exercise ball (seriously), but hubby over-ruled that idea for my kitchen workstation, simply because it was not quite Politically Correct and clashed with the furnishings : ) Plus, the cat likes to punch and chase the giant ball. He was right, as usual. This kneeling chair ended up being the PERFECT answer for me. I had been using a very nice, expensive office secretarial chair, but always found myself sitting on the front edge of it, with my feet wrapped around its leg stand so I could keep my posture comfortably erect. When I saw photos of the kneeling chairs, I KNEW THIS was my answer. The only question was whether to go with wood or metal, rolling or not, which type of adjustment, etc. I'm an admittedly obsessive "pre-reader" of Amazon Reviews before making ANY purchase (this is getting to be a real problem at the grocery store, BTW), so I spent my obligatory hour or two of research before going with this model and I'm glad I did; it's the perfect fit for me. 1. It's comfortable! I like being able to sit upright and the knee support makes this very easy. I can even fold my legs under and behind me, which, for whatever reason, I find incredibly comfortable and relaxing. 2. Looks GREAT with our kitchen furniture (oak table, rolling grey Chromecraft chairs with oak). Although this is a slightly lighter shade of wood, it blends well. Metal would have been a mistake for this reason. 3. Seat and kneepad is comfortably cushiony. I'll update in the future about how well it wears, but it looks promising to me. Plenty soft for my tastes, but I am somewhat Spartan in my approach to life. If it suits its purpose, I'm a happy camper. These pads are soft enough, firm enough, and look tough enough to do their jobs. 4. Wheels are a NECESSITY. I did not realize it until I got the chair, but you need to be able to stand over the chair and then make a fine position adjustment just as you sit. Kind of like mounting a horse. I wouldn't want one that didn't roll for that reason (I AM up and down about a hundred times a day, so this matters to me). 5. Feels solid as you sit; I find it very comfortable. I'm relatively short (5'4") and use the middle of 3 positions. I highly recommend this product; it's reasonably priced, easy to put together, and "sits great." A winner! P.S. 6/4/13 Update: Still researching? I just checked for you; Wikipedia has a detailed explanation of the advantages of "active sitting," for those not familiar with the concept. 6/30/13 FYI Update: BUMMER! Though I still love this chair and still recommend it, I DON'T RECOMMEND it as a "permanent" everyday office chair. I correspondingly adjusted my star rating from 5 to 4. Why? After sitting on this every day for 12-14 hours for 6 weeks, I began to notice that my hamstrings (muscles in the back of the thigh) were actually shortening (I stretch daily). Then it dawned on me: this is a natural result of the bended position of the legs for 8-10 hours a day, of course, a factor I didn't initially consider. Fortunately, I noticed in time. Shortened hamstrings not only make you feel stiff (and short), they also impact your back alignment AND your ability to balance. No harm done for this short period of use, but this could potentially cause problems after years of sitting this way, in my opinion. So now, though I REALLY like sitting in this kneeling chair, it's relegated to a TASK CHAIR in my office. I do use it for several hours a week and it is a go-to favorite for comfort, but I just don't think any kneeling chair would be a suitable permanent replacement for an office chair for me. But for occasional use, it's still terrifically comfortable.