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Comment by jseliger | Hacker News Reader

"What other alternatives are there?"

Unfortunately, I'm not sure there is one.

The problem is, as far as I can tell, there aren't any, or at least there weren't three years ago when I last looked. None of the knockoffs have the combination of support and breathability that makes the Aeron unusual.

One thing I'll say: if you're looking for Aerons, make sure you get one with lumbar support, which makes a tremendous difference. I've heard good things about Steelcase chairs -- see http://www.steelcase.com -- but they're not cheap either. We talk about them briefly here: http://blog.seliger.com/2008/06/15/tools-of-the-trade—what-a... .

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We had Steelcase Think (http://www.steelcase.com/na/think_products.aspx?f=11845) where I used to work. They look fantastic with their mesh back and adjustable armrests, but they're really not that good. The seat cushion isn't adjustable and lots of them broke, they were quite flimsy.

The Leap chair does look a lot more adjustable and maybe more solid too.

Just ordered a leap. I went into a showroom with a ergonomic pro and got the 30 min lesson on all it's features. With the right adjustments you should be able to code all day without issue.

I like the Steelcase Leap chairs (http://steelcase.com/na/leap_products.aspx?f=11852) and the Haworth Zody chairs (flash-based site, so here's a review instead: http://www.geek.com/articles/gadgets/review-haworth-zody-cha...) are really nice, but they're in roughly the same price range as the Aeron. Having more names to search for will help with finding a good deal, though, and while it's a lot of money upfront, it's not so much divided over 10+ years. (In interest of full disclosure: I work with the furniture industry.)

It also helps if you live in Michigan, near where they're produced, 'cos then you can get them off craigslist for cheap. :)

Also: The comfiest chair in the world won't make up for getting up and stretching periodically. The human body isn't really that well-suited to sitting, spending ten hours a day staring at something right in front of you, and typing.

I have to agree. I haven't found anything comparable yet.

About 2 months ago I searched really hard for a cheap used Aeron without luck. I opted for a $150 chair from Staples after trying out every one there and at OfficeMax. That chair is alright, but an Aeron is definitely worth the investment. I'm borrowing a friend's now and it is so much better. The benefits really kick in during long coding sessions.

I look at buying an Aeron as reducing future health bills. If you know you're going to be coding nearly every day for years, the ROI you'll get out of it is extremely good. Sitting in a crappy chair for 40+ hours per week for months on end makes my body feel like $!%@.

I tend to agree, but chairs seem personal enough that this thread might not help: so far it seems about evenly divided between the people who, like me, love the Aeron, and the others who say it's probably not worth the money and/or don't get the hype. A few others have suggested Steelcase chairs too, but those aren't going to help with price.

"Briefly?" You're not kidding :-)

"Others prefer the Steelcase Leap Chair"

Was that it?

I think the best alternative is the slightly cheaper Herman Miller Mirra.

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