

Ask HN: Recommend chair to comfortably support my hacker ass for 12+ hours a day? - BigCanOfTuna

I started working from home recently and my back is starting to demand better seating arrangements. Can anyone recommend a good chair? I really like the Aerons, but I am open to alternatives.
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dantheman
I have an Aeron; before I had it my back started to hurt, so I picked one up
-- IMHO it's worth the price.

~~~
jhy
I've got an Aeron at home, and a Mirra (<http://www.hermanmiller.com/mirra/>)
at work. Both are made by Herman Miller. The Mirra is a bit cheaper and
doesn't look as swish, but I find it about 50% more comfortable than the Aeron
(to the point that I'm thinking about replacing the Aeron).

And both are many, many times more comfortable than anything else I've used.

~~~
DenisM
There is a caveat to Mirra - the seat is pretty firm. If you have a skinny
butt you will not like it much. :( I still found it more comfortable than the
AAeron though. I now consider craiglisting my Mirra and going for a Steelcase
instead.

I suggest finding a showroom and trying it out. Herman-Miller has plenty of
resellers in major cities.

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hotpockets
I can't say enough about my Hawaii chair.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9_amg-Aos4>

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charlesju
1\. Get an Aeron or Herman Miller ergonomic chair, the main draw to them is
that they force you sit upright.

2\. Get a keyboard tray. When you have a keyboard tray, you tend to lean back
on your chair when you are typing.

3 Make sure you can fit both your mouse and keyboard on the tray so that you
don't have to move your hands around too much to navigate the screen.

4\. Get fresh air at least once every 2 hrs. Walking around and stretching is
a good way to keep the blood flowing to the rest of your body.

5\. Probably the hardest, but something I do, is that you need to make sure
you keep to a strict diet and exercise regiment. I run 2 miles twice a week
and do interval training on the bike and elliptical in between.

Your body and mind is the major bottleneck to your personal productivity and
happiness, treat it well my friends.

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BjornW
I use some chairs that were in use by a local supermarket and which got thrown
out due changes in the interior. It may sound silly, but keep in mind that the
people behind the counter need to set for long periods of time just like your
average hacker. These chairs can be lifted to the point where I (my height:
1.96m) cannot put my feet straight on the ground anymore, have several
'joints' to setup and are the most comfy chairs I've ever used. I don't know
the brand, so you probably need to ask at your local supermarket. Best of all
I got mine for free.

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mahmud
Move around. I don't have a "desk", I have many mini work-areas; about three
favorite spots at home, as I like to chase the sun and reorient myself
throughout the day so the sun isn't in my eyes or against the LCD screen but
still nearby. I also take my laptop to cafes, library, or I just drive to a
shade in a parking lot with a giant cup of coffee and a pack of marlies to get
some work done :-)

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clord
The best thing for your back and posture is to stand (with occasional resting
on a stool). Many professionals stand while they work, and I try to do it when
I can too. It's good for the circulation and it keeps you focused on your
task. That's because if you're bored, you won't play flash games; instead
you'll want to take a short walk. I think it's because it's easy to go wander
off if you're already standing.

These guys make fantastic standing desks, but they can be a bit pricey:
<http://www.standupdesks.com/>

My day job has adjustable desks that go to standing height.

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grinich
medicine ball. it keeps me moving around, which i think helps me stay
productive.

~~~
critke
exactly. <http://www.49sparks.com/?b=51>

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memorius
I have a Stokke Balans Duo chair which is the most comfortable thing ever, and
perfectly suits someone who both wants to move around restlessly, lean forward
to type, lean back to think... used daily for 8 years and it's bulletproof.

[http://www.opsvik.no/index.asp?page=works_11002_balans_Duo_a...](http://www.opsvik.no/index.asp?page=works_11002_balans_Duo_anim)

I'm not sure if they still make them, but maybe you will find one secondhand.

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gregp
Do sun salutations each morning and night
(<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surya_Namaskara>), this relieved all my back
pain and other aches. Aeron is the best way to go as far as chairs go, plus
they have a killer warranty.

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mannicken
I have an _armchair_ like Joey's armchair from Friends and I'm loving it. It's
big and I can put my legs on it, and be in any comfortable position I want.

I tried Aeron at work and man, it doesn't even come close to awesomeness of
armchairs.

Maybe I'm just big (6'3 220).

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idont
The corporate company I was working for had Wlikhahn modus chairs (
<http://www.wilkhahn.com/2_produkte/2044.htm> ).

I tried dozens of others. I finally bought one for me. I love it!

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donna
This was a chair developed by an entrepreneur who pitched at the Big Success
in SF and won the business pitch to be on CBS5. He was fantastic, as was his
chair. <http://www.GymyGym.com/>

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jusob
Tim Ferris has a pretty good post on it:
[http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2009/01/27/office-
chair...](http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2009/01/27/office-chair-aeron-
vs-mirra-vs-liberty/)

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ericb
Anyone have any tips on the most affordable way to buy an aeron or find a used
one? They're a good chunk of change.

Also, is the "posturefit" lumbar support worthwhile at 60 bucks extra?

~~~
dantheman
If you buy one refurbished from a non authorized reseller, then it most likely
won't come with the kickass warranty, but then again you might save a few
hundred dollars...

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timtrueman
I realize this is cliche but my vote goes to the Aeron.

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n1mr0d
i've had the aeron, the freedom chair, and now this
[http://www.staples.com/office/supplies/p4_Staples-Tillman-
tr...](http://www.staples.com/office/supplies/p4_Staples-Tillman-trade-
Leather-Executive-Chair-
Black_193819_Business_Supplies_2_10051_FEATURED:SC2:CG32:DP2154)

best chair. ever.

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spooneybarger
i went from tons of back issues to none within 2 months of getting the freedom
chair with headrest. pricey, but it was totally worth it.

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quizbiz
oh the topics hackers concern themselves with :P

