Foam or mesh
Blind test pits Secretlab foam chair against premium mesh chair
The first gaming chairs may have been inspired by race car seats, but they have come a long way since. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, sales of gaming chairs have boomed as more folks worked from home.
These gaming chairs are usually made with foam, unlike office chairs that often use mesh. Which type of chair is better for comfort, and performance? That’s the question a UC Berkeley study sought to answer by pitting a foam-type gaming chair (Secretlab Titan Evo) with a premium mesh chair (Herman Miller Aeron Classic).
Participants sat on each chair for over three hours over two separate days. The study found that the Secretlab Titan Evo felt more supportive than the mesh chair. However, participants preferred the mesh seat material because “it’s more breathable and cool-feeling”. Personally, the mesh chair is a no-brainer in an non-air conditioned environment. Maintenance and durability would also appear to favour the mesh option. But it’s worth noting that the Herman Miller Aeron Classic used in the study is more expensive than the Secretlab Titan Evo. A cheaper mesh chair may not offer the same level of comfort.
However, the study also found that users felt “increased pain after sitting continuously for approximately 1.33 hours, no matter the seat material of the chair.” So TLDR, take more breaks, and get off that chair more often. You can read more about the study at Secretlab’s website.
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