Sleekform Ergonomic Chair Review: The Austin
Last year, I decided it was time to upgrade my office chair. My back, neck, and shoulders were killing me. I was heading to the chiropractor with more regularity than I like. And I found myself opting to work from the couch more and more. It was time to make an investment in my time “in the office” as it didn’t look like I would be going back to a pre-pandemic “in the office” job any time soon.
A friend highly recommended the Sleekform Austin Kneeling Chair, and after sitting in it when I was visiting her, I knew I had to give it a try.
WHAT IS THE AUSTIN CHAIR?
The Austin is a kneeling chair from Sleekform. The chair is tilted at a 120° angle instead of the usual flat 90° of traditional office chairs. This angle pushes your hips forward and places you in an upright seated posture which will engage your core, taking most of the pressure off your lower back.
It has two separate knee cushions to give more freedom to switch up leg positions. The ability to rock keeps your core continually engaged and helps keep you focused.
WHAT DO I LOVE ABOUT THE AUSTIN CHAIR?
I really do love how much better my back, neck, and shoulders feel on a daily basis. The ability to rock keeps me focused as I am way more fidgety than I think I initially realized. The chair offers a lot more versatility in seated positions than most would think. Sometimes I put my feet on the ground in front of the cushions and sometimes I put a foot on one of the shin cushions. Lastly, this chair feels like a vote for me and my well-being. Humans aren’t meant to sit in front of a computer all day, and if I need to do so in order to continue to make a living I want to do it in the best way possible.
I love that it can completely slide under my desk whenever I want to use the standing feature or whenever I’m not at my desk. My old office chair had to move out of the way completely in order for me to stand at my desk and it cluttered up our house.
It is also a small, female-founded business. And we LOVE to support that if we can!
IS THERE AN ADJUSTMENT PERIOD?
I would say it took me about three weeks to get used to sitting in the chair. My shins were sore for a bit, but it wasn’t painful and didn’t hinder my workouts or movement. It just felt like I had used them in a way I hadn’t before like when you start a new workout. During this time, I opted to use my standing desk as opposed to my old desk chair.
DO YOU MISS THE BACK REST?
Not really. If I’m really wanting to lean into something, I’ll work from the kitchen table or the couch for a bit. However, that doesn’t usually last long because I find myself slouching and starting to feel it in my neck and shoulders.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
It is $230, and I think it’s worth it. I don’t feel the weight of the world in my neck and shoulders when the workday ends which also keeps me from feeling as tired and grouchy. My physical therapist even commented on how much better my neck and back are lately.
If you work from home or want to invest in your own office chair, this really is worth the investment in my opinion. Think about it, you sit in every day or five days a week if it’s just weekdays, so five times 52 is 260 days. That is less than a dollar a day for the first year! Isn’t your health worth it?
Plus it has a 90-day money-back guarantee! And if you are a student, veteran, or nonprofit worker, they will offer a discount.
IS THERE A SIZE/WEIGHT LIMIT?
Unfortunately, yes. The chair currently has a weight limit of 265 lbs and is best for people between 5’2” and 6’2”.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS:
Overall, I am really am so glad I made the switch to this office chair. I genuinely feel better in areas where I was experiencing regular pain and discomfort, and through that, I think I am a bit of a happier person since by 5 pm I’m not wanting to lay flat on my back on a hard surface to get some relief.
Also, I would say using this chair has made me more aware of my posture in general. I notice more when I begin to slouch when I’m not using the chair because, for 40+ hours a week, I feel what it is like to have good posture. However, I will say this is not a miracle worker and you do still need to focus on rolling your shoulders back, but it helps align so many areas of your posture that it’s not hard or a pain to make this small adjustment.
The quality of the chair is great and I do not regret upgrading to a kneeling chair.
xx,
Lindsae
