The way an office chair works is a lot like picking a favorite pair of jeans: Some might like the fit of classic Levis while for others, nothing comes between them and their Calvin Kleins. The same is true for great task chairs. Some might like the sit of a Herman Miller and some prefer Steelcase, 9to5 Seating, Haworth or Sit On It. All of these companies make great chairs that will work perfectly for even the longest work sessions, but an individual might prefer one over the other.
The Herman Miller Aeron became the most popular office chair in history for a reason — because it is comfortable and stylish, but the chair does not work for everyone. I’ve heard complaints about the Aeron frame cutting into the back of some users legs, for example. For many others, it is perfect. The point is, not every chair is going to work for everyone.
I’ve sat in a few office chairs over the years and don’t have a brand preference. I’m a fairly common size and shape so most chairs work well for me. I don’t have a favorite task chair. But I do prefer some over others.
So when Steelcase provided one of its new Karman chairs for me to review, I was excited to see how it sat. Its name comes from the Karman Line, the point where the earth’s atmosphere meets space and weightlessness becomes possible.
Steelcase might not always be the innovator when it comes to seating, but the company always seems to get seating right, probably because it focuses on the details and leans on its research when designing products.
That is certainly the case with Karman. Karman works so well for me for the same reason it works so well for so many: It is easily and almost infinitely adjustable meaning a majority of people can dial the chair in exactly right for them.
When Steelcase set out to design Karman, the spirit and mantra of the team was to go beyond what was known in the industry for comfort, to go beyond conventional materials and also focus on sustainability.
Karman is constructed of three distinct areas — the core of the chair that provides support, a flexible frame that flexes as the user moves and a performance textile that cradles the user. The three sections of the chair come together to create a chair that is organic and flexible, but still supports you where you need to be supported.
Karman uses a weight-activated mechanism that shifts automatically as the user changes posture. Again, this isn’t a new technology. Niels Diffrient-designed Humanscale products have used weight-activated mechanisms for years. The mechanism on Karman works well and it is easy to find a comfortable sitting position. In fact, it is almost a bit too loose for my liking. The sit feels a bit sloppy and not supportive enough for my 220 pound frame. It is not a problem for smaller users who borrowed the Karman.
Karman is the natural successor to the Leap chair, an outstanding task seat in its own right and one of the most popular chairs ever produced. Karman is lighter in scale than Leap (and physically lighter weight as well at just 29 pounds), creates a more beautiful look in the office and sits better as well. The light scale works well for home office use as well.
The chair benefits from its hybrid seat that includes both cushioning and its Intermix performance textile. It is intuitive for anyone to adjust with the weight-activated mechanism supported by a boost tension setting that adds 20% additional resistance if needed along with a mid-back stop and upright lock.
It is priced in the office furniture sweet spot of about $1,000.
From a design perspective, Karman is a chameleon. One of its greatest features is the palette it comes in, a dazzling array of mesh colors, base colors, including a simply beautiful matte brass, and four-way adjustable arms (or armless) and additional lumbar support.
The pandemic delayed the official launch of the chair to this year, but we got our first look at Karman in 2021. The chair has been around for a while, but made its broad debut this year at NeoCon.
Karman is another in a succession of Steelcase chairs that bring together the best thinking in the industry into one product. It is the right size and scale for an office, but also for home. It provides all-day comfort. It is easily adjustable and comes in myriad colors and options. Simply put, it is another task seating juggernaut from Steelcase that will keep the company among the best ergonomic chair makers in the world.