The Eurotech Vera is still one of the biggest surprises in ergonomic seating. In this post, I will discuss my opinion of the Vera after sitting in it for an extended amount of time over the past 3 years.
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The Vera 3 Years Later Links
1. Backrest
Without question, my favorite feature of the Vera is still the mesh backrest. It is one of the few chairs that I have used that doesn’t include adjustable lumbar support and it still manages to hug my lower lumbar perfectly. There is something about the mesh they have used that allows it to contour to your back and create the hammock-like feel that you can find in some mesh chairs. This floating feeling is amazing and provides the perfect amount of back support. The mesh design also prevents you from feeling any part of the frame on your back.
Even though the height of the back is fixed, I think that it is shaped in a way that can keep tall users comfortable. The mesh also provides some flexibility so that you can move with the frame, but the frame itself is a bit stiff, so you won’t get that experience like you would on the super flexible Embody.
The synchro-tilt mechanism on the Vera has a nice feel. While I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this chair to those who like to rock back and forth, it does provide good support in the various tilt-lock positions. The tilt tension control is also easy to use and quite responsive. It only takes a few turns to feel a difference in the amount of effort it takes to recline.
I prefer to use the Vera without the tilt lock engaged and increasing the tilt tension to a higher level. This allows me to move around a bit more in the chair and easily recline when I want to stretch.
2. Seat Comfort
One of the most important aspects of a chair is seat comfort. While I don’t believe that the Vera is the best in this category, I do think that it is near the top of the list of chairs with padded seats. The thick padding provides good support and I haven’t found any signs of bottoming out even after it was used so much in the office.
When it comes to the level of cushioning, I would rate this chair as medium-firm to firm. Depending on your preferences, this chair may or may not be right for you. Overall, the pad is above average and high-quality, so it will last for a long time. The seat also comes with seat depth adjustment, so there is some flexibility for short or tall users.
3. Armrests
There are a few things that I always look for to make sure that a chair’s armrests are comfortable for me. The first is a range of adjustments that will allow me to make sure that it fits my body properly. If you are on the shorter side, under about 5’3”, there is a chance that the arms won’t be adjustable enough to fit you. For users who are 5’4” and all the way up to 6’6”, there is a decent amount of height range on the arms. With four-dimensional adjustments, you can definitely get the arms in the right place to help prevent neck and back pain, which can develop when your arms are in a poorly supported position.
The second feature I look at is the arm pads themselves. The arm pads on the vera are fairly firm, especially when compared to other chairs in the same category. This can be a problem if you like to lean into your arms or you prefer a pad with a bit more give. This is one area that I don’t love about the Vera. Softer arm pads would create a much better user experience.
The shape of the arm pad does eliminate any hard edges. Finally, the armrests and arm pads are solid and sturdy and have held up well over the last few years.
4. Build Quality
I have to say that I have been impressed by the build quality of the Vera. We have a handful of these chairs in the office and they get used a lot. As one of those users, I haven’t noticed any signs of wear besides the occasional squeak or creak.
The yellow chair we have still looks brand new while the black one is covered in fuzz from someone’s sweater. If I did have one complaint about the build, it would be the abrasiveness of the mesh. It is a high-quality mesh that has survived three years of use, but if you like to wear wool sweaters, you might want to avoid mesh altogether.
5. Headrest
Having a headrest on your chair may or may not matter to you depending on how you use your chair. For me, while I am at my setup at work, having a headrest isn’t too important. However, at my home office, I find that it is a nice feature to have.
The Vera headrest is about as basic as they come. There aren’t really any adjustments to speak of. It is designed to fit into the back of your neck rather than your head, which is nice if it fits correctly. For me, I am just a little too tall to use it when I am upright and tasking and I can feel it hitting me in the shoulders. However, when I lean back, it is really comfortable.
I also found that there is a bit of flex, which creates a bouncy sensation, which I like. This prevents it from feeling too stiff. Again, fit is the most important thing with this headrest. If it doesn’t hit you in the right place, it can be annoying.
If aesthetics are important to you, you probably will want to skip the headrest. The color of the plastic on the back of the headrest won’t match the frame of the chair. This could be a minor detail to some, but it might matter to others.
Bottom Line
For those who still aren’t sure about the Vera, but appreciate the under $500 price point, you will want to check out our other post that ranks the best chairs for under $500.
