Three years ago, we first brought the Steelcase Leap V2 to BTOD.com for review. Since that time, it has consistently ranked at the top of our list of best office chairs. It’s also been the chair that I have been personally using as my “daily driver.” After having spent a decent amount of time in the chair, some of my opinions have changed from that initial review. Keep reading to learn more about my impressions of the chair three years later.
Full Disclaimer: We are an office furniture dealer and sell some of the Steelcase chairs we review. To learn more about the products we sell, our review process and why you can trust us, please visit: Why we’re different. Who is BTOD.com and The Breakroom Blog?
Steelcase Leap V2 Review Links
1. Price
The price of the chair has changed since we first brought it into our office. With the 4-way adjustable arms, height adjustable lumbar support, and standard casters, which is definitely a configuration we recommend, now retails for around $1,299 on the Steelcase website. Alternatively, you can purchase a fully refurbished Steelcase Leap for $619 at BTOD.

2. Steelcase Policies
Some of the policies on the Steelcase website have changed, specifically the return and warranty policies. The return policy has gone from 30 days down to 14 and the warranty for sales outside of North America has changed, so you might want to take a closer look at the fine print.
3. Leap Build Quality
When you spend thousands of dollars on an office chair, you want to make sure that it will hold up and stand the test of time. I do believe that the Leap V2 has the build quality you would expect. Not only have I experienced this personally through my own use of the chair, but at BTOD, we refurbish thousands of used Leap V2 chairs dating back to 2006. While some of the chairs we receive are in pretty rough shape, for the most part the functionality is intact. If anything, we just need to tighten things up and clean the upholstery, but overall, this chair has one of the best build qualities on the market.

4. Leap Adjustments
One of the reasons that this chair consistently ranks as a great chair for most people is because of how adjustable it is. Practically every part of the chair can be adjusted to fit any body type. If you look at the seat height adjustment, the seat can drop all the way down to 15.5” and be raised up to 20.5”. That means that the chair can fit people who range in height from about 5’2” to 6’6”. The chair also comes with a seat slider function that can adjust the depth of the seat pan to accommodate the length of your legs.
Another great adjustment is the tilt limiting feature, which is commonly found in high-end chairs. Cheaper chairs will typically allow you to lock your recline position, but you can’t necessarily rock back and forth. With the Leap V2, there are five different settings that limit how far back you can recline. Depending on how you like to sit, you can also use the tilt tension function to make it harder or easier to lean back in the chair.

When it comes to the arms, Steelcase actually offers three options: no arms, height adjustable only, and 4-way adjustable arms. As mentioned above, we highly recommend going with the 4-way adjustable arms. These arms are a great selling point for Steelcase line and probably my favorite armrests overall. You can adjust the height, width, depth, and use the pivoting adjustment to find just the right position. With such a wide range of adjustments, most people should be able to find a comfortable position.
5. Seat Back
One of my other favorite components of the Leap V2 is the actual seat back. In my opinion, it is one of the best seat backs for support, especially in the lumbar region. The knob on the side allows you to adjust the tension, which you can really notice in the lower portion of your back. If you don’t want the support to feel as pronounced, you can decrease the tension. If you like firm support, you can ratchet up the tension.

In addition, the lumbar support is height adjustable, and the system makes it easy to move up and down. This allows you to fine tune the support. As a side note, Ryan, our VP, switched to the Leap V2 about a year ago and he didn’t like the feel of the lumbar support and he was able to simply remove the support and now he is in love with the chair.
6. Leap Headrest
Personally, I hate the headrest on the Leap V2 and that has been true since the first time I sat in the chair. It doesn’t provide the support I am looking for and it actually feels like it is pushing my head forward. Perhaps the only time I marginally enjoy the headrest is when I am in the recline position. The headrest also has a tendency to drop down from where it is positioned, so it might not be worth the $180 to add this feature unless you know you are going to love it.

7. Leap Comfort
Of course, the build quality and adjustments aren’t going to matter much if the chair isn’t comfortable. Fortunately, with the Leap V2, there is plenty of comfort. The seat has a concave design so that the seat tends to mold around you. I really like the flexible waterfall edge design. If you press on the sides and especially the front of the seat, you will see that it offers a decent amount of flexibility. This prevents you from feeling locked in the chair and to move around comfortably throughout the day. Since the chair moves with you, you will enjoy better blood flow to the legs.
I should mention that the seat pad can feel a little thin and this is by design. If you shop other high-end chairs, you will find that a thinner seat pad is a common feature. For me, I think this seat pad is a little too thin, especially in the tailbone area. If I sit for prolonged periods, I can definitely feel it, and this is one of the few complaints we get about this chair.

The Leap also has one of the most comfortable seat backs and a lot of that comes down again to the flexibility. You can literally flex it with your hands, which means that when you are sitting in the chair, it will continue to move with you. When you combine that with the lumbar support adjustments, the seat back is a good mix of the best features and provides excellent comfort.
8. Leap Arm Pads
The arm pads offer just the right amount of firmness along with flexible edges. This pairs perfectly with the 4-way adjustments for a truly comfortable arm rest.

Final Thoughts
Ultimately, my view on the Leap V2 has shifted a little over the years. The seat pad is a little too thin for me, especially if I am sitting in it for stretches of over eight hours. For this reason, I transitioned away from the chair at the office, but I still use the Leap at home for periods of around 2-3 hours. After three years, the Leap is still a great chair and a favorite around our office.
Wes Correll
What Stool chair would you recommend that has great seat padding?
BTOD.com
High quality seat padding or thick seat padding?
Moo
I think in the context of your review he means the most comfortable seat padding.