My Aeron Mod - yes ... "modified aeron"
I agree with folks who say some things on Aeron. I have the fully loaded top of the line, 3 months old, bought at ebay for $350, which is a good price. Size C, which is the proper size for me.
Aeron needs badly a revision. So for example:
1) no head support !! (Herman cancelled the design project)
2) upper back not firm enough
3) if using posture fit - middle back no support, lower back good
4) if using lumbar pad - middle back good, lower back no support
5) seat front frame - this is the worst part of the chair. Sucks!!!!!
I am leaving out here that mesh damages cotton pants. This is not a problem of Aeron , but general of mesh materials.
Here is what I have done with Aeron to fix this:
1) I have added a head support! Yes, you can add head support. I bought a chair from garage sale and it had very similar frame with a head support mounted on top. I removed the head support and mounted it on Aeron. Mounting was easy like 1-2-3. The bracket fits. The other chair looked like a very cheap aeron copy but added head rest. Fits perfect. Looking on the chair, it looks totally cool, like a pilot seat, like an original Aeron head support. Heigh of the head support is adjustable thought a button.
2) Took an old thick soft rubber hose, cut in half and stick it in the back, so it holds in the frame and supports my back little bit.
3) My chair comes with posture fit, so I am OK with lower back. For middle back I bought an extra lumbar pad (size C) and carved it out in such way that it can be placed above the posture fit. Now I have both posture fit and lumbar pad. Posture fit can still move freely and independently.
4) see above
5) Here comes the REAL sucker!. So far I haven't been able to find a better solution than buying a stadium sitting pad from wallmart and put it under my legs. Not a very good idea, but works just so-so (=softens pressure a bit). I'll try to fix the problem with similar solution like for upper back, however harder material.
The chair looks now like Aeron 2.0.
The additional mods cost me about $100 extra, plus scrap construction material.
In addition I created a leg or footrest on wheels(whatever you call it). I bought a round pad on wheels (the one you get in flowers departement in stores, it is for pot flowers) put a cushion on it and here we go... I also have Webble, which you can get here
The Webble - Active Footrest.
I don't have a camera right now, besides that crappy one in my cell phone. I'll post pictures on my blog after I figure out how to solve the front seat frame problem. I'll post my findings then.
I think Aeron is better a home office chair than a work office chair, because it is not a good chair in case you need to make phone calls, reach out to stuff etc... It is more designed for situations when you type things lay back or browse internet for a few hours and can sit still still and recline etc. Good for sleeping, now with the head support added, if only there wasn't the seat frame problem.
It is a very solid and durable chair, like it can really be a workhorse.
Hope I provide some ideas here for the handy people here.
Until I get a chance to try Steelcase I stick to my modded Aeron
Cheers.
