Steelcase Leap Review

Sturdy and comfortable, the Leap is a fantastic chair. Steelcase says this is their most adjustable model, offering a customized experience for a broad range of body sizes and types of work. If you need to stay both productive and comfortable, this is our favorite option.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

Accountable for half of the overall score for each chair, our set of comfort tests was the most important to the overall score of each chair we tested. We had a panel of judges put each to the test; they scored each on overall comfort, focusing on the backrest, armrests, and seat. We also had each tester determine how many hours they could comfortably sit in each chair.

Almost all of our testers agreed that the seat of the Leap was one of the most comfortable of the entire group, with only a single judge dissenting. That individual still found the seat adequate, and no one felt dissatisfied or uncomfortable. However, all of our judges agreed that the backrest is exceptionally comfortable. We tested the standard back, which went up at least to the shoulders of every tester. An additional headrest is available if you want support to extend even higher. The Leap also received a favorable response from our team for its armrests, with it ranking at the top of the group.

Despite one member of our test team feeling that other chairs had more comfortable seats and armrests, he still was more than happy to sit in the Leap for 10-12 hours — which is highly impressive. The four-way adjustable arms allow you to adjust the height, width, and depth, and you can also swivel. You can go with an armless or height-only adjust version of this chair to save some cash, but it likely won't offer the same level of comfort that we experienced.

Adjustability

For our next round of tests, we compared the levels of adjustability that each of our tested office chairs provides. We split this metric into five subtests and scored the level of adjustment available on the backrest, armrest, seat, and reclining tension knob. We also evaluated if you could attain a proper ergonomic seating position with the available adjustments at an average desk and a using a standing desk converter. The Leap again delivered an outstanding performance.

The Leap offers excellent adjustable lumbar support. You can change the overall height of the support, though the mechanism can be a bit finicky. There is also the option to adjust the firmness of the support to perfectly match your preferences and the curvature of your spine.

This chair lacks a reclining lever and instead offers a set of tilt limiters. You can choose between five discreet levels and freely move back and forth between an upright position and your selected reclined position. The backrest also goes up quite high and reached the top of the shoulder for almost all of our testers. The armrests are highly movable and allow you to adjust the height of each one to reach a comfortable level, as well as move them in and out and forward and back. They also swivel to match the natural angle of your forearm while sitting and typing at a standard keyboard and have plenty of supportive padding.

The seat on the Leap is well-padded to keep you sitting in comfort for the long haul. The seat height can be adjusted, and you can also move the seat pan forward and back to customize to the length of your legs, which is a unique adjustment we haven't seen on many other chairs.

The reclining tension knob is located under the seat on the right side and is easily accessible while sitting. This easy-to-use knob sets the amount of resistance for when you lean back in the chair and is very responsive. Given the multitude of ways you can adjust the Leap, it's easy to get into an ergonomic position for most desks and bodies.

Ease of Assembly

For this metric, we compared and scored how long it took to assemble each chair, looking at both the time and difficulty of the actual assembly, as well as the quality of the included documentation. These tests only accounted for 5% of the total score — as you only have to build the chair once — and the Leap finished out our test with a superb showing.

The Leap arrives almost fully assembled, albeit in a massive box. We only had to remove the packaging, but you may have to add the wheels, depending on your selected options. Our testers were able to assemble this chair in 5-10 minutes.

Value

While the Leap isn't cheap, it's not the most expensive model out there and provides lasting quality, making the initial investment a bit more palatable. This chair is an exceptional value if you can stomach the price point.

Conclusion