Union & Scale FlexFit Hyken Mesh Review

Name: Union & Scale FlexFit Hyken Mesh
Brand: Union & Scale

A decent chair with the headrest removed, but a pretty average chair even at that, and only suitable for shorter folks

Credit: Abriah Wofford

Price: $300 List

Manufacturer: Union & Scale

By Benjamin Hickok ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ July 12, 2023

Contributions From: Austin Palmer

OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#15 of 18

Comfort - 50% 3.5
Adjustability - 40% 5.5
Ease of Assembly - 10% 6.9

RELATED: The Best Office Chairs

List Price: $300

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Our Verdict

The Union & Scale FlexFit Hyken is an attractively priced office chair. Unfortunately, this task chair fell short of expectations and proved to be rather unimpressive when compared to the best office chair models available on the market today. While our test team felt that this chair might be well-suited for populating an office meeting room (where meetings are somewhat brief), it does not offer an adequate level of comfort to allow you to focus more deeply on work if you are going to be seated for longer periods.

Compare to Similar Products

(change comparison)

	This Product Union & Scale FlexFit Hyken Mesh	Branch Ergonomic	SIHOO M18 Ergonomic Big and Tall	Modway Articulate Ergonomic Mesh	EDX Armless Criss Cross Chair with Wheels
Awards		Best for Most People	Best Buy for Back Support	Best on a Tight Budget	Best for Unconventional Sitting
Price	$300 List Check Price at Amazon	$389 List Check Price at Amazon	$170 List Check Amazon (on sale!)	$170 List Check Amazon (on sale!)	$110 List
Overall Score	46	77	66	62	53
Star Rating	1 2 3 4 5	1 2 3 4 5	1 2 3 4 5	1 2 3 4 5	1 2 3 4 5
Bottom Line	Without the headrest, this chair is decent but still average, and it is only suitable for individuals shorter than 5'7"	High-performance adjustability, comfort, and ergonomics without the high-performance price	This chair offers high-end features where they count most — for your back and bottom — without the high-end price tag	It's not fancy, but this is our favorite budget-friendly chair for the money	Great for anyone with unconventional sitting preferences and who is also shopping on a budget
Rating Categories	Union & Scale FlexFi...	Branch Ergonomic	SIHOO M18 Ergonomic...	Modway Articulate Er...	EDX Armless Criss Cr...
Comfort (50%)	3.5	7.6	7.4	6.6	6.2
Adjustability (40%)	5.5	7.7	5.8	5.8	3.9
Ease of Assembly (10%)	6.9	8.6	5.4	5.7	5.9
Specifications	Union & Scale FlexFi...	Branch Ergonomic	SIHOO M18 Ergonomic...	Modway Articulate Er...	EDX Armless Criss Cr...
Comfortable Hours	3.00 hrs	8.00 hrs	7.00 hrs	8.00 hrs	6.00 hrs
Manufacturer Weight Limit	275 lbs	275 lbs	330 lbs	331 lbs	300 lbs
Measured Points of Adjustment	5	7	5	4	2
Measured Tilt Limiter Stopping Points	3	None	None	None	None
GearLab Assembly Time	22 min	12 min	16 min	10 min	22 min
Adjustable Lumbar Support	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes; the backrest moves up and down	No
Tension Knob	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Tilt Lock	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Lumbar Support	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Seat Pan Adjustment	No	Yes	No	No	No

Our Analysis and Test Results

While suitable for short office meetings, it lacks the comfort necessary for optimal focus and the ergonomic support for an average day at work.

union & scale flexfit hyken mesh - this is a fairly average, if not unimpressive chair that is poorly... — This is a fairly average, if not unimpressive chair that is poorly suited for an 8 hour work day. Credit: Abriah Wofford

Comfort

A shorter seat pan was one of the pain points for this chair, and while the mesh is initially comfortable, ours immediately started to conform to the shape of the person testing it, remaining permanently deformed after use. Both the back and armrest comfort also leave much to be desired.

This model features adjustable height arms, but lacks the incredible adjustability of the most premium models our team tested. Credit: Abriah Wofford

Beyond an unimpressive level of comfort across these major components, we evaluated the comfort of the included headrest. Unfortunately, this headrest proved to be far from ergonomic for every member of our test team and only provided moderate comfort for a shorter 5'4" team member.

Our testers agree that this chair is only comfortable for three hours. Few other chairs were this uncomfortable.

union & scale flexfit hyken mesh - the head rest on the union &amp; scale flexfit hyken isn't... — The head rest on the Union & Scale FlexFit Hyken isn't particularly comfortable, nor is it well suited for taller people. Credit: Abriah Wofford

Adjustability

The Hyken only has four positions for lumbar adjustments, a tilt lock that only locks in two positions, and armrests that are limited to height adjustments only. The uncomfortable headrest is adjustable but difficult to move to an ergonomic position for all testers over about 5'4".

A tilt lock is a feature typically seen on more premium chairs. Credit: Abriah Wofford

Ease of Assembly

Unlike some office chairs that arrive nearly assembled, the FlexFit Hyken requires more hands-on setup, taking over 20 minutes and a bit of patience. However, the assembly process itself isn't overly difficult.

Assembly involves placing a gas cylinder and then mounting casters, arms, backrest, headrest, and the base. All the hardware is conveniently labeled for each step, making it easy to select and place hardware in the appropriate locations. That said, the hardware seems cheap and mass-produced, and some screw posts weren't entirely straight. A packing oil or residue also contributed to some difficulty threading screws, as it built up on the threads into a thick gunk.

Putting together the FlexFit Hyken isn't difficult, but is still a less-than-average experience, especially when compared to some of the most premium chairs that come almost completely assembled.

union & scale flexfit hyken mesh - poor ergonomics, comfort, and a lack of adjustability make this... — Poor ergonomics, comfort, and a lack of adjustability make this chair better suited for an office meeting room, where chairs won't be used for very long durations. Credit: Abriah Wofford

Should You Buy the Union & Scale FlexFit Hyken Mesh?

The Union & Scale is not a bad chair, but it's not nearly as impressive as other top-tier models. In fact, our team encountered what appears to be a common issue: staples pulling out, a weakened or failing gas cylinder, a break in the backrest bracket, and the mesh of the chair deforming. If longevity is a concern, this would be a model to pass on. Other affordable models offer a greater level of comfort and should be considered.

What Other Office Chairs Should You Consider?

At a similar price point to the Union & Scale FlexFit Hyken, we suggest considering the Modway Articulate Ergonomic Mesh, which offers significantly greater comfort and value. If you're looking for a highly adjustable chair in a similar price range, consider the Branch Ergonomic. However, if you can afford it and are seeking the ultimate office chair money can buy, check out the Steelcase Leap. Its premium price offers premium features and comfort that can't be found in any other chair we've tested.

—Benjamin Hickok and Austin Palmer