We've been using a spectrum of differing office chair styles from across the eras, reaching right the way back to the 1960s, here at the studio. Some with arms, no arms, tilt support, no tilt support and some that were seemingly designed with discomfort in mind. It’s probably fair to say that the ideal office chair for productivity at a desk in front of a computer wasn’t in our arsenal, despite having six differing chair models available. Then one day we came across Slouch, and we were intrigued by the style and what they were presenting as fully adjustable comfort. So we got one into the studio and pulled it up at a desk, and we have been using it over the past few weeks adjusted to differing body types. What we’ve discovered is interesting; especially for productivity.

Design

The Task One model is a minimalist chair, with a slim 3D spacer mesh back and curvy cushioning. It creates a clean silhouette which neatly tucks under all our desks and the available tones (bluestone, cedar beige, charcoal grey, fog grey and the one we have being pink) for the fabric cushioning are all delicate and not at all brash, which definitely suits our neutral styled studio environment. The frame is available in black or in the grey shade we have here.

All adjustment controls are locatable under the cushioned seat whilst sitting. The left side houses the adjustable seat depth of up to 50mm and a tilt unlock to set to one of 4 predefined locking positions. On the right side sits a forward tilt shift lever to go to 0°, 3°, 6° tilt, a height adjustment paddle and a back tilt tension adjustment for further balance support. Padded arms can be adjusted in height and angle. Finally, there’s also 55mm of vertical adjustment given to the lumbar support.

Casters are available in standard format, or there is a hard floor version which is an extra £20 and is the version we have for our hard luxury vinyl flooring from Pro-Tek. They gently nudge when we need to pivot a little, or for more distance travelling to different desks you can pick up some enjoyable smooth travel.

Assembly

It arrived in a customary Slouch branded box, in two pieces. Assembly is a breeze and takes only a few minutes.  You are required to screw the mesh chair back onto the fabric cushion and then slide this assembled piece onto the base, which is easy enough to do solo. Voilà! - you have an assembled Slouch Task One chair.

Comfort & productivity

Getting into the perfect position with a desk-styled office chair is something a lot of us find tricky; and in particular to know where your head should be in relation to the screen. So, because of the degree of adjustability afforded from this Slouch chair design, it’s tempting to initially constantly fiddle with adjustments in the early days of ownership. But after regular usage, when all the fundamentals are played with and worked out for your adjustable sweet spots, it’s quite clear the benefits this design yields.

Comfort is instantly recognisable and there’s a nice amount of softness in its ability to flex when moving, say, back and forth in the chair, so it doesn’t feel like a solidified shell. But what the Slouch Task One really offers is more about feeling sustained support in your posture and avoiding body aches after long hours and full days of sitting and working, which we now realise all our previous office chairs have lacked. A particular point of massive importance is the ability to customise the position of your legs with the Slouch chair, helping prevent fatigue and numbness. Additionally, the padded armrests, though optional, are crucial for maintaining a comfortable keyboard position, especially with their independent tilt adjustment. The fact is that the chair's level of fine-tuning ensures optimal comfort and support; all individuals here have required precise adjustments for their unique posture and preferences. The only minor concern made by a shorter sitter was that the lumbar support angle was something they couldn’t get to feel quite right, so they fully lowered it until it wasn’t really doing anything and they still very much enjoyed the chair. Otherwise the Slouch Take One's versatility in accommodating various seating needs definitely enhances its appeal for tasks requiring prolonged periods of focussed activity. It's now a valuable asset in our creative environment and is aiding productivity.

A Slouch chair could certainly be used for gaming, with the armed version, like ours, enabling  a firm and supportive arm posture. But the lack of any neck/head support could be a concern for those who spend blocks of multiple hours sitting and playing at a desk.

Verdict

It is easy to overlook the importance of an excellent office chair and we hadn’t realised just how our other studio chair models had been under-supporting us until we sat in the stylish and  customisable (at the point of order) Slouch chair. It embodies ambidextrous excellence and it is now blatant just how important it is to seamlessly blend comfort and functionality, and in doing so enhance productivity, into our creative workspace. Its precision adjustments and ergonomic features make it a valuable addition, ensuring a more comfortable and efficient work experience for everyone in our studio.