I bought the chair from the first day of its release for reasons that I will explain below, and after a year of use, I believe that I now have an objective opinion and can give you some advice based on my experience with the product. I also want to mention some additional things because choosing a chair is not an easy task.
First of all, I would like to start by saying that I am not a fan of Razer for various reasons that are not relevant at the moment, and this is the first product I have purchased for personal use from this company.
When the delivery person brought it to my house, he asked me, "Dude, is it worth spending so much money on a chair? (initial price of 500€) What difference does it make compared to the others that cost 200€? They are all made in the same factories"...... and he looked at me as if I had thrown my money out the window... (I'll come back to this).
With a little research on Gaming Chair vs Office Chair, you will find many videos on YouTube (e.g. Gamers Nexus) that compare them and essentially prove that in terms of ergonomics, it is not worth buying any gaming chair, showing how much a gaming chair of a "series" costs and how much it ends up costing the consumer solely because of its appearance and the fact that it has a logo on it. I would completely agree with them if it weren't for the Iskur....
If you go to a store that sells ergonomic chairs and talk to a knowledgeable salesperson, the first thing they will ask you to help you with your choice is, "How many hours a day will you be sitting?"
Before this, I had a Genesis Nitro 550. It was quite good for its price, and I didn't have any serious issues... But when the first lockdown started, I began working from home (8+ hours), then continued with part-time work (2-4 hours), and when I finished, I had various things to take care of, even the supermarket where I placed orders from my PC, and finally, I started gaming and watching series... In short, I was sitting on a chair all day long. Soon, my back started bothering me, and I would twist and turn on the chair, even though I never had any problems before. (I am also 30+ years old, when I was 15, I could even sit on a concrete block).
While searching for chairs, I realized that from the cheapest OEM gaming chair to the most expensive/famous ones (e.g. Secretlab, DX Racer), they were exactly the same in terms of back support. A neck pillow that most people throw away from the beginning because it pushes them forward and causes them to hunch, and a lumbar pillow that you have to adjust left/right every time you sit down to bring it where you want it. For some, it is too big, and for others, it is too small, with all the implications that come with it.
Obviously, the more expensive the chair, the better the materials and build quality will be, but what good is that if you don't have the support you need?
Comparing it with various office chairs recommended by people, I saw that many of them do not have height adjustment on the armrests, which was a deal breaker for me (I wanted to align my elbow with the keyboard drawer to have support), and almost none of them had neck support, even the Herman Miller chairs that cost $1000-$2000 and are praised. The good thing about decent gaming chairs in terms of features is the 4D armrests, rocking function, and back tilt adjustment for leaning back when watching a movie or playing a game with a gamepad, as well as neck support when in that position. (I have even taken naps).
The Iskur chair I received had no flaws. Heavy and sturdy, very good stitching and construction quality... a rock compared to the Genesis even though they have the same "fluffiness" like all gaming chairs. In a photo they may look "the same" but it's like day and night. Comparatively, the cushions are much firmer than the Genesis ones that I sank into, but over time the seat takes the shape of the body. I don't know why they say the neck pillow is memory foam, it's just regular foam. The leather looks very durable and even after 1+ year of use, the seat hasn't "sagged" like in others (in the Genesis, the leather cushion started cracking and tearing after 1 year).
The armrests have dense foam material and even though they look like hard plastic, they are quite soft and don't bother the elbow.
There are creaks after a while, like in any chair with so much adjustability. I would recommend lubricating the mechanisms before assembly so you don't have to go through the process later.
And we come to the great "advantage" that sets it apart from any other gaming chair: the adjustable backrest. It provides support from low to high on the back (there are no gaps like when you have a cushion in the middle and your back is in the air until where your shoulders touch, your back is supported). It is also always stable, it doesn't move... so wherever you adjust it, it stays there. (In the previous one, I got tired of fixing the cushion every time I sat down).
I am 1.70 meters tall and weigh 70 kilograms. For my body type, the chair "embraces" me from all sides. The bucket seat, even though it doesn't make sense in an office chair, prevents me from sitting cross-legged on it, although the opening at the front of the seat is only 39 centimeters, slightly more limited than the Genesis but not bothersome for me. The "wings" of the backrest don't bother where they are located.
From the moment I started using it, it saved my lower back! If I felt any discomfort, I would push my back slightly outward (lumbar support) which has a piston and by pressing a lever, it extends outward and presses it against you. It was as if it was holding my lower back from below, embracing it and pushing it upward. A few days later and since then, my lower back hasn't bothered me again.
Finally, I must mention that the pillow that attaches with an elastic band to the top of the chair was too high for my height and found me at the head instead of the neck even if I loosened it as much as possible, while for someone slightly taller it would be perfect. My wife helped me with this... she cut the old elastic band from the center where it was sewn and sewed a slightly longer one at the top (Photo). After that, it was as if the chair was custom-made for me.
To answer the carrier's initial question... is 500 euros a lot of money instead of 200 in order to be healthy and not have to spend hundreds or thousands of euros on exams, doctors, and physiotherapists later? In my opinion, no, because these things add up and when the knot reaches the comb, it's too late. (especially in an offer where I see it for 380 euros, it's a steal). So far, I haven't seen any other chair on the market that offers all of this.
Here I would like to mention that choosing a chair is not like choosing a TV, for example. You can't see the "specs," say "oh nice, it has all the check boxes" and understand from the photo if it will suit you. We all have different body types.
I have sat on a friend's king-size chair who is 1.90m tall and my feet were in the air on the lowest setting.... he has sat on mine and his legs stick out 20 inches from the seat as if he is sitting on a child's chair.... A well-built friend has sat on the Iskur, which is the best for me, and he can't fit in the seat.
In other words, no matter how good the chair is, it doesn't mean it's right for YOU. For such products, it's always better if you have the opportunity to see and try them in person.
edit: There is now also an XL version for larger individuals
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