Steelcase Leap v2 Review: I Bought a Used Steelcase Leap V2 and It Saved My Back
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Anyone who works a desk job or is an avid gamer has probably dealt with back pain. Between work and gaming, I spend at least eight hours, if not more, in a chair. Up until now, I was using some crappy gaming chair I bought three years ago off Amazon for under $100, and my back was really starting to hurt. That chair did have a lower lumbar cushion, but it still didn’t properly support my back.
I got to the point where I was having back pain almost every single day, and enough was enough. So, I started looking around at office chairs instead of gaming chairs via our own Alex’s suggestion. Long story short, I found a used Steelcase Leap V2 on Facebook Marketplace and purchased it for $140. The sticker on it says it was manufactured in 2005, so there may be some minor differences from today’s model.
Still, they’re very similar and because I’m loving it so much, I really wanted to review it for anyone who may be considering buying this chair either used or new. This chair has so many features, so I will mainly cover my favorite and leave the rest up to the product description on the manufacturer’s website.
Amazing Back Support
I don’t care how stylish a chair looks, it is never worth the money if it doesn’t support your back (talking about you, gaming chairs). The Leap V2 does a fantastic job of supporting both the lower and upper back.
You can adjust the lumbar support by using a large cog-like knob on the right side of the chair. This moves the lower portion of the chair in or out depending on your preference. I like to feel like the chair is punching me in my lower back, so I’ve got this baby cranked up to the max, and I love it.
There is also a removable lumbar insert that can be placed in the chair. This insert can be moved up or down, allowing you to adjust the groove of the chair’s lower back to be exactly where you need it. The chair has great support without the insert, but I think it’s worth purchasing.
When I bought this chair from Marketplace, it actually did not have the insert. This is likely because you can buy the chair without it, and Steelcase treats it as a $41 add-on. Whoever originally bought my chair either didn’t want to pay for it or it got lost as the chair moved between owners. I really wanted the lumbar insert because, as I said, I want my lumbar support to punch me in the back. So, I found it on eBay for $40.
Though the back support is still respectable without the lumbar insert, using the insert takes things to the next level. I love it so much and feel that it was worth every penny even though buying it did raise the total cost of the chair.
But here’s why the lumbar insert is so awesome: it lets you sit like an idiot. I almost never sit in a chair properly. There are a few reasons for this. First off, my desk doesn’t have any leg hole; instead, it has a slide-out keyboard, but it doesn’t quite slide out far enough to allow my legs and feet to rest under it without hitting the bottom ledge of the desk.
Secondly, I get cold pretty easily, especially if I’m sitting still. Instead of using a blanket, I just sit on my legs. And finally, like most people, I’m not comfortable sitting in the same position for long periods of time, so I switch it up quite a bit.
In the Leap V2, I have comfortably sat on top of my legs/feet, pretzel-style, knees to chest, one leg crossed over the other, feet resting on the chair’s legs — you name the position, and I’ve probably sat that way. None of these are considered proper posture, and it seems unfair to expect a chair to support someone’s back if they aren’t sitting correctly.
However, the adjustable lumbar insert is so lovely because I can move it to wherever the small of my back happens to be depending on my silly position. I’ve not had back pain from sitting all day since I got this chair.
4D Armrests
The newest models of the V2 have what’s called 4D armrests, meaning they move in literally all directions. As for my 2005 Leap V2, maybe 3D would be more accurate? The height is adjustable and the armrests can be moved side to side. They can also be tilted inward so that they are at an angle. However, they cannot be moved forward and back.
Regardless, I had really wanted a chair that had swiveling armrests. I’m petite, so I find that static armrests tend to be placed too widely to really be of use to me. Now, I can actually rest my arms on the armrests while typing — something I was not able to do before!
However, I did have one issue with the armrests which was that I found them way too hard. I’m not sure if this is just a matter of age since this chair is about 16 years old or if Steelcase is just trying to keep us alert by causing us pain. Either way, I was able to find some armrest cushions on Amazon for around $15 that solved the problem.
Built to Last
Clearly, the Steelcase Leap V2 is built to last. Mine is 16 years old and I have no idea how many owners this chair has had. Despite that, it’s in great condition for its age. There are a few minor scuffs and scrapes on the plastic backing of the chair, and the piece that holds one of the armrests has some of the plastic broken off. However, none of these minor wear and tear issues have affected the performance of the chair. Similarly, you’d think that after 16 years the cushioning would be totally deflated and feel hard to sit on, but it’s not. As I mentioned before, I can literally spend the whole day in this chair and be comfortable.
Steelcase also sells some parts for this chair on their website. However, they seem to only sell minor replacement parts like the armrests or the gas lift. As I mentioned, I had to go to eBay to find the lumbar insert, which was actually quite weird to me because it is meant to be easily removed or added to the chair. It’s not something you have to take the chair apart to install or uninstall.
Speaking of eBay, the Leap V2 is a popular enough chair that you can find parts that may not be available through Steelcase itself. So, if your V2 ever did need fixing, you might be able to find what you need online and extend the life of the chair.
Steelcase also has physical locations you can take their chairs to for repair. When I say this chair is built to last, I mean not only that it is sturdy, but also that there are a range of options available to you so that you can repair the chair instead of garbaging it if anything ever does break.
Easy to Use
When I was hunting for a new chair, I checked out some Herman Miller Aerons at a used office furniture dealership in my area. Despite having watched a couple of video guides about the Aeron, I could hardly figure out which knob or lever did what when trying to test it out in the store.
The Leap V2 has everything clearly labeled on the chair itself, which is such a nice touch. Move the armrests inward and you’ll see printed under them guides to the levers on each side of the chair. The levers and knobs also have their function printed on them. Even better, there is brail on every lever. I can’t explain to you how cool it is to see (feel, actually) that this chair is accessible! I’m so impressed by the thoughtfulness of including brail on the adjusters.
Just Keep Spinning
As you would expect of any office chair, the Leap V2 spins. However, this one spins very easily; it almost feels like a breeze through the window could get me spinning on it. Now, if you’re normal and actually sit with your feet on the floor, this wouldn’t be an issue for you. But for me, I wish the chair was harder to spin and spun less. When I sit down, I have to grab something to stop the chair from just spinning around in a circle or two. My dog pushes his butt against me for a scratch and away I go. Obviously, my last chair spun, but it wasn’t a problem since it wouldn’t spin unless I tried to make it spin. The V2 just wants to take me for a ride.
Final Thoughts
I think there’s a lot to say for this chair in terms of adjustability; it has so many levers and possible adjustments. However, I just wanted to share my personal experience with the particular features that I adored and disliked.
This is a fantastic chair, though, that was well worth the roughly $200 I put into it. I’m not sure I would ever feel comfortable dishing out $1,000 for a chair (which is about the price of a brand new Leap V2), at least not with my current salary, but I would definitely pay $300-$400 to get this chair used. This is the range I usually see used V2s going for online, and I felt super lucky to find someone selling it for only $140.
Overall, this is a sturdy chair that has eliminated the back pain I used to get from sitting at my desk all day, and I am so glad I jumped on it when I found it on Facebook Marketplace.
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Seri
A writer by day and gamer by night, Seri’s most prized possession is her computer. In fact, she built her desktop PC herself and repaired her college laptop with nothing but Google, Reddit, and determination to guide her. This do-it-yourself attitude was born from frugalness, so if you see Seri raving about something, it’s probably worth the price.