I have finally set aside several hundred dollars to get a good chair for editing (goodbye wal-mart special fake-leather chair).
Considering I spend a ridiculous amount of time in this chair, and that my back is bad, I want to make sure I get a winner. Any recommendations are greatly appreciated!

Good topic! Creative juices only flow as long as the seat is happy.

Many people like Herman Miller's Aeron chair. I have had one since they were introduced in the 90's and they are comfortable, although less so for long periods (to my tail).

My current primary chair is the Freedom Chair by Humanscale (http://www.humanscale.com/products/freedom_index.cfm). It's a remarkable chair, although it might be a budget-buster. They are sold through Levenger as well as several local and regional office furniture dealers.

any pix of the aereon chair? i'm looking for one as well. hopefully it'll improve my excessive slouching.

http://www.hermanmiller.com/CDA/SSA/Product/0,1592,a10-c440-p8,00.html

Aeron chairs are excellent and worth every penny. They have saved my back big time. They are very adjustable, and come in S,M,L.

As a person who had the slouching problem in my various office chairs, I now swear by those little funky chairs that have no back, and you sort of kneel into them. It seems like they would be hard on the back, but I can tell you, after some visits to the chiropractor and a total adjustment of my 'desk-side manner' I have experienced wonderful results.

The chair only cost me around $40 I think at Office Max.

I actually got the idea for this type of chair from Charles Papert at some point on this forum. I think he swears by it to. You around Charles, to confirm?

Here's a pic like the chair I'm talking about. Note - this auction seems overpriced.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3815112255&category=11831

Another note... a big part of back and neck strain is due to inappropriate sitting, not your chair. Here's my chiropractor's advice which has helped me oodles...

The top of your monitor screen should be level with your eyes when you sit up. Thus, normally, you are looking down a bit at your screen. This promotes a straight neck.

You should be high enough that your arms just fall onto your keyboard with your elbows making roughly a 90 degree angle. You should never have to stretch your arms out or forward.

Your legs should be at roughly a 90 degree angle as well. Stretching them forward promotes slouching.

these chairs reminds me of contact (the movie) chair that is inside the globe =^).

as for posture. my posture is fine but i'm just a sloucher i guess!!!

I have a couch at the back of my office, and a wireless keyboard and mouse. Coupled with a 27" monitor, I just lay down and kick my feet up. All I need to perfect it is a mini-fridge beside the couch.

I have a reclining chair and footrest if I want to get closer, but the couch is where it's at.


PS, yes, it's my casting couch.... ;)

Aeron chairs tend to be too expensive and are too big for a lot of people to sit in them correctly.

Those Freedom chairs look pretty nice--so long as the casters have breaks and you can lock the swivel. There's nothing like having to constantly center yourself and pull yourself back up to your desk.

Reclining chairs are great except they don't allow you to easily put a lot of materials at your fingertips (papers, books, etc.)

I have one of those backless kneeling chairs and never use it. Not only does it put undue stress on your knees, it also makes it more or less impossible to do pressure reliefs or alter your position. This is a sure path to discomfort and possibly a slow-to-heal pressure ulcer.

Many antique chairs are quite comfortable--I'm talking about the simple padded wooden type. Go to a few places that sell a bunch of used furniture and sit in all the chairs, and take home the one you like best. Hopefully, you'll have found yourself a bargain, and if it doesn't suit you, you won't feel the need to unload a several hundred dollar chair on eBay.

Aeron chairs come in a couple of different sizes. I personally like the small one (as I am 5'6'').

In all of the cutting rooms I have worked in, this is the best-totally adjustable in any way you can imagine, durable & and your ass doesn't get hot.

I checked out the Aeron chairs and though they are expensive, they just rock. I am going to Raleigh in the next couple weeks to get mine. And considering I have ass-hyperhydrosis, maybe it will help keep my equipment safer from water damage ;).

Edit
Is it worth the extra money to get the forward tilt? Seems like that would be nice...but $200 dollars nice?