Sitting in an office chair all day long makes my thigh muscles a bit stiff. I feel this stiffness a lot, especially when I sit for prolonged hours. So, I have seen that chair manufacturers are developing newly designed seats to minimize this issue, and here is what I found!
So, what is a waterfall seat?
The waterfall seat is a slightly curved front seat edge that offers better support in your thigh while sitting. This waterfall seat name comes from the unique curved design, contouring the seat front edge. Most office chair brands now follow the waterfall seat design for better blood flow.
Waterfall seat design has become popular, and many companies have opted for this design for their chairs. In this article, we will look into the design of the waterfall seat and will discuss why it’s necessary.
I will also discuss other seat design types and recommend the best chair for waterfall seat design. So, keep reading the article!
What is a Waterfall Seat on a Chair?
Waterfall seat design is a curved front seat edge that offers better leg movement and makes the whole sitting experience much more enjoyable.
Curve front edge seat design is now standard on ergonomic office chairs. Every office chair manufacturer has opted for this seat design for their chairs. It also makes the design more aesthetically appealing.
Here are 15 examples of office chair that offers Waterfall seat design.
- SIHOO Ergonomic Office Chair-M57 – $269.99
- Ticova Ergonomic Office Chair – $199.99
- SIDIZ T50 – $359.00
- Gabrylly Office Mesh Chair – $249.50
- Flash Furniture office chair – $142.67
- NOUHAUS Ergo3D Ergonomic Office Chair – 329.99
- MOOJIRS Ergonomic Office Chair – $598.99
- STAPLES Hyken Technical Task Chair – $176.21
- Flexking Office Chair – $309.99
- Rottnen ErgoRo Ergonomic Office Chair – $289.99
- SAMOFU Ergonomic Office Chair – $299.99
- EMMA + OLIVER Mid-Back White Mesh Chair – $188.77
- HON Ignition 2.0 – $332.99
- Techni Mobili Mesh Office Chair – $200.39
- SUNNOW Ergonomic Office Chair – $215.50
Among all the chairs that I have listed, I like Nouhaus Ergo3D the most due to its mesh seat and waterfall design. This chair also has a well dynamic lumbar support and 4D armrests. I will highly recommend you to check this chair out on Amazon.
Why Waterfall Seat is Necessary
Standard office chair seat has square-shape seat front edge or bucket seat edge that is more common on gaming chairs. Both of these seats are not optimal for prolonged sittings.
The square-shape seat front edge is uncomfortable and can put pressure on thighs if you sit for long hours, blocking your legs’ blood circuation to your legs. If you would like to know if your chair can cut off circulation, we have a dedicated article on this. You can check it out here.
Also, it can make your leg muscle numb, you might feel stiffness behind your thighs, and it hurts when you sit all day long.
Having better blood circulation thoughout the body makes our sitting experience better and enjoyable. It also minimizes the risk of any injury that can happen from stiff muscle.
So, a curved front seat edge or waterfall seat design helps relieve pressure from thighs, ensuring better blood circulation. It makes our sitting experience comfortable and productive.
Types of Office Chair Seat Designs
Waterfall Seat: This seat design is now more common on ergonomic office chairs as it looks great and offers a better sitting experience.
W-Shape Seat: W-shape seat design follows a much different footprint than waterfall seat, as the name suggests, the w-shape seat has a “W- shape” on the seat pan area, which follows your buttock and offers a fantastic sitting experience.
You often find both “W-shape” and “waterfall” seat designs on some chairs. Especially chairs with high-density foam offers this design, offering a more extensive support area that disperses pressure on the hip and thighs.
You can check the Ticova Ergonomic Office Chair that offers a “W-shape” and “Waterfall” seat design with 3 inches of high-density seat foam.
W-shape is not common like waterfall seat design, but you still find this seat design on some office chairs.
Flexible Seat Edge: Flexible seat front is not designed like the curve front edge that you find on the waterfall seat design.
However, the flexible seat looks a bit square-shaped; as the name suggests, its flexible around the edge, offering a bit of bend behind your thighs, makes your thigh movement much easier.
Flexible seat edge is common on Steelcase chairs, as they build premium office chairs with high-quality materials, their flexible seat edge design is extraordinary, offering an optimal sitting experience.
Types of Seat Cushions that Offers Waterfall Seat Design:
High-density Seat Foam:
High-density seat cushions are around 3 inches thick and weigh more than normal foam. As they have high density, their longevity is much longer.
Waterfall and W-shape both seat design is often found on high-density seat foam. Many office chair companies have opted to go with this cushion as it’s a bit firm, comfy, and offers better support, relieving pressure from your thighs.
Sponge Foam:
Sponge foam is also known as latex foam, made from a natural compound and offers a better sitting experience than memory foam.
Sponge foam is very common on office chairs as they quickly respond in terms of your sitting perspective, offering better support where you need it.
Waterfall seat design is common on these rebound seat cushion.
Mesh Seat:
If you are looking for an office chair, you might come across mesh chairs that also offer mesh seats, allowing better airflow from your body.
Mesh seat often comes with a “Waterfall” design as it flexes when you sit. Mesh seat design follows your butt print, and the front edge of the mesh seat has a bit of cushion for better support on your thighs.
Mesh seats are popular with office chairs. Even high-end office chair offers mesh seat such as Herman Miller Aeron, Oak Hollow Aloria, Herman Miller Cosm, etc.
Related Questions
What should my seat depth be?
Office chairs should have 15-20 inches of seat depth which is quite enough. But many office chairs have adjustable seat depth that goes backward and forward, making the sitting experience much comfortable.
What is seat glide?
Seat glide is an adjustable seat depth that allows you to slide your seat forward and backward. It helps you find the suitable seat depth for you, making the office chair more ergonomic.
Office chair with adjustable seat pan
An office chair with an adjustable seat pan helps you sit in a suitable position. Here are some of the chairs with adjustable seat pan.
- Steelcase Series 1
- SIDIZ T80
- MOOJIRS Ergonomic Office Chair
I like Steelcase Series 1 the most from the above list as it’s the most cheaper one and a well-built chair from Steelcase that is backed by 12-years of warranty.
Adjustable seat depth is a premium feature and is often offered on mid to high-end office chairs. If you are interested, you can check the Steelcase series 1 on Amazon.
