This is our review of the Duramont Ergonomic Office Chair.
Key takeaways:
Pros
- Nice tall mesh back panel with integrated headrest for additional head/neck support
- Overall, a comfortable and stylish chair with essential adjustability options
- Includes a unique lumbar adjustment knob for controlled support
- Smooth rolling casters that will work on most surfaces
Cons
- The Duramont lacks a seat-depth control feature
- Comfort may not be sufficient for larger customers in the big and tall category
- Armrests are height and depth adjustable, but do not have width or pivot control
No products found.
Duramont Ergonomic Office Chair: Full Review
The Duramont Ergonomic Office chair is a popular mid-priced model with simple adjustability and quality comfort.
There is nothing too unique about this chair. It has a nice tall mesh backrest, thick seat cushioning, and an integrated headrest for more neck and head support.
In fact, what we like best about this chair is its simplicity. It falls in between some of our favorite value chairs and higher end models like the Aeron or Leap.
It strikes a nice balance between affordability and ergonomic quality.
We’ll go over the key features we like about this chair, followed by a summary of some of the potential flaws.
Features We Like
Tall Mesh Backrest and Comfortable Seat
We mentioned the high backrest. With a height range of 42 – 46 inches, the Duramont is relatively tall and will give you that full back to neck support that really comes in handy when you spend a lot of time in front of the computer.
The mesh is firm and comfortable. While we can’t say if this material will hold up over the years, it will definitely keep you cool.
There is a nice contoured and mesh upholstered headrest as well. This piece is both height and angle adjustable for maximum control.
The seat has a nice thick, comfortable and contoured cushion design with a sloped front edge to reduce pressure on the back of your legs.
The seat is also layered with an outer mesh material for increased ventilation. This does help with comfort and cooling, but this layer can trap crumbs if you happen to snack at your desk from time-to-time (like me).
You can read our guide on cleaning mesh office chairs if this applies to you.
Adjustable Lumbar Support
The key feature with this chair, though, is the adjustable lumbar support.
While certain chairs have adjustable lumbar support, they don’t always give you control over the depth of that support.
For example, gaming chairs might include a bulky lumbar cushion. And most ergonomic chairs have an S-shaped design with some built-in amount of lumbar support.
And a chair like the HON convergence even has a separate piece where you can control the lumbar support height so it aligns with your spine.
But the Duramont actually gives you another level of depth control with a knob-based lumbar support system.
This is really helpful because lumbar support is very personal to every user. What’s not enough for some might be way too obtrusive for others. So, having the ability to increase or decrease the “push” in that area is really nice.
Rollerblade Style Casters
We also like the “rollerblade” casters on this chair.
These have a nice rubber wheel surface that will roll smoothly on most surfaces.
In fact, many of the replacement casters we recommend are similar in design.
So, this is a good starting point, along with a sturdy 5-star base that’s pretty much standard on any ergo chair in this price bracket.
The anodized aluminum on the base is a nice touch as well.
Recline and Tilt Adjustment
The recline on the Duramont is decent. You get a tilt adjustment function with three stop points at 90, 100, and 120 degrees. It’s not the full 180 recline that you’ll find on some of our favorite napping chairs, but these are work-friendly angles that will suit most users.
If you need more recline, you can control using the tilt adjustment knob.
This is a key feature that gives you control over the resistance as you put the backrest in recline mode. Many chairs still leave this function out, but we find that it’s an important feature to accommodate users of different weights.
What Could be Better About this Chair?
While it strikes a nice balance between affordability and ergonomic quality, the Duramont office chair does have some shortcomings.
First, there is no depth adjustment. With chairs of this level, we usually expect some option to control the seat depth. While this isn’t a dealbreaker, it was surprising that this feature was left out of the design.
You can read our simple guide on ergonomics to learn more about why this is important.
But, basically, the depth adjustment would allow you to have the proper spacing between the front of the chair and back of your knee, while still keeping a healthy hip and knee angle.
Also, the armrests are only 2D adjustable. What this means is that you can adjust the height and depth, but you cannot change the width or pivot angle. On the other hand, many of the higher-end ergonomic chairs we review will usually give you a 3D or 4D armrest adjustment range.
For example, the width between the arms on this model is about 26”. While this might be fine for most users, it could be too wide or too narrow for some. Being able to fine tune this spread distance is something that can make a real difference in long-term comfort.
Finally, we have read some complaints about the build quality on this chair. While most people find this chair to be well-made and durable, there are reports of faulty construction.
Keep in mind that the maximum weight capacity is 330 lbs. So, if you’re nearing or exceeding that limit, the build quality issue is especially important.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here we have brought together some frequently asked questions that prospective customers may have, we hope that they help:
How big is the actual seat of the chair?
The depth of the seat of the Duramont Ergonomic Office Chair is approximately 23.6 inches, and the width is 26 inches. The depth does include the space that the back panel of the chair takes up, so keep that in mind. That would make the depth actually a measurement of around 21.5 inches.
Are the armrests comfortable?
The armrests are somewhat padded, so provide some comfort, some buyers have reported them to be a little hard. However, this is more of a personal preference thing. It would be worth thinking about whether a very cushioned armrest is something that is important to you.
Is the mesh on the whole of the chair?
The mesh material that makes up all of the back panel of the chair is also used to upholster the seat of the chair so that the chair’s ergonomic feeling is cohesive throughout. This also makes the chair look smarter. The mesh is not used for the padding of the armrests, however. It is used for the headrest too.
What is the adjusting knob on the underside of the chair?
The dial on the underside of the chair is there for the feature of tension adjustment when you are rocking back on the chair. This allows for a slight rock when you are sat working at your desk. Altering the dial on the underside of the chair will alter the pressure at which you need to lean. The chair will give some resistance back depending on which setting you set the dial to throughout the day.
Overall Thoughts
The Duramont Ergonomic Office Chair has the overall aesthetic of a clean cut, sleek office chair. Black fabric and silver hardware are a classic color combination, so this chair will fit right into a home office.
This chair will deliver on comfort and support for most users. If you’re worried about the dimensions or build-quality, we suggest looking at some of the best chairs in the big and tall category.
This chair has a nice 4″ height adjustment range, smooth and quiet casters, a unique lumbar system, and a nice mesh headrest. Those are the standout features.
For more information, we suggest checking out the customer reviews to see if it’s right for you.
