After we have studied the ergonomics and design of gaming chairs, we now move on to the materials used for a gaming chair. We will take a look at the individual components of a gaming chair and imagine which material can be used here.
The base
The base forms the base of a gaming chair. Aluminium and plastic are often used in the production of the base. Aluminium bases are generally very robust and more stable than plastic bases. High-quality plastic comes very close to the robustness of aluminium, but there is no labelling requirement for the quality of the materials used. For this reason, it is not possible to make any precise statement about the quality of a plastic base.
The castors
Rollers are usually made of plastic. In general, the larger the diameter of the rollers, the smoother they run. Furthermore, there are rollers for carpets and hard floors, which differ in hardness. Information on which surface the castors are suitable for can usually be found in the product description.
The armrests
The contact surfaces of the armrests are usually made of nylon, polyurethane or other plastics. In rare cases, aluminium is used and some gaming chairs offer increased comfort in the form of upholstery with a PU imitation leather cover on the armrest.
The frame
Steel is the most commonly used material for the frame and in rare cases aluminium is used. The quality of the steel and the construction of the frame is crucial to evaluate the quality of a gaming chair. Good gaming chairs have cross braces in the backrest and seat and clean welds. However, since you cannot see the frame under the cover and upholstery, you have to rely on reviews and tests from the Internet.
Some gaming chairs combine a steel seat with a backrest of (plywood) boards. What at first sounds like a cheap alternative turns out to be a good idea in retrospect, however, because S-shaped wooden backrests imitate the curvature of the back, so that they can be subjectively classified as comfortable.
The upholstery
Also the quality of the upholstery is not immediately apparent, so that you can only feel it. A good upholstery should cover the entire frame and be neither too hard nor too soft. Only a few manufacturers provide information about what kind of material is used for upholstering the gaming chair and those who are looking for more detailed information are dependent on test results from the Internet.
The cover
Most of the available gaming chairs are covered with fabric or PU leatherette. A few gaming chairs are upholstered with a mesh cover, while the EPIC series differs from noblechairs by using genuine leather. noblechairs offers gaming chairs with grained genuine leather and especially smooth nappa leather. On some chairs the cover can be removed from the frame for washing.
Manufacturing quality of gaming chairs
The quality of workmanship of gaming chairs is a decisive factor in assessing the quality of a gaming chair. Once you have decided on a model and unpacked the new base after purchasing a gaming chair, it is best to check if the chair has any defects and what the general quality of the material is before assembling it. Especially with inexpensive gaming chairs, for example, you should check whether the delivered goods have any defects.
Particularly with the upholstery you should test whether it meets your own requirements. In addition to the consistency of the upholstery, one should also check whether the frame is pressing through the upholstery. Before assembling, it is also advisable to check the fit of the individual components. If, for example, holes are inaccurate, this can be tested by holding the seat and backrest together.
Other quality features are clean seams and a well-tensioned cover. These are rather optical defects, but you can see them in daily use. Optical defects also include cracks or marks in the upholstery as well as scratches on the cross of the chair. If no defects are found, the new gaming chair can be assembled strictly according to the instructions.
