GAMING CHAIRS

It is the first decision you have to make, and the one you will notice most day to day.

Fabric lets heat and moisture escape better, so you notice it in long summers or warm rooms. It also lacks that sticky feeling in July and the cold surface in January, and it fits well in a setup where you work and play in the same chair. Ours is woven to withstand daily friction and trouser zips without fading or fraying. On the other hand, it absorbs, so a spilt glass has to be dried straight away, not the next day. It is the most versatile option and the one most people choose.

Faux leather is cleaned with a cloth and that is it. It is the logical choice if you eat in front of the PC or have pets around, and it has that classic racing-seat finish. It retains a little more heat, which is why the NYX version is micro-perforated.

In a nutshell: if your problem is heat, fabric. If your problem is cleaning, faux leather.

Caring for both is simple. A gentle vacuum now and then, lukewarm water with a few drops of neutral soap for stains, and no bleach, solvents or direct steam. You have it in detail in basic cleaning and maintenance of your gaming chair.

You have probably heard someone complain that their chair’s padding sank after a few months. The reason is almost always the same: very low-density foam, 25 or 30 kg/m³. Soon after you start sitting on it, the foam compacts with heat and weight, ends up flattened, and it feels like sitting on a wooden board.

At VALK we take this very seriously and have gone for higher-density foams: from 50 to 60 kg/m³ depending on the model and the part, with a cold-moulded seat across the range. You have the exact figure for each chair in the comparison table.

The same goes for what you cannot see. The internal frame is steel on every model, a material that needs little introduction and guarantees durability for years without deforming. The base is aluminium on FREYA and FREYA ELITE, and reinforced nylon on NYX and GAIA. Both hold the stated weight, but aluminium copes better with knocks and the passing of time.

Ideally you would try it sitting down, but today almost everything is bought online. The next best thing is to measure, and three checks are more than enough.

Seat height. It should not be greater than the distance between the sole of your foot and the back of your knee. If it is, you will not reach the floor properly. It is the measurement most people skip and the one that ends up causing the most discomfort.

Seat width. Wider than your hips, otherwise the sides will squeeze you and you will not be comfortable.

Backrest height. Taller than the distance from your waist to your neck, so you can rest your head when you lean back.

There is a fourth one that depends on your desk: the minimum armrest height has to sit below the desktop so you can pull the chair in, and the maximum at least at desk height so your forearm is well supported. All VALK chairs fit standard desk measurements, but it is worth checking before confirming your order.

The measurements of each model are in the comparison table. The full guide, including weight, is in choosing the right chair for your height and weight.

If you are going to spend many hours sitting, the chair has to adapt to you and not the other way round. That is what makes a gaming chair truly ergonomic, not the number of cushions it comes with.

Armrests. If you also work on the PC as well as play, 2D (height and swivel) is the minimum. 4D adds depth and side-to-side movement, which is what lets you rest your whole forearm with your elbow at a right angle instead of leaving your shoulder hanging. FREYA, FREYA ELITE and GAIA are 4D.

Recline and tilt. Beyond seat height adjustment, which they all have, make sure the backrest tilts so you can lean back, for example when you want to watch an episode on Netflix. The butterfly mechanism (NYX, GAIA) tilts the whole chair up to 15 degrees. The multi-function or frog mechanism (FREYA, FREYA ELITE) reaches 25 degrees and locks in five positions, so you can set a slight tilt for working or release it completely. Both have rocking tension adjustable to your weight.

How to tell if you are sitting properly. Feet flat, on the floor or on a footrest. Knees at 90 degrees, neither too extended nor too bent. Elbows supported at a right angle and relaxed. Back straight, with the backrest adjusted and lumbar support. Neck aligned, without tilting your head forwards or backwards. If any of the five does not work for you, there is an adjustment to make. We go into it in how to sit in a gaming chair.