Like the brand's easy-to-assemble desks, the Align chair has a deceptive simplicity with relatively few parts. The chair required less than 15 minutes and only three screws to put together, using an Allen wrench that came in the box. (While the QR code, on a chair released in March, did not yet link up to the right URL for the assembly instructions, I mostly didn't need them.)

The simplicity stems mostly from the decision to limit the chair's components: a cushion atop the wheels and casters and a single-piece mesh top held aloft by a suspension system that allows for a quite generous lean.

The chair's spec sheet says one can lean back about 20 degrees, but I found there to be significantly more play on my large frame: I could lean back closer to 45 degrees while still feeling full support and no tipping danger. This makes for a lot of room to stretch.

Customization Concerns

Even though the chair is constructed from minimal parts, Vari has managed to trundle in a surprising amount of adjustability. The seat can be moved about four inches up and down, shifted forward and back, and the lumbar support tilted to your liking using a five-position adjustable ratchet behind the chair. The effect isn't dramatic visually, but it leads to vastly different degrees of pressure at the lower back.

The armrests can also be pivoted inward or outward and moved forward or back, though these positions cannot be locked. If you're prone to fiddling, you may find yourself playing with the position of the armrests in idle moments. The armrests are also only lightly padded, and while I didn't feel any discomfort, those who like a feeling of plushness might look elsewhere.

Note that while the armrests can pivot in place, their width cannot be adjusted. The seat cushion is also on the wide side, about 20 inches across. This means that while the chair accommodates wide frames handily, those who are a more petite may find the armrests too far apart. I loved the high-backed support, as a tall and long-bodied man. But smaller people may feel like they're swimming in the chair, with its 27-inch-tall back.

Overall, I was impressed by the chair's somewhat ingenious simplicity, which has the welcome side effect of keeping the price low. This balanced mix of breathability, support, value, and customizability makes the Align a very strong contender in the mid-price range—and the integrated headrest represents a serious step up from the company's previous-generation Vari Task Chair. My one worry about the Align is that I'll actually fall asleep in it.

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