Boulies Fit Pro review: A firm, quality chair with plenty of design flair

The Boulies Fit Pro is a brilliantly designed chair that will look the part in any modern office environment, and it will also not be the chair of choice for a lot of people. Why? Because it has a firm finish and a lot of people will opt for the memory foam options out there rather than the solid, excellent leather chair here.

And that's fine. But for those that do like a firm chair, you're in luck! This is really a lovely chair with a lot going for it, and all for $699 – or $670 if you opt for the Boulies Fit, which comes without the headrest.

I feel like this has a lot of the features that could make it part of the list of best chairs for back pain, so without further ado, let's dive in.

Comfort and ergonomics

You may have read the short review 'verdict' section, and noticed the mention of 'firmness', and so are wondering what I could possibly have to say about the comfort of the Boulies Fit Pro. Well, comfort is subjective, and just as some sleepers prefer a firm mattress to a waterbed (remember them?!), so people feel most comfortable in a chair that offers a firm feel; less give and more support.

The Boulies Fit Pro does this brilliantly. I'll admit, I do love the right combination of foam finish and solid base beyond that combines to provide a supreme support and comfort. However, over a two month period of using this chair as my main work seat, I quickly grew to appreciate its features.

The leather finish is a delight to sit on, and though I don't want to over state it – there is a thin layer of foam under the leather – I found the firmer feel to be great for all office work. But as for the down time, where my work station becomes my games HQ, well, the Boulies Fit Pro wasn't really up to the job. I don't think I reclined the chair fully naturally once in all the time I had it. It's just not that kind of chair. This is an office, office chair, better for a place of work than your home office where squish and sink is more appropriate.

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On to the ergonomics of the Boulies Fit Pro. As detailed in my article Are you sitting comfortably? with chair expert Dr Lindsey Migliore, there are a few things that make a chair a good ergonomic option, and chief amongst them is a chair built to accommodate natural micro-movements (which is good for blood flow).

The Boulies Fit Pro does nothing exceptional when it comes to this, but offers a solid set of features. I am being incredibly picky here – my favourite ergo chair, the Herman Miller Embody, plays a magic trick where I felt I could move around to my heart's content, yet always feel supported. So that's the standard that I compare other chairs to now.

The Boulies Fit Pro certainly gives the sitter a good upright back to aim for, and there is encouragement of micro movements in its arm rests. They can move forward/back, and side to side, which is really helpful to shift weight from side to side. And the standard height adjustment and back recline are all present to offer a tailored sitting experience. The headrest moves up and down too.

Design and aesthetics

I really like the way the Boulies Fit Pro looks. Those rounded, soft edges of the head rest; the panelled back and lower back sections; the seat with a line stitch across it; the neat under-seat buttons and levers. This all suggests this is a chair that's been lovingly sketched and designed with form and function in mind. And Boulies has nailed it. Add to that the leather finish, and you've got a classy chair that will look the part in any office environment.

As ever, I've taken a range of photos of the chair, in several angles, so you get a good idea whether you like its design and aesthetics. If you don't agree with me, no problem, I won't take it personally... you're just wrong!

But seriously folks, it's all subjective. However, I dare anyone that likes design to look at the chair's lumbar feature (photo above), and not raise an appreciative smile. At each side of the base of the back panel, there are two silver levers, tightly sown into the fabric of the leather chair. Grab both levers and you can move the lumbar support up and down, in what is a decent range, so you can get the lower back support that you desire.

There's myriad ways to add lumbar support into chair design, and this may be my favourite. Some more budget options are decent, but using them you look like you're about to turn a massive plastic screw into your spine. Others look good, but aren't adjustable enough to be of any use. The Boulies Fit Pro lumbar support is really good for a range of support, and looks awesome.

Price and verdict: should I buy it?

Just as I opened the review, it all depends on whether you like a firm feel to your chair or not. If you don't, it won't matter that the Boulies Fit Pro looks amazing – it just won't give you that cradling comfort that you want.

For those that like a firm finish, and a dead modern design, the Boulies Fit Pro is a cracking chair. I'd say it's probably better fitted for actual offices rather than personal home officers, but that's an aesthetic choice. I love its look, felt it was fully supportive, but I also wasn't that sad when the next chair I had to review basically looked like a duvet on wheels.

The only thing I will add, is that at the time of writing, the Boulies Fit Pro was out of stock through Boulies' official website, and I was having trouble finding it anywhere else. Not great, but hopefully just a temporary hitch!

Key specs