Review – Chairs are funny things, especially when being reviewed. What might be comfortable for me could annoy the heck out of you, and vice versa. I honestly don’t know how anyone can buy a chair to sit in for 8+ hours a day – online. But many people do, so I’m reviewing the Vari Ascent Chair available online. Do I like it? Yep. Will it replace my daily driver? Nope. Here’s why…
⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: Vari: $295.20 (Sale price until 01/06/26); Amazon: $369
Where to buy: Vari; Amazon
What is it?
The Vari Ascent Chair is a mid-priced office chair made by a company (formerly VariDesk) known for its excellent height-adjustable standing desks. Since then, they have expanded into other office furniture, including office chairs.
What’s included?
- Chair
- Tool
- Screws
- Instructions
Tech specs
- Chair height: 40 ¾” – 44 ¾”
- Seat height: 18″ – 22″
- Chair width: 27″
- Seat width: 19 ¾”
- Chair depth: 29″
- Seat depth: 17″ – 19″
- Tilt: 110°
Design and features
The Ascent chair offers lumbar (lower back) support, height, tilt, armrest, and seat depth adjustments. Its frame is made of durable, sturdy plastic. Breathable mesh covers the backrest, while the seat consists of thick, supportive foam. Wide plastic casters enable the chair to roll smoothly on both hard floors and carpets.
The Ascent chair’s style is best described as modern minimalism. It lacks techy extras or flashy details. Everything looks good, and its design can blend into almost any office decor.
Four colorways are offered: Eucalyptus, Fog Grey, Steel Blue, and Black. Only the black chair has black framing. The other colors have a light gray-colored (almost white) frame.
After struggling with assembling a few office chairs, the Ascent almost feels too easy to put together. It was awkward to screw the armrests into the seat bottom, but that was the only issue. The casters securely snapped into place with a simple, hard push.
Vari supplies the only tool necessary for assembly and includes extra screws “just in case.”
Once the seat is lowered onto the base, the chair is ready for its seating adjustments. All I needed to do was sit down and adjust the seat height (18-22 in.). I have long legs, so I opted for 22 in. height. The seat can be pushed out away from the seat back. I also prefer the farthest setting (my long legs). When the seat is too close, I feel as if I might slip out onto the floor.
Pushing on the seat back allows me to stretch a bit. I like the firmness of the seat back springing back into place. It’s not loose, which can make you feel like you might fall backward.
The armrests can also be adjusted for height and angle. The distance of the arms away from the seat can be adjusted only during assembly, because they are tightly screwed into the frame. I’m not a fan of the armrest material. It’s a padded, textured vinyl that sometimes sticks to my skin. I prefer either a more textured finish or cloth on armrests. I’m also not a fan of swiveling armrests. This feature is on almost every office chair, so I know I’m in a minority. I wouldn’t mind it so much if the swiveling could be locked in place.
Speaking of swiveling. The Ascent chair smoothly and effortlessly turns 360°, but not so easily that you don’t feel secure. It’s just right.
Rolling around on my glass floor mat was easy and smooth. The plastic casters are wide for extra stability. However, they are plastic, so I’m not sure of their long-term durability. Another chair I own has casters made from rollerblade wheels, which is a substantial upgrade.
The Ascent chair features an adjustable lumbar “pillow” that slides up and down the back of the chair behind the mesh. The mesh seatback offers excellent breathability, essential in humid Florida, even with air conditioning.
After sitting in the Ascent for a few weeks, I discovered that the lumbar pillow support sits a bit too high for my back. I have it set in the lowest position. The lumbar pillow also doesn’t protrude much into my back. It feels like I get more support from the mesh’s curvature than from the pillow itself—especially in the lower positions.
Final thoughts
I quite like the Vari Ascent chair. It’s comfortable and well-made. However, there are some trade-offs that keep the price more affordable. If you spend 8+ hours in an office chair and the budget allows, you would be better served by a chair upgrade. The Ascent is best served for those who don’t “live” in their office chair.
What I like about the Vari Ascent Chair
- Affordable
- Well made
- Operates smoothly
- Comfortable for shorter periods
What needs to be improved?
- The lumbar pillow sits too high
- Prefer a lock on the armrest swiveling
- Armrest material can be “sticky” in humid areas
Price: Vari: $295.20 (Sale price until 01/06/26); Amazon: $369
Where to buy: Vari; Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by Vari, which did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
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