I would say that I have spent about 40 hours every week over the last 5 or 6 years sitting in some type of desk/gaming chair, whether that be at work, my own personal office, or at my desktop to play games.
So I think I’m pretty well-versed in understanding what makes a chair comfortable or not. And safe to say that the Boulies Master Max Series is a pretty good contender.
Assembly
I feel like being able to build a product with ease helps determine any initial first impressions. So with the size of the chair itself and all the different components, I was nervous that it was going to be a difficult build. But I was pleasantly surprised to have built it within 45 minutes on my own, thanks to the super clear instruction manuals (inclusive of imagery) to help guide me, but I could have probably used a second pair of hands to build it a little bit faster.
With that said, given the size and weight of the chair, expect quite a large box when it comes through the post, and consider getting a bit of assistance carrying it into the house.
The only problem I came across as I was unpacking the different parts of the chair and laying them all on the floor, was that one of the plastic covers was already cracked, most likely due to rough handling during postage. While a little frustrating, this didn’t interfere with the build or functionality of the chair and was more of a cosmetic piece to cover up the screws on the side of the chair.
Design
Coming in both a Black and Blue design, in either an Ultraflex PU or Water Repellant Fabric, I had opted for the Black option with the Ultraflex PU finish. The chair is sleek and neat, with the Boulies Ultraflex PU leather and microfiber suede wrapping the chair. Sometimes dust can stick to the suede easily, but it can be cleaned with a lint roller pretty quickly.
The round-edge foam cushioning on the chairs is an ergonomic feature and is able to shape to all different types of body types, embracing natural curves with quite substantial cushioning for extra comfort. Especially with the seat itself being at about 34cm (56 including the sides/armrests), creating more space to sit comfortably.
The general design of the chair is also quite aesthetic, with the racing-inspired style, and it can suit any gaming or work setup.
Functionality
The Boulies Master Max chair has a list of unending features. Including the classic 360 degrees swivel with an aluminium base to solidify the structure and strength of the chair, the adjustable height with the class-4 gas lift (the best in the game when it comes to hydraulics), a full recline with the a 15 degree rocking ability, adjustable lumber support to suit the contours of your spine, tilting position lock, and up to 8 different armrest settings.
While this definitely sounds like it could be a lot to play around with on a chair, and can be overwhelming and intimidating compared to other regular swivel chairs, everything is luckily within arms reach (where you can weirdly sometimes get chairs that have these functions on the back of the chair).
The adjustable armrests include buttons to tweak the height or the angle at which they sit, the height and tilting toggles are right underneath the seat, and the lumbar support on the sides of the chair. Making everything easily accessible.
Comfortability
After being able to use the chair for almost 3 weeks, I can say that this chair is incredibly comfortable – probably one of the most comfortable chairs I’ve ever sat in.
A note that the Boulies Master is recommended for people within a height range of 155cm to 180cm, and the Boulies Master Max is recommended for people 180cm to 198cm.
So in saying that, I am a shorter person (at around 5’2 in height) and could have been satisfied with the Boulies Master. Still, I like to sit with my legs crossed half the time or, honestly, in any strange position where my feet don’t touch the ground – and yes, I’m completely aware that this is not good for my posture in general and defeats the purpose of an ergonomic chair. Still, I fidget a lot when I sit down for too long.
With that said, I thought that the wider seat (albeit the Boulies Master only had a minimal difference of 2 to 3cm in terms of the size of the seat, and a 2cm height difference) would suit me better for the way I like to work and play games, and I was able to sit in the chair without any issues.
And for those curious, I was also still able to touch the ground sitting in the chair normally, but I am unable to lift the chair any higher than at its lowest setting.
Verdict & Value
All in all, the Boulies Master Max ticks most of the important boxes when looking for a gaming chair.
It’s solid, well-built and extremely comfortable, and I can’t wait to see how the chair holds up over the next few years.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Super comfortable for long periods of time.
Lowlights: Some fragile parts that can be broken quite easily if not carefully handled during postage.
Manufacturer: Boulies
Price: Normally A$719, (their Spring Sale brings the chair down to $520 once the sale code has been applied.)
Available: Now via the Boulies website.
Review based on a unit supplied by Boulies.
Featured header image provided by Boulies.
