Anthros

A chair from the wheelchair seating world

Anthros sells its chair in a Home & Office version and a Gaming version, and its footer reads "BUILT IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN". The About page says the chair is manufactured with Genesis Seating, which it describes as the furniture division of Leggett and Platt, "established in 1994 in Grand Rapids Michigan." Prices on the site are in US dollars. The site does not publish a list of countries it ships to, so buyers outside the US should ask before ordering. Besides the online store it has a "Where To Try" page for seeing the chair in person, dealer and B2B logins, and footer links for Designers, Small Business and Government Sales.

The company story starts in wheelchair seating. According to the About page, a team of "clinicians, product designers, and marketing executives" kept hearing the same comment at industry trade shows: "I wish my office chair felt like this!" CEO Steven DuFresne, the site says, worked most recently as VP of Product Development for a wheelchair seating manufacturer and "has designed wheelchair seats, backs, postural supports". Eric Murphy, listed as President & CMO, "worked almost 20 years as an executive level marketer," most recently as VP of Marketing at the same manufacturer. The About page calls the group the "ANTHROS 15", while the separate Meet the Team page says "ANTHROS 16".

What the chair does

The features page breaks the chair into named parts, and the descriptions below are Anthros's own.

• Precision Posture System. "An adjustable 2-part back system" made of a lower back pelvis support and a tapered upper back support. Anthros says the pelvis support "captures and stabilizes the pelvis, the foundation of high performance sitting," and that the upper support "can be adjusted to meet the mid/upper back." The company claims the system reduces the risks of back, neck, shoulder and hip pain; that is its own marketing claim.
• Contoured seat cushion (CloudFloat). A "contoured premium foam cushion with pressure relieving cutouts in the rear well" that the site says "displaces pressure away from the sit bones." Anthros claims the result is better pressure distribution and less pain over long periods.
• Decompress Mode. "Five posture-preserving tilt options," made up of "three locked positions for stable support and two unlocked positions that let the chair move naturally with your body."
• 4D arm supports, cushioned and adjustable.
• Seat height. Anthros recommends setting seat height to the workspace "rather than simply adjusting to get feet on the floor," and says it provides "a footrest for people 5'6" and under."
• Base. A choice of a 5-spoke base or a 4-spoke non-swivel base that "turns as a unit," which the site says prevents casters from hitting the feet.

The menu also lists a "Tilt for Lighter Bodies" option and a Fabrics page.

The testing claims

Testing is central to how Anthros sells the chair. The homepage says it was "Independently tested at two universities: less slouching than a leading competitor, and the lowest peak seat pressure of 11 leading office and gaming chairs." A chart ranks Anthros first for "Lowest Seat Pressure" ahead of the Humanscale Freedom, X-Chair and Herman Miller Gaming Embody, citing "Cushion average pressure tested by the University of Pittsburgh" with the note "Test performed using rigid load indenter. Results may vary." The homepage also claims the chair "Reduces disc pressure by up to 40%". The site presents that as its own figure, and the homepage does not show the study behind it. The menu links further pages on university testing, pressure mapping, a posture comparison and "Anthros vs Herman Miller".

Prices and buying

The homepage showed a row of preconfigured chairs priced by frame, fabric and base finish, for example "Onyx - Ivory Athlon - Walnut" at $2348, "Quartz - Ivory Athlon - Circuit White" at $2377 and "Quartz - Onyx Port - Natural Oak" at $2576. Two options stand out. "Anthros Black" is a single all-black configuration listed at "Always $1,949" that "Ships in 2 business days." "Anthros Custom" starts at $2,199 and is "Custom built to order," shipping in 7 to 10 business days.

The site runs a 60-day trial with the promise "love your sit, guaranteed or your money back." It also says many customers "may be eligible to use HSA, HRA, or FSA funds toward an Anthros chair through Truemed, subject to a qualifying Letter of Medical Necessity," and adds that eligibility depends on individual circumstances.

Free posture consult

Before buying, visitors can book "a complimentary 1:1 video call" with one of two in-house therapists. The homepage introduces Stacey Mullis, an occupational therapist with "over 15 years" in wheelchair seating, and Ashley Williams, a Doctor of Physical Therapy who "has worked in the wheelchair seating industry for 15 years." The site says the call is completely free, with no purchase required. The homepage also carries endorsements from named people, including chiropractor Dr. Michael Wasilisin and physical therapist Dr. Jacob VanDenMeerendonk, PT, DPT, which are the brand's chosen testimonials.

Support and paperwork

The Support menu lists a posture consult, how-to videos, FAQs, an HSA/FSA page, a user manual, a warranty page and a contact page, and the Resources menu adds a Dimensions page, 3D files, a "6 Minute Workstation Fix" and a "Fix Your Sit Guidebook". The homepage and features page do not state a weight rating, a warranty length or seat dimensions in the text, so a buyer should check the Dimensions and Warranty pages before ordering.

The About page also describes the Anthros Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit that the company says receives "a percentage of every dollar earned" and that recently raised "nearly $20,000 for Beeline Wheelchairs in Guatemala."

Who it suits

Anthros suits a US buyer ready to pay from $1,949 for a chair designed around pelvic support by people from wheelchair seating, and who wants to talk to a therapist and use a 60-day trial before committing. It suits less well a buyer who wants a standard office chair spec sheet up front, or anyone outside the US, since the site does not say where it ships.