Product · Varier
Varier Variable Plus: rocking chair with a backrest
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Plain kneeling chairs have one big drawback: there is nothing behind you when you want to sit back. The Variable Plus is Varier's answer. It keeps the rocking wooden runners and forward-tilted seat of the original Variable Balans, then adds a cushioned backrest. It is for people who like active sitting for focused work but want to lean back between tasks without changing chairs.
- Base
- Curved wooden runners, rocks
- Backrest
- Cushioned
- Height adjustment
- Not stated
- Knee pads
- Cushioned seat and shin rest
- Max load
- 150 kg
In its favour
- The cushioned backrest gives you somewhere to lean, which most kneeling chairs here do not.
- At 150 kg it has the joint highest load rating in this guide.
- Varier states 7 years against faults on wooden parts and 5 years on mechanisms.
Good to know
- Varier notes the screws need tightening from time to time as the wood moves.
- The listing does not describe any seat height adjustment.
Our take
What the backrest changes
Varier describes two modes. Lean forward and you sit in the open hip posture of a kneeling chair, with your weight shared between the seat and the shin rest. Rock back and the backrest takes over, giving support for reading, calls or a short pause. The rocking runners make that switch smooth, because the whole chair rolls rather than you having to shuffle on the seat.
The cushions and backrest use 100% recycled polyester fabric over padding, and the frame is wood with a natural ash veneer finish in the blue version listed here.
Dimensions and load
Amazon gives the size as 79 x 52 x 92 cm and the weight as 7.6 kg. The extra height compared with the backless Balans comes from the backrest. The maximum user weight is 150 kg, the joint highest among the kneeling chairs we compare and well above the 110 kg listed for the original Balans.
Felt pads are included and Varier says the chair can be used on hardwood, tile or carpet.
Assembly and upkeep
The chair arrives flat and needs assembly. Varier is candid that the natural movement of the wood, along with your own movement while rocking, means the screws need tightening now and then. It is a small job but worth knowing before you buy. There are no gas lifts or levers, so there is little else to maintain. Varier gives 7 years against faults on wooden parts and 5 years on mechanisms.
How it compares
The Sleekform East Austin also adds a back rest and, unlike the Varier, the listing says its height can be adjusted, but it does not rock and has no stated warranty. The cinius chair with back sits on a fixed sled with wheels and suits users up to 185 cm. Neither matches the Variable Plus on rated load or warranty, though both are lighter to move. There is no stated height adjustment on the Varier, so check that a fixed seat suits your desk.
Verdict
The Variable Plus is the pick for anyone who wants the Varier rocking design with somewhere to rest their back, and its 150 kg rating widens who can use it. If you need to set the seat height to your desk, look at the Sleekform East Austin instead, and if you never lean back the plain Variable Balans is lighter and simpler.
Compared with alternatives in: Best kneeling chairs for a home office
Amazon listing title: Varier Ergonomic Kneeling Chair with Back Support, Knee Stool for Office