Most helpful and troubling I had narrowed my search to this chair after lengthy research on all of this and now .... Not so sure. Thank you for such an honest iteration of your trials and tribis.
That's a really dope colorway. To answer your question, I have two Ferns, no issues with the first (since 2020), but my 2nd chair (2023) was delivered with the broken lever just like yours. They sent me a whole new arm. I watched the delivery driver literally drop it off the truck so it seems like depending on how rough your delivery people are, they can break it in transit. Maybe Haworth can package it better somehow. It is big and awkward in that box, and already assembled. Other than that I haven't had any issues. I'm sorry you've had so many issues with yours.
Hey Marshall, thanks for your input. I really enjoyed your review of the chair and I must admit it was a contributing factor to my decision on moving forward with Fern. Your colorway is also sweet and definitely fits your office palette nicely. I agree though, they can definitely come up with a better configuration to deliver the chair in one piece, and can also withstand the carrier handling.
I’m from Australia and got mine in 2021 I think. I’m way lighter than you so I don’t get the same issues. I do notice similar squeaking in the backrest but it’s barely there unless I pay very close attention to it. I do have a loud click on the arm rest when I readjust the height but I rarely adjust it. My only regret is getting it with the headrest cause I’m not tall enough for it to rest in the right spot. There was a lack of reviews at the time and sample for me to test so I didn’t know if it would be good. I have to really sit all the way back to elevate my head so that it rest at my neck. I have considered taking it off but I don’t like the idea of having the hole visible lol.
Mine has been perfect for 18ish months now. I don't have a single complaint and it's the most comfortable chair I've ever sat in. I also have a Steelcase Leap V2, which I also like, but the Fern is more comfortable for my personal preferences. I've had zero issues with the Fern (to date).
@@TheSearchSherpa Any place you can try them both? For me, yes - it's worth it. I like the Leap V2 but am definitely more comfortable in the Fern. Chairs though, like beds, cars, & women (in my case), are an extremely personal issue where preferences are concerned. I'd never say that one is better than the other, since the best I can offer is my personal opinion about them. But my butt's not your butt, and vice versa. 😎
@@John-tk6wd I believe that chairs are up in the top tier of things that are naturally subjective. If everyone liked the same things, there would be no other things. For my buttocks, back, & body, the Leap V2 is nice; the Fern is my personal perfection (especially with the Atlas headrest, which will be coming to the Leap V2 soon).
@TheSearchSherpa seen a ton of reviews, the QC seems to be an issue. I tried the chair in a showroom and it felt great. Also a lot of tall people have complaints.
I bought mine within the last 8 months or so, and I had to return the first one because it came with a broken arm (not the lever). I could pull the arm right out of the socket (there is a plastic piece that holds it inside the aluminum frame. They wound up offering me a brand new chair and so I returned that original one. The new one had no issues and I love it so far. Is it worth 1600$, probably not. I got mine on clearance sale at around 1200$ (digital knit, no lumbar, aluminum frame, coastal gray). The recline on this chair is great, and the digital knit although a bit rough at first, wears in nicely and becomes super plush. It is a gorgeous chair to look at and sit in, but material quality isn't the best. Overall its a nice chair and the warranty and customer service is top notch. Although it is annoying to go through this process of returning and getting a new one, the fact that they stand by their warranty and probably take losses constantly shipping out new chairs is nice.
In fairness though, if I'd had even one of the issues you've experienced, I don't think I'd bother having them send another new one. Maybe their quality is suffering from their success. When I ordered mine, it arrived in 3-4 days. I did have a cylinder problem with the Leap, but it was an easy fix. My Fern cylinder has been perfect. I'm also about 225 lbs. Excellent review and quite insightful. I'm sorry to see you've had so many problems with the chair.
That is what I suspect, “suffering from success”. All higher-end chairs have gained a lot of popularity since the pandemic, forcing a lot of WFH situations including mine. So maybe they found new suppliers for better margins? Maybe something to do with custom orders? Who knows, but thanks for your comment.
Bought a Fern two years ago, for $305 ($323 after tax). From Haworth. Metal base, digital knit fabric, headrest, lumbar, 4D arms. Bought it at Haworth's outlet store in Holland, Michigan. So far it has been a great, comfortable chair. The armrests are a bit wobbly but not terrible. Thats the only issue I have with it.
Wow, $1600 chair and that many problems? Yikes. I was about to pull the trigger on this chair because my work has a few Haworth Very's and I liked it. Also, its on sale fully loaded for $1248 in black.
If you do end up buying it I’d be curious to know if you have any issues with it. Approximately $1600, but it was custom, so depending on the options the price can climb. Plus I ordered at the height of office chair popularity. Good luck and thanks for your comment.
I'm experiencing the exact same issue with the pneumatic cylinder (on both chairs I've owned). I suspect this might be a common problem with these chairs, but not everyone is sensitive to such details. However, I have a feeling that the wobbling occurs more between the base and the pneumatic cylinder, rather than between the seat and the cylinder (this needs to be verified). Weight doesn't seem to be the cause of the problem, as I weigh about 160 pounds.
And I have a feeling that the play in the cylinder is also the cause of the popping sound. The lateral force exerted on the small rubber donut-like part causes the cylinder to stick.
I just got a digital knit and was shocked at the poor quality and cheap feeling. My Amia and Embody are much higher quality. The Fern came broken... can't raise or lower the height. The arms are rattly, flimsy, and feel extremely cheap. Pretty much everything on the chair, besides the back feels cheap with poor build/material quality. It also came with a lot of scratches and scuffs. Very disappointing for a $1300 "on sale" chair. When I see all of these reviewers classify the chair as "S" tier, I have to wonder if they're getting kickbacks from Haworth.
They are ALL getting affiliate links you can see it in their description. Just click the link and you see the identifier when you land on Haworth. I was wondering myself why SOOO many people said this chair that previously cost 500 bucks and now is 1600 bucks is the greatest thing ever. It is no different than any other amazon ergo chair
@@TheSearchSherpa Yeah... if it was $500-$600 wouldnt be as big deal of a deal. It feels like a cheap chair but my basic digital knit was 1300 with their 15% discount and tax included. Absolute trash for the price... especially seeing it came broken and has light cosmetic damage, such as scuffs on the back metal. I think companies like BTOD singing the Ferns praises either got much better quality chairs than me or they're getting additional kickbacks on top of the ref links.
@@TheMrKlassy I think BTOD is definitely getting something on top of affiliate perks. I also think perhaps the chair was made of better quality when they weren't as popular. High demand without proper support usually ends up degrading the chair due to cutting corners, or acquiring new suppliers that don't have a long track record of QC. Thanks for your comment.
Dang, I've had my current fern for 3 years, and before that my original for a year before having it replaced for a mild squeaking noise. Though I'm currently in the process of getting a replacement for this one due to some seat cushion issues. Overall though it's been extremely solid and I use it every day for 8-12 hours. Hoping my replacement goes as smoothly as the first time I did it.
Could be, but the 2nd chair that came was a different colorway. So unless they did that to buy time while they "fix" the original one? I doubt it, however they do reuse parts. For instance, when they sent me replacement arms, I noticed that they were scuffed and used. The lever was in good condition, and it was all I needed so I didn't mind. I'm also ok with not having to create more waste for our planet and repurposing parts is a great solution (as long as they are in good condition). I'm sure some people might not be ok with that being the hefty price tag. Thanks for your comment.
contacted Haworth people in an effort to see what they are doing to deal with the issues you have raised in terms of improved package, better shipper, etc Little success on chat but have sent a link to your vid via email and asked that management look at it. Also with some effort found that they ship from Mississippi and I am on 'Vancouver Island in Western Canada so important that I get some reassuring responses before plunking down a lot of cash. Thanks again for opening my eyers to all of this
I began to think maybe it's not such a good idea to have the chair shipped fully assembled. Sure it feels high-end, but it's just a pain to move that huge box when you have to return it - even with the fedex pickup. Also, the huge box means more empty space for the chair to bounce during shipping, higher chance for mishandling and damage...
You are exactly right, this is a huge oversight on their part. Lots of air in that box. I think I did a better job of including some modifications to the return box by filling some of those major air gaps and integrating some inner bumpers (I used other corrugate boxes I had ready for recycle). The chair was certainly more secured from movement that cause the damage to begin with. Fedex will not take care of your baby during transit, they will toss that thing around like a football on Thanksgiving morning.
Just get a Leap V2 nothing beats it in comfort. Coming from someone who's tried most of them. I have an Gaming Embody, Aeron, and Leap v2. The leap gets the most use. I also order chairs for the workplace and most people want the Leap v2.
That’s what I’m saying. I tried the Haworth fern thinking I would like it better than my leap v2 and sitting in it had me feeling how much more I like the leap v2 way more. It’s just a way more comfy chair for me.
I own 2 Haworth X99s built in 2004, one was fantastic until the tension system failed in 2020, the other is still sittable to this day, although the back mesh has been slowly starting to come unfrayed for over a decade now. Haworth typically has pretty excellent quality this is likely an outlier. That said, one of the best bosses I've ever worked for told me something during my orientation. "Consistent and repeated bad luck can be grounds for termination, If i cant trust you to get a job done, I just cant trust you to get a job done and I will need to find someone else." I believe this applies perfectly to your situation.
Agree with all your points, it's hard to trust the same company to get the job done if there is "Consistent and repeated bad luck" or performance in my case. However, my mind could change if Haworth were to reach out and address the issue? Perhaps acknowledging supplier issues, or flat out try to prove me wrong by sending me a Fern (my configuration) free of charge in exchange for an updated review! ha ha ha Haworth, are you listening? Thank you for your comment.
I've had some comfort issues with my chair but nothing like what you are describing. Hard to believe but this sounds like really bad luck to me. My issues all stem from being tall so if you are under 6' 5" then you may not have the same problems I've had.
![เป็นไปได้ไหม - WanMai [Performance Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Eh5hItD4Mr0/mqdefault.jpg)
Most helpful and troubling I had narrowed my search to this chair after lengthy research on all of this and now .... Not so sure. Thank you for such an honest iteration of your trials and tribis.
😊9 in CD😊
That's a really dope colorway. To answer your question, I have two Ferns, no issues with the first (since 2020), but my 2nd chair (2023) was delivered with the broken lever just like yours. They sent me a whole new arm. I watched the delivery driver literally drop it off the truck so it seems like depending on how rough your delivery people are, they can break it in transit. Maybe Haworth can package it better somehow. It is big and awkward in that box, and already assembled. Other than that I haven't had any issues. I'm sorry you've had so many issues with yours.
^This. I witnessed the FedEx driver straight up bodycheck my Embody out of the back of the truck and roll it end over end across the street.
Hey Marshall, thanks for your input. I really enjoyed your review of the chair and I must admit it was a contributing factor to my decision on moving forward with Fern. Your colorway is also sweet and definitely fits your office palette nicely. I agree though, they can definitely come up with a better configuration to deliver the chair in one piece, and can also withstand the carrier handling.
I’m from Australia and got mine in 2021 I think. I’m way lighter than you so I don’t get the same issues. I do notice similar squeaking in the backrest but it’s barely there unless I pay very close attention to it. I do have a loud click on the arm rest when I readjust the height but I rarely adjust it. My only regret is getting it with the headrest cause I’m not tall enough for it to rest in the right spot. There was a lack of reviews at the time and sample for me to test so I didn’t know if it would be good. I have to really sit all the way back to elevate my head so that it rest at my neck. I have considered taking it off but I don’t like the idea of having the hole visible lol.
Mine has been perfect for 18ish months now. I don't have a single complaint and it's the most comfortable chair I've ever sat in. I also have a Steelcase Leap V2, which I also like, but the Fern is more comfortable for my personal preferences. I've had zero issues with the Fern (to date).
I am literally torn between these two chairs. Is the fern worth it? Why?
@@TheSearchSherpa Any place you can try them both? For me, yes - it's worth it. I like the Leap V2 but am definitely more comfortable in the Fern. Chairs though, like beds, cars, & women (in my case), are an extremely personal issue where preferences are concerned. I'd never say that one is better than the other, since the best I can offer is my personal opinion about them. But my butt's not your butt, and vice versa. 😎
@@DavidLongo22that’s weird to be honest I prefer the leap v2 it’s just more comfy for me. I feel the fern is too firm
@@John-tk6wd I believe that chairs are up in the top tier of things that are naturally subjective. If everyone liked the same things, there would be no other things. For my buttocks, back, & body, the Leap V2 is nice; the Fern is my personal perfection (especially with the Atlas headrest, which will be coming to the Leap V2 soon).
@TheSearchSherpa seen a ton of reviews, the QC seems to be an issue. I tried the chair in a showroom and it felt great. Also a lot of tall people have complaints.
I bought mine within the last 8 months or so, and I had to return the first one because it came with a broken arm (not the lever). I could pull the arm right out of the socket (there is a plastic piece that holds it inside the aluminum frame. They wound up offering me a brand new chair and so I returned that original one. The new one had no issues and I love it so far. Is it worth 1600$, probably not. I got mine on clearance sale at around 1200$ (digital knit, no lumbar, aluminum frame, coastal gray). The recline on this chair is great, and the digital knit although a bit rough at first, wears in nicely and becomes super plush. It is a gorgeous chair to look at and sit in, but material quality isn't the best. Overall its a nice chair and the warranty and customer service is top notch. Although it is annoying to go through this process of returning and getting a new one, the fact that they stand by their warranty and probably take losses constantly shipping out new chairs is nice.
I'm glad the 2nd chair is working out for you and I do agree it is a gorgeous design. Thanks for your comment.
In fairness though, if I'd had even one of the issues you've experienced, I don't think I'd bother having them send another new one. Maybe their quality is suffering from their success. When I ordered mine, it arrived in 3-4 days. I did have a cylinder problem with the Leap, but it was an easy fix. My Fern cylinder has been perfect. I'm also about 225 lbs.
Excellent review and quite insightful. I'm sorry to see you've had so many problems with the chair.
That is what I suspect, “suffering from success”. All higher-end chairs have gained a lot of popularity since the pandemic, forcing a lot of WFH situations including mine. So maybe they found new suppliers for better margins? Maybe something to do with custom orders? Who knows, but thanks for your comment.
Bought a Fern two years ago, for $305 ($323 after tax). From Haworth. Metal base, digital knit fabric, headrest, lumbar, 4D arms.
Bought it at Haworth's outlet store in Holland, Michigan. So far it has been a great, comfortable chair. The armrests are a bit wobbly but not terrible. Thats the only issue I have with it.
Much needed video, thanks for the real review
Wow, $1600 chair and that many problems? Yikes. I was about to pull the trigger on this chair because my work has a few Haworth Very's and I liked it. Also, its on sale fully loaded for $1248 in black.
If you do end up buying it I’d be curious to know if you have any issues with it. Approximately $1600, but it was custom, so depending on the options the price can climb. Plus I ordered at the height of office chair popularity. Good luck and thanks for your comment.
I'm experiencing the exact same issue with the pneumatic cylinder (on both chairs I've owned). I suspect this might be a common problem with these chairs, but not everyone is sensitive to such details. However, I have a feeling that the wobbling occurs more between the base and the pneumatic cylinder, rather than between the seat and the cylinder (this needs to be verified). Weight doesn't seem to be the cause of the problem, as I weigh about 160 pounds.
And I have a feeling that the play in the cylinder is also the cause of the popping sound. The lateral force exerted on the small rubber donut-like part causes the cylinder to stick.
I just got a digital knit and was shocked at the poor quality and cheap feeling. My Amia and Embody are much higher quality. The Fern came broken... can't raise or lower the height. The arms are rattly, flimsy, and feel extremely cheap. Pretty much everything on the chair, besides the back feels cheap with poor build/material quality. It also came with a lot of scratches and scuffs. Very disappointing for a $1300 "on sale" chair. When I see all of these reviewers classify the chair as "S" tier, I have to wonder if they're getting kickbacks from Haworth.
They are ALL getting affiliate links you can see it in their description. Just click the link and you see the identifier when you land on Haworth. I was wondering myself why SOOO many people said this chair that previously cost 500 bucks and now is 1600 bucks is the greatest thing ever. It is no different than any other amazon ergo chair
@@TheSearchSherpa Yeah... if it was $500-$600 wouldnt be as big deal of a deal. It feels like a cheap chair but my basic digital knit was 1300 with their 15% discount and tax included. Absolute trash for the price... especially seeing it came broken and has light cosmetic damage, such as scuffs on the back metal. I think companies like BTOD singing the Ferns praises either got much better quality chairs than me or they're getting additional kickbacks on top of the ref links.
@@TheMrKlassy I think BTOD is definitely getting something on top of affiliate perks. I also think perhaps the chair was made of better quality when they weren't as popular. High demand without proper support usually ends up degrading the chair due to cutting corners, or acquiring new suppliers that don't have a long track record of QC. Thanks for your comment.
Dang, I've had my current fern for 3 years, and before that my original for a year before having it replaced for a mild squeaking noise.
Though I'm currently in the process of getting a replacement for this one due to some seat cushion issues. Overall though it's been extremely solid and I use it every day for 8-12 hours.
Hoping my replacement goes as smoothly as the first time I did it.
Could it be possible that the chair was never replaced but "fixed"?
Could be, but the 2nd chair that came was a different colorway. So unless they did that to buy time while they "fix" the original one? I doubt it, however they do reuse parts. For instance, when they sent me replacement arms, I noticed that they were scuffed and used. The lever was in good condition, and it was all I needed so I didn't mind. I'm also ok with not having to create more waste for our planet and repurposing parts is a great solution (as long as they are in good condition). I'm sure some people might not be ok with that being the hefty price tag. Thanks for your comment.
Everything after 2020 sucks. Quality is a last priority so companies can stay afloat or executives are draining the company.
I agree
contacted Haworth people in an effort to see what they are doing to deal with the issues you have raised in terms of improved package, better shipper, etc Little success on chat but have sent a link to your vid via email and asked that management look at it. Also with some effort found that they ship from Mississippi and I am on 'Vancouver Island in Western Canada so important that I get some reassuring responses before plunking down a lot of cash. Thanks again for opening my eyers to all of this
I began to think maybe it's not such a good idea to have the chair shipped fully assembled. Sure it feels high-end, but it's just a pain to move that huge box when you have to return it - even with the fedex pickup. Also, the huge box means more empty space for the chair to bounce during shipping, higher chance for mishandling and damage...
You are exactly right, this is a huge oversight on their part. Lots of air in that box. I think I did a better job of including some modifications to the return box by filling some of those major air gaps and integrating some inner bumpers (I used other corrugate boxes I had ready for recycle). The chair was certainly more secured from movement that cause the damage to begin with. Fedex will not take care of your baby during transit, they will toss that thing around like a football on Thanksgiving morning.
Just get a Leap V2 nothing beats it in comfort. Coming from someone who's tried most of them. I have an Gaming Embody, Aeron, and Leap v2. The leap gets the most use. I also order chairs for the workplace and most people want the Leap v2.
That’s what I’m saying. I tried the Haworth fern thinking I would like it better than my leap v2 and sitting in it had me feeling how much more I like the leap v2 way more. It’s just a way more comfy chair for me.
Update? Did you return the chair?
@@yoanmichaud2997 yes, I returned the chair for a full refund.
That is a fancy chair. My office could use an update.
It's a beautiful chair! I just didn't have a good experience with it, but you might? Thanks for your comment.
I own 2 Haworth X99s built in 2004, one was fantastic until the tension system failed in 2020, the other is still sittable to this day, although the back mesh has been slowly starting to come unfrayed for over a decade now. Haworth typically has pretty excellent quality this is likely an outlier.
That said, one of the best bosses I've ever worked for told me something during my orientation. "Consistent and repeated bad luck can be grounds for termination, If i cant trust you to get a job done, I just cant trust you to get a job done and I will need to find someone else." I believe this applies perfectly to your situation.
Agree with all your points, it's hard to trust the same company to get the job done if there is "Consistent and repeated bad luck" or performance in my case. However, my mind could change if Haworth were to reach out and address the issue? Perhaps acknowledging supplier issues, or flat out try to prove me wrong by sending me a Fern (my configuration) free of charge in exchange for an updated review! ha ha ha Haworth, are you listening? Thank you for your comment.
I've had some comfort issues with my chair but nothing like what you are describing. Hard to believe but this sounds like really bad luck to me. My issues all stem from being tall so if you are under 6' 5" then you may not have the same problems I've had.
This is clearly user error. No former owned of a HM Aeron should spend less than $2k, at today's prices, and expect anything more than mediocrity.