Normally we aren’t supposed to give away how we feel about something in the first line. But as someone who feels easily overwhelmed by the majority of gaming chairs, primarily for their tendency to be massive seats for tall people, I get excited for any throne that addresses this imbalance. But there’s more to this chair than just its size, so read on to find out what else makes this one of the best gaming chairs for anyone 5 ft 10 or under.
Boulies Master Series pricing and configurations
The Boulies Master Series Computer Chair is available for $339 (£299). You can pick one up from Boulies directly in the U.S. or U.K. This is $40/£50 more than the AndaSeat Jungle 2, but the first benefit is you’re not limited to just one finish. You’ve got a choice between seven colors: four in UltraFlex PU and three in water repellent fabric. I’m testing the black fabric model.
Boulies Master Series design
Continuing the move from garish gamer chairs to restrained visual flair that looks better in a home setup, the Boulies Master Series has a nice premium look and feel to it. I’ve always been a fan of fabric over PVC or PU faux leather and the quality really shows here. The Master Series has standard racing car-esque bucket curves to it, accentuated by microfiber suede and tastefully emblazoned with Boulies branding on the back, two small metal plates on either side of the arms and a plush, velour head cushion. It’s sleek and stylish with no pomp or circumstance — my kind of chair and perfect for any 30-something gamer who doesn’t want to spoil their home setup with an over-the-top gaming chair.
Boulies Master Series comfort
The Boulies Master Series chair is built to support people up to 6 foot 3 inches (190cm) and a maximum weight of 297 pounds (135 kilograms). The cushioning is 100% cold-cure foam, the lumbar support is built-in and adjustable and the pillow attaches to the head via an elastic strap. The choice to use fabric for the seat and velour for the cushions is warmly welcomed, with an emphasis on “warmly,” as it gives the chair breathability and means you won’t suffer from a sticky back while sitting on it. As for adaptability, you can recline this down to a 160-degree angle and the aluminum constructed 4D armrests offer plenty of height and depth adjustment with soft padding on top to support your forearms. All of this adds up to a customizable and comfortable seat that encourages an ergonomic sitting position and keeps your noggin comfortable with one of the softest head pillows I’ve ever used. Of course, as I am emphasizing throughout this review, if you are on the taller side, this chair is not for you. At 31 inches, the back height is perfect for me at 5 foot 9 inches, but for anyone bordering on 6 foot and above, it’s going to be hard to get that elasticated head pillow in the right place. For anyone at an average-to-short-height, this is one of the nicest seats to park your bum on. Plus, one important difference between this and the Jungle 2 is the racing seat curves, which on the Master Series are molded with foam and not actually part of the metal frame. This greatly expands the width of the cushioning and means you can rearrange yourself without accidentally sitting on the frame. Just be careful when you do, as if you start building up a static charge, touching the metal seat rest levers can result in a small-but-surprising shock.
Boulies Master Series assembly
Coming in at just over 58lbs,the Boulies Master Series is a fair bit heavier than the 50lb Jungle 2 — meaning this does require some strength and patience to put together. Maybe get someone to help with the heavy lifting if you’re not sure. It’s not a technically complicated build (just a few screws here and there, pop the wheels on the legs and Bob’s your uncle), but lifting and aiming the top part onto the bottom can be a pain. It took me around 30-35 minutes to set up, which is the standard for something like this. However, just like AndaSeat chairs, I hope that Boulies starts to think seriously about reducing the amount of single-use plastics. Some of the packing materials are not needed and it easily fills up to half of your wheelie bin (outdoor trash can).
Boulies Master Series warranty
Boulies’ warranty offers two-year coverage of the “integrity of product functions,” which is kind of vague but essentially means everything except for modifications you make, intentional damage or general wear and tear. I’d love to see some more specific detail, so there isn’t any potential wiggle room for the manufacturer to say “no.” But the opposite side of that argument is that the lack of specificity means it covers a lot, so it’s really up to you how you feel about this. Also, for an additional $60/£40, you can add Boulies Warranty Plus, which extends your warranty by 12 months to three years and adds two years of peeling protection, which covers any peeling surfaces.
Bottom line
If you hit the average height for a human or are just below, the Boulies Master Series chair is the one to buy. It’s a comfortable throne with plenty of customizability and a premium build quality that’s going to last you a good long while. That’s not to say it’s perfect. Anyone 6 feet and above should look elsewhere and the static energy built up from shuffling around on the fabric model causes a shock when you touch the metal armrest switches. Plus, there surely has to be a more elegant solution to attaching a head pillow than with an elastic strap. But these issues are easy to forgive for those who fit the dimensions. If you’re like me, you’ll have a “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” moment and find this seat to be just right.
