Petite Person Perspective
As a petite person (4'10, 95 pounds), I have struggled with finding the right chair and have been through many different brands, from noname brands, to Steelcase, to the Noblechair Epic Compact, without finding the right chair. I ordered the Fern with some trepidation, as I’d never sat in one before; and, as stated, as a small person, I didn’t really believe a normal chair (i.e., one not labeled "petite") would work and this might be an expensive mistake.
There are two important things I look at. The seat depth is the most important for me. I have little legs and I need to be able to sit on the chair with my back firmly supported by the backrest but still have that space gap behind my knees so it’s not compressed. The seat depth of the Fern works beautifully for me.
The next important thing for me is the armrest. Since I am slight, the armrest needs to be adjustable up, down, in, and out, in order to feel that the chair fits me. The Fern armrests work fine for me. They are plastic; I would have preferred something softer or padded, but these work great.
I always use a footrest, so being able to have my feet touch the floor at the lowest setting is not something I look for. While my feet DO touch the floor at the lowest setting, it’s then too low for me to write on a desk; that’s why this setting is not important to me. I use my footrest and am able to adjust the height perfectly to reach my desktop.
I bought the chair with the adjustable lumbar support. This is again due to the fact that I am a slight person and the arch of my back is likely not going to be supported in the right spot without being adjustable. I love the Fern’s adjustable lumbar support.
I don’t normally write reviews, but it’s so difficult to find options when you’re petite, and I just had to say this is perfect for me.
