Trey Chair Review
I've needed a new chair for a long time. The original chair I used in my office broke. Broke as in I leaned back, a spring shot across the room, and I nearly ended up on the floor. I then started using a hand-me-down chair, from my wife. It was a marginal chair at best, and was somewhere between 10-15 years old.
Within a few months the back broke out of that, and I was left with a stool. A few months after that, I received the Trey Chair. Finally having a good chair (the Trey) made me realize that my poor seating arrangement was responsible for my resurgence in chronic back pain.
I first saw info on the Trey Chair at Gizmodo, in early May of last year. During the summer I started looking for a new chair at my local big box office supply stores, with no luck. This past September, I contacted the folks at Trey Chair, and they were nice enough to send me a chair for review.
Video Review
Initial Impressions
Assembly
The chair comes in two pieces - the legs and casters, and the chair seat. The box also contained a t-shirt and assembly instructions. Assembly is dead easy. The chair seat is fitted on top of the leg/caster assembly. That's it. The whole assembly was completed in less than thirty seconds.
Look & Feel
The chair looks phenomenal. The "lake" green faux leather is a nice color, without being overwhelming. The twin back supports have a nice angular form that gives a modern twist to what is ostensibly an office chair design.
The chair feels even better than it looks. The back and seat are both molded from firm supportive foam. They also both offer a convex design that provide good lumbar support. This is a sharp contrast to the soft concave shape of my old chair. When first sitting in the chair, I instantly noticed how much support it gave and how good the seat felt. I knew my previous chair was "tired and old," but I didn't realize how much better a new chair would feel.
Transformation
The differentiating feature of the Trey Chair is its ability to transform from a single office task chair, to a floor rocker and a separate piece that can be used as a stool or small table. While one might pass this feature off as a gimmick, I'm with Alton - no unitaskers. The transformation of the chair is no simple gimmick, and it adds genuine value to an already comfortable chair. The chair transforms easily. To remove the chair, you simply grab the assembly at the back and pull up on the release lever with your fingers. You then pull up and peel the chair off of the base. All of this is done in one fluid motion, with no "counter-intuitive" movements or steps.
To reseat the chair on the base, you simply hook the front end of the chair on the base and drop it into place. The removal and replacement are quick and easy. No thumbscrews, no bolts, nothing that takes time. The chair is easy to split and reassemble as your need dictates.