User Experience

Now, that we've covered the individual components, it's time for what matters most: how the Boulies OP180 performed in everyday use. My first impressions were fairly positive, but after spending more time with the chair, it became obvious why I personally struggle with office chairs that don't include a headrest. More than anything else, the absence of proper head and neck support shaped my overall opinion of this model—although it certainly wasn't the only factor.

As usual, let's begin with overall comfort. The experience isn't bad by any means, but it also isn't something that immediately won me over. The OP180 is designed for users between 155 and 190 cm (5'1"–6'3") tall. Since I'm right at the upper end of that range, I was curious to see whether it would actually accommodate someone my height. Fortunately, thanks to the generous adjustment range of the seat, backrest, and armrests, it can indeed be adapted to both shorter and taller users without too much trouble.


The backrest is one of the chair's stronger points. Having both recline and tilt available gives you plenty of flexibility depending on whether you're working, reading, or simply leaning back to relax for a few minutes. The adjustment mechanisms themselves work well, although they require a fairly gentle touch to operate smoothly. As I mentioned earlier, the backrest also exhibits a small amount of side-to-side movement where it connects to the chair. Fortunately, while it's noticeable when you deliberately move it, it has virtually no impact on everyday use.


The mesh deserves praise as well. It manages to strike a nice balance between firmness and flexibility, offering enough support without feeling overly rigid. Even after longer periods of sitting, it remained comfortable, and because of the breathable material, I never felt like the chair trapped excessive heat, which is always an advantage compared to traditional upholstered office chairs.


The seat, on the other hand, could be a little softer. It's actually quite firm, despite being upholstered in fabric rather than mesh. That doesn't make it uncomfortable, but I never had the impression that it offered outstanding comfort either. It's also worth mentioning that the seat can be adjusted front-to-back, allowing you to change its depth. Personally, however, I didn't find this feature particularly useful, as it didn't noticeably improve my seating position. On the other hand, the levers for adjusting the seat height, locking and unlocking the tilt mechanism, and changing the seat depth are all well-placed and comfortable to use.


The casters perform well, and the base feels stable during everyday use. Overall, the chair never gave me the impression that it was about to fall apart, although the tilt mechanism could produce some noticeable noises while in use. The armrests are also an interesting part of the chair. Even though they aren't particularly soft or especially comfortable, it's worth appreciating the adjustment mechanisms they use, which allow movement in three dimensions and make it easy to position them where you need them.